The importance of sandblasting a steel hull is such that any alternative treatment may be considered only a stop-gap. The presence of mill scale or mill bloom having a different galvanic potential to that of mild steel sets up myriads of tiny cells, causing corrosion of the mild steel and de-lamination of the scale, resulting finally in failure of the protecting coating. Sandblasting was of prime importance.
Quotes for sandblasting ranged from $300 to $1,000. We could only greet these glibly mouthed figures with the appearance one could expect of a freshly stunned mullet. An agonising re-appraisal of our resources forbade the hiring of these high priced gentry, so we hastily turned to the idea of hiring the necessary equipment. It seemed we need four to five tons of washed, graded, dried and bagged river sand, a compresser capable at least a hundred cubic feet-a-minute delivery and a suitable hopper, hoses and blasting nozzle. These were finally assembled on the site amid rejoicing and some trepidation. Rejoicing at the price-$38-and trepidation at the task ahead. I now feel that anyone who sandblasts for a living deserves a medal and regularly needs a new set of eyeballs and lungs.
In turning the site into a setting in which even the Desert Fox would feel at home we enjoyed a peculiar satisfaction; that of hunting out dirt and scale, detritus and filth, and like Old Dutch Cleaner, leaving all -clean-clean-clean. Working in relays with the help of friends, hampered with an inadequate hopper and a Mickey Mouse sized blaster, we sandblasted non stop for three 14-hour days. Then, with two coats of primer, it was all over, leaving us both with an incredibly long lasting film location for "Desert Heritage" and Jill with a badly strained back. We had used the original five tons of sand at least three times over, rebagging and reloading the hopper.