thought i would put my two cents in on this topic regarding the blasting with grit or sand and the smaller booth systems used. i used to work for a sanblasting company and i was asked several times to sand blast car panels including a pair of front aluminuim guards off some car from the 20's...
Anyways if its done right blasting shouldn't warp panels....i was taught to lower air pressure and sand feed and work in larger circle type motions at a 30-45 degree angle and to move over the area quickly as to reduce heat which is why most panels warp in the first place.

had the job of blasting a 2 door HQ GTS coupe once and the owner came in with me to watch what i was doing, he seemed happy with the work gave me a 50 dollar tip on top of the job cost...was stoked....

the smaller booth type units with the gloves you put your hands through are really good for like everyone has said use with small parts, i do suggest however if you are going to do alloy parts that you use a glass type grit instead of garnet or bead.m it looks like really fine sugar and does not pit the surface of the alloy as much as garnet does and brings it up perfect every time.

cheers

and it is true you can use baking soda?

g'day everyone, just thought i'd let you guys know, i got my MK2 escort soda blastered over a month ago, it done a poo poohot job, body has no signs of surface rust or anything, didn't warp the panels as sand blasting can do. if you have the money to get it done, its very worth while. my car including doors was 900, but then he came to my house to do it.

my 2c worth,

currently the missus is getting here car done professionally, the restorer says he will NOT touch a car that has been soda blasted, as getting it soda blasted does NOT kill the rust like bead blasting it (with the correct mix of bead) does. It all may look well and good but in the end its only masking the area that have rust on them and there is every chance down the track that rust can reappear.

So for us with her car there is not chance that we were willing to take for soda blasting over bead blasting. As getting the car done that we intend to keep for the rest of our lives then bead is the only way to go.

Yeah my and my restorers 2c.

Cheers
B.

yes i guess this is true if the rust is bad...there are parts of the car that are unseen in normal viewing and may have some surface rust so blasting it will kill the rust and generally it isnt necessary to cut out and weld in new parts as it will no longer continue to rust there...

i agree if the rust is through all the way then it must be repaired but if its only surface then the degree of depth can change and change what attack you need to take thats all im saying...

Spending enough money on the missus car to make no stone (rust) unturned. So we will never have anything pop its little head out in the many many year of enjoyment to come.

B.