Home  |  Forums  |  914 Info  |  Blogs
 
914World.com - The fastest growing online 914 community!
 
Porsche, and the Porsche crest are registered trademarks of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. This site is not affiliated with Porsche in any way.
Its only purpose is to provide an online forum for car enthusiasts. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
 

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

2 Pages V  1 2 >  
 Reply to this topicStart new topic
> Can someone perform this experiment?, How does soda blasting work on headlight bezels?
smontanaro
post Jan 19 2010, 11:12 AM
Post #1


Senior Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 1,190
Joined: 3-June 05
From: Evanston, IL
Member No.: 4,197
Region Association: Upper MidWest
Can someone with a soda blaster and some trashed headlight bezel(s) see if soda will take off stains and paint without damaging the plastic? I'm curious. I have neither a soda blaster nor a sacrificial headlight bezel. I do, however, have a car with headlight bezels which were painted black at one point in its lifetime. I'd like to know if there is any hope for them being restored to their original whiteness or if I should start looking for a new set.

Thanks,

Skip
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
underthetire
post Jan 19 2010, 11:47 AM
Post #2


914 Guru
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 5,062
Joined: 7-October 08
From: Brentwood
Member No.: 9,623
Region Association: Northern California
You can make your own soda blaster with some tubing and a blow nozzel. Baking soda comes from the market.

http://crazymotion.net/15-diy-soda-blaster...nl6l-OYjAy.html
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
ConeDodger
post Jan 19 2010, 12:04 PM
Post #3


Apex killer!
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 24,396
Joined: 31-December 04
From: Tahoe Area
Member No.: 3,380
Region Association: Northern California
I have a set hanging in my garage that were similarly treated to a coat of flat black at some time. They are now pristine shiny chrome. I just took 10 minutes of my time with some steel wool and then polished with chrome polish...
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
VaccaRabite
post Jan 19 2010, 12:52 PM
Post #4


En Garde!
**********

Group: Admin
Posts: 13,845
Joined: 15-December 03
From: Dallastown, PA
Member No.: 1,435
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
I think the OP is talking about the plastic surrounds, not the chrome retaining ring.

Zach
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Katmanken
post Jan 19 2010, 12:58 PM
Post #5


You haven't seen me if anybody asks...
****

Group: Members
Posts: 4,738
Joined: 14-June 03
From: USA
Member No.: 819
Region Association: Upper MidWest
Wow!!!!!!

That was a bug infested site.....

Popup appeared and tried to start downloading programs on my computer.....

nailed the open Task Manager and KILLED IT!!!!!!

Wonder if it is part of the Chinese robot army ready to infect more computer slaves and dominate the world.....

Bumped the crap out of my internet privacy settings and turned the popup blocker to maximum and the d*** site still managed to open a popup.....
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
ConeDodger
post Jan 19 2010, 01:00 PM
Post #6


Apex killer!
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 24,396
Joined: 31-December 04
From: Tahoe Area
Member No.: 3,380
Region Association: Northern California
QUOTE(Vacca Rabite @ Jan 19 2010, 10:52 AM) *

I think the OP is talking about the plastic surrounds, not the chrome retaining ring.

Zach


Oh... OOops! That should work just fine. Low pressure and start on the surface that does not show. Unless it is a really soft plastic and I don't recall that to be the case it should work just fine.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Mark Henry
post Jan 19 2010, 01:16 PM
Post #7


that's what I do!
***************

Group: Members
Posts: 20,065
Joined: 27-December 02
From: Port Hope, Ontario
Member No.: 26
Region Association: Canada
Is there anywhere that sells soda in bulk?
Has anyone tried it on heads?

I have a set of 3.0 heads that need cleaning but the valvejob, seats and guides look real good and I don't want to mess with them too much.

My blast cabinet takes 2- 80lbs bags of glass bead just to work right, that would be a lot of little boxes of Arm&Hammer and "baking" soda is pretty fine.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
McMark
post Jan 19 2010, 01:21 PM
Post #8


914 Freak!
***************

Group: Retired Admin
Posts: 20,180
Joined: 13-March 03
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Member No.: 419
Region Association: None
Soda Blasting Media
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
VaccaRabite
post Jan 19 2010, 01:23 PM
Post #9


En Garde!
**********

Group: Admin
Posts: 13,845
Joined: 15-December 03
From: Dallastown, PA
Member No.: 1,435
Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
QUOTE(Mark Henry @ Jan 19 2010, 02:16 PM) *

Is there anywhere that sells soda in bulk?

My blast cabinet takes 2- 80lbs bags of glass bead just to work right, that would be a lot of little boxes of Arm&Hammer and "baking" soda is pretty fine.


Look up Natruim. I think that was the trade name of the soda sold to blasting companies. it is a larger crystal size (and more uniformly sized) then baking soda, and is supposed to be much more efficient. I was going to buy a 50lb bag from a shop in MD, but ran out of time and realized it was overkill for what I was doing - I used less then 2lbs of arm and hammer on my carb bodies.

If I was going to run it in a blasting cabinet, I'd get the good stuff, though.

http://www.natrium.com/ There, I found it for you. I am not affiliated, or have ever even used their product. I am interested in hearing how it works for others.

Zach
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
underthetire
post Jan 19 2010, 01:52 PM
Post #10


914 Guru
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 5,062
Joined: 7-October 08
From: Brentwood
Member No.: 9,623
Region Association: Northern California

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRDX6BPzpj0


Shows using it on a glass vette.

Sorry bout the other one, I use Mozzilla No script and didn't have a problem. It was just a hose attached to a blow gun. Looks like it works well for small stuff.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Rav914
post Jan 19 2010, 03:21 PM
Post #11


All-weather fan
***

Group: Members
Posts: 741
Joined: 15-April 07
From: WA
Member No.: 7,669
Region Association: None
I used a very homemade soda blaster on a windshield washer container. The container is black plastic and had some overspray in sliver. Took the paint off with zero effect to the plastic. Not the same thing, but I'll bet you'd be safe with the headlight surrounds.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Gint
post Jan 19 2010, 10:54 PM
Post #12


Mike Ginter
***************

Group: Admin
Posts: 16,106
Joined: 26-December 02
From: Denver CO.
Member No.: 20
Region Association: Rocky Mountains
Didn't see this until now. I still have some baking soda in the cabinet. And I'm pretty sure I've got one or two headlight surrounds laying around... somewhere. If I remember to try it tomorrow...

Based on my experience with soda, I don't think it will be a problem at all.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
snakemain
post Jan 20 2010, 08:44 AM
Post #13


Ronin Member
***

Group: Members
Posts: 583
Joined: 14-January 10
From: Aviano, Italy
Member No.: 11,232
Region Association: None
Bought a dedicated 10lb soda blaster at Harbor Freight a couple weeks ago on sale for $60. Hooks up to my air compressor. 50lb bags of soda blasting material were around $30.

Took a while to do the whole inside firewall of my car, but took the paint off and the metal underneath looked great. I don't think you'd have any problem using it on the plastic headlight bezels. If one were careful, it's almost controllable enough to take off a single layer of paint and leave the one underneath.

Recommend using a blasting cabinet or outside for small parts because this stuff gets EVERYWHERE.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Eric_Shea
post Jan 20 2010, 10:34 AM
Post #14


PMB Performance
***************

Group: Admin
Posts: 19,304
Joined: 3-September 03
From: Salt Lake City, UT
Member No.: 1,110
Region Association: Rocky Mountains
Industrial soda works but it can leave them a tad "fuzzy". Perfect surface if you're going to prime then paint. The household soda may work well.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
914Sixer
post Jan 20 2010, 12:57 PM
Post #15


914 Guru
*****

Group: Members
Posts: 9,453
Joined: 17-January 05
From: San Angelo Texas
Member No.: 3,457
Region Association: Southwest Region
Harbor Freight has blasting soda if you have one close by.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Katmanken
post Jan 20 2010, 01:04 PM
Post #16


You haven't seen me if anybody asks...
****

Group: Members
Posts: 4,738
Joined: 14-June 03
From: USA
Member No.: 819
Region Association: Upper MidWest
I think you need a dry ice blaster.

Those suckers can take paint off a layer at a time.

Which is why the airlines and military use them for repainting planes.

On the other hand, hitting plastic with cold dry ice pellets may cause it to become brittle and fracture.

We need a sucker, er I mean guniea pig, er... I mean volunteer...
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Gint
post Jan 20 2010, 05:28 PM
Post #17


Mike Ginter
***************

Group: Admin
Posts: 16,106
Joined: 26-December 02
From: Denver CO.
Member No.: 20
Region Association: Rocky Mountains
Found some white headlight surrounds. And they're badly discolored. Should make for a good test.

Give me 30 minutes or so. It's not exactly warm out there though...

Attached Image
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Gint
post Jan 20 2010, 05:55 PM
Post #18


Mike Ginter
***************

Group: Admin
Posts: 16,106
Joined: 26-December 02
From: Denver CO.
Member No.: 20
Region Association: Rocky Mountains
This actually took 5 minutes or so. Plain old Costco baking soda. I had to turn the pressure up to 60 psi as my soda has absorbed a little moisture and didn't really want to come up the tube. Food grade baking soda is actually a little too light for this application I think. Although it removed the discoloration, there are a couple of little marks that you can see it didn't remove. The blasted area is really very smooth, although I can feel a little... tooth. Not much though. Like 600 grit sandpaper tooth. Give or take.



Attached Image
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Gint
post Jan 20 2010, 06:00 PM
Post #19


Mike Ginter
***************

Group: Admin
Posts: 16,106
Joined: 26-December 02
From: Denver CO.
Member No.: 20
Region Association: Rocky Mountains
Better pic?



Attached Image
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
Katmanken
post Jan 21 2010, 12:13 PM
Post #20


You haven't seen me if anybody asks...
****

Group: Members
Posts: 4,738
Joined: 14-June 03
From: USA
Member No.: 819
Region Association: Upper MidWest
Usually when you abrade flexible plastic, it gets "fuzzy"

That is , the ends of the long chain molecules in the plastic become broken and loose.
User is offlineProfile CardPM
Go to the top of the page
+Quote Post
« Next Oldest · 914World Garage · Next Newest »
 

2 Pages V  1 2 >
Reply to this topicStart new topic
1 User(s) are reading this topic (1 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 

Display Mode: Standard · Switch to: Linear+ · Switch to: Outline

Track this topic · Email this topic · Print this topic · Subscribe to this forum

- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 2nd April 2026 - 04:13 PM
Invision Power Board v9.1.4 © 2026  IPS, Inc.
...
All rights reserved 914World.com © since 2002
914World.com is the fastest growing online 914 community!
We have it all, classifieds, events, forums, vendors, parts, autocross, racing, technical articles, events calendar, newsletter, restoration, gallery, archives, history and more for your Porsche 914 ...