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?

"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

Harold has covered a lot of the finer issues associated with a blasting
cabinet, so what I'll say is YES, YES, HELL YES, get a cabinet. If you are
into any type of refurbishing activity, It will be the best money you will
ever spend. Using glass beads, I use mine for everything from mill scale to
cleaning .014 carburetor jets and emulsion tubes for motorcycles. Aluminum
oxide for heavier rust and such. There are 2 cabinets, one is 32" wide, and
the other is 48" wide. Both have dust extraction systems with bag filters. A
pair of 5 hp compressors drive the units, to insure continuous use. A 2 hp
is on standby if needed. Side money can be made by blasting things for other
people, such as aluminum intake manifolds and such. ($15 bucks, 15 minutes)
One cardinal rule......Items must be dry and oil free, or you'll clog your
system.

RJ

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

"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

The Hurdy Gurdy Man wrote in
:


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?


Yup, they are great. I had a Harbor Freight unit, was on sale for $219
locally, not sure I would get a smaller one than that. Drawbacks, the
lighting in the cabinet is poor. You will want dust collection. Resist the
temptation to hook up your shop vac to it, while it will work, it will most
likely destroy your shop vac in short order. The gun was ok until the
potmetal casting broke where the pickup hose hooked up to it.

Harold is right on, COMPRESSOR, BIG COMPRESSOR!, when I first got mine and
used it, I was in love, until I found my little compressor wouldn't keep
up. I got a two stage DeVilbiss and it does run a lot but I can keep
blasting. I since upgraded and refurbished a nicer commercial cabinet.
http://members.cox.net/marty-escarcega/blast/blast.html

I like it a lot. Its big enough to do *most* of what I want to do.

Marty

I've been lurking here for a while and I would just like to add one
comment. I wouldn't allow anyone to use a blast cabinet for doing intake
manifolds. When I was working as a mechanic we let a fellow use the
cabinet to do an intake manifold and he didn't clean it properly and the
glass beads destroyed the engine. Naturally he blamed us.

If you do bead blast an intake manifold it needs to be cleaned several
times with hot soapy water. Cleaning with solvent, as in a parts washer,
won't work.

Just my .02. I should just add I think this is the best group on the
internet, I've learned a lot while lurking. Can't wait to get into my new
shop and start making chips again.

Regards

Bill


Backlash ) wrote:
: Harold has covered a lot of the finer issues associated with a blasting
: cabinet, so what I'll say is YES, YES, HELL YES, get a cabinet. If you are
: into any type of refurbishing activity, It will be the best money you will
: ever spend. Using glass beads, I use mine for everything from mill scale to
: cleaning .014 carburetor jets and emulsion tubes for motorcycles. Aluminum
: oxide for heavier rust and such. There are 2 cabinets, one is 32" wide, and
: the other is 48" wide. Both have dust extraction systems with bag filters. A
: pair of 5 hp compressors drive the units, to insure continuous use. A 2 hp
: is on standby if needed. Side money can be made by blasting things for other
: people, such as aluminum intake manifolds and such. ($15 bucks, 15 minutes)
: One cardinal rule......Items must be dry and oil free, or you'll clog your
: system.

: RJ

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



--
William Cavers
Department of Engineering Mathematics
Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS
(902) 494-6120

Bill, you are very correct in your observations, a secondary cleaning
operation is needed on certain items. Tapped bolt holes must be cleaned out,
along with external bolt threads, or severe galling will occur upon
installation of the fasteners. Glass beads are so fine that a visual
inspection will not do it. I use cylindrical brushes, liquids, and air to
clean threads, and quite often, run a tap through, just to be sure.

RJ

"William Cavers" wrote in message
...
I've been lurking here for a while and I would just like to add one
comment. I wouldn't allow anyone to use a blast cabinet for doing intake
manifolds. When I was working as a mechanic we let a fellow use the
cabinet to do an intake manifold and he didn't clean it properly and the
glass beads destroyed the engine. Naturally he blamed us.

If you do bead blast an intake manifold it needs to be cleaned several
times with hot soapy water. Cleaning with solvent, as in a parts washer,
won't work.

Just my .02. I should just add I think this is the best group on the
internet, I've learned a lot while lurking. Can't wait to get into my new
shop and start making chips again.

Regards

Bill


Backlash ) wrote:
: Harold has covered a lot of the finer issues associated with a blasting
: cabinet, so what I'll say is YES, YES, HELL YES, get a cabinet. If you
are
: into any type of refurbishing activity, It will be the best money you
will
: ever spend. Using glass beads, I use mine for everything from mill scale
to
: cleaning .014 carburetor jets and emulsion tubes for motorcycles.
Aluminum
: oxide for heavier rust and such. There are 2 cabinets, one is 32" wide,
and
: the other is 48" wide. Both have dust extraction systems with bag
filters. A
: pair of 5 hp compressors drive the units, to insure continuous use. A 2
hp
: is on standby if needed. Side money can be made by blasting things for
other
: people, such as aluminum intake manifolds and such. ($15 bucks, 15
minutes)
: One cardinal rule......Items must be dry and oil free, or you'll clog
your
: system.

: RJ

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



--
William Cavers
Department of Engineering Mathematics
Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS
(902) 494-6120

The Hurdy Gurdy Man wrote:

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?
do you have a big compressor??? thats what will control the flow of the
sand for the sandblaster.. i have a 1 hp craftsman compressor and
attached a pistol type caninster sand blaster to it and it was useless
for anything other than beating me back in the face with sand( i tried
two types of sand, med. and fine grade, no luck with even getting paint
off the car in the rusted area.. just went back to a wire brush...

"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

Lots of great comments, more experience than mine.

I have a small (24"?) plastic glass bead blast cabinet and a large (38")
steel sand blast cabinet and find that to be a decent mix. The 38" is OK
but it has an end door and for the same space I would buy the lift-top style
to do again.

I have read you can't use regular blast grit in a plastic cabinet as it will
eat the cabinet quickly.

My compressor is a light duty C-H 5 hp rated 17 CFM but it warns to not run
it over 50% duty cycle. I would not have bought it if that was noted on the
crate not just the fine print inside, but that was ~ 8 years ago and it is
still OK.

It will take longer than you think to clean up a cheap hot rolled angle by
blasting alone.

On the topic of dust collection. IMO, forget about the dust collectors that
come with the affordable units. In a small shop the shop-vac types will
kill you with fine dust. IMO the only kind you can discharge into the air
right next to you, and your fine machine tools ways, is a multistage type
like a cyclone with a large-surface pleated filter.

My last setup was in the woods with no neighbors so I ran it into a woodshop
cyclone dust collector, the cyclone caught maybe 99% of the dust and the air
and remaining fine dust was dumped outside behind the shop, where I never
saw a trace of it on the ground or on any surface.

I had some luck with a large shop vac with a HEPA filter. Wouldn't use
anything less discharging indoors. In my new setup I will use the cyclone
dust collector again and want it to discharge back into the shop, but have
not decided through what kind of filter media.

Bob

Ditto to what Harold and Backlash said. People will expect to bring you some
foul piece of **** that is filthy and/or greasy and expect that you will happily
"clean it up" in YOUR cabinet. And they'll expect you'll be glad to do it in
YOUR cabinet for nothing or the occasional 6-pak. Nip that behaviour in the bud.
Or go ahead and do it for them if YOU like to clean YOUR cabinet.


michael



Backlash wrote:

Harold has covered a lot of the finer issues associated with a blasting
cabinet, so what I'll say is YES, YES, HELL YES, get a cabinet. If you are
into any type of refurbishing activity, It will be the best money you will
ever spend. Using glass beads, I use mine for everything from mill scale to
cleaning .014 carburetor jets and emulsion tubes for motorcycles. Aluminum
oxide for heavier rust and such. There are 2 cabinets, one is 32" wide, and
the other is 48" wide. Both have dust extraction systems with bag filters. A
pair of 5 hp compressors drive the units, to insure continuous use. A 2 hp
is on standby if needed. Side money can be made by blasting things for other
people, such as aluminum intake manifolds and such. ($15 bucks, 15 minutes)
One cardinal rule......Items must be dry and oil free, or you'll clog your
system.

RJ

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

"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

I have two blast cabinents in my shop, one with 60 grit aluminum oxide, the
other with glassbeads. They have turned out to be the most usefull equipment in
the entire shop. Second most usefull is my 1X42 belt sander!

Marty Escarcega wrote:

Harold is right on, COMPRESSOR, BIG COMPRESSOR!, when I first got mine and
used it, I was in love, until I found my little compressor wouldn't keep
up. I got a two stage DeVilbiss and it does run a lot but I can keep
blasting. I since upgraded and refurbished a nicer commercial cabinet.
http://members.cox.net/marty-escarcega/blast/blast.html

Nice job on the cabinet Marty, I always marvel at how you can take what appears
to be the worlds biggest POS and make it into something worth having.

FWIW, the compressor I now have I was able to buy because of somebody else's
purchase of a blast cabinet. Nicely done home built unit, 120 gallon tank,
smallish 2 stage pump(Champion??), and a REAL 3hp motor.
The seller claimed it wouldn't keep up with his blast cabinet.
The mistake the guy made was that he had the compressor that was rated for
900rpm running only about 300rpm, just barely above the unloader valve govoner
speed.
I re-pully'd the setup so the pump now runs at about 800rpm, keeps up with my
HF blast cabinet just fine especially if I don't try to run at 120psi.
The compressor is set to shut off at 120psi, recycles the 120gal tank from
90psi 3 times faster than my 2hp 20 gallon CH unit.

Tom

Tom wrote in
:



Marty Escarcega wrote:

Harold is right on, COMPRESSOR, BIG COMPRESSOR!, when I first got
mine and used it, I was in love, until I found my little compressor
wouldn't keep up. I got a two stage DeVilbiss and it does run a lot
but I can keep blasting. I since upgraded and refurbished a nicer
commercial cabinet.
http://members.cox.net/marty-escarcega/blast/blast.html

Nice job on the cabinet Marty, I always marvel at how you can take
what appears to be the worlds biggest POS and make it into something
worth having.

FWIW, the compressor I now have I was able to buy because of somebody
else's purchase of a blast cabinet. Nicely done home built unit, 120
gallon tank, smallish 2 stage pump(Champion??), and a REAL 3hp motor.
The seller claimed it wouldn't keep up with his blast cabinet.
The mistake the guy made was that he had the compressor that was rated
for 900rpm running only about 300rpm, just barely above the unloader
valve govoner speed.
I re-pully'd the setup so the pump now runs at about 800rpm, keeps up
with my
HF blast cabinet just fine especially if I don't try to run at 120psi.
The compressor is set to shut off at 120psi, recycles the 120gal tank
from
90psi 3 times faster than my 2hp 20 gallon CH unit.

Tom



Thanks Tom, I hope that it serves as inspiration. It takes patience and
perseverance. I try and make sure the iron I am starting with is worth
the effort. But its also fun....

Marty

Marty Escarcega wrote:

Harold is right on, COMPRESSOR, BIG COMPRESSOR!, when I first got mine
and used it, I was in love, until I found my little compressor wouldn't
keep up.

That might be the hard part for me then... I have a fairly small
compressor, it was about the best one I could find in the 110v range at
the time since that's all I had available in the garage. I've got 220 out
there now (and more money than I had back then, too) and I suppose I could
step up to something large if I had to, but I don't mind having to take a
break between blasting bursts if I have to. That's how I do it now...
extended air tool use just means I have to take breaks, which I should be
doing anyhow. I worry that what I have would be just plain too small from
the get-go, it's a DeVilbiss 125psi unit rated at 11.9cfm. I tend to buy
air tools rated as being quite thrifty with their air usage, but even they
tend to require breaks now and again especially when using die grinders and
cutoff wheels.

No fear about people wanting to borrow usage of the cabinet, though. I'm a
cantankerous hermit, and people tend to avoid me! Oh sure, it gets lonely,
but I save lots of time on showering that way.

One thing about the dust extraction, as I hadn't considered that... I can't
discharge it into the outside air, that'd be a problem. I do however have
a good sized shop vac with a HEPA filter, plus I always use vacuum bags
with it as well. Does that seem like a sufficient method of handling it?
The bags seem to capture most of anything particularly troublesome, and the
HEPA filter would definitely capture the rest without clogging up too
quickly. That would be the fastest method of handling the situation for my
current setup.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, it sounds like a blasting cabinet
might be the next ideal purchase for my ever growing garage!

[posted and mailed]

The Hurdy Gurdy Man wrote in
:

Marty Escarcega wrote:

Harold is right on, COMPRESSOR, BIG COMPRESSOR!, when I first got
mine and used it, I was in love, until I found my little compressor
wouldn't keep up.

That might be the hard part for me then... I have a fairly small
compressor, it was about the best one I could find in the 110v range
at the time since that's all I had available in the garage. I've got
220 out there now (and more money than I had back then, too) and I
suppose I could step up to something large if I had to, but I don't
mind having to take a break between blasting bursts if I have to.
That's how I do it now... extended air tool use just means I have to
take breaks, which I should be doing anyhow. I worry that what I have
would be just plain too small from the get-go, it's a DeVilbiss 125psi
unit rated at 11.9cfm. I tend to buy air tools rated as being quite
thrifty with their air usage, but even they tend to require breaks now
and again especially when using die grinders and cutoff wheels.

No fear about people wanting to borrow usage of the cabinet, though.
I'm a cantankerous hermit, and people tend to avoid me! Oh sure, it
gets lonely, but I save lots of time on showering that way.

One thing about the dust extraction, as I hadn't considered that... I
can't discharge it into the outside air, that'd be a problem. I do
however have a good sized shop vac with a HEPA filter, plus I always
use vacuum bags with it as well. Does that seem like a sufficient
method of handling it? The bags seem to capture most of anything
particularly troublesome, and the HEPA filter would definitely capture
the rest without clogging up too quickly. That would be the fastest
method of handling the situation for my current setup.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions, it sounds like a blasting
cabinet might be the next ideal purchase for my ever growing garage!


Not all is lost, go to TP Tools and check out their offerings. Merely get
a small nozzle and air jet. Size according to your compressor.
http://www.tptools.com/

I *think* even the Harbor Freight units come with a small variety of
tips?