I see these homemade sand blasters all over youtube and they seem to work
just fine - on youtube.

Here the one I made tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/RkyAJhA.jpg

Here's the notch:

https://i.imgur.com/ckii79D.jpg

Here's the result of an entire 20 oz bottle of Fine (24 grit) grade walnut
shell media from Harbor Freight. You see the bottom left corner? That's all
I got done. I was able to remove 2 layers of the paint but the bottom layer
doesn't show any sign of coming off. As I said, I emptied an entire 20 oz
bottle of blasting media on that small section.

https://i.imgur.com/Zxa2HFk.jpg

Stripping the flat surfaces with stripper is easy enough, but I was hoping
to use the blaster to strip in between the fins. My attempts at that on
another vent failed just as miserably.

One video I saw said 50 PSI was sufficient. I had to set mine at 80 PSI to
get the blaster to do anything. The paint just laughed at 50 PSI.

Am I expecting too much from this rig?

On Tue, 15 May 2018 18:07:38 -0700 (PDT)
DerbyDad03 wrote:

Am I expecting too much from this rig?

yes

On 5/15/2018 8:07 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I see these homemade sand blasters all over youtube and they seem to work
just fine - on youtube.

Here the one I made tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/RkyAJhA.jpg

Here's the notch:

https://i.imgur.com/ckii79D.jpg

Here's the result of an entire 20 oz bottle of Fine (24 grit) grade walnut
shell media from Harbor Freight. You see the bottom left corner? That's all
I got done. I was able to remove 2 layers of the paint but the bottom layer
doesn't show any sign of coming off. As I said, I emptied an entire 20 oz
bottle of blasting media on that small section.

https://i.imgur.com/Zxa2HFk.jpg

Stripping the flat surfaces with stripper is easy enough, but I was hoping
to use the blaster to strip in between the fins. My attempts at that on
another vent failed just as miserably.

One video I saw said 50 PSI was sufficient. I had to set mine at 80 PSI to
get the blaster to do anything. The paint just laughed at 50 PSI.

Am I expecting too much from this rig?







IIRC sand blast stations recycle the media over and over again.

On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 10:11:56 AM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
On 5/15/2018 8:07 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I see these homemade sand blasters all over youtube and they seem to work
just fine - on youtube.

Here the one I made tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/RkyAJhA.jpg

Here's the notch:

https://i.imgur.com/ckii79D.jpg

Here's the result of an entire 20 oz bottle of Fine (24 grit) grade walnut
shell media from Harbor Freight. You see the bottom left corner? That's all
I got done. I was able to remove 2 layers of the paint but the bottom layer
doesn't show any sign of coming off. As I said, I emptied an entire 20 oz
bottle of blasting media on that small section.

https://i.imgur.com/Zxa2HFk.jpg

Stripping the flat surfaces with stripper is easy enough, but I was hoping
to use the blaster to strip in between the fins. My attempts at that on
another vent failed just as miserably.

One video I saw said 50 PSI was sufficient. I had to set mine at 80 PSI to
get the blaster to do anything. The paint just laughed at 50 PSI.

Am I expecting too much from this rig?







IIRC sand blast stations recycle the media over and over again.

Sure, but this is not a commercial blaster. If I built a booth of some kind, I'm sure I could
recycle it. Maybe I'll try it in the shower next time so I can sweep up the media. Fully clothed
of course. That stuff stings. ;-)

I wore long sleeves, a hat and ski goggles with a towel hanging below to shield my face. I
still got grit on me. It was worth a try, but I think I'll go back to liquid strippers. Just as much
work but the mess is more contained.

On 5/16/2018 1:30 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 10:11:56 AM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
On 5/15/2018 8:07 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I see these homemade sand blasters all over youtube and they seem to work
just fine - on youtube.

Here the one I made tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/RkyAJhA.jpg

Here's the notch:

https://i.imgur.com/ckii79D.jpg

Here's the result of an entire 20 oz bottle of Fine (24 grit) grade walnut
shell media from Harbor Freight. You see the bottom left corner? That's all
I got done. I was able to remove 2 layers of the paint but the bottom layer
doesn't show any sign of coming off. As I said, I emptied an entire 20 oz
bottle of blasting media on that small section.

https://i.imgur.com/Zxa2HFk.jpg

Stripping the flat surfaces with stripper is easy enough, but I was hoping
to use the blaster to strip in between the fins. My attempts at that on
another vent failed just as miserably.

One video I saw said 50 PSI was sufficient. I had to set mine at 80 PSI to
get the blaster to do anything. The paint just laughed at 50 PSI.

Am I expecting too much from this rig?







IIRC sand blast stations recycle the media over and over again.

Sure, but this is not a commercial blaster. If I built a booth of some kind, I'm sure I could
recycle it. Maybe I'll try it in the shower next time so I can sweep up the media. Fully clothed
of course. That stuff stings. ;-)

I wore long sleeves, a hat and ski goggles with a towel hanging below to shield my face. I
still got grit on me. It was worth a try, but I think I'll go back to liquid strippers. Just as much
work but the mess is more contained.


Couldn't you easily recycle the media using a plastic tarp from Harbor
Fright? Half the time they are giving them away in a size suitable for
this purpose. So long as the object of the blasting was not right on
it, should be fine and you should be able to recover most of it. I
would just set it up like an "L" giving it a floor and back and have at it.

On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 4:34:41 PM UTC-4, Unquestionably Confused wrote:
On 5/16/2018 1:30 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 10:11:56 AM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
On 5/15/2018 8:07 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I see these homemade sand blasters all over youtube and they seem to work
just fine - on youtube.

Here the one I made tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/RkyAJhA.jpg

Here's the notch:

https://i.imgur.com/ckii79D.jpg

Here's the result of an entire 20 oz bottle of Fine (24 grit) grade walnut
shell media from Harbor Freight. You see the bottom left corner? That's all
I got done. I was able to remove 2 layers of the paint but the bottom layer
doesn't show any sign of coming off. As I said, I emptied an entire 20 oz
bottle of blasting media on that small section.

https://i.imgur.com/Zxa2HFk.jpg

Stripping the flat surfaces with stripper is easy enough, but I was hoping
to use the blaster to strip in between the fins. My attempts at that on
another vent failed just as miserably.

One video I saw said 50 PSI was sufficient. I had to set mine at 80 PSI to
get the blaster to do anything. The paint just laughed at 50 PSI.

Am I expecting too much from this rig?







IIRC sand blast stations recycle the media over and over again.

Sure, but this is not a commercial blaster. If I built a booth of some kind, I'm sure I could
recycle it. Maybe I'll try it in the shower next time so I can sweep up the media. Fully clothed
of course. That stuff stings. ;-)

I wore long sleeves, a hat and ski goggles with a towel hanging below to shield my face. I
still got grit on me. It was worth a try, but I think I'll go back to liquid strippers. Just as much
work but the mess is more contained.


Couldn't you easily recycle the media using a plastic tarp from Harbor
Fright? Half the time they are giving them away in a size suitable for
this purpose. So long as the object of the blasting was not right on
it, should be fine and you should be able to recover most of it. I
would just set it up like an "L" giving it a floor and back and have at it.

Sure, there's lots of ways to collect the media for reuse, but if the
blaster doesn't do what I want it to do, the remaining media will stay
neatly packed in the box that it came in. No need to recover unused
media. ;-)

I'm stripping the vent with liquid stripper as we speak. I may try to blast
whatever doesn't come off (between the fins) at the highest pressure I
can but that'll be the last try for this project. Getting the vents painted
before the weekend is the priority since company is coming.

On 5/16/2018 3:57 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 4:34:41 PM UTC-4, Unquestionably Confused wrote:
On 5/16/2018 1:30 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 10:11:56 AM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
On 5/15/2018 8:07 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
I see these homemade sand blasters all over youtube and they seem to work
just fine - on youtube.

Here the one I made tonight:

https://i.imgur.com/RkyAJhA.jpg

Here's the notch:

https://i.imgur.com/ckii79D.jpg

Here's the result of an entire 20 oz bottle of Fine (24 grit) grade walnut
shell media from Harbor Freight. You see the bottom left corner? That's all
I got done. I was able to remove 2 layers of the paint but the bottom layer
doesn't show any sign of coming off. As I said, I emptied an entire 20 oz
bottle of blasting media on that small section.

https://i.imgur.com/Zxa2HFk.jpg

Stripping the flat surfaces with stripper is easy enough, but I was hoping
to use the blaster to strip in between the fins. My attempts at that on
another vent failed just as miserably.

One video I saw said 50 PSI was sufficient. I had to set mine at 80 PSI to
get the blaster to do anything. The paint just laughed at 50 PSI.

Am I expecting too much from this rig?







IIRC sand blast stations recycle the media over and over again.

Sure, but this is not a commercial blaster. If I built a booth of some kind, I'm sure I could
recycle it. Maybe I'll try it in the shower next time so I can sweep up the media. Fully clothed
of course. That stuff stings. ;-)

I wore long sleeves, a hat and ski goggles with a towel hanging below to shield my face. I
still got grit on me. It was worth a try, but I think I'll go back to liquid strippers. Just as much
work but the mess is more contained.


Couldn't you easily recycle the media using a plastic tarp from Harbor
Fright? Half the time they are giving them away in a size suitable for
this purpose. So long as the object of the blasting was not right on
it, should be fine and you should be able to recover most of it. I
would just set it up like an "L" giving it a floor and back and have at it.

Sure, there's lots of ways to collect the media for reuse, but if the
blaster doesn't do what I want it to do, the remaining media will stay
neatly packed in the box that it came in. No need to recover unused
media. ;-)

I'm stripping the vent with liquid stripper as we speak. I may try to blast
whatever doesn't come off (between the fins) at the highest pressure I
can but that'll be the last try for this project. Getting the vents painted
before the weekend is the priority since company is coming.

But did the blaster not clean the corner, and you ran out of media
before getting done?

On Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 8:07:41 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:

Am I expecting too much from this rig?

I would try increasing the air pressure to the max your gun is recommended for.

On this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6L_ArXCbYs - I wasn't too impressed with the speed of the paint removal (one coat of already maybe loosen paint?). I would think any surface, with a primer, would be even slower to blast. I might suspect the primer coat on your vents have been baked on, at the factory, making that coating harder to remove, using the walnut grit, if you're wanting to remove the primer, also.

Test with a bit of fine sand. With that delicate of small gun set-up and pressure regulation, controlling the more aggressive sand might be easy enough, hence not damage your vents' metal.

Sonny

On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at 12:46:28 PM UTC-4, Sonny wrote:
On Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 8:07:41 PM UTC-5, DerbyDad03 wrote:

Am I expecting too much from this rig?

I would try increasing the air pressure to the max your gun is recommended for.

On this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6L_ArXCbYs - I wasn't too impressed with the speed of the paint removal (one coat of already maybe loosen paint?). I would think any surface, with a primer, would be even slower to blast. I might suspect the primer coat on your vents have been baked on, at the factory, making that coating harder to remove, using the walnut grit, if you're wanting to remove the primer, also.

Test with a bit of fine sand. With that delicate of small gun set-up and pressure regulation, controlling the more aggressive sand might be easy enough, hence not damage your vents' metal.

Sonny

Yeah, I watched that video last night. He was the one that said 50 PSI was
enough. No way.

I up-ed it to 90 PSI earlier this evening. That's max for the cheap HF gun.
It worked a little better, but the problem is that my 150 PSI 6 gallon
compressor ends up way below 90 PSI before the 20 oz bottle is half empty.

In any case, I got the job done. What I ended up doing was stripping all of
flat surfaces with liquid stripper. I then used the stripper and a toothbrush/
steel wool to get as much paint out from between the fins as possible. It was
impossible to get it all, so next I combined the stripper and the sandblaster.

I slathered stripper between the fins, let it work for a few minutes and then
blasted it and the loose paint away. I'd say I got more than 99% of the paint
off which is enough. I've already primed the vents and hope to get the first
coat of paint on tonight.