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Automotive paint and rust removal can be a significant challenge for the project car enthusiast. Whether the vehicle is a late model or classic style, stripping paint and removing rust is the first step to repair and restoration. A quick internet search will return thousands of conflicting answers, with different service providers promising that their way is the safest and most effective. The truth is that the best way to remove paint and rust from any vehicle depends on a number of critical factors. Read on for helpful hints for effectively cleaning up your vehicle for restoration. Stripping Paint from Auto Body Surfaces Whether you simply wish to make a change to your car’s finish or if you’ve undertaken a complete restoration, the original paint is likely to be a problem. Although you can sometimes successfully paint over a near-perfect finish, that’s a rare find. In any case, most body professionals recommend starting with a blank slate. Your first choice is done the old-fashioned way, with scraping and sanding. While less expensive, this method can take potentially hundreds of hours. It is also extremely difficult to reach every nook and cranny. The second option, chemical strippers, can be effective but still require a bit of time to scrape and clean up. The final option, media blasting, uses sand, soda, plastic or glass beads to remove the paint. The Challenges of Rust Removal Older cars and those that have been kept in humid or snow-prone climates are highly likely to have rust, at least to some degree. Rust is perhaps the greatest enemy of any vehicle, but especially the classics. It is critical to catch rust before large holes develop, or before the car’s structural integrity becomes compromised. Very light surface rust can be sanded away in moments but actual rust requires heavy-duty effort. Chemical agents can be effective to varying degrees; however, these are often caustic, take a lot of elbow grease and are difficult to use in areas not easily reachable. For a quick and effective rust removal method, sandblasting and soda blasting again win the race. Consider the Age and Condition of Your Vehicle It’s always important, when undertaking any type of vehicle paint or rust removal, to consider the underlying structure of the car and its potential for damage. If you elect to use a chemical stripper, select a strength that will not damage the surface. The same advice applies to media blasting. For heavy duty engine or body components, sand blasting will be quick and effective without causing damage. As you move to more delicate parts, such as bumpers, fenders and body panels, plastic beads or soda blasting will do an excellent job at stripping the paint without harming the underlying surfaces. Best of all, while sanding and chemical strippers can take weeks to work, an entire vehicle can be blasted clean in as little as two to three days. Media blasting is not only cost effective, it is a safe and an environmentally friendly way to prepare your vehicle for its shiny new coat.
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rust removal, sand blasting, media blasting, stripping paint, automotive paint, automotive restoration, car restoration, car rust removal,
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