Sandblasting steelies at home

[Mike]

Anyone with experience or knowledge of gravity fed sandblasting unit?
After last winter, my steelies are showing lots of rust. This summer, I tried to hand sand them down as much as possible, and tried repainting them (rust primer, paint, clear coat), but they're not even installed yet, and they're showing rust (I stored them in my shed where it's humid).
So I am considering doing it again but this time using a sandblaster first to remove all sign of rust.
I found this gravity fed sandblaster gun at Princess Auto for $25, but I don't know anything about it.
Are they easy to use? Will it make a huge mess? Is it worth it?
I don't want to spend much money, as they are just steelies afterall! But I was thinking it could be a fun little project to work on.
If not, I'll just buy hubcaps...

Any advices would be appreciated.

[TaggyTagz]

I'm not sure what this gravity fed unit looks like... but yes it would make a mess. Few years ago I sandblasted a set of rims and I made a little ghetto box to contain the unit.. I think I literally just got a large carboard box... lined the bottom and sides... cut a hole to run the blaster in, and cut a couple holes on either side to stick some of those long rubber kitchen cleaner gloves in.. I think I taped them to the holes as well so they were kinda sealed in as well... I also had a hole about 1ft x 1ft that I cut and put in plexiglass.
after about 15 seconds of blasting I couldn't see inside the box anyways..but it helped at the start so I could see where I needed to blast, wehre I was pointing etc...
Hope this helps...

[Mike]

Ya sounds like I need to build a container or box. Check this link to see what the gun looks like:
http://www.princessauto.com/workshop/air/sandblasting/sandblasters/8140709-gravity-fed-sandblasting-gun

[Shawn]

You can do it in a big clear plastic bag. Make sure your air supply is dry, I use a 5Hp compressor. And it runs out quick doing sand blasting.

BUT, for the effort? Time? And if you use rattle cans you are back where you started.
Powder coat, love you long time.:hawt

$250
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?19433-Quy-s-Powder-Coating&highlight=coating
$200
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?39732-Metal-Coaters-%28Powdercoating-Rims%29

[Cab0oze]

Why the hell would you powdercoat steelies :S that would be the worlds biggest waste of money.

Buy some cheap alloys (you can get used cheaper than new steelies) and do whatever you like with them because they wont rust nearly as fast as steel. Regarding your question about sandblasting though, i have no idea... but from experience even brand new steel rims will rust in 2 yrs so its barely worth the effort.

[SonicBoy]

You'd get better result with a wire brush on a drill than hand sanding.

A good coat of Tremclad would also go along way.

[Shawn]

Why the hell would you powdercoat steelies :S that would be the worlds biggest waste of money.

Versus replacing rims every few years. Granted most people toss there cars every few years. Sure is not a worlds biggest waste of money, that is a Bugatti.

[kevcol74]

You'd get better result with a wire brush on a drill than hand sanding.

lol NOT! You will get better results sand blasting, especially with steel. Best way to protect the rims after, Por15. Or some epoxy primer at minimum. Tremclad WILL rust like the rest, even with its inhibitors. Powder coat, not worth it with steelies, only aluminum IMO.
Will it make a mess? Yes. We have a large industrial one at my dad's, doing 4 rims left a beach in his back yard, about a bag of sand for each rim. However, if you have access to a proper sandblasting cabinet, that would be ideal! Even for the cost, most powder coating places do media blasting, so get a price just for that. May be cheaper than you think! ($15-20 around here/rim)

[Cab0oze]

Versus replacing rims every few years. Granted most people toss there cars every few years. Sure is not a worlds biggest waste of money, that is a Bugatti.
True to an extent. See my post below

lol NOT! You will get better results sand blasting, especially with steel. Best way to protect the rims after, Por15. Or some epoxy primer at minimum. Tremclad WILL rust like the rest, even with its inhibitors. Powder coat, not worth it with steelies, only aluminum IMO.

Exactly. You have to look at the material you start with. Low grade steel is going to rust, no matter how much money you spend on it.

[Default User]

Slap on a set of $40 hub caps and call it a day.

[SonicBoy]

lol NOT! You will get better results sand blasting, especially with steel. Best way to protect the rims after, Por15. Or some epoxy primer at minimum. Tremclad WILL rust like the rest, even with its inhibitors. Powder coat, not worth it with steelies, only aluminum IMO.
Will it make a mess? Yes. We have a large industrial one at my dad's, doing 4 rims left a beach in his back yard, about a bag of sand for each rim. However, if you have access to a proper sandblasting cabinet, that would be ideal! Even for the cost, most powder coating places do media blasting, so get a price just for that. May be cheaper than you think! ($15-20 around here/rim)

I"m talking about someone at home using basic tools rather than getting into all the equipment for sandblasting. By all means a sandblasted job would turn out better but you also need the equipment and some experience for the job to come out good.

[aris]

Slap on a set of $40 hub caps and call it a day.

+1

Best option

[Mike]

Thanks for the advices. I decided that any more effort or money on those rims are not worth it. They'll never look nice either way. I'm getting some aluminium rims and powdercoating them. A bit more money, but hopefully will look nicer in the long term.