Sand blaster
- Thread starter Ed H.
- Start date
harleytoprock
Senior Member
A lot will depend on your air supply. Sandblasting requires a lot of cfm and hp.
Pete
BANNED
A lot depends on what size parts you plan on blasting.
It usually takes 3 hp minimum for the average hobby shop blast cabinet.
This CAN be run from 120v but is better on 240.
The next thing is the vacuum unit. DO NOT even consider a cabinet that uses a common vacuum cleaner for evacuation.
You will be buying vacuum cleaners every 2 weeks.
Get a good vacuum unit made for blast cabinets that the motor is seperate from the bag box.
It usually takes 3 hp minimum for the average hobby shop blast cabinet.
This CAN be run from 120v but is better on 240.
The next thing is the vacuum unit. DO NOT even consider a cabinet that uses a common vacuum cleaner for evacuation.
You will be buying vacuum cleaners every 2 weeks.
Get a good vacuum unit made for blast cabinets that the motor is seperate from the bag box.
I have a TIP pressure blaster made in Ohio (now TP Tools). I have had it for about 25 years and have probably run over 20,000 lbs of sand through it. It holds about 100#'s of sand. I bought a special nozzle for it that makes it easier to sandblast (see picture). You need a powerful compressor to use the blaster. My compressor is shown below, a real 5HP unit that is 2 phase and draws about 23 amps. When I sandblast a lot, I can really tell on my electric bill! I use a 3/32" large nozzle that over 10 or 15 hours enlarges to an 1/8". At a little over 1/8" hole size (maybe 20 to 25 hours), I replace it with a new 3/32" nozzle. I typically shoot at an angle to avoid damaging sheetmetal (the angle isn't critical for thicker metal like the frame and running gear). I have sandblasted all the metal on 3 vehicles, a 28 coupe, a 29 phaeton and 29 CCPU. To me, the only decent method to remove rust and crud is sandblasting. I typically use 80#'s of air pressure. One thing that makes sandblasting not real bad is using a fresh air system, shown in the two pictures below. I also wear a pair of coveralls. Sorry, I don't have a picture of my actual TIP pressure blaster, but it is similar to the ALC unit in the last picture I sold a few years ago.
Rusty Nelson
Rusty Nelson
Attachments
Order a US-made one from TP Tools. If you think you will save money by ordering a Cheap Harbor Freight one, you will soon find out that you have to replace all the HF junk with TP Tool stuff anyway. The HF gun is no good, you want the TP gun, The HF rubber gloves fall apart quickly, and you end up getting the TP gloves, you need a light in the cabinet, which TP has------just get the one from TP
eagle
Well-known member
I put a small shop vac on mine, has been used MANY hours, over quite some years. Works as good as the day I put it together. If you are looking for a cabinet blaster, make sure it has the replaceable window panels. If you are looking at a open air blaster, I have a 6HP 22cfm compressor and it has all it can do to keep up. My tip is 3/32, sometimes use 1/8. I like the black slag blast rather than sand for outside blasting. For cabinet blasting I use glass beads. Both of mine are Harbor Freight. Installed a light in the cabinet, gloves are original have worked for 8 years and not ripped yet.
Deny1950
Member
I have a cabinet for small parts and a home made sand blaster with a 7 hp compreser but hate using it dusty even with a hood with air supply, very messy and the silica sand dust is not good for you. Have to be very careful not to warp straight panels. Last fall when i blasted my coupe i tried something new. i used my sandblaster to simply deliver sand to my pressure washer 2000 lbs, made a nozzle to deliver the sand in front of my washer nozzle and let the water sand mix do the blasting no dust no mask and did a prety good job,but still messy. Then sprayed it pikelx to stop the flash rusting. Sat in the shop with no rust on it. Denis
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
Are you wanting a cabinet or pressure pot blaster?
I agree with all the above.
The cabinet is the most media efficient, but the pressure pot like Rusty shows is the fastest and most air efficient.
I have both the pressure pot and 2 cabinets, as well as the small hand held spot blaster. They each have their purpose and perform well. As mentioned, buy quality and buy a large enough air compressor. A carbide nozzle is expensive, but worth having in the long run. Otherwise you'll be changing nozzles often.
I agree with all the above.
The cabinet is the most media efficient, but the pressure pot like Rusty shows is the fastest and most air efficient.
I have both the pressure pot and 2 cabinets, as well as the small hand held spot blaster. They each have their purpose and perform well. As mentioned, buy quality and buy a large enough air compressor. A carbide nozzle is expensive, but worth having in the long run. Otherwise you'll be changing nozzles often.
Capt Quahog
Senior Member
Had a household sized Home Depot type compressor with small blaster tank unit. Worked great with fine grit. Then we used Walnut Shell media bought in boxed bags at Harbor Freight.
Picked up a Navy surplus bigger size two cylinder compressor with larger pig tank at a local garage sale. Plugged the thing in and blew out the 15-amp inside the house fuse box circuit breaker. We need to upgrade to 20-amp breakers.
Picked up a Navy surplus bigger size two cylinder compressor with larger pig tank at a local garage sale. Plugged the thing in and blew out the 15-amp inside the house fuse box circuit breaker. We need to upgrade to 20-amp breakers.
Mike V. Florida
Well-known member
This is like a what kind of vehicle should I buy. 
Capt Quahog
Senior Member
Below is the type of 10-gallon sandblaster tank unit that I have and use now and then. It's a cheap quality "Made in China" apparatus that's available online with shipping for around a hundred-bucks. These are also sold in stores for short money too. Got mine used at a local flea market for about $25. The blasting media is poured down into the pipe tube on top using a funnel. It doesn't take much air pressure to run this size blaster.
When used, I blast the items out along side the house or sometimes in the front driveway when the wife's not around. Though no harm is caused, women seem to enjoy complaining about odd sounding equipment being used by a man wearing weird hood and heavy gloves.
When used, I blast the items out along side the house or sometimes in the front driveway when the wife's not around. Though no harm is caused, women seem to enjoy complaining about odd sounding equipment being used by a man wearing weird hood and heavy gloves.
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Thanks for the input. I will look into to TP blaster. Voice of the people is better than any written review. I have a 5hp compressor with a 60 gallon air reserve, 220 volts. Works fine, ran my auto repair business fine until I hired a body man, it would not keep up with both of us so I got a 10 hp for the shop. Took the other one home.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
I found this one, sounds like it will work for what i want. I will deal with the frame cleaning when the time comes.
As the old saying goes, "it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" LOL
http://www.tptools.com/HOBBY-PRO-HP-75-Top-Load-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet,8208.html?b=d*23498
As the old saying goes, "it is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission" LOL
http://www.tptools.com/HOBBY-PRO-HP-75-Top-Load-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet,8208.html?b=d*23498
Chamokie,
The link you posted is a siphon feed blaster. I though you were looking for a pressure blaster. I have a TP Tools last cabinet almost like the one in your link and it works OK for small items, but is real slooooow, compared to the pressure blaster I use outside on a tarp and plywood on top to protect the tarp. As a guess after sandblasting for many years, the pressure blaster is 5 to 10 times faster at removing crud and rust than a blast cabinet, besides you can't get a lot of items in the cabinet. I am not sure what kind of sandblasting you are looking for. I use the pressure blaster much more than the cabinet. The blasting cabinet normally uses glass beads verses sand (cheap @ about $4 for 50#'s), which is pretty pricey.
Rusty Nelson
The link you posted is a siphon feed blaster. I though you were looking for a pressure blaster. I have a TP Tools last cabinet almost like the one in your link and it works OK for small items, but is real slooooow, compared to the pressure blaster I use outside on a tarp and plywood on top to protect the tarp. As a guess after sandblasting for many years, the pressure blaster is 5 to 10 times faster at removing crud and rust than a blast cabinet, besides you can't get a lot of items in the cabinet. I am not sure what kind of sandblasting you are looking for. I use the pressure blaster much more than the cabinet. The blasting cabinet normally uses glass beads verses sand (cheap @ about $4 for 50#'s), which is pretty pricey.
Rusty Nelson
JTW
Senior Member
For a home setup, the most important thing (other than your lungs) is the compressor - needs to be min 20 cfm. After that you need a cabinet siphon feed (I use glass beads/used silica mixture) for smaller items and a pressure pot for the outdoor blasted big stuff - save the media with a big tarp and use it several times, or get fancy and use a truck body/building with a dust fan up high at the end. or you strike up a business deal with the gravestone people and save all the equipment costs.
Kevin in NJ
Well-known member
For a cabinet blaster the TP cabinet is great, everyone likes them. Just be sure you get one wide enough for what you want to blast.
Buy lots of inner protectors and spend the $$$ for carbide tips. The carbide last MUCH longer then the ceramic and you get your $$ out of them.
I have a true 5 HP compressor (220v 22 amps) and it catches up to my TP cabinet.
If you are getting a pressure pot you need one with a media control valve. You want to run around 40 PSI and just start seeing sand in the stream. This will let you blast all day long and not damage sheet metal.
If you do not already use 3/8" hose quick couplers you will need to change over. The 1/4" are too small and will cause a pressure drop. A very noticeable difference.
Buy lots of inner protectors and spend the $$$ for carbide tips. The carbide last MUCH longer then the ceramic and you get your $$ out of them.
I have a true 5 HP compressor (220v 22 amps) and it catches up to my TP cabinet.
If you are getting a pressure pot you need one with a media control valve. You want to run around 40 PSI and just start seeing sand in the stream. This will let you blast all day long and not damage sheet metal.
If you do not already use 3/8" hose quick couplers you will need to change over. The 1/4" are too small and will cause a pressure drop. A very noticeable difference.