"Toolbert" wrote in message
s.com...

"Harold & Susan Vordos" wrote in message
...

"BP" wrote in message
...
I see the thread on blasting cabinet. Very useful as I would like to
get
one myself. What would you guys recommend ( if at all ) for using a
cabinet
indoors. Is this safe? Is there a special cabinet or a special one
you
might recommend?

Thanks

Barry

I did not make clear the use of a squirrel cage blower in my response
to
the question about blast cabinets. Blast cabinets are generally
intended
for indoor use, but they deal with the dust by running large industrial
type
vacuum cleaners with filters, which I found to be a complete nuisance.
As
a result, I ended up using a squirrel cage blower that moves about 100
cfm
of air, and venting it outside via a dryer vent. That, of course, is
not
good for those that may live in tight quarters with their neighbors. I
am
located in the center of 5 acres of land with no neighbors to complain
about
the dust created, which can be substantial, depending on the abrasive
being
used and the item being blasted.

Yes, you can safely use a cabinet indoors, even with the vacuum units
provided. As they run, they get better and better at filtering because
they
start getting clogged with accumulated dirt. That feature, however,
eventually limits their ability to handle the amount of air necessary to
keep the cabinet from leaking. That's exactly why I don't like them.
Direct venting outdoors is the best scenario if you can do so.

Harold

My brief experience with the provided vacuum units is they are designed to
"self clean" ... the bag agitates on startup and shutoff and vents a cloud
of fine dust in your face.

Hi Harold, a cyclone even with no filter will make your dust invisible.

Bob

I'd certainly go that direction if it was a problem, Bob. Considering our
location, and the proximity of the shop to our house, it's very easy to dump
the dust to the atmosphere. I realize that most folks aren't afforded that
luxury.

We have a central vacuum cleaner system (Vacuflo 960), large industrial
model with two motors capable of servicing 18,000 square feet. It is
equipped with a cyclonic separator, something that was mandatory before I'd
make the purchase. I've seen more than enough of any other kind of
filter system to last me a lifetime. That includes those that are supplied
with blast cabinets. They generally have a weight attached to the center
of the filter media which drops and cleans the filter to some degree when
the machine is cycled off. When you're engaged in blasting with fine
aluminum oxide and removing more than just a little crud, the filter tends
to plug off rapidly so you find yourself screwing around with the filter
instead of blasting. That, plus the generally dirty conditions of
having the vacuum cleaner unit in the shop with me is what prompted my use
of the squirrel cage blower and ducting directly outside. I've never
regretted the decision.

Harold