What to use to blast BBS RS?

[nathanrw]

I am getting a set of BBS RS' powder coated and I was wondering what kind of blasting needs to be done before the powder coating? Sand blasting? Media blasting?

Thanks.
-Nathan

[nathanrw]

Anybody?

[C.Johnston]

depends how rough you want them. my buddy always recommends walnut. less abrasive.

[sacrifice]

It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish as the end result and the current state the wheels are in now. Post some pictures.

[Beware]

My first set I had sand blasted with the finest sand they used, the guy told me not to bring him any more as the original paint/primer or whatever was so tough it took a lot longer than he expected/quoted. The 2nd set I just had them scuffed back by the painter before the new colour. The set I'm just about to do is going to be stripped in a chemical dip as they've been painted silver over the original silver, so I don't want to just scuff them back and have 3 coats of paint/clear on them and blasting was an effort last time, so I'm going another option.

[nathanrw]

These are some terrible pictures but hopefully it's enough to be able to tell. I have painted and clear coated them once already and the original paint was in great condition with hardly anything wrong with them.

When I first painted them.


How they look now.

[Beware]

That's why I simply scuffed and repainted the 2nd set I did as the original silver was so good and didn't think it was worth stripping. This set I'm now doing I really don't want to just paint over the silver as I don't know what paint it is, or how many other layers are underneath, so dip it is this time.

Check if the powder place offers blasting and go with whatever they suggest maybe, as they'll be coating them so they'll know what to blast them with beforehand.

[martinm13]

That's why I simply scuffed and repainted the 2nd set I did as the original silver was so good and didn't think it was worth stripping. This set I'm now doing I really don't want to just paint over the silver as I don't know what paint it is, or how many other layers are underneath, so dip it is this time.

Check if the powder place offers blasting and go with whatever they suggest maybe, as they'll be coating them so they'll know what to blast them with beforehand.

Be careful about that, lots of coating places do industrial shit and they don't care about the quality of the finish. They will use a rough sand because it works faster and time = money. The rough grit sand will pit the aluminum and you'll end up with a wavy finish on the powder. The smoother the base is, the shinier the powder will come out.

[Beware]

^^^I agree, you don't want them blasting with anything rough, but the if the powder place does the blasting and the coating and they look like crap, it all falls back on them as they can't blame the blaster you chose. I know most places here also only do industrial stuff, might be worth looking for somewhere that also states they do decorative work. Fine sand is obviously best, but I think it's a lot harder to get the original paint off with it, hence why the guy I used said don't bring any BBS RS centres back, as he should have charged 3-4 times what he did. This is why I'm trying the dipping route this time around, it will also leave them much smoother.

[sacrifice]

It looks like the paint has been stripped, correct? If the surface is smooth and free of paint, you should be ready for powder.

[nathanrw]

It looks like the paint has been stripped, correct? If the surface is smooth and free of paint, you should be ready for powder.

No they haven't been stripped yet. If I used aircraft stripper and got every bit of paint off of it even from the old paint could I just have them powdercoated without having them blast them?

[martinm13]

Fine sand is obviously best, but I think it's a lot harder to get the original paint off with it, hence why the guy I used said don't bring any BBS RS centres back, as he should have charged 3-4 times what he did. This is why I'm trying the dipping route this time around, it will also leave them much smoother.

I just blasted a set of bbs myself with fine sand. It took me about 45 mins to do all of the faces. The guy is just being a bitch because he doesn't want to do it right.

No they haven't been stripped yet. If I used aircraft stripper and got every bit of paint off of it even from the old paint could I just have them powdercoated without having them blast them?

Yes if they are stripped with aircraft stripper completely, you should be able to powder coat them.

[Beware]

^^^You're 100% right, he's a pansy and under quoted which isn't my problem, but he had a tanty and said "no more"! Not that he's the only blaster around, but dipping seems like a better option as far as leaving them smooth goes, so I'm giving that a go this time.

[8DOM8]

Sodablast them. This way you won't damage the aluminium at all.

If you have the space and time, you can build the equipment yourself with little to no money. Altho I don't know about the availability in US...