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Sand blaster advice


ggdad1951

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Looking to purchase (quickly) a sand baster for projects.  Not a cabinet blaster but one for frame parts and larger sheet metal.  Now I know it's partially about how much you spend, so don't go crazy...my budget is about $150.  Looking thru Amazon and Harbor Freight, there are several that look like they'd work but the reviews are all either really good, or really bad.  Gravity feed or pressure feed?  

 

Thanks guys!

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pressure feed pot......the  HF is not any worse than any of the rest.  Secret with the pots lie in two areas.....clean dry air....controlling the sand flow.   Suggest whatever model you choose to have a regulator for the pot and connect the line to a regulated supply so to balance the air and feed to your material/feel.   I also suggest a water separator and filter at the pot.  Hot humid days...going to be very hard controlling condensation and clogging of sand.  The pots usually come set up with a deadman nozzle.  All is well and good and will shut the sand off in quick order but in doing so, you will now have a line full of sand...and restart will be pumping globs of sand with no effect.  Two or three stops in blasting and the tank will be empty just trying to clear the line.  The best way to use the pot I have found is to control the sand flow at the outlet of the pressure pot by use of the ball valve...and leave the blasting nozzle open.  With the ball valve you are now mixing the ratio of sand to air and this should also will prevent you from ever warping any metal.  Too high a pressure and too much sand flow is the killer of many panels and why commercial blaster do damage..time is money...they do not go slow and really, its not their panel. When blasting a light panel...if the material is not quickly removed in a single pass, come back to that area after going on to other areas of the panel...I sandblasted an entire car in just two evenings after work and used about 18.00 of sand.  Most was recovered. .Sandblast in an area where you can set up a tarp as a back drop and also as a drop cloth....use an old pallet to place your item to be blasted...once the pot is empty.  (you be ready for a break by this time) you can sweep up the sand and recycle it for another run at your pieces.  Due to the fine dust and paint debris try to stay downwind and out of the bounce zone just to keep the debris off you regardless of protection suit..  The super fine stuff drifts away and so recycled stuff will continue to cut.  Get yourself a proper blasting outfit for body and respiration protection.  HF will also carry ball valves...they do not last for a very long time on the bottom of the tanks...but, they are very inexpensive.  Keep a couple on hand.  Get yourself a strainer the size of your input funnel.  When finished, do not leave sand in the pot for storage, clean the pot.

 

I also like to keep a bucket blaster which is gravity feed on hand in case I have to touch up an area a bit later or the piece is too large to throw in either of my blast cabinets for a quick hit and job still to small to set up the pressure pot.  A blast cabinet is also good to have and cost are quite high on these and well, you got to weigh that setup for yourself.  The ideal is have all three and maybe even a hand held self recycling spot blaster.

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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HF is fine.....dry, dry sand. I keep mine in an old ice chest....I run the sand thru a spaghetti strainer....when I'm done I empty the sand out.....otherwise moisture that's in there will rot your steel, causing scale and stuff. 

 

48D 

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Been there, done this. For a pressure pot you need a 2 stage 5 hp compressor with moisture traps and a big tank. Use 1/2 air line. Don't use sand, find your local distributor for abrasives and they can recommend the best type of abrasive for the job you are doing. Get extra gun tips, they wear out. For safety, I use a full mask with pressure air feed under a full cloth hood. Heavy duty long sleeve shirt and pants, work shoes and good gloves. 

If you set your gear up correctly if can be a very fast and easy job, if not a very frustrating day with clogs. I set up a heave duty plastic backstop so I can captures the abrasives, run them through the strainer and then reuse. 

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20 hours ago, ggdad1951 said:

"Not a cabinet blaster but one for frame parts and larger sheet metal"

 

This why I said sand.......its cheaper and what you recover can be put through the strainer again.

In the cabinet I use different abrasives.

 

48D

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think I'm gonna pick this up on the way home today.  I'll be doing this outside my shop in the nice open air, PPL will be the next question of how far I need/want to go besides a face shield, dust mask and long sleeve/gloves.

 

image.png.eacd08e1b1733321c50ca7ad291b8f11.png

 

Meanwhile the equivalent air compressor I have (American Eagle branded):

image.png.317a041a92314de42d8be7be5d38bddd.png

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7 minutes ago, casper50 said:

You won't be able to run continuously with that compressor.  It's not near large enough.  It will work but you will have to blast awhile and then stop to let the compressor catch up or run it at low PSI.

I had a similar compressor and tried to run my pressure pot. Didn't get the job done. They use a lot of air and you need a 2 stage 5 HP minimum.  Check the stuff at TIP https://www.tptools.com. They are the pros at this stuff.   If your not using a pressure breather you need a full face mast. Safety first.

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47 minutes ago, casper50 said:

You won't be able to run continuously with that compressor.  It's not near large enough.  It will work but you will have to blast awhile and then stop to let the compressor catch up or run it at low PSI.

my 5HP 60 gallon will run my blaster...by the time I run out of sand, take off my hood and respirator... shut off the flow to depressurize the pot, the compressor has shut off....granted a two stage is the better system.....once you find the sweet spot on your pot as far as blast pressure and pot pressure balance and correct sand flow you should not have much air flow problem.  My compressor never drops below my input pressure. I do not run air pressure at max on the hose or the tank...works great..!  Your results may vary and I suggest playing a bit here and there to again, find your sweet spot.

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Many years ago I built my own pressure blaster using plans from Skinned  Knuckles magazine.

With today's prices for new units it probably doesn't make sense to construct your own but it has been very useful over the years. Works well with my 5hp single stage compressor. I found the secret to be to spread the sand out in the sun to get it completely dry and then sifting it through a piece of window screen.

I don't use it as much these days after my neighbor gave me a blasting cabinet that he fished out of a dumpster behind a Tractor Supply store (it had been dented and thrown away). I find it very convenient to be able to blast inside regardless of the weather.

Jim. Yergin

 

 

 

Sandblaster.jpg

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I have 2 harbor freight units.  they work ok with some fiddling.  Ended up buying a quality nozzle and dead-man valve at a car show. works much better. I use the black beauty sand which has no silica.  I still use a mask and a fabric hood.  I have a 4 cylinder compressor so air is not an issue.   I have also used one of the dustless blasters.  They work well but you can have issues with them as well. 

 

Rob

 

 

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How I strip a frame:

Propane torch the 70 year old dirt and grease.

Scrap it with a multitude of putty knives.

Power wash the loose crud and mouse poop out of the corners.

Sand blast the rest. 

 

48D 

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this is a reference post to support post entry #3 on this thread....this is the HF pressure pot...the tool when set up proper is very adequate....I  have owned this pot for years and have used it multiple times....has been a real value for the money, as I have said before, many HF tools are capable when used right it is just that I would turn it over to a untrained shop go-for to use..

 

the lower pic is hood and front fenders after the acid wash to kill any rust in a pit too small for your eye to detect and also protects the metal till your protective primer goes on..

 

sandblast3.JPG

2007_1028Image0001.JPG

Edited by Plymouthy Adams
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Well my Northern tool purchase had me really frustrated on Friday after work...to the point of getting up at 430AM to sand most of the rest of the paint off the outer surface.  Saturday I decided to start fresh again, FILLED the tank up with the black blast power stuff from Menards ($7 for 50lbs).  No silica so that's a plus.  Anyway FILLED the tank (Fri just put a little in and I think it created a crater and just blew air because I had to keep bumping the tank to get media).   Played with the media valve and presto, things went WAY better!  Got the parts done and ended up when media was low doing the tank bump thing.  I think I'll rig up a way to control the media from the top of the tank and bending over to adjust sucks.  Meanwhile, I used a 3M dust respirator, safety glasses and a full face shield (could NOT see out of the hood thing that came with it for crap).  My single stage kept up pretty well, I gave it rests and had to adjust the media flow when it kicked back on but I could get a nice long time on it if I paid attention before the air got too low.  Lots of media in my hair (what's left of it) down the drain in the shower!  All in all not bad and not a bad unit, just the tips are a little cheap and wear quickly.  Keep the tank full of media and a good air supply were the tricks I learned.

 

 

20180922_184119.jpg

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