I just wanted to take a moment to thank all who responded to my question
about whether or not I should invest in a bead blaster for my restoration
project. After looking at all the cruddy parts I'd really love to clean up
and re-paint on my Spitfire, I decided that in the long run. I'd rather have
the convenience of having my own setup rather than having to haul the parts
over to a sandblasting contractor, pay them for each piece, etc. I ended up
spending a total of less than $320 for a benchtop blast cabinet with light
($79), a matching 2HP, 115 PSI compressor with an output that matches the 5
CFM and 80 PSI requirements of the cabinet ($199) and 50 lbs of glass bead
media ($33). I know that this single tool will really pay for itself in the
long run. Plus, it gave me the excuse I needed to get a decent air
compressor. Sure, I know that 5HP is best in case I wanted to do other
kinds of sandblasting, but those compressors are way too pricey, bulky and
beyond my humble requirements. The only downside is that Harbor Freight
sends everything parcel post, meaning 10-14 business days, even though I'm
in California like they are! I was hoping to blast away at my front brake
calipers and rear drums for a re-paint. Ah well. Patience.
Besides, the layoff will give me more time to do other things. Like figure
out how to adjust the passenger door catch so it will latch shut. The
mechanism works fine -- the door looks like it should be latching just fine,
but the mechanisms just aren't quite connecting. Any suggestions on that
one would be most appreciated.
Best wishes,
Jeff in San Diego
'67 RHD Spitfire Mk3
http://www.ohms.com/spitfire.shtml
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