Media Blasting Cabinet Issues

thofdahl · Mar 2, 2017

I purchased an older Skat Blast cabinet that closely resembles the current 960 unit. It has a foot pedal and a skat blast branded gun. I ordered and replaced the nozzle and air jet with medium steel parts. I am using a mix of 50/50 alox 120grit and alox 70 grit. It is powered by an 80 gallon 5 HP 3 cylinder Husky air compressor putting out 14cfm @ 90psi. I regulate my pressure to 90psi at the cabinet and the compressor, while running almost constantly, will maintain about 110 psi. I have 2 separate water traps between the compressor and air delivery to the cabinet. I see no water issues present inside the cabinet and it seems to have decent suction from the hopper up and out the gun. However, on anything other than raw aluminum or steel it takes extremely long to strip any type of painted, powder coated, or rusted surface. How can I improve my efficiency? It is not practical for use on anything other than raw metals right now. I don't have much of a baseline to go off of for efficiency... but let's just say it took me over 2 hours to sandblast just the face of this 16" wheel.

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LXCam · Mar 2, 2017

Have you tried different nozzle sizes to see if that helps.

thofdahl · Mar 2, 2017

LXCam said:
Have you tried different nozzle sizes to see if that helps.

I have not. However a larger nozzle would require more CFM and cause my compressor to fall behind. I am not looking to do this commercially... but I thought I had a decent set up for regular use, however that has not been the case so far.

LXCam · Mar 2, 2017

I had an issue with a certain size media where I needed to go to my largest size to get any flow. Maybe give that a shot......well so to speak.

torqueman2002 · Mar 2, 2017

I have found TPTools (builder of your cabinet) very helpful when I 'dialed in' my cabinet made with plans and parts from them.

I have the same type of compressor, and I use medium grit Black Diamond media from TSC.

I don't recall what combination of nozzles, air jets, and gaskets I settled on. There are consumable parts, that if not changed the media will begin to 'eat up' the nozzle, requiring a replacement.

I found that new media, fresh gun parts, and enough media at the pick up are critical to the operation. I live in SE Michigan, and have not found moisture to be a problem, even in the hot/humid days of July/August.

I have use the hand gun version of this: C-25/C-35 Foot-Pedal Master Cabinet Gun Rebuilding Kit.
http://www.tptools.com/C-25andC-35-Foot-Pedal-Master-Cabinet-Gun-Rebuilding-Kit,5452.html?b=d*8024

PAToyota · Mar 2, 2017

Your 14cfm should be enough, but blasting does take quite a bit of volume. What size plumbing do you have from the compressor to the blaster? You could be getting less cfm at the blaster than you think. TP Tools does offer a low cfm nozzle set if you’re under 10cfm: http://www.tptools.com/Skat-Blast-Small-Steel-Low-Air-Supply-Nozzle-Combo-Pack,8116.html?sku=6311-04

thofdahl · Mar 2, 2017

torqueman2002 said:
I have found TPTools (builder of your cabinet) very helpful when I 'dialed in' my cabinet made with plans and parts from them.

I have the same type of compressor, and I use medium grit Black Diamond media from TSC.

I don't recall what combination of nozzles, air jets, and gaskets I settled on. There are consumable parts, that if not changed the media will begin to 'eat up' the nozzle, requiring a replacement.

I found that new media, fresh gun parts, and enough media at the pick up are critical to the operation. I live in SE Michigan, and have not found moisture to be a problem, even in the hot/humid days of July/August.

I have use the hand gun version of this: C-25/C-35 Foot-Pedal Master Cabinet Gun Rebuilding Kit.
http://www.tptools.com/C-25andC-35-Foot-Pedal-Master-Cabinet-Gun-Rebuilding-Kit,5452.html?b=d*8024

Media, nozzle, and air jet are all new. I have 100 LBS. of media in the hopper.

PAToyota said:
Your 14cfm should be enough, but blasting does take quite a bit of volume. What size plumbing do you have from the compressor to the blaster? You could be getting less cfm at the blaster than you think. TP Tools does offer a low cfm nozzle set if you’re under 10cfm: http://www.tptools.com/Skat-Blast-Small-Steel-Low-Air-Supply-Nozzle-Combo-Pack,8116.html?sku=6311-04

3/4" line at all the drops to 3/8" quick connects and hose.

Virgil Tech · Mar 2, 2017

1- get magnifying glass & white paper
2- place samples of new blast media and new blast media on paper
3- look at samples with magnifier

LXCam · Mar 2, 2017

Reduce your hopper amount down a a half dozen cup fulls and see if performance improves.

thofdahl · Mar 2, 2017

I originally had it with 50lbs and enough would get stuck on the ledges and walls that it would **** air.

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isb cornbinder · Mar 2, 2017

removed repeated

isb cornbinder · Mar 2, 2017

Plastic powder coatings are very difficult to remove with a less aggressive media blast. I have had fair success with an aggressive aluminium slag. I did a plastic powder coat removal on a set of BBS wheels by soaking the wheels in a big stock pot that I purchased at a restaurant supply. I put 5 gallons of "gun wash" in the pot and left each wheel for 24 hours then pressure washed the coating off. There are several plastic coating removers available, now.
I do not try to remove plastic powder coat with a media blast. I found the aluminium will be eroded one it is exposed while the remaining coating resists.
Blast media does wear out and should be changed. When the change is necessary will have to be the call of the operator.
My compressor is an Ingersoll Rand T30 on an IR 80 gallon tank.
the gold wheel is before. the red wheel is after

LXCam · Mar 2, 2017

thofdahl said:
I originally had it with 50lbs and enough would get stuck on the ledges and walls that it would **** air.

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That's the issue I have with mine. It's works much better with a few cups but that requires some pretty regular knee jabs in the gut. I've gotten so used to it, it's automatic anymore.

PAToyota · Mar 2, 2017

thofdahl said:
3/4" line at all the drops to 3/8" quick connects and hose.

Just regular 3/8” fittings? Or high volume? Again, you could be reducing your cfm more than you realize.

thofdahl · Mar 2, 2017

PAToyota said:
Just regular 3/8” fittings? Or high volume? Again, you could be reducing your cfm more than you realize.

Standard I/M style from fleet farm. Is there a way to measure flow?

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Matt M PA · Mar 2, 2017

Another thought.....my SkatBlast cabinet sometimes gets...well...for want of another term...inefficient. What I do is pull the pickup feed from the end of the gun...and blow air into it. Then...replace the feed hose to the gun. Seems that the media can get clogged or something and this clears it....

They sell vibrating motors to mount on the hopper to help stop this...

mikegt4 · Mar 2, 2017

Matt M said:
Another thought.....my SkatBlast cabinet sometimes gets...well...for want of another term...inefficient. What I do is pull the pickup feed from the end of the gun...and blow air into it. Then...replace the feed hose to the gun. Seems that the media can get clogged or something and this clears it....

They sell vibrating motors to mount on the hopper to help stop this...

You can achieve the same thing by pushing the output nozzle on the gun firmly into the palm of your other hand/glove and pulling the trigger. This forces the air back down the pickup hose and cleans out the pickup tube.

Showkey · Mar 2, 2017

mikegt4 said:
You can achieve the same thing by pushing the output nozzle on the gun firmly into the palm of your other hand/glove and pulling the trigger. This forces the air back down the pickup hose and cleans out the pickup tube.

Agree ^^^^^^^^^^

To the OP question seems you need more agreesive media like this from TP

http://www.tptools.com/Fast-Cut-MAX-Abrasive,2963.html?b=d*8019

Recommended for paint, rust, and scale removal leaving a flat/coarse-textured finish which is ideal for primer adhesion. A great, all-around abrasive for automotive parts blasting. Grit size 50, reddish brown color.

Markfothebeast · Mar 2, 2017

Are you sure there's no moisture in there? It looks like you're running some type of Pex tubing. Any water separators?

My neighbor borrowed a blaster made from a 20lbs propane cylinder from work and it is so well designed he managed to use a little 10 gallon compressor to blast. It's a mix of the valve size and gun. This little tank had a 3/4" ball valve. Mine came with 1/2" or smaller and would clog. I've been playing with the 2 blasters I have and never had gotten them perfected yet. I've had the best luck with the black diamond material BY FAR.

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Cue · Mar 3, 2017

You cant really blast powdercoating as its too tough and will take forever, that wheel is probably powdercoated, and its why it is taking too long. You have to use a chemical stripper on powdercoat to remove it.
It should remove paint and rust though quickly. Id try some rougher grit media, I have used 120 grit on plastic parts at a lower psi to rough them up before painting, try the straight 50-70 grit.

padroo · Mar 3, 2017

I have never blasted powder coat but some things just don't sandblast well. Undercoating is the worst.

If you have good flow at your nozzle you may have to go to a more aggressive blasting media. Black beauty is very agressive. Even if it leaves a coarse finish primer filler will make it smooth again .

Old thick paint you might be better off using a paint stripper first.

RobSmith · Mar 3, 2017

I built my own cabinet using the old siphon method into the base of the cabinet funnel. I found that I had to use a minimal amount of blast media to be efficient . If it sucked and blew a big stream of grit it was hopeless. I cut back the feed volume and that thing cut paint, rust and **** like a hot knife in butter. Play with the media feed. you will be pleased.

Showkey · Mar 3, 2017

As other mentioned powder coat can be tough. But be careful using grit size as the comparison as walnut and silicon carbide or alum oxide can have the same grit size. The two later will be far more aggressive on tough cleaning. Even faster than fast cut mentioned earlier. The TP chart on abrasives is a better guide with cleaning time as a starter point.

http://www.tptools.com/tech-abrasive-comparison.dlp

Also upping the pressure often just makes more dust and breaks up the abrasive quicker vs choosing the right abrasive.

d19h · Mar 3, 2017

I agree with what others have said, blasting powder coat is painfully slow. I would chemically strip and then blast for profile.

Garage Dog · Mar 3, 2017

As others have said you have to play with the variables a bit to dial in your system.

I find my blast cabinet (using pressurized media pot) is much more efficient using 50-60 psi vs. the higher pressure you tell us you are using. My system likes more air volume vs. pressure - I ran a 3/4" line to my cabinet.

When I first bought my system (used) I went on the companies website, then talked to someone in tech support to give me a baseline on how to tweak the system.

You may not have bought the system new, but you are now a potential customer.

If you want more info here, give us your best guess on why you think the system isn't cutting... i.e. are you getting to much or not getting enough media flow, does the media clog the feed lines, etc.

Are you screening your media? I assume alox = aluminum oxide?

As a point of reference, I could blast the the painted rim you show in about 10 - 15 min. max.

Good Luck

GD

PAToyota · Mar 3, 2017

thofdahl said:
Standard I/M style from fleet farm. Is there a way to measure flow?

Talk to your local welding supply - they should be able to set you up with a fairly cheap flow gauge to test things out: https://www.airgas.com/product/Gas-...t/Torch-&-Regulator-Repair-Parts/p/HCL9006417

rburke65 · Mar 3, 2017

I will add that buying the ceramic nozzles are a bargain. I WAS using the steel nozzles ....didn't last long.....and reluctantly bought the ceramic......MORE expensive, but I'm still using my first ceramic nozzle. Well worth the money!

ratdoggy · Mar 3, 2017

1. Powder coating is a beech to remove
2. Call TP Tools and go over your set up

isb cornbinder · Mar 3, 2017

My helper was complaining about loss of performance and when I took the gun apart, it was plugged with metal shavings. I hope this helps someone.

mikegt4 · Mar 4, 2017

I switched to a carbide nozzle after consuming the nozzles that came with my TP cabinet. The carbide seems to last much longer than any other material. Don't forget to occasionally rotate your nozzle and air jets to maximize their useful life, they tend to get channels eroded in them from the abrasive.

rburke65 · Mar 4, 2017

Rotate "air jets"?

CudaChick1968 · Mar 6, 2017

Lots of good suggestions here that I won't repeat. I WILL give another thumb's up to the carbide nozzles versus the ceramic and steel though -- a bit of a higher investment but well worth the difference when one lasts a couple of years.

If you haven't looked yet, the next time your cabinet is empty check out the pickup tube itself. I've had my big Skat Blast for about five years now and, when it started lagging, I discovered a rather large hole in the side of the tube that was allowing air pressure to escape. It still blasted but the efficiency was obviously lacking.

Norm01 · Mar 11, 2017

I have an industrial unit slightly smaller than yours and only have a few cups of media in it at a time. I can't imagine loading it with 100lbs. Make sure you use high flow couplings, try reducing pressure. My unit does pulse at times but I don't think it's running out of media, possibly clogging a little.

spdster · Mar 12, 2017

Do not "repeat" do not push the output nozzle on the gun firmly into the palm of your other hand/glove and while pulling the trigger. This action can drive the blasting medium into your skin very unhealthy. I have a piece of rubber tubing mounted on the back wall inside the cabinet for that job, or a rubber stopper will do the same trick.

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