nearly fell off my chair.....

[ukracer]

You've not tried it, have you?

I've used a medium sized grit blast cabinet for industrial stuff: The process is painfully slow (but effective). You clean a small area, roughly the size of the nozzle / 10p piece at a time and you need to move quite slowly to do a decent job. If there is any slightly soft paint or grease, it takes ages to clear it. It's 'line of sight' so awkward areas need doing from several angles to do a proper job. (Then you get it out of the cabinet and into the daylight and find that one or more areas haven't completely cleaned up, so it needs to go back in...)

I would expect 30 mins to an hour to be nearer the mark.

I tried it and gave up and sold the cabinet.
Vapour blasting is faster but more expensive cabinet's.

The whole process is so much slower than we all appreciate.
Dipping is the best method but as its chemicals its not easy for DIYers.

My son has just had 3 calipers blasted and the small rears took over 4 hours. This was at a college where they were grateful for the items to blast...Just imagine paying the hourly rate.

 

[bourbon]

Materials aren't going to be £300 for a bonnet.

says a lot about the 'friend'

 

[ukracer]

says a lot about the 'friend'

More about rising costs to be honest.

 

[Munkul]

Says nothing about the quality of the friends work, the state of the bonnet in question, or the paint finish required.
By "making nothing" what he means is that he'll be billing his labour out at cost - that's only a short day at £40/h

 

[a111r]

You've not tried it, have you?

I would expect 30 mins to an hour to be nearer the mark.

Yes. Using a Lidl grit gun and an undersized compressor... it was very slow. The wrong kit certainly, for doing a set of wheel.

The 'full fat' kit would, I expect, be out of reach for such a place to easily acquire?

 

[ukracer]

Yes. Using a Lidl grit gun and an undersized compressor... it was very slow. The wrong kit certainly, for doing a set of wheel.

The 'full fat' kit would, I expect, be out of reach for such a place to easily acquire?

Still slow though.

 

[Dilkris]

Says nothing about the quality of the friends work, the state of the bonnet in question, or the paint finish required.
By "making nothing" what he means is that he'll be billing his labour out at cost - that's only a short day at £40/h

Then again - if it was a bonnet off an E-type or even a GT6 ...... that's a good price..!!!!

 

[Edward Teach]

Really?!
1) I've had countless cars with badly balanced wheels and they feel horrible to drive until I get the wheels balanced. 2) Especially in this day and age with OEM wheels denting and buckling so easily.
That horrible shuddering feeling as you approach 60-70mph... through the steering wheel if its the front wheels...
Bike wheels are ok with a static balance though.

1) Cheap nasty tyres.
2) Pot holes and kerbs.

 

[Munkul]

1) Cheap nasty tyres.
2) Pot holes and kerbs.

1) nope, I don't do cheap tyres, never have
2) yup, it's just a sad fact of life that wheels buckle and crack these days, especially nice big alloys with low profile tyres.

 

[Edward Teach]

1) nope, I don't do cheap tyres, never have
2) yup, it's just a sad fact of life that wheels buckle and crack these days, especially nice big alloys with low profile tyres.

On the car only fit Michelins, and their so easy to fit.
The size of tyre will make some difference,
The biggest tyres I run are 15",16" 205, 215's

I think if you drive like Miss Daisy's elderly, very careful, relative who is a bit scared of the power of a Reliant Robin, then un-balanced car wheels don't bother you . . .

I can tell if a wheel isn't balanced from the passenger seat, so all mine get sorted too.

I'm not sure what you are saying here, Miss Daisey lol

 

[bricol]

On the car only fit Michelins, and their so easy to fit.
The size of tyre will make some difference,
The biggest tyres I run are 15",16" 205, 215's

I'm not sure what you are saying here, Miss Daisey lol

 

[Edward Teach]

Good movie

 

[Gwil]

That's why there's a tyre changer in my garage.

If it's daylight robbery, I might as well be the one doing the robbing...................

.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
PS. Special robbing rates for Forum Members............

Blimey, my local guy does a puncture for 5 euros!

 

[zzr1200]

Blimey, my local guy does a puncture for 5 euros!

That's a very reasonable price for a punture, I reckon £10/12 is a fair price.

 

[RWD3M]

Blimey, my local guy does a puncture for 5 euros!

I do punctures for free! Repairs I charge for

 

[highseas]

Sorry I should add, I send stuff for shot blast and galv most weeks, that week I sent 2x Land Rovers worth of trims, series 2 rear tub stuff front grills and window frames, 6x 100x100mm 7 ft long posts.
A 90 chassis that was to blast and galv
And the fore mentioned wheels, each job for a separate customer so billed separately and the carriage shared between them

The full chassis blast and dip was only £320, I still can not get a answer out of anyone as to why them wheels were soo much. I have send wheels to be blasted with them before and looking back on the tickets they were £107 for 4

I genuinely think someone is trying to have me over on this, bang out a bill and the mug will pay it

 

[bricol]

I have send wheels to be blasted with them before and looking back on the tickets they were £107 for 4

I genuinely think someone is trying to have me over on this, bang out a bill and the mug will pay it

Could it be as simple as someone in the office seeing wheels @ £107 - but knew you took four in, so quick bit of multiplication and . . . ?

 

[Morris]

Sounds spendy to me. I had two wheels blasted and banded for £50 each last year. The price is still the same.