Topic: Results of soda blasting side cover empblems

[MCRider]

So the copious snow from December melted in a flash and with the warmup I got outside to do some blasting. My main concern was what would happen to the plastic chrome, if the blast was strong enough to take the paint off. MyCB750K6 sent me 2 to experient with, one plastic on top and one metal on bottom.


At about 60psi the black comes off the plastic easily, and leaves the chrome shiny and intact. It is chrome under the black, BTW. It takes a lot more pressure to get the white to budge, but still seems to leave the chrome. I didn't try too hard as my emblems have black and chrome only, no white.

It took the black off the metal easily, but what is left behind is orange in color.



So for my purposes, success. I would consider just stripping the black on my K2 emblems and leaving the whole "750Four" script in chrome.

Of course frankenstuff may come up with something as well.

[GammaFlat]

Those are great results.  Can I do this with a cheap Harbor Freight media blaster?  (http://www.harborfreight.com/portable-abrasive-blaster-kit-37025.html)

You mention outdoors.  Is it practical to improvise a booth in a garage or does a blast cabinet make more sense?  (http://www.harborfreight.com/40-lb-capacity-floor-blast-cabinet-93608.html)

Please keep up posted if you decide to paint. 

[Stev-o]

Good info, thanks for sharing.

How do you plan to paint?

[mcuozzo]

Gamma,

I've got the floor model blaster from harbor freight and yes it will work.  You can use soda in it and more aggressive media.  I switch between soda and coal slag with no problemos.

Don't know if that portable one can do soda.  A buddy of mine had something similar but was always coming over to use the cabinet.  I think he eventually sold the portable one.

Next logical thing after getting a blasting setup is to start power coating...it's a slippery slope, watchout.

And I'm also curious as to how to paint the emblems.  I'm horrible at painting and haven't gotten good results yet.

Matt

[MCRider]

Those are great results.  Can I do this with a cheap Harbor Freight media blaster?  (http://www.harborfreight.com/portable-abrasive-blaster-kit-37025.html)

You mention outdoors.  Is it practical to improvise a booth in a garage or does a blast cabinet make more sense?  (http://www.harborfreight.com/40-lb-capacity-floor-blast-cabinet-93608.html)

Please keep up posted if you decide to paint. 

I got my soda blaster from harbor Freight as well.
http://www.harborfreight.com/15-lb-portable-soda-blaster-66742.html
I don't know if either the blaster or the cabinet you link to will accomodate soda. Its so fine and I've never heard of anyone reusing it. I just let it blow away in the wind, or accumulate on the driveway where it washes away with rain or the hose. It does make a big cloud which may bother neighbors, I have none, but if you could convince them, it is harmless. They probably wouldn't want it on their cars etc. even though it washes off.

If i decide to paint, I'd probably just use a fine brush like for models and some model paint.

[MCRider]

Good info, thanks for sharing.

How do you plan to paint?

The paint on the "750Four" script is in tight places, don't know if my hand is steady enough. I'd either leave it chrome, use a small modelers brush and paint, or let the guy doing the paint job paint the emblems too.

[Really?]

The superfine microbrushes should work good.  The fine ones were bordering on too big sometimes.

[Stev-o]

The superfine microbrushes should work good.  The fine ones were bordering on too big sometimes.

Where did you get them?

Thanks.

[MCRider]

Hobby Shops should have them, paint too.
http://www.hobbyplace.com/tools/modlbrsh.php

[Really?]

I got them at Hobby Lobby.

[swellguy]

I know this might sound sacreligious and I certainly don't mean to dissuade you from pursuing this but aren't you getting a bit finnicky about this?
I mean, there are plenty of repop emblems available from numerous sources. There are a number of NOS sellers on eBay and, if you have to Yamiya could be the ultimate source for your model.
I guess when I hear media blasting small pieces of plastic my heart kind of cringes and wonder if replacements might be a better use of time and effort. Not that I'm in a position to judge your choices, I'm just wondering.

ps. when I saw Hobby Lobby, I had to write. My father was a modeler of scale reproduction R/C aircraft and no amount of what we'd consider common sense applied to the diligence he brought a project.

[MCRider]

I know this might sound sacreligious and I certainly don't mean to dissuade you from pursuing this but aren't you getting a bit finnicky about this?
I mean, there are plenty of repop emblems available from numerous sources. There are a number of NOS sellers on eBay and, if you have to Yamiya could be the ultimate source for your model.
I guess when I hear media blasting small pieces of plastic my heart kind of cringes and wonder if replacements might be a better use of time and effort. Not that I'm in a position to judge your choices, I'm just wondering.

ps. when I saw Hobby Lobby, I had to write. My father was a modeler of scale reproduction R/C aircraft and no amount of what we'd consider common sense applied to the diligence he brought a project.

As your PS explains, its not about common sense, these are toys, its about doing what makes you happy. I know I'm not a detail painter, so I may ultimately pass on repainting and go the repro route. But i wanted to know what would happen to the emblem. Others have interest too, so it adds to the knowledge pool. I may have my painter paint them body/frame color (gold and purple) rather than black, etc. He can do pinstripes and detail with a stroke. And I'd like to be able to say these are the original emblems.

[kayaker43]

I have the HF sodda blaster too. I have read that blast cabinets don't work because the soda pulverizes and you can't see through the dust cloud. Also its not reusable after it powders. Others have said it works in cabinets but I suspect it won't work well for long?

I'll stick with the outdoors method.

[Really?]

I know this might sound sacreligious and I certainly don't mean to dissuade you from pursuing this but aren't you getting a bit finnicky about this?
I mean, there are plenty of repop emblems available from numerous sources. There are a number of NOS sellers on eBay and, if you have to Yamiya could be the ultimate source for your model.
I guess when I hear media blasting small pieces of plastic my heart kind of cringes and wonder if replacements might be a better use of time and effort. Not that I'm in a position to judge your choices, I'm just wondering.

ps. when I saw Hobby Lobby, I had to write. My father was a modeler of scale reproduction R/C aircraft and no amount of what we'd consider common sense applied to the diligence he brought a project.

As your PS explains, its not about common sense, these are toys, its about doing what makes you happy. I know I'm not a detail painter, so I may ultimately pass on repainting and go the repro route. But i wanted to know what would happen to the emblem. Others have interest too, so it adds to the knowledge pool. I may have my painter paint them body/frame color (gold and purple) rather than black, etc. He can do pinstripes and detail with a stroke. And I'd like to be able to say these are the original emblems.

Yea, what Ron said.   

the ones I painted are repros but I also need to do the tank emblems and those are original.

[Stev-o]

I know this might sound sacreligious and I certainly don't mean to dissuade you from pursuing this but aren't you getting a bit finnicky about this?
I mean, there are plenty of repop emblems available from numerous sources. There are a number of NOS sellers on eBay and, if you have to Yamiya could be the ultimate source for your model.
I guess when I hear media blasting small pieces of plastic my heart kind of cringes and wonder if replacements might be a better use of time and effort. Not that I'm in a position to judge your choices, I'm just wondering.

I have intersest in this because a couple of my emblems need paint.
When restoring, where do you draw the line between what gets refurbished and what get's tossed?  Sure, it would be easy to just order new ones online, but not much pride in that.

[mcuozzo]

Soda blasting works fine in the Harbor freight cabinet, no changes necessary.  Just hook up your shop vac to the dust collection port (you need to use the fine filter and bags in the vac though).  It's definitely not re-usable.  It's fine to begin with and after the collision with the part it's dust and gets sucked into the vac.  Works like a charm though.  Once you have it all setup, you'll never strip paint another way.  At least not on any part you can cram into the cabinet.

Pool supply companies have pretty cheap prices on big bags of baking soda...

[MCRider]

Soda blasting works fine in the Harbor freight cabinet, no changes necessary.  Just hook up your shop vac to the dust collection port (you need to use the fine filter and bags in the vac though).  It's definitely not re-usable.  It's fine to begin with and after the collision with the part it's dust and gets sucked into the vac.  Works like a charm though.  Once you have it all setup, you'll never strip paint another way.  At least not on any part you can cram into the cabinet.

Pool supply companies have pretty cheap prices on big bags of baking soda...

Interesting about the cabinet.

HF has 50lbs for $35. Are the pool supplies the same stuff and cheaper?

Just for FYI: I'm not quite thru my first 50lbs, and have done quite a bit of blasting, fenders, hubs, chainguards (rust and lacquer removal) pistons, etc.

[mcuozzo]

I'm pretty sure my local pool guy chargs $40 for an 80lb bag.  Pretty much the same stuff.  If you go to a supply house (Grainger, etc.) they usually have tow different sized granules, but for soda it doesn't really mean much.  With Coal slag and others it does because you can wind up removing material.

Yeah that cabinet has been a workhouse, had it over 2 years switching between soda and coal slag.  And I only paid like $160 for it.  It was on sale and back then they let you use those 20% coupons on top of that.

[mycb750k6]

MC,
Are you going to restore them and post pictures too? Soda blasting seems like a good deal. Can you post your setup? I thought for sure you would blast them into eternity. There's nothing like restoring the original. Always better than a repop in my opinion. Otherwise you could just go buy parts for everything and your restoration project becomes a re-assembly project.

[MCRider]

MC,
Are you going to restore them and post pictures too? Soda blasting seems like a good deal. Can you post your setup? I thought for sure you would blast them into eternity. There's nothing like restoring the original. Always better than a repop in my opinion. Otherwise you could just go buy parts for everything and your restoration project becomes a re-assembly project.

Don't count on any restoration from me, I'm pretty lamefisted with a paintbrush. But I wanted to know if I could clean them and hand them off to someone else and it seems posible. If you've a steady hand with a paintbrush, I'm sure you could get a good look.

My K2 emblems have a lot less black on them than the sample. But after 38 years, its dull and spotty. I know others have had luck removing the paint with various fluids, but i didn't want to risk it.

Plus the soda is so benign. The paint comes off and blows away with the soda cloud. Leaving the emblem shiny and intact. I've found a K2 emblem I'll blast next. maybe I'll try painting it. I used pretty low pressure, probably 60psi or so. But even a short burst at 100psi did no damage, the plastic chrome being the most fragile thing I've blasted so far.

[MCRider]

This is mine:
http://www.harborfreight.com/15-lb-portable-soda-blaster-66742.html

Soda is about $35 per 50lb bag. Still on my first bag.

here's a step by on the setup. As he mentions there is no "deadman" on the media feed, so you have to have one hand on the air feed valve till you get it where you want it.

http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/body-paint-articles/485680-soda-blasting-budget.html