High pressure water sandblasting?

[Rick Monteverde]

Is anyone sandblasting their glass with a pressure washer and sand feed attachment? I was thinking about sandblasting some panels larger than would fit in my little Harbor Freight glove box, and the no-heat no-dust factor seems attractive too. As an aside I always wondered what a cerium oxide slurry blast would look like on glass. Obviously would need a filter/recycle system for that. Only considering normal grit sizes as a practical matter for now.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _8520_8520

- Rick

[Morganica]

Isn't that essentially what a waterjet does? Would you just be diffusing the flow?

[Kevin Midgley]

Not so sure about the no dust for when everything dries won't there be dust everywhere stuck to everything the back splash can reach?

If you need a larger sand blasting box why not attach the vacuum system you have for the small box to a cardboard box cabinet as big as you need for the project. Add some plywood pieces to line the inside of the box so as to prevent instant destruction. My cardboard box blast cabinet has been used intermittently for over 15 years lined with some scrap plastic floor matting. Creative thinking can make it work but do not skimp on safety factors.

[Glenn]

I'm sure the pressure washer blaster wouldn't be good. I doubt it would work well, and you can be sure that it would be a BIG mess.

You just need to figure out a way to make a larger containment box. If you'll be using it once you can do a make-shift box, but if you'll be using it often you will want to do it right.

You can just wear a respirator & blasting suit and do it outside in a pinch, but you'll want to use a plastic sheet to catch the grit. SiC is expensive, so you don't want to lose too much of it.

[Rick Monteverde]

Thanks for the responses. I built an air blasting box with vinyl shower curtain material, but there will still be some dust. Just wondered about the waterblasting on glass, Youtube vids of people blasting their trailers and stuff makes it look interesting. I wonder too if water with its density so much closer to sand than air is to sand, if there might not be some weird effects that could be interesting. Might be worth a look. Morganica yes, like waterjet only diffuse.
<tool_purchase_rationalizing>
I could always use it with some soft medium for refinishing outside painted surfaces, etc.
</tool_purchase_rationalizing>

Here's the vinyl box I made.