MOUNTING BRACKET (REAR BRAKE CALIPER) – SANDBLASTING PROCESS With all of the brake caliper hydraulic pistons now restored to a usable condition, I turned my attention to the caliper bodies themselves. The next step in the restoration process is to strip the factory coating and repaint the calipers in a high-temperature gloss black finish. From my research, achieving a durable and high-quality paint finish starts with proper surface preparation. Ideally, paint should be applied directly to bare metal wherever possible. When done correctly, the process involves applying an etch primer to the bare surface, followed by the colour coat, and finally a clear coat for added durability and protection. Because I plan to use an etch primer—which is specifically designed for bare metal as I've mentioned before—I need to remove as much of the original factory coating from the OEM calipers as much as possible. Up to this point, I’ve had good success using traditional grinding and metal resurfacing techniques to strip coatings from various parts. My initial plan was to use the same method on all four brake calipers. During testing, the bench grinder removed the factory coating effectively, but I noticed it was also altering the surface of the aluminium. I suspect this is due to heat buildup caused by friction from the wire wheel. (Above) The stripped metal surface appears to show heavy pitting, likely caused by heat buildup during grinding. Another issue was accessibility—getting the grinder into tight areas proved difficult. Progress was slow, with even a small section taking around 30 minutes to complete. At this stage, I decided the bench grinder was no longer the best tool for the job. While it could achieve the desired result, it required too much time and effort. It also produced a lot of debris, unpleasant odours, and airborne particles that ended up on my clothes and skin. For years, I’ve been researching alternative methods for stripping automotive parts more efficiently, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to upgrade my setup. So I purchased a Unimac 90L benchtop sandblasting cabinet—the most affordable and compact option available to me. I’ve wanted one of these for quite some time, and after watching countless reviews and demonstration videos online, it became clear how effective sandblasting is for quickly stripping metal parts. The main reasons I held off previously were the cost and limited storage space. However, after reorganising my workspace and weighing the long-term benefits, I decided it was a worthwhile investment. This cabinet should significantly improve my workflow—not just for this project, but for future restorations as well. The ability to strip parts down to bare metal in minutes rather than hours is a huge advantage. https://i.postimg.cc/7hXKQhjw/1_New_Sandblaster_setup.jpg (Above) The cabinet is connected to a 2.0HP high-flow 60L air compressor and a 1000W dust extractor. I also installed a water trap and air regulator to control pressure and reduce moisture in the air lines. https://i.postimg.cc/qqQ1ZqWM/1_Sandblaster_Work_Area.jpg (Above) I also chose a coarse 30/60 grit garnet blasting media, which is affordable and easy to source locally. I set the air regulator to the recommended 90 PSI (0.65 MPa). https://i.postimg.cc/KjQ0sjCc/1_Setting_Max_air_pressure_on_regulator.jpg (Above) Moisture control is critical in sandblasting, as water in the air lines can clog the system. The regulator with a built-in water trap helps minimise this risk. Before moving on to the calipers, I decided to test the setup on a smaller component—a pair of rear caliper mounting brackets. Here’s the condition of the brackets before blasting: https://i.postimg.cc/mkVm6kKF/2_Brackets_Before_Blasting.jpg (Above) While most of the factory paint coating had been removed, tight areas still retained some of the old paint—exactly where sandblasting should excel. With everything set, I placed the brackets in the cabinet and began blasting. The results were exactly what I hoped for—fast and effortless. The remaining paint was removed in seconds, and both brackets were fully stripped within minutes. https://i.postimg.cc/ZnjwDnXC/2_Bracket_After_Blasting_1.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/wMFwbMnt/2_Bracket_After_Blasting_2.jpg (Above) Both brackets are now completely stripped back to bare metal, with all of the factory coating removed. This first test confirmed that investing in a sandblasting cabinet was the right decision. The time savings and improved results are immediately noticeable, and I’m looking forward to using this setup to restore all four brake calipers next.
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DJ_Party_Favor · 16 hours ago 16 hr
About a week ago i could happily wire a headunit and your standard 6x9 and door card speakers as you do, but now i wanted a sub and i wanted to know everything about them from wiring to peak performances and so on.
I want a system which is above beginner and one where when cranked up i hit my comfortable sound threashold before it does.
At first i was looking at this JVC sub 700 watts RMS, 2000 watts PEAK.
http://www.jvcmobile.co.uk/product.php?pr=220
and i was going to use this amp to power it as everywhere ive looked says try and better the RMS wattage of your sub with your amp by up to 125%, and that peak isnt a neccesity.
http://www.jvcmobile.co.uk/product.php?pr=174
Now as the sub is dual coil and so on i could get it to run at an Impedance of 2ohms if i ran the 2 coils in parallel
Now id like somone with a bit of knowledge to tell me if this system would be a few steps up from begginner and if it would be worth purchasing, also taking into account i listen to Drum and Bass + Dubstep mainly.
Or would it be wise to go down the route of 2 less powerful subwoofers instead of one?
Any help and advice is appreciated.
Hollings.