Choose the Media Carefully

Sandblasting is sometimes referred to as media blasting, because of the variety of media that can be used in the process. Light rust or thin paint can usually be removed by spraying abrasive media made with plastic beads or walnut shells.

A bit tougher job might require glass beads while the thickest layers of rust and paint usually call for aluminum oxide. Start out by spraying the gentlest media first, using the lowest pressure setting, and slowly work your way up to more aggressive media. Doing so will ensure you don’t scratch or otherwise harm the part itself.

Do Some Preparatory Cleaning
Sandblasting is good at removing rust and paint, but it’s far less effective when applied to grease. In fact, trying to sandblast a classic car part that’s covered in slick oil or grease will have the opposite effect of restoration. You can end up destroying the part by essentially blasting the grease into the part’s surface, marring it forever. So do a thorough job of wiping away any oil and grease before starting to sandblast. You can buy grease remover at your local hardware store, or even use a homemade solution such as vinegar to get the job done.

Check the Weather
The weather might seem like it has little to do with classic car restoration, but in fact it can be a huge factor – especially when sandblasting. If you live in an area that frequently has hot, humid days, you may want to wait until things cool down a bit to do your sandblasting. That’s because humidity can result in the rapid oxidation of metal – usually called flash corrosion – which will leave you back at square one as soon as you’ve started.