I used silica sand to clean paint and rust from a '57 VW beetle and a
'53 BN1. I have no experience with xk panels. Here are some
important points:
You need a supply of breathing air and a good hood to avoid silicosis.
Use a small nozzle and low pressure and a pressure tank(I used about
50 psi).
Point the sand at the panel at an oblique angle (however, see below).
Use clean dry and relatively fine sand.
Do not sand blast aluminum.
Be patient.
I had heard about the possibility of panel warping but never
experienced it. On one VW door I deliberately pointed the gun
perpendicular to the door at the center of the door and held it in
that position much longer than was necessary to remove all paint. I
was able to detect no warping, either then or after block sanding. It
is hard for me to imagine heating the panel while supplying it with
cooling air at many cu ft per second, and I never noticed any heat
through my rubber gloves. Sandblasting leaves a slightly roughened
surface that may actually hold primer more firmly. Prime the metal
very soon (I like epoxy primer) or at least wash it immediately with
phosphoric acid to slow down surface rusting.
Commercial sandblasters use higher pressures, perhaps coarser sand,
and the results may differ.
Try at your own risk, YMMV, etc. etc.
-Roland
On Sun, 3 Apr 2011 14:00:20 +0200, you wrote:
::I have plenty of surface rust I need to get rid of on my xk. I have taken a
::look at various posts and have found the following:
::
::I MEDIA BLASTING
::=================
::1. Sand blasting
::A fairly dangerous method, as generating heat, may warp the panels. I do
not
::think it would be recommended especially on long XK panels. A very good
idea
::for the chassis though.
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