Sand Blasting

I currently have a K20 that i am going to sand blast some rust off of. Harbor freight sells a hopper for 30 bucks that will hook to my 21 gal 3hp air compressor. they also sell the large pressurized tanks that are built to sand blast. has anyone used either of these products? Which one is worth getting?  

I think Custom Classic Trucks or Classic Classic trucks did a sand blasting article you might want to check them out.  

hey guy, The hopper type out of the 2, but sand blasting is going to give that small compressor a workout. be careful not to over heat the compressor.

thanks
lee  

I have both the hopper and the pressureized, actually both from harbor freight. The pressureized works FAR better than the hopper. With either one you have to be sure to use a fine media so the nozzles don't clog. If using sand be sure to wear a respirator.(contains silica). Face and hand protection is required with any type blasting. I hope your not planning on blasting a whole vehicle with either blaster as it will be very time consumming and cost prohibitive. Sand blasting generates a certain amount of heat and if not done properly can actually warp the sheet metal.  

How expensive can sand blasting get? Is there an hourly estimate or does it go by how much materials you use?  

If you take it in to have it done you have to pay for materials and for the tech to do it.  That's how it is around here anyway.  Also with the heat and warpage you can also blow through thin spots in the metal and cause more work for yourself.  You also have to remove all the glass.  Sand blasting etches and fogs the glass.  I've heard that soda blasting is the way to go.  Less of a mess about the same price, won't harm glass or chrome, and won't blow through metal.  You have to take it in to get it done but it is better quality and saves you some work.  It's your call.  

PaintTech23:
If you take it in to have it done you have to pay for materials and for the tech to do it.  That's how it is around here anyway.  Also with the heat and warpage you can also blow through thin spots in the metal and cause more work for yourself.  You also have to remove all the glass.  Sand blasting etches and fogs the glass.  I've heard that soda blasting is the way to go.  Less of a mess about the same price, won't harm glass or chrome, and won't blow through metal.  You have to take it in to get it done but it is better quality and saves you some work.  It's your call.

PaintTech23 I have heard other editors of other magazine talk about how soda blasting is much less damaging. So I think soda is the way to go.