Laser rust removal

[ChryslerKid]

A good buddy of mine is getting out of the army and wants to take out a business loan to buy a rust removal laser machine. Apparently it removes paint and rust without harming the metal at all. After painstakingly sanding cars like this one(all of which but the wheel wells were done without an electric sander). I just wanted your opinions on whether or not you would pay to have this sort of work done. Apparently its extremely fast. I swear i dont have finger prints anymore after jobs like this one.

 

[Danny Boy]

I think in many cases it comes down to cost to have this done, time required and effectiveness of the rest removal
Sounds interesting

 

[Durandal25]

Dude....check this out

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/does-laser-rust-removal-work-and-is-it-affordable/

 

[Danny Boy]

WOW! Thanks much!!!!!

 

[Danny Boy]

$480K, not cheap

WIll probably come down the way large screen tv's and computers did - which is saying - probably not in my lifetime, ha!

 

[Durandal25]

Not to mention all that refraction. Cook your nuts, man

 

[Begood03]

WOW, it does work great but at a very high cost.

 

[Danny Boy]

Maintenance cost?
Power consumption?
After you've paid for your initial investment, will the machine need replacement?
I guess I could look this up on their website....
WIll it pay for itself?

 

[Fran Blacker]

Looked and Alibaba came up $12k.

 

[ChryslerKid]

When you compare the cost of a body or restoration shop to prep the exterior, door jams and engine bay, laser removal would have to be significantly cheaper. I just think hes going to have a hard time convincing people with a much higher hourly rate with something theyre not familiar with. I do know that he wants to apply it to other fields than just automotive.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Saw another site a 50 watt laser stripper $50k.

 

[Photon440]

Looked and Alibaba came up $12k.

Not for a 1,000 watt unit. You're still in six figure territory on their site.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I wonder how it works on heavy scale & rot?

 

[Nate S]

I wonder how it works on heavy scale & rot?

It’s a laser so only one wavelength is coming out. It gets absorbed perfectly by paint and rust but much less By steel. I’d guess it would blow away everything that’s rust and leave everything that’s steel behind.

 

[slimt]

Flame thrower is cheaper.

 

[Nate S]

Flame thrower is cheaper.

Tends to warp sheet metal.

 

[Builderguy]

Wonder what PPE is needed? Didn't look like the operators shown had much of anything on. When we work on them we have to wear wavelength specific glasses in case the beam hits a reflective object or a mirror gets knocked out of alignment.

 

[Nate S]

Wonder what PPE is needed? Didn't look like the operators shown had much of anything on. When we work on them we have to wear wavelength specific glasses in case the beam hits a reflective object or a mirror gets knocked out of alignment.

I’m sure just what you’re describing is needed. Plus something for the light of the vaporizing rust.

 

[ChryslerKid]

I know hes thinking bigger than just automotive applications, but my mind always goes to engine bays because there are so many nooks and crevices. Has anyone here ever paid to have just the engine bay prepped for paint? Whats a general cost, and did they take it down to the metal?

 

[slimt]

It would be interesting to see how something like that works.