[azmonster]

I'm prepping my stuff for powder and am having my wheels sandblasted. Just got off the phone with the coater and he says he doesn't recommend blasting because it could warp the wheels. Anyone heard anything like this?
Dion

 

[Guest]

no way...
sandblasting won't warp wheels. that's a real stretch! the only thing i'd recommend is taping over the bearing's to not destroy them. actually... it would be a good idea to actually remove/replace them for the powdercoating too, although i did leave my buddy's in when i powdered his rims and they survived the 400 degrees just fine.

but sandblasting warping wheels? no way...

 

[azmonster]

That's what I thought, too. FWIW, the bearings and all are already out, just the bare wheels.
Dion

 

[MonsterHooligan]

isnt the coater going to prep the wheels?
mine always does

 

[dswerno]

I just did my wheels last week, although I didn't powdercoat them.

I was planning on sandblasting them, but the wheel is pretty soft and the body shop that I took the wheels to recommended I not sand blast them, and just hit the wheels with some 180 grit sandpaper instead.

I did, the paint on the wheels from the factory is so thin, even with the 180 grit I was able to take the wheels right down to the metal with minimal effort. I didn't take it down to the metal in all spots, only where I could find scratches.

The sprayed the wheels senna red and put them in the oven to bake the paint on, looks fantastic. Almost flawless, I couldn't be happier with the result. It only took me about 20 minutes to sand each wheel by hand too.

Hope that helps.

David

 

[azmonster]

Higgie: I'm a tightwad. The coater charges way less if he doesn't have to prep and I have free access to an industrial sandblaster. Match made in heaven, no?
Dion

 

[MonsterHooligan]

Higgie: I'm a tightwad. The coater charges way less if he doesn't have to prep

you think im a moneybags??
i've got headers painted with bar-b-que paint!

im guessing the P/C we use here would charge like $75 for 2 wheels (inc. prep)

 

[Guest]

I would think the 400 degree powder process would be a bigger concern on warping rather than sand blasting. Try bead blasting, much finer finish, less abrasive.

 

[Fillmore]

You can also blast them with something less abrasive than sand. My coater did my frame with walnut shells. When restoring cars with thin metal bodies (50's/early 60's VWs) sometimes plastic media is used.

--Fillmore

 

[ddjones]

Have any of you guy stripped your wheels down to the aluminum and then polish it out with a scotchbrite pad?

I'm looking for a metal finish that I can buff out when I scratch the wheel from changing my tire or rocks nicks.

Not sure if it will look good.

 

[ducpainter]

What are you going to do about corrosion?

 

[MonsterHooligan]

What are you going to do about corrosion?

live in Arizona. :


;D

 

[ducpainter]

live in Arizona. :


;D

With aluminum that's not even a good solution. Magnesium is worse.

 

[pnut]

Sandblasting doesn't warp metals, beadblasting does.

 

[brad black]

i get my wheels 'acid dipped' (whatever the actual stuff they use is i don't know) by a local chemical stripping company. works a treat and usually really cheap. they need to have bearings and cush drives removed. make sure the strippers are 100% clear they're aluminium too, or you might get back some sculpture.

 

[spinned]

I used the walnut shell blasting and I came out OK on an old car I blasted.