# Sandblast or dip a frame for painting?



## Velostigmat

My Hawthorne has been repainted in the past, no trace of the original paint job remains. Am I better off to have my frame sandblasted, media blasted, or chemically dipped? 

Any thoughts?

Thanks!


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## Herman

All will work,sandblasting is probably the cheapest but is a little more harsher than media blasting,dipping will actually remove any rust inside where blasting can't reach


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## Velostigmat

How would I reseal the inside of the frame after dipping? Slosh some of that automotive gas tank sealer maybe?


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## partsguy

I have handsanded and it is smooth as silk afterwords. I thought about rust proofing the inside, but didn't know how.


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## Herman

That gas tank sealer might work,maybe rustoleum primer paint thinned down,oil?. Remember when they left the factory they were probably bare metal inside.


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## jpratt2

Try JP Weigle's Framesaver...absolutely the best.
http://www.bikeman.com/LU7500.html?...utm_medium=GoogleBase&utm_campaign=GoogleBase


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## Bozman

I just chemically stripped down my Westfield Compax. Easy can do for a home paint stripper kit. BE CAREFUL as you are dealing with caustic material, use at your own risk!

You will need the following: 

1. Plastic tub big enough to fit your frame submerged. 
2. Enough water to submerge fill the tub to cover your bike 5-10 gallons
3. 1 Can of Lye or Crystal Drano
4. Safety Equipment: Proper Chemical Resistant Gloves, Goggles/Face Shield old clothes/chemical apron
5. Running water to wash off any spill
6. Wire Brushes 

Fill the tub with water to submerge your parts. Add Drano. Use protective gear and lower the parts into the bath and leave overnight 8-12 hours. Paint just sluffs off with wire brush and a hose. 

Any residual paint just leave the part in the bath for another couple of hours and repeat rinse and wire brush trick.

To dispose of the paint/draino mixture strain mixture through old cloth t shirts to catch the paint. Dispose of the now paint soaked t shirts in the trash and pour the Draino water down the sink to clean your pipes.

As I warned before, this method deals with caustic chemicals so use it at your own risk. I stripped my entire Columbia Compax in one day for about $30.


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## JLarkin

Great technique.  I might try this on a smaller scale.  I can get a fully dressed bike sandblasted for $40 so it's not worth the setup and cleanup for me.


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## RiverCityCyclist

I had a 64 Traveler stripped (chemically) then cad plated before powder coat this prevents any future rust problems when it is all done I'll post some befores and afters. I got the frame back from coat taday matter of fact and it looks beautiful.


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## ChadB

All I did to strip my bikes was get a couple cans of aircraft stripper 
(the paint remover, not a naughty stewardess) from the auto parts store, put on some gloves and a long sleeved shirt, and spray the frame, let it sit a few minutes, then take off the paint with a wire brush. That stuff takes the paint right off, and if there's any rust, use the same wire brush and some naval jelly.


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