Craftsman used to sell a hand sand blaster. Basically it was a shaped plastic buck with a feed tube for a hand held gun powered my a portable air compressor. Used it to clean up my garage door for a fresh prime and paint. Powered it with a 3 1/2 HP craftsman compressor. Note, used an old motorcycle helmet to provide a face shield, that stuff stings pretty good if you try and get by with goggles. Also don't wear short sleeves even if is 95 degrees out.

While I rather doubt if the remnants of Craftsman still carries this particular device I suspect that Harbor Freight might. While a bit clumsy to use it actually did work.

Problem solved. A bit under $200 at Tractor Supply with spare nozzles and two bags of media.

I'll let you know how the finished product comes out.

Is that gong to be enough media to blast all the tin work?

I mean, you just can't stop at the front wheels, you have to do the whole tractor. Really test out your new toy......err, tool.

quote:

Originally posted by phydough:
Is that gong to be enough media to blast all the tin work?

I mean, you just can't stop at the front wheels, you have to do the whole tractor. Really test out your new toy......err, tool.

Tinwork is all pretty clean. Beat to shit, but clean. I pounded it back into shape as well as I could, threw a little Bondo at it here and there and rattle-can painted it. Not worth any more effort than that on my planet.

So, no total restoration costing $$$$$?

I was hoping........

quote:

Originally posted by phydough:
So, no total restoration costing $$$$$?

I was hoping........

Considering that brand new that tractor was worth about $5K, collectible it ain't.

An open blast system works really well, as long as you have a place that's fine to gather sand. A forced air hood is a real plus. I worked as a sand blaster for a time, doing industrial welding and fabrication. You don't want to breathe the media.

Any coating will work, which seals and protects the metal. Keep in mind that the purpose of no sharp edges inside the wheel, and the radius on each of the angles, is to prevent stress risers inside the pressurized wheel. That all goes away with pitting.

I wouldn't put rubber inside the wheel. The fact that it's rusted is evidence of ample moisture and time. Putting rubber in there only provides a place for more moisture to gather and to accelerate corrosion.

The most important treatment you put in the wheel, after you've removed the corrosion, is the primer. What you use for primer is entirely dependent on what you're going to put over the primer: it's got to be compatible. You'd be best served with an epoxy finish, but if that's not possible for cost or work area, etc, then at least a good primer and paint.

Be careful putting anything that doesn't adhere well, or that's too built up, on the bead area where the tire sidewall comes in contact with the wheel. The friction between the two is what makes the tire work with the wheel (rim). If the material that you use to coat the inside is crushable, malleable, or will sluff off (eg, truck bed liner), the tire may slip. That leads to loss of traction and seal; even with a tube it can cause a flat. The wheel assembly depends on the relationship between the rubber and the wheel not moving: don't put anything inside the wheel that would compromise that. A good epoxy primer, without anything to build up the surface, will be fine, as it will actually add to the friction between the wheel surface, and the rubber.

You can go around the wheel with a wire brush; any sharp edges around the pitting will be knocked down, and bead blasting or sand blasting will remove the corrosion. Then treating for corrosion will do the rest. Filling the pits won't add any strength, and wont' be necessary to prevent tube wear. Tube wear will not occur because of the pits. The only two issues then are strength, and future corrosion. You can prevent future corrosion by properly treating, and putting nitrogen in tubeless. With the tube, Condensation may still occur. Occasional breaking down the wheel to check is all you can do...but if it's properly treated, it shouldn't be a problem.

sns3guppy, thanks for that detailed information.

I don't have a forced air hood, but I do have a full face respirator.

I'm mulling over some sort of temporary structure to contain the media if for no other reason than to limit the mess. I'll be doing it outdoors.

The respirator is fine. Get good cartridges; it's not just the particulates, but what's in them. Some media contains cyanide.

You can make a blast area with some rope and blue tarp. It's easy enough to pick up with a snow slovel when you're done, or you could use a corner area with a cement floor and sweep it up.

Eye protection is a good idea; something that seals off the eye. That stuff gets everwhere.

Harbor freight does sell a hood, I think, along with blasters. Anything that uses a nozzle fed with a hose and hopper...doesn't have to be fancy. You've got your blasting kit now, but the hood would be a plus.

https://www.harborfreight.com/...ting-hood-62378.html

I don't think there's an air attachment, but with the respirator on underneath, it would keep most of the grit out, and protect your eyes. Twenty bucks.

Just build yourself a blast cabinet, you have plenty of stuff around, if you're gonna do it do it right, and you know you'll be looking for more stuff to blast once you start....

http://www.smecca.com/2011/02/...andblasting-cabinet/

https://www.homemadetools.net/...dblasting-cabinet-19

Given the age, any chance the primer or paint are lead based?

If so, the plan and PPE should be reevaluated

I'm not familiar with the use of lead in automotive paint and if/when it was discontinued. The tractor is from 1980 +/- 2 years.







This is the respirator and cartridges I will be using.

A very cheap tent would be your best solution at containing the material. A big blue tarp made like a tent would be my second choice.

Evapo-rust?