Current Events > Using a dremel to grind rust on my car?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I have a winter beater that is having some rust issues in the wheel wells.

Would this idea work:
1) Use my dremel to grind away the rust until bare metal. If it is in the metal as well, use the dremel to cut it out.
2) Use rustoleum to clear any additional rust.
3) Use rustoleum protection spray to coat it.
4) Use spray paint to "match" paint.
5) Use clear coat spray.

I don't really care how the fix looks, because the car is cheap and I drive it as a beater.

So will that plan work...? It feels like it's too easy. Professional body shop wants over $3000 to repair it (though they are cutting it out, welding and forming a new piece of metal, then painting it).

if it's surface rust yeah that'll work but if it's eating holes you're fucked
---

Fishy posted...

if it's surface rust yeah that'll work but if it's eating holes you're fucked

No holes yet, I think. Paint is bubbling though.

So say when I start grinding, I see holes... If it's minor, I can't just cut it all out? If I really want to have nice angles, use putty to "form" the cut out part...?

If you have minor holes you can grind all the rust out and use Bondo to patch the holes closed for a better finish.
---

Depends on how bad the rust is. Surface rust can be removed with sand paper. A wire brush on a drill is also good for more stubborn rust.
---

Lvaneede posted...

Depends on how bad the rust is. Surface rust can be removed with sand paper. A wire brush on a drill is also good for more stubborn rust.

Yea I saw videos (ChrisFixIt) that showed how to do it, which led me to try it on my own. I own a dremel, so why not use that and speed up the 1 hr+ manual sanding to a 10 minute affair?

IdiotMachine posted...

Lvaneede posted...

Depends on how bad the rust is. Surface rust can be removed with sand paper. A wire brush on a drill is also good for more stubborn rust.

Yea I saw videos (ChrisFixIt) that showed how to do it, which led me to try it on my own. I own a dremel, so why not use that and speed up the 1 hr+ manual sanding to a 10 minute affair?

Eh dremels are small, I mean, if you're sanding an area about 3"x3" that's fine. Any bigger you'll be wishing you have an electric sander.
---