Bead Blast Cabinets - What are you using and why?

[larry4406]

Been looking at cabinets, have been leaning towards a TP Tools cabinet model 976 - deep, tall, wide, two doors http://www.tptools.com/p/882,53_976-Pro-Detailer-XH-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet.html . Then on e-bay I saw the Bad Boy Blasters units - look nice and apparently less expensive http://cgi.ebay.com/BB1500XLD-MEDIA...14&_trkparms=72:1209|66:2|65:12|39:2|240:1308

What are you using? Anyone with experience of either or both of the above? Any other good options?

 

[Junkman]

You can't tell the quality of the product by advertised pictures. I remember seeing pictures of the Yugo when it was first introduced. It looked like a great car for the money. Unfortunately for the buyers, it was a rolling disaster. Look are very deceiving. I would consider brands that have been around for a long while, and that other people have had experience with. I have a Snap On blast cabinet that I bought used. I have no idea of who the original manufacturer was, but it does what I want in a blast cabinet, and that is all that I care about. It is solidly built and doesn't leak. I have seen the **** Blast cabinets by TIP, and they appear to be well constructed also. What is most important about any cabinet is the type of gun that is supplied as original equipment, and how well it functions. The gloves are another aspect to consider. If it is a cheap cabinet, there is no doubt in my mind that they will also skimp on the quality of the rubber gloves. No one of these items is going to cost a fortune to upgrade, however, when you combine them all into a total of the cost of the cabinet, a cheap cabinet can get expensive quickly after a few uses..

 

[Bunk]

I am using one I built from the kit & plans TP sells. It was a good way to go for me...I designed around the space I had and the size I needed. I works great. Here she is:

I am running 120 grit AlOx mostly for gunsmithing projects.

Bunk

 

[volvo]

On the cheap: Or build your own,

The Barrel Blaster

http://www.barrelblaster.com/BarrelBlaster1.htm

and

Product Review: Barrel Blaster is a Winner!

http://www.cncreport.com/product-review-barrel-blaster-is-a-winner/

 

[Mr_fixit]

I have this one. http://www.tptools.com/p/875,53_960-SE-Patriot-Abrasive-Blasting-Cabinet.html
So far so good. I bought this since I could pick it up at Carlisle, save shipping, and it's my third sandblaster from TIP ( tp) . And they have a good selection of parts & accessories.

and you can save even more if there's a dent ....

 

[senlow]

I have an old Kansas Instruments bead blaster. It's no longer produced. I have never used either machine that the OP mentioned. My favorite blaster is the Zero Blast-N-Peen.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I have the TPTools 970 cabinet. They are nice units, but I thought I would need the size and haven't found a use for it yet. If you need to blast something larger than an oil pan, you will need more compressor than your shop probably has, otherwise you will be all year blasting it.

I actually wish I had two cabinets, one with something coarse (black beauty or similar) for removing scaly rust and badly pitted, corroded metal. A second one with relatively fine glass beads for smooth finish work would be the second blast cabinet. It is WAY too much trouble to be swapping abrasives every time you have a different blast job.

Whatever you do, put the cabinet on casters, I did and it is nice. TPTools also will sell you the vac setup with the HEPA filter add on kit cheaper than their price for the assembled HEPA version, all you have to do is screw it together, this is what they suggested to me. Nice people to deal with.

Charles

 

[JimmyM]

I too am using the home built cabinet from the TP Tools plans exactly like the one BUNK has in his pictures, its made from 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood its roughly about the size of the 780, I painted mine gray and even put the **** Blast decals on it. I live about 70 miles from them and am down there a few times a year picking up parts for my cabinet and a buddys cabinet too, the staff is very good to work with. If you have questions about any of the blast cabinets call and ask for Carmen hes the most knowledgeable about them and has been there for many years. If your looking to go with a bigger cabinet than the home built or the 780 depending on what your going to use it for the 850 is an all around nice size to have without getting to tremdously big

 

[Steve in Mi]

I've been very pleased with the TRINCO blast cabinets (company I worked for had lots of them) so much so that I built one very similar for home use. I was offered too much for it so down the road it went. I planned to build a replacement right away but you know what can happen to plans. In the interim I bought a TSC benchtop unit but it is not anything to brag about. It's time to build another like the TRINCO or break down and buy one of their cabinets. I bought steel to build one some time ago so it will probably be another home brew that wins in the end.

http://www.trinco.com/leftframe1.htm

 

[Bunk]

Trinco is where I bought my abrasive locally. Can't see paying to ship 50lbs of sand!

Bunk

 

[PAToyota]

Good discussion here: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23625

 

[mikeyr]

Built mine from TP plans, easy to do and I was able to size it perfectly to what I needed to do. I would do that again if I ever had to but the way I built it, I most likely will never need to build another.

 

[RAYJAY]

harbor freight one here even with replacing the gun with a tp gun still a great deal works and does not leak great cabinet for little $$$$$$$$

 

[terabyte]

HF cab with TP tools guts here as well.

works like a champ with aluminum oxide media

 

[PurdueSD]

On the cheap: Or build your own,

The Barrel Blaster

http://www.barrelblaster.com/BarrelBlaster1.htm

and

Product Review: Barrel Blaster is a Winner!

http://www.cncreport.com/product-review-barrel-blaster-is-a-winner/

Wow that looks very promising for the price!

 

[brownbagg]

you can buy the rubber gloves at grainger

 

[RAYJAY]

HF cab with TP tools guts here as well.

works like a champ with aluminum oxide media

the glass bead from HF work great also for aluminum/ white metal

i buy my all my abrasives fro HF ( the only place i can get them in my area )

 

[hidollartoys]

You can google bead blasters and all types of cabinets come up. There are also a large number of plywood blast cabinets out there that guys have built. Several self-fabed units made for specific applications also. You can use your own imagination.

 

[Bunk]

I would also recommend setting it up with the foot operated control rather than on the gun itself. More convenient, easier to control...I always had issues trying to operate the trigger through those thick and bulky gloves.

Bunk

 

[buening]

Speaking of which, has anyone built their own foot pedal at a reasonable price? Foot pedal kits are around $100, so I wasn't sure if there was a cheaper route. Something like these air valves? http://www.stcvalve.com/Air_Valve.htm

 

[daw53]

I've got a TP 960-SE and have been very pleased with it. And a home built pressure unit used outside for the big stuff!

- David

 

[Vicegrip]

I would also recommend setting it up with the foot operated control rather than on the gun itself. More convenient, easier to control...I always had issues trying to operate the trigger through those thick and bulky gloves.

Bunk

I toss in some zip ties and use one to hold the trigger when I am working on a large part. I turn the air on and off via the regulator thats on the side of the box. Perhaps you could add a hand valve on the outside that could be flipped on and off. Cheaper than a foot valve and you don't need to hold it.