My lower units need repainted and was thinking of tackling it this winter. A sand blaster is to messy, has anyone tried a dry ice blaster or a soda blaster?

I'm about to try a soda blaster, but haven't got around to it yet.

I'm curious on opinions and feedback too.

s022mag I'll post my results when I get to it, probably won't be for a couple more weeks at least though...

Make your job easier and get soda with 10% aluminum oxide mixed in. As well as going faster, it will also provide a better tooth for the repaint and remove any corrosion. We use Armex, but other brands may have it as well. Its going to be a dusty job and I would recommend removing them and doing it away from the boat. Tenting the area effectively is crucial.

Read up on soda blasting and prep before paint. Had a friend soda blast his drives and no matter no what the painter did the paint came out matte finish. Later he found out that the drives were not prepped properly after being soda blasted.
It might just be as easy as cleaning with vinegar and water. There are a few threads on the blasting and car prep forums.

The metal should be washed with Holdtight 102 before painting. It removes the soda residue and provides a flash rust barrier before painting. Regular prep should follow the Holdtight once you are ready to paint.

why would an all aluminum
drive need to have a flash rust protection??am i missing something?

Just a general statement regarding soda blasting in general as that is what Holdtight is designed for.

How do you got about soda blasting your k planes? Does the piece mounted to the hull come off or do you have to tape the boat off?

It might be just me but I just sanded mine and primed and painted it. They are not that big so sanding by hand doesn't even take that long.

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Nice! Did you take them off or just tape off everything?