Hi HAMBers, Has anyone used a Pneumatic Needle Scaler on car sheetmetal? or on a rusty car frame? Thanks, Bruce
You should never use it on thin stuff, but they are mainly used on structural steel, for that heavy thick rust scale. It does speed up the job if you then do sandblast, or I guess you could use Alkyd primers/topcoat...depending on what you are building.
They don't work worth shit to clean anything but structural metals but they work beyond belief to put a "sand cast" texture in fabricated mild, (carbon), steel parts. After welding I often texture unmachined areas to make them look like a casting or forging. Very difficult to tell the difference if done carefully. I have also used them on somewhat rusty frame rails and crossmembers to texture new parts welded in to look like the "aged" parts. Not that anyone on the HAMB would ever consider using less than perfect parts! Neat and very usefull tool.
Bruce, I have one of these in my arsenal, wouldn't be without it. Good for removing flaky, crusty rust, will break up rust between panels and double layer chassis rails. I often use it for determining the extent of unseen rust in lower doors and sills, it will dint in thin sheetmetal which would otherwise not be evident until after the car is finished and on the road. (Bad for credibility when fixing rusted cars)
They are great, When used to de-stress metal after welding. Do not use it on sheet metal, very good for cleaning welds and heavy metal.--TV
We use them a lot at work, although not for anything HAMB related. They're a Godsend for cleaning up slag from carbon air-arcing. Also good for prepping heavily pitted steel for welding, when a wire wheel isn't enough.
Love mine...but buy a bigger one or one that converts an air chisel. The small, one piece ones (about the size of an air ratchet) are useless and NO comparison to the bigger versions. I use it to clean up underbody panels, crossmembers and rails where it does a great job of getting a lot of rust etc off quickly, but of course it still needs to be followed by blasting to get EVERY bit of rust removed. Still...it does a pretty good job on its own! Find it a huge help to remove that thick, hard sound deadener/undercoat that was often used in wheelwells etc. I NEVER use it to give direct, 90* impacts on any sheetmetal. I lay it over to around a 45* angle or more to give glancing blows and it does the job without hammering the crap out of the panel.
I can give you the names of 40 people who have NO feeling in thier hands due to them. I can find and send you the medical links which outlawed the use of them in Connecticut due to the damage done to shipyard workers, nerve and vascular systems. Due to those medical conditions it prompted a change in work pratices so that plastic bead and walnut shell blasting to be used instead, back in 1979.
They work fairly well! They'll remove pounds of scale off of your vehicle and pounds of fat off of you from all the vibration.
I was going to guess they were Navy guys or worked on ships before you said so. But they are great for taking just about anything off heavy steel, unless your bunk is anywhere near the work area. Gary
we use them pretty often. The Tugboat I live on 8months a year is nothing but 1/4inch and 1/2inch plate. Anything thinner than 1/4inch the needlegun will warp it. This isn't a bad thing if you are looking to get a bow in the center of a plate, but it is somewhat difficult to control. and yeah, we use them 4+ hours a day during the warm months, just wear thick gloves and you'll be fine.
I would like to see that article. I live/work in CT. We use them on the boats all the time. Not that OSHA ever finds it's way down to our job site. Todd
Regarding nerve damage...I'm thinking there might be a difference in using it in a hobby setting every now and then compared to using one in a job setting daily. Remember too...sandblasting can lead to silicosis without proper precautions. Driving a car can kill you....so can spraying paint etc. EVERYTHING is a risk, but the risks go up or down depending on exposure.
I used em for a few years on The Dewey... Works like a champ on lead based laden pump casings...Cough, cough..
The Jalopy Journal
