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Tiiconaut
Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2006
Posts: 85
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 Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 5:59 am Post subject: De-Seaming |
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Sandblasting seams and POR15 is not for me anymore. What about cutting out the seam and patching over with sheetmetal using MIG welder. i know, i wont win any VW show trophys by doing this, i just dont want to sandblast anymore:)
Are there any links? i cant find anything in the archives. |
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bubblehead
Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2002
Posts: 523
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:38 am Post subject: |
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No.By eliminating the two 90 degree folds butted together you will seriously affect the rigidity of the structure. As a last resort you could cut
out the original seamed section and replace with repair panels while maintaining the seam. Always best to be as minimally invasive as possible. |
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bubblehead
Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2002
Posts: 523
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:40 am Post subject: |
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| You'd also be decreasing the value of the vehicle. Why spend money on a repair that decreases value? |
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Tiiconaut
Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:22 am Post subject: |
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Good points, but i dont want to eliminate ALL the seams just the ones over the rear wheels/air intakes....these dont flex like the vertical seams in the middle of the van. As for decreasing its value, ill never sell it so it doesnt matter......when i am food-for-worms it wont make a difference to me either way.....i wont need a money then:)
ANYONE ELSE? |
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marklaken
Samba Member
Joined: March 19, 2004
Posts: 2416
Location: fort collins, CO
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:55 am Post subject: |
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The hidden seam over the rear wheel? - leave it be...
Otherwise, I am having trouble picturing what seams you are talking about - whatever the seams are, replacing panels is lot more work than sandblasting and POR-15, so I don't understand what you are trying to gain? a look?
All the seams add structure to the curvy bus panels (unless it is a flange seam from a previous panel repair?)
_________________
Wish List:
1967 Wesfalia SO-42 Parts Needed: Kitchenette, Cot Poles
'65 rear left beetle fender
15" Bus Wheels in fair condition
Mark Laken
Fort Collins, CO |
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Tiiconaut
Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:07 am Post subject: |
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its a Vanagon not many bus curves. I want to do the seam over the wheel well and side marker light areas....water drains over these from the roof gutters and also into the air intakes and pools into the airfilter area.
Sandblasting silica gets in your lungs, it stays there forever, if you are lucky you wont get cancer 20 years later. No 3M mask works 100% the dust is too microsopic. POR15 can also cause cancer. I did all my seams 8 years ago by sandblasting+POR15 and now it needs it again but i wont do it anymore. if i had an old scuba tank and regulator id sandblast again but its just not worth getting silicosis. |
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Derek Cobb
Annoying
Joined: March 11, 2004
Posts: 2565
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| A wire brush could clean it up pretty good, and the only thing in your lungs could be a little rusty dust. |
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tschroeder0
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2008
Posts: 2096
Location: Boulder CO
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| Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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Just started on the seam process today. First a course wire wheel, next I used a straight pick and light hammer. I tapped the pick at an angle to remove a bunch of the original sealer. This worked very well. Next it was the dremel with a cutting wheel to get deeper into the seam, then a wire brush to bristle out the deep junk.
Deep and clean! |
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engineerscott
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2005
Posts: 455
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| Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Tiiconaut wrote: |
| Sandblasting silica gets in your lungs, it stays there forever, if you are lucky you wont get cancer 20 years later. No 3M mask works 100% the dust is too microsopic. POR15 can also cause cancer. I did all my seams 8 years ago by sandblasting+POR15 and now it needs it again but i wont do it anymore. if i had an old scuba tank and regulator id sandblast again but its just not worth getting silicosis. |
Even though it's called sand blasting, the trick is you never use sand. There is safe blasting media out there that does not contain silica, and won't cause silicosis. Black Beauty is a a good example ( http://www.blackbeautyabrasives.com/products/black-beauty-original-abrasives.php ). It is made from coal slag.
Of course, you still want to wear a good respirator mask, not a 50 cent dust mask. |
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mlhsquared
Samba Member
Joined: October 13, 2008
Posts: 1482
Location: Strasburg, VA
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| Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:02 am Post subject: |
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| engineerscott wrote: |
Even though it's called sand blasting, the trick is you never use sand. There is safe blasting media out there that does not contain silica, and won't cause silicosis. Black Beauty is a a good example ( http://www.blackbeautyabrasives.com/products/black-beauty-original-abrasives.php ). It is made from coal slag.
Of course, you still want to wear a good respirator mask, not a 50 cent dust mask. |
Actually, Black Beauty and other "coal slag" products aren't really any better to breath than sand. Coal Slag is basically the residual heavy metals that wouldn't go up the chimney when the coal was burnt. Power companies make money from selling this off and save money on disposal costs. Coal Slag can contain any or all of the following heavy metals: "arsenic, beryllium, amorphous silica, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, crystalline silica, lead, manganese, nickel, silver, titanium and vanadium". All nasty stuff when taken into your lungs. ANY blasting media should not be breathed in. ALWAYS wear a high quality respirator and cover exposed skin. Be safe, folks. |
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abritinthebay
Samba Member
Joined: May 31, 2012
Posts: 294
Location: San Francisco, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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| So blast with soda or shells, or... well anything like that. Lots of media for blasting that isn't dangerous if you have a proper respirator (not a cheap 3M mask) |
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tschroeder0
Samba Member
Joined: April 14, 2008
Posts: 2096
Location: Boulder CO
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| Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Ben at benplace.com has pics of him welding up the lower seams on his last resto, looks very good but took him a long time. |
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