How to Sandblast to Remove Automotive Rust
- 1). Locate the extent of the surface rust on the panel of the vehicle by using your fingernail to pick at spots of the vehicle paint that appear slightly higher than the surrounding paint. If the panel is rusted, the paint will crumble away just with the touch of your fingernail.
- 2). Use masking tape to surround the area to be sandblasted. Mask the undamaged paint heavily with at least two layers of tape at least five inches away from the rusted spot. Use a wide layer of tape to help prevent damage to the non-rusted paint. This layer should be at least 10 inches wide.
- 3). Set the sandblaster gun to a narrow spray pattern, then put on your safety equipment. Turn on the sandblaster and position the spray gun in front of the panel to be blasted, approximately six inches from the surface.
- 4). Pull the trigger on the sandblaster to release the blasting material. Move the gun back and forth slowly to break away the paint and rust until the metal below is visible with no trace of discoloration. The surface may be pitted from the rust. The metal when properly sandblasted will have a dull gray coloration with no trace of blackened metal or brown rust.
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