Hello,

Just after some advice on stripping my mini to find the rust and to repaint it.

Everyone seems to be talking up soda blasting at the moment, whats every ones thoughts on it?

Thank you Nic

My panel shop wants to dip not soda because he says you cant get all the powder residue out and it goes everywhere when you start spraying. On the other hand the concern people have is that if you dip you take paint off in places you cant get to too put it back on. In the end I will just have to decide and go with it and I will go with what my panel shop wants because he is the one that has to do the work and probably wont do it if I choose the other way.

_________________
Flute - 68 MK I Cooper S
Member: VMCI #2474
Member: International Mini Model Collectors Club

I have always used paintstripper.
It is slow but a lot cheaper and I feel like I've actually contributed to the effort.
Re "Flute's" comments: whatever method you choose, use cavity wax or fish oil once complete.

Exactly. Especially if the panel beater/spray painter has dealt with the blaster in the past and they understand each other's needs.

I usually use paint stripper first and then have the rust blasted and the body primed so it doesn't rust while repairing the rust.

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

Nic, I have used soda blasting in the past. The finish is excellent but does require careful preparation before paint. I did not have trouble with dust, one advantage of soda blasting is they rinse the car with water when finished.

Next time round I will use hydro blasting which is a form of when blasting with crushed glass, it's very efficient and gives an excellent finish .

Dipping is fine for bolt on panels but I'd never do a whole body. It is far too easy for it to go bad if the people doing the dipping don't neutralise the metal properly. You can end up starting corrosion everywhere you can't paint.

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Lindsay Palmer
06 Mazda SP23
80 Alfa GTV (weekend toy)
86 626 Turbo (daily drive, now stolen)
71 cooper s replica
69 cooper replica
76 clubman
62 english 850
68 Mini Auto

Zactly Lindsey...if they don't know what to do to completely flush or purge the acid it can cause problems...

A little soda media floating about is likely to be less destructive...

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"Show me the Mini!"

I've heard bad things about both blasting and acid dip.

Blasting never stops grit from appearing from hidden areas. Acid has seepage from seems etc.

The places that do soda and then undercoat seem to be the best option.
They wash and dry the car removing most of the blast then etch prime in water proof 2 pack.

Totally agree with Michael.
The key to success is to prevent any oxidization of the bare metal from the time the protection is removed until the application of the new protection. The window between raw metal to recoating should be as short as humanly possible and don't introduce anything that will start the oxidization process.

_________________
"Investing my Super in a Cooper" &
"Re-living my Surfing Past in a Woody"

Wash car
40 grit on sander to scuff through paint. 3 scratches per square inch is fine
Wipe clean
Apply paint stripper then cover with grease proof paper.
Wait ......... Adjust wait on temperature
Lift corner of grease proof paper and apply scraper, like scraping off a sticker, peel and scrape.
Clean