"The Hurdy Gurdy Man" wrote in message
...

I've been thinking about purchasing a small and inexpensive (Harbor
Freight, to be precise) sandblasting cabinet but as I've never used a
sandblaster I'm wondering if it'd really be what I'm hoping. It probably
wouldn't see so much rust removal duties as it would the removal of mill
scale from hot rolled steel items like angle iron and flats, but I was
hoping it could also be used to achieve nice matte finishes on steels,
aluminum, and plastics depending on the abrasive used. Traditionally I
rely heavily on things like wet-dry sandpaper and those abrasive plastic
Brillo-esque pads on the end of an angle grinder, but it seems like a
sandblaster would be more efficient and do a better, more uniform job. Is
this going to be the case? Or am I really going to be asking too much of
a Harbor Freight sandblasting setup? I suppose I could get one someplace
else instead, but money's tight and I'm not planning on using the
equipment too heavily anyhow. Would this sort of device do the job, or
should I be looking to other methods?

You're on the right track where improving surface condition of materials is
concerned. Sand and bead blasting can leave very nice patinas, depending
on the media chosen and the pressure at which they are applied. In reality,
you'd need a few different medias to accomplish a wide variety of finishing.
Some are even non-destructive, such as walnut shell blasting.

There are a couple considerations for you. One is the size of the
cabinet. If you buy a small one you're going to find it is too small unless
you are restricted to model type work. My cabinet will accommodate an item
that is 26" long and I consider the cabinet too small for many of the things
that I'd like to blast. While pieces may fit inside the cabinet, it isn't
always easy to blast them end to end, even when turning them over and end
for end. As items get longer and wider it gets more difficult to access
them with the gun.

The second thing for you to consider is the amount of air you'll need. I
run a Quincy compressor, two stage, rated at 19.3 cfm @ 175 PSI. My
cabinet can keep the compressor running almost continually. If you are
desirous of blasting an item without interruption until it is finished, you
might give the size of compressor you'll need considerable thought.

There are economical ways to get around some of the issues. You can build
your own cabinet if you have any welding capabilities, and use a squirrel
cage blower to evacuate the dust from the cabinet instead of using a vacuum
cleaner. I have used both systems and prefer the squirrel cage blower by
far over the vacuum cleaner system. Your circumstances may prevent going
that direction, however, so give that some thought before making a decision.
I live out in the country with no immediate neighbors so the dust is not a
problem. The vacuum systems are intended to be used with inside discharge,
but I found the filtering system way too restrictive and time consuming.

I strongly encourage you to get the setup. You'll be surprised at how much
you'll use it if you have it.

Hope this helps~

Harold