Sand blaster

[Babette (Shawn)]

I am finally getting a sand blaster. The problem is I am running out of room in my studio -not to mention I don't want to pollute the airspace in my studio. I have a completely covered -but open sided- dog run next to my studio. We get quite a bit of rain in the winter here in Northern California. My question is: can I successfully run a sand blaster outside? Will the moisture in the outdoor air clog-up the Silicon carbide or cause other problems?

[Rick Wilton]

Moisture and humidity are your enemy. If the media gets moist it doesn't flow properly.

I'm sure you could make it work though, putting the media in the oven or kiln and heat it does a great job of drying it out. It would need to be kept out of direct moisture like rain but the humidity could be worked around.

It depends also if you are planning a siphon system or a pressure pot system.

[Morganica]

Given the intense irritation I feel when the sand clogs in a sandblaster, I'd think seriously about at least putting a plastic tarp over that dog run. It's a pain to get in the groove with the blaster and then--fffffffprt!--nothing.

[Pam]

I have mine outside here in Reno Nevada. I bring the pressure pot inside if it looks like it's going to rain or snow. If I'm not using the sandblaster for a while I cover it with a tarp - also when the leaves are falling or in the spring when stuff is flying off the trees. When stuff gets in the pressure pot it clogs up the system, which is a total pain. Moisture is your enemy for sure. When the abrasive does get damp (not if but when) I've been know to dry it in the kitchen oven at 200, then sift it into the container I keep it in.

Hope this helps!

Pam