Victor Safe Restoration - Part 6: Sand Blasting and Body Work

[@MyShopNotes]

Nice job Keith. You say you don't like the finishing process but you're doing a great job. I guess it being part of the family helps keep the motivation up to make it almost perfect.

[@outsidescrewball]

Hi Keith We recently had some humid days here in N. California, but I know not near what you have there Hey...I have grinder envy, that was a beauty in the background! Enjoying the safe resto Chuck

[@SteveMcQuillin]

You are a better man than I Keith, its been hot and humid down here in Central Florida with storms/rain every day for 2 months, I don't think I would have made it past noon in that suit! :)

[@capeman10]

The editing is number one this journey. So far so good one this rebuild.

[@Dent01100]

Keith, my victor safe had the almost exact same finish problems that you saw here with this one. There were lots of low places and high places and I also used an orbital sander to sand mine. It took me 2 days just for the sanding. I also had a few places where rust was worse on mine and I ended up using some JB Weld to fix a few of those problem spots.

[@Hotrodelectric]

Couple little suggestions, Keith: 1) buy yourself one of those flexible plastic mixing boards and some of the plastic mixer/applicator spatulas. Cheap, and loads easier to clean if the bondo goes 'off' and cleanup becomes an issue. Pep Boys, AutoZone etc. will have that. 2) After your first bondo application but before you sand down, spray on a really light coat of some dark colored paint. It will help you see where the holes, pits and depressions are once you sand the coats of bondo down. 3) If rust is a worry, ask about an epoxy type primer. That will help slow rust down immensely.

[@nicholassmerk]

***** I think they sell the plastic applicators at most Walmart stores. I hate walking into most chain auto part stores these days.

[@chemech]

***** Ah, yes... Wally-World... I shop there maybe once every 6 months, when I've got no real alternative... I'm with you on the auto-parts idiots as well... and at places like McDonald's... and they want $15/hr??? Eric

[@Hotrodelectric]

chemech Of course- fairness, y'know! I have a similar problem to Keith regarding the chain stores. I work primarily on older Citroens. I know full well that if I ask for anything more complicated than washer fluid, it's going to be a problem. The AutoZone I go to does try to help, but I too usually have to go through the Not-On-The-Computer dance. Any more, it's just for the generic stuff, like if I'm in Los Angeles and I forget to bring some tool with me.

[@nicholassmerk]

***** I've done the same thing to them. "Please look up part number ###". One time they couldn't find the power steering fittings that I knew they had.

[@markmossinghoff8185]

***** Keith, I had the same experience at Autozone. I needed a 5/16" ball bearing for my Dunlap 109. The kid looked up at the shelving with all the brake shoes and said "What does it go on?" I told him it's just a ball bearing...a round ball bearing. He said "We don't have anything like that." They can't make change on their own either. Sad.

[@swarfrat311]

Keith, Your soda blaster looks like it could have come from Harbor Freight! I have used Bondo once in my life (and I'm 66). Back when I was in my 20s, the front drivers-side fender of my truck mixed it up with a bollard in a parking lot! Guess who won? Like you said, there are things that need to be done that are a pain in the . . . neck, but you gotta do 'em! Hang in there and you'll have the pock marks filled in and the unit painted before you know it! Thanks for sharing your work. Try to stay cool and hydrated! Have a good one! Dave

[@kenwolfe6093]

Keith, use a high build primer to fill the smaller dings. It'll save a lot of time and the result will be much better considering you'll be using black paint. Nice series! I'm looking forward to the end result.

[@razorworks9942]

Okay Keith, Here ya go! 1st you need to throw the paint scrapers in the scraping drawer, and get some bondo spreaders, there dirt cheap and come in several sizes, and it is so much easier to mix, apply, and spread. 2nd, you need some old cardboard for your mixing board. So much better than your notepad, and still plentiful and cheap. 3rd, you need to put more bondo (mud) on the area that your working on. If your dent is an inch in diameter, depending on how deep into the surface, you are probably going to spread an area about 4 times that one inch. Don't worry about spreading it perfect on the first coat. Treat it like spreading peanut butter on soft bread! Lastly, for sanding, long boards work best for larger flat surfaces. All you need is a 2x4ripped by 6 to 8 inches long and you will be shocked as to how easy it will sand with 80 grit! Don't even plug in your sander, it's a waste of time and money. Also in my opinion, don't bother with the spot putty either! The BEST way to sand the surface is to sand in an X pattern! Again you will be amazed how fast and easy you can prep your rough surface for that primer. You can ask Abom79, if I know what I'm talking about! You know the funniest thing about this is you mentioned how you hate to do the prep and paint, guess what? ME TOO!! Thing is, I'm really quite good at it. I've had professional training, and years of on the job training as well. Oh and acetone works fantastic for cleanup before the mud hardends. If you get stuck, feel free to ask! Regardless I know it will turn out pretty decent!! Razor!

[@razorworks9942]

+Keith Rucker Hopefully this info will make things a bit easier for you. Just yell if I can help!

[@vza423]

Fasinatin' stuff, can't wait for the next installment!

[@cliffjones1511]

Great job Keith one thing about body filler the more you use the more you need.

[@keldsor]

Hi Keith That sweating, that's what we big boys have to live with ... the alternative is worse ... and you will be sweating there too - jogging is NOT my line of joy ! The bondo job - my experience is that you never get all the dings - especially with dark colors, you can see every little ding in there. The more glary the finish the harder it is to hide the last dings ... consequently I'm using paint with matt surface OR doing the painting job with a long haired roll and a little thicker painting - it gives a surface that can hide many "left over" dings ;-)) Looking forward to see the result !

[@rangersmustang]

I've done a lot of sand blasting and have to say that is a very well built sand blaster. Body work is always tricky, bondo leaves tiny pin holes whenever you sand it so you have to go in with another type of filler to take care of the pin holes. A high build primer works great for filling in pitted metal.

[@jeffmoss26]

Coming together nicely!!

[@Lawnmowerman02346]

You have grate videos about old machines . Have you tried glazing putty ? After sanding your bondo prime with sandable primer, Lightly sand , then use spot putty to feather in your low spots . can't wait to see the finished safe .

[@arjanleeuw1974]

Hi use more bondo on a larger aera than sand it down its much easyer that way. Because you are working on flat surfaces. But first find the high spots and knock them down. I do this fore a living every day on car restaurations. Good luck. Keep them video's comming we love it . Greets from the Netherlands

[@958kris]

Keith I had an apartment complex and painted 176 metal door over two winters. I'm with you, there is nothing worse than prep and painting. That said, I had many quarter sized dents in those doors and used bondo to fill them. I found that I could leave the bondo just proud of the surface and let the flatness of the sander do the leveling in one pass. I was sanding, prepping, priming and painting four doors every two days and didn't want to add any time to a really mundane process. Just thought you might want to look at trying one heavier pass and sanding it down with 40 grit to make it go a little faster. I think you have a little more hair than I do. When my head gets that red, my pop-off valve has already let a little steam off which makes me even more miserable in one of those yellow saran wrap suits!

[@ludovanderherten214]

I commend you for your skills and your patience, i ran a machine shop for 20+ yrs (all by myself), i know what it takes. Grtz from Belgium

[@rgdegregori8744]

Kieth, my experience painting boats I like to lay down primer after the surface prep. It makes it easier to see the imperfections for filling. Also the surface under the fill is protected especially on metal. Randy

[@benadams6332]

Nice work! I always find that it helps my body work if I spray a layer of gray primer after sanding. Much easier to identify if anything needs more work when the color is uniform.

[@VintageMachinery]

+Alfred Stampe Thanks - I am not much of an expert on body work. Nor do I really want to be....

[@cgis123]

She's really starting to come together and look good Keith. I'm looking forward to the next instalment. ATB Matt

[@ArcAiN6]

Keith, not sure if you've ever seen it before, but walnut shell is great for blasting, and it's also biodegradable.

[@VintageMachinery]

+ArcAiN6 I have used it before, but it is not very abrasive. Good for some things, but rust removal not one of its strong points.

[@Lakesidearmorer]

Keith, This is a great series. I'm thinking ' is Keith going to ask the young lady that did the art work on the Oliver 80, to help out with this project'. I know it is going to be a super job when its done. Really enjoy your videos.

[@andymandyandsheba4571]

great video keith safe is coming along well

[@kamboy71]

Hi Keith: Really enjoy your videos. Glazing putty will help you finish the minor imperfections out. It feathers out on the edges nicer and is far easier to sand back down. Hope this helps

[@duobob]

I am by no means an expert, but I did restore a car once (MGB), have repaired some fenders, and did learn from a LOT of mistakes. I second the idea of using spot putty after the Bondo has filled 90+% of the low spots. Another help is the use of a long narrow sander to flatten the work, There are both manual versions and reciprocating air versions colloquially called "air boards." Bondo is much softer than steel. You must resist the urge to continue sanding after you reach level, trying to feather out the edges and pinholes. Put on another layer of Bondo or switch to spot putty if you are close. After those efforts, use a high solids primer to fill the scratches, then regular primer, finally paint. Use hard flat platens to level the surface. An orbital sander with a foam platen will leave hills and valleys and they WILL show up on the safe with gloss paint. That is my take on the old school way, I know that there are lots of newer products out there that a working body man or auto paint store could help you with. There is also micro balloons, which can be mixed with resin or Bondo, or bought already mixed in as lightweight Bondo. Much easier for coarse base coats. 2 part primers and spot putties sand easier.

[@petrocksgarage]

Have you tried ground up walnut shells for your sand blaster media? I have not tried it, but have heard good things about it. Plus it is biodegradable. You might get a few more squirrels around the yard though. :-) Keep the great videos.

[@Rich206L]

***** Walnut media is mostly used in tumbler/polishing applications such as polishing brass pistol and rifle shells for reloading. I doubt that it would be as effective as sand or the media you used (too soft). As far as being biodegradable, I'd have to say that the sand was here on earth waaaayyy before the walnuts! :) Rich

[@petrocksgarage]

Rich206L, I think Keith's concern about biodegradable media is so that he doesn't have a driveway full of sand for years to come. If the media will dissolve/degrade on its own without Keith doing anything, then it effectively cleans itself up. Not to mention, a lot of 'sand' media is man made, not the stuff you find on the beach.

[@donfoster1832]

Do you have someone lined up to do a little fancy pin striping? I remember hearing you say you were going to put some decals on it. As much work as you're putting into it, it will really set it off good with the fancy work! I agree with Burnaby Street, I'd rather chew a leg off than do body work, but if you're going to do it, do it right!

[@mgmoody42]

The middle of August in the South? Yes, the humidity is murder!

[@xull1x123]

this reminds me of the months i spent doing body work on my car....! tip: if you really want to find all those low spots quickly without a mess, use 3m dry coat (part number 05861). i just apply it quickly, run a sander light over the surface and all the lows are visible.

[@johnburens3395]

For future reference you might try walnut blasting. I had some auto parts done this way and it did a great job and didn't harm the surface. It was ready to go when returned to me.

[@ScottHenion]

You might try walnut shells in your blaster. I have some but have not tried it. I use my cabinet with glass beads but I have some large things I need to do outside and plan to use the walnut shells as they will break down. I hate bondo, it stinks, hardens too fast and is grainy and near impossible to clean up. On the last pass and for pitting, I use "Glazing and spot putty", also made by Bondo and others. Provides a much smoother finish and fills very small pits where Bondo will probably flake out. I was outside over the weekend to fix a hole in my roof (torpedoed by branch.) Not real hot but as you said, the humidity was 99.999% Was drenched in an hour ;)

[@chemech]

***** The spot glazing putty is a finer filler, true... but, if you've laid down thin coats of the polyester filler, and sanded them smooth, there's no real advantage to using it... I use a white or green version sold to hobbyists for filling imperfections in plastic models - the Bondo brand stuff is chemically about the same, but it's bright red, and kind of a pain to cover over with your primer... All the Best, Eric

[@cynicbeliever40]

Great videos Keith. The only thing you haven shown on any of the videos up to this one, is you moving this thing around lol. Any idea how much it weighs?

[@foadab]

i enjoy your commitment

[@mmccoy577]

Thanks for the heads up about not using regular sand. I have known two people that have died from silicosis. It is not an easy death.

[@Keith_Ward]

Black blasting media looks like silicon carbide. It was my understanding that soda blasters were for cleaning very sensitive or fragile materials like book bindings/covers, wooden items like picture frames, or anything that is old, fragile, or antique in nature. Like you discovered, it only removed the paint but didn't touch what was underneath.

[@pcb1962]

Nice work, as usual. Why don't you hook up a vac to your sander? As well as cutting down the mess the sheets last much longer because you're clearing the dust instead of leaving it there to clog them.

[@profbob23615]

Bondo is also good for wood filler, and you can add some sanding dust from the wood you are filling or dry pigments to make it more closely match the wood. Once sanded and finished the patch is pretty much invisible.

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

Looks good Kieth .. Thanks !!

[@DSCKy]

Soda is a little hammer, sand is a big hammer. I think you will find some good uses for your little hammer in the future.

[@pnwRC.]

For body work, &/or preparing things for painting being your least favorite part of this, you did a great job!

[@stephensmith8756]

Keith I wonder if the person who first came up with the name " Chinese junk " for the floating kind, realised then how many other Chinese products to which this name would apply ? I looked up Ruemelin Manufacturing on Google, and it's worthwhile noting their current products look as well made as the older unit you have at the museum. Thanks for sharing this valuable learning experience of effectively cleaning rusty metal. Regards

[@stephensmith8756]

***** Yes, that's exactly the commitment they convey in their website. Thanks again.

[@bobbyc.2873]

I have to wonder, how greedy does a group of "ding-dongs" gotta be to think they're gonna break into a safe by beating on it with a hammer? If that were possible they wouldn't be called safes. They'd just be called heavy cabinets! ;-)

[@timothysmith5769]

One of the chief problems with soda blasting is with what you might be working on. IF you are working on a project with many little nooks and crannies (such as monocoque bodies with laid over panels) where the soda will gather no amount of cleaning will remove it and having soda left there will promote rust down the road.

[@russhellmy]

Hi Keith, nice interesting video as usual. Just curious, since I noticed you didn't seemed to be sand blasting in an open area without any system to recover and reuse the media, A) how much is the cost of those bags of media and how many lbs per bag? B) approximately how many sq ft of blasting per bag? Thanks Russell

[@russhellmy]

***** thanks for the reply.

[@Rich206L]

When can we expect #7?

[@charlescompton4495]

I am 6' 4" and weigh about 300# so I know about sweating in hot humid weather. Very interesting restoration Keith; thanks a lot, Greg. OLD??

[@VintageMachinery]

Charles Compton Yes, it can get kind of miserable. I will take the heat over cold any day though....

[@luisyvital]

where in south ga is your museum? i live in savannah

[@darrellbeane4052]

Looks good.

[@BrooksideFarmBarreMA]

Black Diamond iirc is basically just crushed slag- the "glass" created by the impurities left over after you melt iron.

[@hootinouts]

n1ztb It's not bad for the price. It does tend to lose its edge after use and needs to be replaced with fresh blasting media.

[@donaldasayers]

High build primer is great for this type of job.

[@KnolltopFarms]

FYI, in the future to save time, elbow grease, and sand paper...especially time, which to you is more valuable then money, you may want to try some Evercoat "Rage Gold" body filler. It is a higher end filler, and it hardens up tack-free and rock hard, not doughy like "Bondo". It may be $20 bucks a quart now, but it was only $20 for a gallon back in 05' when I had my shop. Automotive restoration and collision repair is what I was doing when my whole shop full of tools got ripped off, precipitating my move to the mainland. My point is, no matter how much cheaper any other fillers are, the time and sand paper you save make it worth the cost in your 1st hour. Just for future restorations, it will make your most hated task that much less vile. Either that or you could save them all for when you shoot off the Mark III and I'll come and whip things out for you ;) Aloha...Chuck

[@KnolltopFarms]

P.S. Sorry to be lagging on getting to the trunk of letters. Dad and I are trying to organize all of Mom's things for an upcoming town sale, and we're also just getting everything figured out with the lawyers and insurance people...things I'm glad you haven't had to go through yet. This safe restoration makes me glad that there are things my family hasn't had to go through though, like arguing over the family's estate and stuff...that would be too traumatic for words! I'll keep on top of it and get to it ASAP, OK? Thanks for your patience...Aloha, Chuck

[@derKarl_stp]

what do you think of wet sandblasting? I have seen a few videos on KZbin where people converted and used sandblasters from dry to wet to get rid of the dust and all the negative side effects by using water instead of air to accelerate the sand sure, you might have to wipe dry the metal after blasting it but this should make less fly around as dust in the air Greetings from a viewer in Lower Austria

[@derKarl_stp]

***** well that is a good concern and I understand why you didn't use it... no idea if this wet inside even happens when the open side of the safe is facing down but you better made sure that you didn't want to risk that from happening :-) thx for your answer and can't wait to see the next episode of your repair job

[@DavidKirtley]

I much prefer the epoxy based fillers than the polyester resins. They are easier to work with and smell much better. System 3 has some really nice stuff called QuickFair.

[@joetiller1031]

When I was working at the plant I worked at the company hired a company to soda blast brick on office building they said would not hurt landscape plants so when done all plants and scrubs were dead.

[@jakeparker1220]

Turn the lights off and shine a flashlight at a low angle. The low spots will have shadows. The high spots will be shiny with darker shadows behind them. Mark them with the sharpie and get buzy.

[@nicholassmerk]

When you use body filler (please don't call it Bondo), have two sets of plastic applicators. I've always mixed it on cardboard. Let the filler setup on the used applicator, then bend it and crack it off. It will all come off that way. When you scrape it off, you won't get it all. Also, leave more on the metal then you need. Use a rasp, then block or straight line sander before going to the DA/orbital. The DA/orbital will not level it very well, there is not enough surface in contact with the work piece, only one half of the pad...

[@robertburkhardt3019]

Don't cut it short and please consider a high build automotive primer like Evercoat. Consider a single stage automotive paint with hardener. The better the product the better the finish. You will be very pleased with the results. Finish is 90% preparation. Good Luck

[@Justinofalltrades1]

black diamond is radioactive

[@kyleallenburgess]

you do know black diamond is coal slag so you get black lung if you breath it in but it works great

[@VintageMachinery]

+fucyou doe I always wear a respirator when sandblasting outside like that!

[@mgmoody42]

Diamond Dust is what we used to call it.

[@jdonohue41]

I through you wanted a old look to it, I think tjhe defect give it.

[@chemech]

I prefer to use a heat gun or a chemical paint stripper, especially with older paint with a lead oxide pigment base - "lead paint" There's less lead containing dust to blow around the countryside. And, yes, it's the lead oxide, not so much the metallic lead which is ingestible... The chemical strippers mostly are a mix of methylene chloride, lye, and cornstarch (to make them "snotty") - there are safety precautions to be followed - respirator, nitrile gloves, safety glasses, work outdoors of with a big fan blowing fresh air past you towards the work. I find the stripping, and worse the sanding to be incredibly boring... One thing that I've learned from my mistakes is to use *THIN* coats of filler, and a wide bladed applicator to get a more even coverage. This means you can get a smoother surface, and spend less time sanding. Having seen a few guys mess up their fenders by applying too much filler, and that in too few coats, I cannot emphasize the need to apply several *THIN* coats of filler, and sand between coats... Spraying on a coat of primer between layers of filler helps you to see the imperfections - there is a dark grey primer out there if you prefer a starker contrast between filler and paint. I think that I posted this elsewhere - the spot glazing putty is dark red, and hard to cover unless you are using the dark charcoal colored primer... Even then,the spot putty is thinned by toluene = pretty toxic, and is somewhat soluble in acetone, so the thinners in your rattle can spray paint can make it bleed. Used well, it can make filling small dimples go a bit faster, but it is tricky to cover. In my hobby work, I use a white or green variant which I've never seen sold for automotive or other applications - it's a bit pricey for larger projects. OK, I've probably rambled on for a bit too long... Cheers, Eric

[@DSCKy]

I hate painting too... :) Everything should be made of aluminum or stainless. :)

[@jdonohue41]

sould have let he defect stay, its part of your story!

[@smtnh]

Hi Keith! I am late to the party here......this was a great video on prepping your safe. There were a LOT of comments about the blast media: "black diamond" "black beauty" and the like are all coal slag products; the byproduct of coal-fired power plants. I have done a fair amount of welding and fab work for Ensio Resources who make blast media here locally at the PSNH Bow Station plant. You find a coal fired plant and you'll typically find a company that processes the slag into blast media. ensioresources.com/Coal_Slag_Products/abrasives.html Thanks a lot for the great presentations you do! Regards, Sean.

[@danhess547]

dont use your eyes to find hi and low spote wen doing body work , use your hands...

[@jdonohue41]

now you hind wwith BONDO!

[@jdonohue41]

sorry Should

[@ppal64]

Just start dude. Stop dribbling.

[@Copozeras]

ha ha :) , just like me, i hate painting :)