air supply for blasting hood?

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Bonnie Rubinstein
Posts: 213
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 9:04 pm
Location: River Falls, WI

air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Hi All, I have a new hood for sand blasting, but it fogs up on me immediately. It does have a rear fitting to allow for an air supply, and wonder if there is an affordable way to get air supply. What do you use for this? ( I blast outside for bigger pieces, and it is also easier to do this that my often-mal-functioning cabinet.) Tony, any thoughts?
Thanks!
Bonnie Rubinstein
Buttercup
Posts: 626
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: S.E. Queensland Australia

Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Buttercup »

Bonnie, you say you blast outside so already have the most expensive item you need, the compressor. Take your hood and the information about your compressor to a company that supplies sand-blasting equipment.** They should be able to provide you with a regulator and fittings and a hose to split the air supply so you get a controllable air supply to your hood. OOPs I see you asked Tony, just ignore this if you wish!

EDIT ** Or spray-painting equipment.
Tony Smith
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Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 5:59 pm
Location: Massachusetts, USA
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Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Tony Smith »

Hi Bonnie.

There are many solutions - Affordable is the question.

Probably the best solution is to get a larger cabinet like a glass passer that attempts to keep the dust inside the cabinet. Then you can avoid using the hood.

An alternative is to get a hood with a dedicated air source made for breathing.
https://pksafety.com/allegro-1-worker-t ... 40QAvD_BwE

Another version is the hobby air half-mask which should fit under your existing hood.
https://www.amazon.com/Hobbyair-Half-Fa ... 2893&psc=1

Rocker sells a filtered mask for woodworking, but while I'm sure it doesn't offer the same resistance to bouncing abrasive particles as the hood does, it will give you a constant flow of filtered air to breathe.
https://www.rockler.com/trend-air-circu ... lUQAvD_BwE

You may be able to find others as they seem to be more available on Amazon and Grainger.
Do a Google search under supplied air hood systems and you will find other options.

What I would not do is to try and use your shop compressor for breathing air. Even with oil free compressors, the materials used in the tanks and hoses may be unhealthy when inhaled directly.

I would reach out to Ellen Abbot in TX who had a blasting room for her large projects. She would be able to provide beter guidance.

Tony
The tightrope between being strange and being creative is too narrow to walk without occasionally landing on both sides..." Scott Berkun
Bonnie Rubinstein
Posts: 213
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 9:04 pm
Location: River Falls, WI

Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Thanks for the info, Tony. I don't blast enough to warrant the large expenditure. Being a DIY person, I think 'has anyone designed a hairdryer-like machine that blows regular air and has a good filter'?
My blasting cabinet definitely has issues re: air supply/ sand.. and often is very slow or clogged. Since I live in a farm, it is easy to blast outside, but I don't want the exposure to silica, etc., so i bought a hefty hood. My other hoods did not fog up, but felt they were not enough protection.
I am wondering what most glass folks use for occasional blasting (?)
Bonnie Rubinstein
Bonnie Rubinstein
Posts: 213
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 9:04 pm
Location: River Falls, WI

Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Just found this; looks decent .. Would this work, Dr. Tony?

https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Constan ... Q82F9ZGFJV
Bonnie Rubinstein
Terry Gallentine
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Location: River Falls, WI
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Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Terry Gallentine »

Bonnie,
What you are looking for is a positive air flow respirator. I found several on Amazon, but remember that the ones with full face mask also have the problem of the clear area being pitted by the blasting and will require expensive replacement. All of the ones that I found did not come with an air supplier but that would be relatively easy to do with a simple small fan in a clean air location and a length of vacuum cleaner hose going to where you will be blasting. It doesn't take a lot of air pressure to supply a positive air flow. The big advantage to a positive pressure system is that you don't have to worry about leaks in the mask because if there are leaks, fresh air is going out of them not contaminated air going in them.
Buttercup
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Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:22 pm
Location: S.E. Queensland Australia

Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Buttercup »

I forgot to mention the in-line fume trap and water trap, but must confess that I haven't changed the filter in the fume trap ever since I was advised that if the ambient air is clean and you can't smell any fumes or have any side effects it's not necessary. (Filter-free...sounds like a cheap cigarette).

The light-weight air-supplied hood I have is intended for spray painting. It's a hardhat with a hood over the top also which covers the shoulders and comes below the waist and it can be cinched there. The air-line weight is taken up at the waist-line so it doesn't swing freely putting a load on the head and neck.

A big advantage of this simple hood is that the flat rectangular lens is plexiglas (acrylic?) and can be protected from clouding by cheap, disposable acetate masks. A pack of one hundred was inexpensive the last time I bought any. If you run out you can cut your own from acetate overhead projector sheets. The lens is easily replaced with a flat piece of 3 mil. plexi.

The hood in Bonnie's latest post shows a frontal air supply. Would that be a nuisance, get in the way? Would it dry your lips and eyes with prolonged use?

As Terry noted, the positive air flow, which can be kept to very low pressure, stops any outside air leaking in. Good luck with it.
Bonnie Rubinstein
Posts: 213
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 9:04 pm
Location: River Falls, WI

Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Thanks, all for the info. I did purchase this..and will see how well it works and will let you know.
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Constan ... Q82F9ZGFJV
Bonnie Rubinstein
Bonnie Rubinstein
Posts: 213
Joined: Sun May 04, 2003 9:04 pm
Location: River Falls, WI

Re: air supply for blasting hood?

Post by Bonnie Rubinstein »

Yes, this hood/air supply did work well for blasting! It leaves any exposed skin around the mask vulnerable. So, an extra hat that covers ears, and part of face would be needed.
Thanks for all the past feedback.
Bonnie Rubinstein
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