Steel Boat Owners: Attention - this might change a lot!

[NSboatman]

Stumbled across this in the mech eng mags. Laser cleaning of rust: no blasting, very little clean up, no media, no dust, able to handle complex surfaces, won't punch holes in thin plate, handheld and can get into small places (like inside tanks, into bilges, between stringers, etc.

could be a real game-changer for mid-life refits, and even for new build pre-painting surface prep.

Sure wish this tech was available to me last year, before I dropped a LOT of $$ on a full hull blast and repaint!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLaBFkeHG0A

I haven't done much research on it yet, but of course it's tech out of Germany...

bg

[neilpride]

Wow, looks like amazing !!! wonder how much cost that Laser thing???

[Triumphant]

The video shows it removing rust,

I wonder if it will remove paint as well, if yes, a much more environmental friendly solution to grit blasting, Watching with interest

[boatman61]

I like...

[Reefmagnet]

Flame cleaning has been around forever and is probably cheaper for the DIY guy.

http://www.aga.se/en/processes_ren/w...ing/index.html

Sent from my SGP521 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[gjordan]

I went searching the internet and found a large commercial machine for $32,500 and a much smaller 500 watt machine for what I think was listed at $7500. The smaller machine would be great for interior work on an already built steel boat. No grit is a huge improvement. I had never heard of this before, but I had watched DRY ICE BLASTING at the place I used to work, and it was grit free and just a little dust to vacum up. The dry ice setup was bulky and required as much volume of air as regular sand blasting, so this laser blasting sounds like a wonderful thing. I wonder if any of our members have actually tried it. ____Grant.

[Stumble]

Grant,

I did the same thing but the prices I came up with started at $100k and went up to $600k. They also rent them for a couple grand a week, which doesn't sound like a terrible price to do a boat. At the speed this thing was moving you could probably do a 40' hull in a couple of days.

[gjordan]

Most boatyards wont let you sandblast in the yard (it makes sense) but This would seem to cause no problems for other boats near you. I wonder if it will become popular for steel boats? ____Grant.

[hpeer]

Wonder if it works on intruders?

[Steven UK]

Harbour Freight will have one soon...

[RaymondR]

Does it form the rough surface for the paint to key into as does sand blasting?

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Does it form the rough surface for the paint to key into as does sand blasting?

It can. Apparently the power is variable.

[unclemack]

$600k sounds like a real bargain.
Hang on a second while I check the pockets of my other trousers & feel down the back of the sofa.

[TKDSailor]

Originally Posted by NSboatman

Stumbled across this in the mech eng mags. Laser cleaning of rust: no blasting, very little clean up, no media, no dust, able to handle complex surfaces, won't punch holes in thin plate, handheld and can get into small places (like inside tanks, into bilges, between stringers, etc.

could be a real game-changer for mid-life refits, and even for new build pre-painting surface prep.

Sure wish this tech was available to me last year, before I dropped a LOT of $$ on a full hull blast and repaint!

I haven't done much research on it yet, but of course it's tech out of Germany...

bg

This DOES look amazing. I don't see any residue in the video. I don't even see any dust- where does all the brown rust go, I wonder?? I don't know what would be left afterward. I hope this is for real- for my NEXT refit in 25 more years!

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by TKDSailor

This DOES look amazing. I don't see any residue in the video. I don't even see any dust- where does all the brown rust go, I wonder?? I don't know what would be left afterward. I hope this is for real- for my NEXT refit in 25 more years!

Agreed, pretty amazing. The laser vaporizes/sublimates the oxides, and the unit includes a vacuum system to capture the vaporized material (otherwise you'd be re-depositing it all over the room).

Laser-method and functional principle: How it works - cleanLASER