Grit Blasting advice

milltech

milltech

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My surveyor tells me a top class grit blaster can take off the last coat of antifouling if asked to do so, clever! Actually I want to take the paint off a painted treadmaster deck and the paint off an aluminium deckhouse.

Would anyone have any recommendations for the Central Solent areas for such a body?


<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>
 
I think what your surveyor means is that skilled grit-blasting can take off the anti-foul whilst leaving an epoxy coating intact beneath. This is definitly possible, wheras to differentiate between two layers of anti-foul would not be. Removing paint from the deck house would not be a problem, but I would very much doubt that anyone could blast the paint out of the Treadmaster without seriously abraiding it.

Mick

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Are you sure his was not talking about slurry blasting? Straight grit blasting sounds a bit violent!

Im no expect on this but since having the below water sections on my boat slurry blasted I have taken a bit of and interest. Slurry blasting can be used to remove paint from timber etc.

I cant remember the name of the company I used, but there are some that come up on a Google search.

Regds Nick

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I saw a boat being grit blasted, first the steel keels the blasting ripped the antifoul off instantly to reveal bright shinny metal. When I returned 2 hours later the gel coat looked like cheese with holes in. So make sure you get somebody that knows about boats rather than somebody that does grit blasting otherwise you might find the treadmaster blasted off with the paint.

Trevor

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I recently grit blasted the paint from the topsides of my grp hull, the decision was made after many wasted weekends with paint strippers. I contacted the slurry blasting company recommended by the marina (and also the only company permitted to operate within the marina !!!!! ) who quoted me £300 to blast the antifoul but would not quote for the topsides stating that he had never done that before and would only be able to give me a price once he had started working. I know us Scotts are supposed to be tight with money but there is no way I was going to agree to that. Hewden Hire centres will hire a blast pot and compressor and your local dental ( yes dental !! ) supplier will sell you the finest blasting sand he has for approx £60 for half a ton. Find a piece of old GRP and have a practise to get your pressure and flow right, you can also stick on a piece of painted treadmaster to ensure it doesnt kill it. You may find a few areas on the hull come up in small pin prick holes but I believe that is bubbles in the Gellcoat layup and are easily filled with epoxy.. You will save yourself a lot of money and will also have the confidence to do it again in a few years time.

You also may be able to strip the paint from the treadmaster with a good pressure washer with a pathcleaner nozzle attached to it ( thats the one with the spinner inside the end ) as it can strip antifoul extremley well.

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Re: advice update & still looking for that name!

Thanks for all the comments. In my case the hull is not being touched. There's an aluminium deckhouse to be grit blasted prior to being etched, and if while they're doing it they could short-circuit the job of getting old paint off treadmaster that would be a bonus for me.

Still looking for a solid gold name.



<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>
 
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