Sandblasting plastic grille on a 1985 Toyota (1 Viewer)

[toomanytoyzz]

I was planning on blasting a grille I picked up at the junkyard for my 1985 toyota pickup. My current grille is black, but the one I got is chrome, and though it's in good shape, I want to paint it black. I have a nice Marco blaster, but am worried it will tear up the plastic. I may try it on the old grille before letting it go on the one from the junkyard. I just need to get enough tooth on the chrome grille in order to spray the adhesion promoter down before painting it. Anyone have any luck with blasting plastic?

 

[Mike C]

The chrome can be removed with heat, but its not easy

 

[KLF]

I would post this in the "Paint" section, also try a hot-rod forum.

Walnut shells maybe?

 

[suncomb1]

Use Media Blasting material instead of sand. They make various grades / sizes of plastic media and you should be able to find some suitable for what you want to do. Call a commercial media blasting business and they should be able to point you to a supplier.

 

[toomanytoyzz]

Use Media Blasting material instead of sand. They make various grades / sizes of plastic media and you should be able to find some suitable for what you want to do. Call a commercial media blasting business and they should be able to point you to a supplier.

silica sand is a media blasting material. it's just really bad on your pipes (DEFINITELY WEAR EYE/EAR/MOUTH protection). Basically, any media will kill you if you don't use proper ventilation. Some quicker than others. i'm not trying to blast the thing clean of rust and ten coats of paint. Just trying to get tooth on it before adhesion promoter and paint. I know i could use walnut shells, alum. oxide, glass bead, plastic, steel shot, etc. etc. but I have a 100lb bag of #001 silica sand I use for frames and am wondering if it will ruin my $20 grille.

 

[MANUCHAO]

I doubt the plastic will survive any kind of sand blasting...
Find a place that does chrome plating.
They would take the chrome off of the grill for yah for either free or a small fee...
But if you paing over the chrome the paint should stick.. scuff it a bit and you should be fine...

 

[x factor]

You can just use a red Scotch Brite pad to scuff the plastic. Those can be picked up pretty much any where automotive paint is sold and are similar to approximately 320 grit sand paper. They work well for sanding crevases and tight corners.

 

[cruiser88]

if you insist on blasting only use soda

 

[toomanytoyzz]

You can just use a red Scotch Brite pad to scuff the plastic. Those can be picked up pretty much any where automotive paint is sold and are similar to approximately 320 grit sand paper. They work well for sanding crevases and tight corners.

I think that's what I'm going to do.

 

[GRM]

you can buy a new black grille on ebay for $24.

84 85 86 TOYOTA PICKUP GRILLE BLACK 4WD 4X4 1984-1986 : eBay Motors (item 180443429125 end time Jul-06-10 23:49:23 PDT)

I say cut your losses while your ahead.

 

[toomanytoyzz]

you can buy a new black grille on ebay for $24.

84 85 86 TOYOTA PICKUP GRILLE BLACK 4WD 4X4 1984-1986 : eBay Motors (item 180443429125 end time Jul-06-10 23:49:23 PDT)

I say cut your losses while your ahead.

Well, it's really almost $40 with shipping. I was going to go that route, but I was at the U-pull-it yard and it was on a clean truck, so I grabbed it. It also has the headlight buckets and emblem.

Anyway, it's done I just sanded the hell out of it, shot it with a flexible primer and painted it black. turned out great.