Beginning equipment question

[Zam]

I'm about to start restoring an old motorcycle for my wife, and I'd like to powdercoat as much of it as I can.

Since I recently moved across the country, I am rebuilding my shop from scratch. My new caswell powdercoating kit is currently on its way, and I've procured an old electric oven. I'm definitely going to be buying a buffing wheel for final part prep, and a parts washer for degreasing and such. I already have a large air compressor. Now, I've been lurking on these forums for a while, and I've seen a lot of advice on how to do the initial prep on the parts (paint/rust removal and such).

Here are the options I'm considering (but please feel free to add more):

1. Buying a blasting cabinet
or
2. Using greaseless compounds on my buffing wheel or possibly flapwheels and those nylon wheels
or
3. Disc or belt sander (probably air powered)
or
4. Just getting a lot of sanding blocks and doing it by hand

Anybody have any input? Money isn't really an issue ... I'm just looking for the quickest, most versitile method or combination of methods. TIA

[sswee]

Re: Beginning equipment question

A blast cabinet is the most utilized piece in my shop. Especially when it comes to PC'ing. If the parts are degreased and the loose dirt are cleaned off, the media lasts for a long time. SS

[machone]

Re: Beginning equipment question

I don't know what I'd do without my blast cabinet. Definitely used the most.
Also, different medias give different finishes. I use glass bead for almost everything. It doesn't eat the surface at all, and glass or walnut shells actually polish the metal.

[Zam]

Re: Beginning equipment question

Thanks for the responses, guys. Looks like a blast cabinet is in my future! I figured blasting might be the fastest and most versitile of the above methods. I did see some other threads that mentioned issues with blasting aluminum (like many bike parts), such as tiny particles getting embedded in the surface. But, perhaps those were isolated incidents.

Would one just go from glass beading to sisal + black compound?

[hvac36]

Re: Beginning equipment question

Zam,
I find the Slag (Black Beauty) works the best for sand blasting. The slag can be purchased in Course to extra fine and low in dust, proving you have a good vaccum system for the cabnet. I also use Glass beads but very rarely.
Soft metals you have to be cafule with as you can embed particals in the pores of the metal. Thats why a good rising is recommended.


Jim S...