Choosing The Right Media Blasting Method For Your Car

Depending on the current condition of your car, you might find it very difficult to remove rust, dirt, and grime using traditional methods such as scrubbing your car with a detergent. One approach is to use a power washer. However, media blasting can be more effective as long as the right method is used.

Media Blasting Basics

Media blasting involves using tiny pieces of material to strike a car to clean the surface. It is highly abrasive and must be done carefully. However, it can be more effective at cleaning a surface under some circumstances. 

Media Blasting Individual Components

Typically, the component of your car that needs to be cleaned with media blasting is removed from your vehicle and placed in a cabinet. The technician uses a gun to spray the car component with the media while wearing protective gloves. The technician operates the device from outside the cabinet and the cabinet is designed to allow the technician's hands to be placed through holes inside the gloves.

The Blasting Media

There are various types of media that the technician can use to clean the car part such as walnut shells, glass beads, or dry ice. They will start with the lightest material they can and will use the lowest air pressure possible. They will only use more air pressure and a heavier material if they are not making enough progress when cleaning the car part.

How to Clean the Steel Frame

The steel body of your car cannot be placed inside a cabinet and a different method needs to be used instead. Dustless sandblasting is typically used for the steel frame of a car because it uses water and this can reduce friction and heat. Other media can increase the temperature of the steel frame and can cause the frame to become warped. 

Removing Rust Vs. Paint

The type of sandblasting used also depends on whether you are removing rust or paint. Rust is best removed through sandblasting and paint is best removed through dustless sandblasting,

Methods Used to Protect Components of Your Car

Some components of your car need to be protected when sandblasting such as the door panels. In the past, the panels were protected by taping over them. However, this is not effective enough because the sandblasting process can erode the tape. Instead, the tarp needs to be placed in the right location so that each section of the car is sandblasted in isolation and the media is caught by the tarp.

For more information on media blasting, contact a professional near you.