HF Red Media Blast Cabinet - Gun

[Aeroman]

Fellas, I tested my HF blast Cabinet over the weekend. It did well but had a couple of issues I need to resolve.

First, the gun is mediocre. The trigger is already hanging up. I'd like to replace it with a premium one. Any suggestions? Where to get one? Model Number?

Second, I need to do a better job in filtering water. I have two inline traps that aren't cutting it. Maybe need a better one? Could you suggest a better way to water out of gun? I'm running a 60 gallon compressor and have the garage air plumbed.

Overall, it did well in sealing the media from coming out. Thanks.

Also want to thank a member here that recommended a bike hoist for storing away shop vac.

 

[rsanter]

Thebwater trap you need is the style that is used for painting cars. The cheapie little ones for air tools won't cut it

Bob

 

[Shadowdog500]

That trap won't stop water. The water is still in vapor form that close to the compressor. You need the air to pass through some line and cool back down before the water vapor will condense back into water and get caught in a trap. I wound up putting a desicant water trap in my system. It's a piece of pipe filled with dessicent. HF used to sell them for like $35 but you can still get them from other places. Once I put that on all of my moisture problems ended in my blast cabinet.

Chris

 

[Aeroman]

That trap won't stop water. The water is still in vapor form that close to the compressor. You need the air to pass through some line and cool back down before the water vapor will condense back into water and get caught in a trap. I wound up putting a desicant water trap in my system. It's a piece of pipe filled with dessicent. HF used to sell them for like $35 but you can still get them from other places. Once I put that on all of my moisture problems ended in my blast cabinet.

Chris

Thanks Chris. Would you happen to have an image of that dessicant water trap? Thanks.

 

[Aeroman]

Thebwater trap you need is the style that is used for painting cars. The cheapie little ones for air tools won't cut it

Bob

Thanks. The small red plastic ones wont cut it, would it?

 

[Aeroman]

Like this one?

 

[Shadowdog500]

Like this one?

No, that's too small.

Like this one!

The yellow pipe is the desiccant filter. From there it goes into the same filter you have to catch any desiccant that makes it way through.

 

[Aeroman]

Sweet! Never seen one before. Could you give me the part number please?

 

[Shadowdog500]

HF stopped selling it a year or two ago. Princess auto still sells them but I don't remember it being that expensive. http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/8055757/

If you look around you will fund one with a sight glass on the front so you can see when the desiccant turns blue and needs to be baked or replaced.

Chris

 

[Stephenw]

Get upgraded running gear from TP Tools.

My review is here...

http://shopngarage.com/2012/08/harbor-freight-blasting-cabinet-upgrade/

 

[Abeo]

What are people's thoughts on running a temporary dryer using a cooler full of ice water and a coil of copper tubing?

 

[RAYJAY]

Get upgraded running gear from TP Tools.

My review is here...

http://shopngarage.com/2012/08/harbor-freight-blasting-cabinet-upgrade/

tp gun and pickup tube on mine



as for water how is your air line run in your shop?

i installed black pipe and have the blast cab near the end of my piping never have a water problem yet sand blasting or painting,


you can use the paper roll filter from tp for water problems on a sand blaster

http://www.tptools.com/1and2-Coalescing-Air-Filter,74.html?b=d*8081


notice the pictures of your air line after posting .... if that is quick air lint with pushlock fittings it will not cool the air for you really good, you do need to install drip pipes to collect the water and pull your air for the top of the line, and draw from the middle of you drop leg

 

[Aeroman]

This is the bottom of the drop. Air line is from Rapid Aire products. There is a drain valve behind the manifold. I do drain water out of it but I still see it spit out the gun.

Compressor is about 10-15' away to the right of cabinet.

 

[Aeroman]

HF stopped selling it a year or two ago. Princess auto still sells them but I don't remember it being that expensive. http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product/8055757/

If you look around you will fund one with a sight glass on the front so you can see when the desiccant turns blue and needs to be baked or replaced.

Chris

You rock! Thanks, I'll pick up a few of these... Thanks again

 

[Aeroman]

Get upgraded running gear from TP Tools.

My review is here...

http://shopngarage.com/2012/08/harbor-freight-blasting-cabinet-upgrade/

Yes! TP Tools are the way to go, thanks for the link

 

[Aeroman]

tp gun and pickup tube on mine



as for water how is your air line run in your shop?

i installed black pipe and have the blast cab near the end of my piping never have a water problem yet sand blasting or painting,


you can use the paper roll filter from tp for water problems on a sand blaster

http://www.tptools.com/1and2-Coalescing-Air-Filter,74.html?b=d*8081


notice the pictures of your air line after posting .... if that is quick air lint with pushlock fittings it will not cool the air for you really good, you do need to install drip pipes to collect the water and pull your air for the top of the line, and draw from the middle of you drop leg

used this from tp to do my piping

http://www.tptools.com/tech-metal-piping.dlp

This is a load of great information. So, drawing air from the top would help? I'll take better pics of what I have soon

 

[RAYJAY]

This is a load of great information. So, drawing air from the top would help? I'll take better pics of what I have soon

water has a hard time going up hill, that's why where you have the manifold at if you could extend the piping down past the manifold about a foot or so it would help also where you come out of the air compressor you do need a drip line there, i capture a ton of water in that area

here is some pictures of how mine is set up

 

[Aeroman]

Get upgraded running gear from TP Tools.

My review is here...

http://shopngarage.com/2012/08/harbor-freight-blasting-cabinet-upgrade/

I like your blog. I just bought those Montana drill bits you mentioned, lol. Thanks

 

[Aeroman]

This is the airline kit I got:

http://www.rapidairproducts.com/maxline.asp

 

[Aeroman]

No, that's too small.

Like this one!

The yellow pipe is the desiccant filter. From there it goes into the same filter you have to catch any desiccant that makes it way through.

I just picked this up! But it says it has to be at least 25' from the compressor. I'm only about 10'. Would it still work? Guess I gotta find out! Thanks.

 

[Aeroman]

Update on the cabinet. I added the coalescing air filter, additional lighting, and the gun upgrade. I havent tested it all out but the additional light makes a huge difference! The trigger of the gun is smoother but I found that the brass barbed fitting that came with the gun does not fit the HF hose (see pic). It's bigger than the HF one so I'll have to either used the smaller one or find a bigger hose.

I also picked up the dessicator and plan to install that too to another air drop.

I'll keep you all posted!

Should I stick with the smaller ID fitting or use the bigger barbed one?

 

[Hustler388]

I just picked this up! But it says it has to be at least 25' from the compressor. I'm only about 10'. Would it still work? Guess I gotta find out! Thanks.

I wonder if you have 25ft of air line between the 2 would it be the same?

I have the water separator 6 ft from the compressor,and blaster right beside it,it has about 25ft of 1/4 line and Im not having any moisture problems that I know of?

 

[Aeroman]

Great question!

 

[numbah9]

Can anyone recommend one of those toilet-paper roll dryers that is a little more.. less expensive?

Seriously though, $79 for an aluminum housing from TP Tools seems a little rich.

 

[rsieracki]

im wondering if such a drier could be made from 1 1/2 or 2" black iron pipe and fittings seeing as princess auto sells the dessicant separetly to begin with... why couldnt one just make the houseing from black iron pipe... does someone who has one care to tell us if the inside has something special about it.

 

[jrlp]

All dessicant driers are is a length of tubing with steel mesh at both sides.

The bottom of the pipe is the input. Above the reducing cap is a stainless steel mesh, usually doubled over to suspend the dessicant beads. Add 12-18" of dessicant beads, then another mesh filter to keep them from flying out, to the output.

Beads can be regenerated by baking in the oven for a few hours at 200 degrees (I may be wrong). They can be used MANY times.

 

[bseant]

What are people's thoughts on running a temporary dryer using a cooler full of ice water and a coil of copper tubing?

that would work great but is pita. I do something similar using buckets of water and ice.

 

[Aeroman]

Update on the Skst Blast gun. Works great, smooth trigger but it bugs me that the large pick up tube pinches my fingers against the trigger having to slide them out to get it to stop blasting. Not a huge deal.

I've already had to replace a metal nozzle from the gun. I've only blasted two coil springs, a small leaf spring perch, and a plant pot holder. I am using alumina oxide at about 90-95psi.

The lighting still kinda ***** and wished I could have placed the light dead top center. Might add another to the other side.

The window protector don't last long either. I have a small rag in there to wipe it from the inside. I also shut the lights off from the shop for better viewing.