More sandblaster advice?

[Steph Mader]

As long as I'm getting a feel for the new board, I thought I'd post again. I got some good advice about building a cheap cabinet when I posted on the old board. If I was going to purchase the whole works for sandblasting, what is the smallest unit (size and power-wise) I could get away with, if I just need to frost the surface of some cast stuff about 10x12" in size?

Steph

By the way, I love being able to see the text of all the related posts as I scroll down, that's an improvement.

[Nickie Jordan]

Hi - For the size pieces you describe, a tleast a 12"x24" cabinet would suffice. Your dust collecting/vacuum system should be appropriate to the size - don't forget a respirator, for any time the door is open. TIP catalogue has bench model cabinets.
Good luck - Nickie

[PaulS]

Hi Steph,

If you don't have the time or facility to make a box out of three-quarter ply, maybe this would be suitable for you;

Grainger Item: 3Z848
Price (ea) : $614.50
Description
Abrasive Blast Cabinet, Nominal Size 18 x 16 Inches, Top Opening 18 x 12 Inches, Overall Depth 17 Inches, Overall Height 33 Inches, Overall Width 19 Inches, Work Area Depth 16 Inches, Work Area Height 16 Inches, Work Area Width 18 Inches, No Side Opening

I found it at http://www.grainger.com

Paul

[Tony Smith]

Steph,


Go to http://www.tptools.com and look at their 780TL cabinet for $299. It has more than enough volume for what you need and their siphon blaster is the best.

If all you are doing is etching, then you can use a 30 gallon Sears upright compressor (also available by Porter-Cable and Campbell Hausfield) for about $279.

Add a dust collector (or a shop vac with a HEPA filter) and some abrasive and you're ready to blast. I'll warn you though, if you are subject to addictions, you might want to get a larger (60 gallon) compressor since sandblasting IS addictive.

Tony

[Don Burt]

Tony left out some stuff (I can't review what he said because I deleted his quote...still learning to use this board. The items below are from my faulty memory. Some of the items you'd probably want right when you're starting-out). Tony, is there a recomended starter's kit on the sandcarving web site?

Hoses and connectors: $50
Air gun/nozzle because its really lame to have a compressor without an air gun to shoot air at spiders and stuff: $15
Regulator with water trap: $50
Pressure Pot when you finally realize how cool sandblasting is: $250
Abrasive: $60
Screen for sifting if you get a pressure pot: $15
Your first order of photo stuff from Photobrasive - $110
Foot controller - $100
Iron piping (or copper according to Tony) - $25 and five-hundred trips to the hardware.
Vinyl resist: $25

[Tony Smith]

True, but when you get really addicted, open up the bank book! Dual blasting cabinet for sandblasting with a friend... $2400, 120 gallon compressor... $3600, 3-Phase power in your house to run the compressor... $4000, plotter/cutter for cutting your vinyl resist... $3000. The sky's the limit.

blastingboy

[Haydo]

Hey Tony, It must have been you or Marty who influenced me to get myself a big mother compressor to grow into, namely a 50cfm compressor. When they took me through the workshop to check it out I pretented that I knew what I was getting. I swear that I will grow into it and I believe that bigger compressors are quieter anyway. - Haydo.

[Tony Smith]

I'm sure I said get a big compressor, but 50 CFM??? I guess I'll have to qualify all of my comments from now on. 50 CFM???? I hope you're going to have 5 people working for you all blasting at the same time. 50 CFM???

You are right, they are quieter. 50 CFM???

Tony

[Susan Taylor Glasgow]

Hi all, I bought a perfectly nice cabinet (siphon) 18x24" from Harbor Frieght. Cost about $89. Works just dandy for light-medium blasting. Just recently I also got a 40 lb. pressure pot from them for another $80, but I'm not sure how to use it. Do you let the compressor completely fill up the PP to 120 lb. or so before starting to sand blast? It came with no instructions. In what order do I open the valves? I am also having trouble getting the abrasive to flow out consisantly. Very spotty to no abrasive at all. I'm using a 280 grit. Moisture's been removed, so that element should be ok. Any ideas?

[Tony Smith]

Hi Susan,

That little pressure pot can work really well. Fill your compressor before you start and set your regulator to 25 psi. The first valve is your air inlet valve (where the air hose connects) and that should be fully open. The second valve is a choke valve and that should start full open, but if you get surging, you can start to close it a little at a time. The valve at the bottom of the pressure pot is the mixing valve and should be set at the 45 degree position (half open) as a starting position. If you close the mixing valve all the way, you can clear the hose of abrasive until you just get air. Open the valve a little at a time until you get the blast that you want... again, the position is usually around 45 degrees. The worst part of that unit is the handvalve. An imporved version of the handvalve is available from Northern Tool and is a pinch valve that gives a lot of control. They sell it with their pressure pot, but they also sell it separately.

Tony

[Susan Taylor Glasgow]

Thanks Tony,
I will experiment with those tips. Unlike sandblasting lovers, I have a love/hate relationship going. My worst disasters used to be to over-firing. Now they are sandblasting woes. And every time I get a new piece of equipment I have to re-learn! Baby steps! Thanks for your help, Susan

[Haydo]

Tony a size wasn't mentioned, just go as big as you can. Basically I've been looking at air tools I'll need in the future as I adventure into bigger castings. One of them needed this much delivery. Besides I don't mind sharing. - Haydo

[Tony Smith]

The rule of thumb for compressors is to buy as large a compressor as you can afford.

Tony