Dustless blasting has so many different applications that you could write all day about how it has transformed each area in which it is beginning to dominate, but let’s take a closer look at how it has been used to transform the way in which surfaces are prepared, especially when it comes to stripping back automobiles to bare metal – readying them for a new paint job.
Dustless blasting is fast – very, very fast. Often companies involved in custom paint jobs for cars or used car dealers wanting to freshen up a tatty motor prior to sale will be working very much to a timescale, not to mention the fact that when it comes to paying for the work time definitely equals money. This means they need to employ a method that not only works beautifully and will not risk any damage to the valuable product, but must also minimize time spent on any given car. Consider this – preparation of a vehicle of standard size using dustless blasting will cost you only two hours! This represents a great time saving on other more hands on and less efficient methods which is fantastic news for all involved.
Consider the fact that traditional sandblasting methods need a very large space in which to work, has the potential to warp valuable panels and create particles that can obstruct moving parts – all of which are not the case with dustless blasting and you’ll begin to get a grasp on why dustless blasting really is revolutionising not only industrial cleaning equipment but also more specifically surface preparation jobs. Dustless blasting jobs will require only a small space in which to work. As an example if you are prepping the surface of a car you can do it in a parking space. Your surface will be fully ready for priming and rust free for a staggering 72 hour period – a result of the inbuilt dust inhibitor – meaning you can have a day or two off in between if necessary! In addition, there is very little (almost zero) in the way of excess media produced when dustless blasting, meaning that cleaning up is far easier and less messy. This also has ramifications in a positive way on health and safety of operators, as the amount of dust created is reduced to almost zero. In addition the material most used is glass, which does not contain free silica which is the cause of silicosis. All that will be needed (or recommended at least) is a pair of gloves, suitable clothing, a face shield and some hearing protection!
With dustless blasting machinery you are not restricted to one specific type of abrasive and so long as it will sink in water you can mix things up depending on the type of job. You can obtain the likes of recycled glass inexpensively and by renting equipment from a reputable Industrial Cleaning Equipment Company save a vast amount of money compared to paying someone to do the job for you. If using 4-6 bags of recycled glass (which may cost around £50-70) you will be able to prepare your car’s surface in around 2 hours. If time is of the essence to an even greater degree, upping the amount of glass to 8-10 bags can reduce the time spent on the job to a single hour!
One of the key advantages to using dustless blasting for surface preparation has to be the fact that it will never cause warping. With old-fashioned sandblasting you could often get some warping of metal, especially where it was thinner. With dustless blasting, the water used prevents friction thus eliminating this risk.