Paint and Powder coat Preparation
Much of the work we perform is for the preparation of new metal that will be painted or powder coated. We can provide a clean, uniform surface by removing mill scale, corrosion, rust, heat discoloration, and other imperfections. Abrasive blasting is perhaps the best way to insure that the coating you are applying will adhere as well as is possible. The abrasive blasting process actually roughs up the metal slightly giving the coating applied a textured surface to grab (bond, lock) onto. The choice to use abrasive blasting prior to paint and powder coat can be like night and day from both an appearance aspect and longevity as well. The foundation of a great paint job is always in the preparation.
Paint and Rust Removal (aka blasting and stripping)
A great restoration starts by removing the old paint, rust, and powder coating. We are able to do this several ways. One is through abrasive blasting (media blasting). Depending on your project we can choose from several standard Medias that we keep in stock. We have three separate blasting booths each with it’s own specialized function. After examining your project in detail and consulting with you, we will determine which media and booth is the best option for your project. Another way (method) to prep (prepare) you project might be by utilizing our chemical stripping tanks. We have hot tanks that utilize caustic soda for removing paint, glue, varnish, grease and oil (and other contaminates). We also have buffered acid tanks for removing rust and corrosion from steel, stainless, brass and copper. Please note that we cannot chemically strip any types of aluminum or pot metal.
Media & Plastic Bead Blasting
The term bead blasting seems to have become synonymous with plastic bead blasting although other types of beaded media are available. One of the three booths we have is used only for this plastic (bead) blasting. This booth and media are used primarily for automotive and motorcycle parts. However, we also utilize it for other more delicate parts as well, such as aluminum and magnesium. One of the big advantages to using bead blasting on metals is that unlike other medias, plastic bead blasting is done with relatively low pressure. Because of the lower pressure and plastic being obviously softer than metal it removes only the paint or powder coating and does not remove any metal.
Chemical Stripping
Chemical stripping is the process of removing unwanted materials or rust by immersion into a chemical baths. Chemical stripping has an advantage over media blasting because checmicals can reach areas not accessible to traditional medias.