Effective Sand Blaster Option

[Jayhawk_Aviator]

I have a rusty old jeep I'm restoring and have lots of rust to remove. i;m always looking for an excuse to get a nice new tool. I know many use the wire brushes, but is there a sand blaster (short of the mobile snad blasting rigs) that is effective and reasonably priced? Do the harbor freight units work at all? Any other options?

Thanks
Scott

 

[not enoughsmoke]

Skat 46 or really any of their other models
I just ordered a 970 model

 

[Jayhawk_Aviator]

Wow...a little pricier than I was expecting. Any other options that might be a little more DIY friendly?

 

[Warrenator]

I have the harbor freight 40 pound pressure pot sandblaster and cannot recommend it. Fiddly, either shoots all the sand in 2 minutes or none at all, can't get it right. I fooled around with it until all the sand was gone and never got a steady blast. I sure could use a decent outdoor sandblaster though.... I have an old cabinet retrofitted with a TIP siphon blaster gun and that works pretty well.... back when I was a kid I had a plain 'ol sears syphon style sandblaster that worked well. They use quite a bit more air but no adjustments really, just occasionally put your finger over the end and squeeze the trigger to reverse blast the sand suction line and clear it out.

 

[Jayhawk_Aviator]

Stupid question, but is the difference in hf and the skat option just the giun? If I want to blast outside, can I just buy the $150 skat gun and be fine? Or by the hf cabinet and replace with the skat gun?

 

[ZRX61]

Horrible Fright have a 110lb version:
https://www.harborfreight.com/110-l...MIjsqKxOHh4QIVl6DsCh3bYw48EAQYASABEgLs4_D_BwE

 

[Benw455]

Spend the $$$ for a cabinet from TP Tools. I am on my second one and love it

 

[930dreamer]

X2 on TPtools blasting cabinet, I have 2 commercial cabinets that I found cheap, or I would have looked at TPtool.

 

[rsanter]

The pressure pot sand blaster from HF is decent once you get it dialed in.

The worry is warping the body panels.
You should look at the wet sand blaster attachments that go on pressure washers

 

[rsanter]

And don’t be afraid to hit the panels with some 50grit on a DA to knock a layer off and make thenblasting go faster

 

[ZRX61]

We seem to be going down two paths here.


Are you planning on blasting small stuff in a cabinet or large panels/chassis etc outside?


What compressor do you have?

 

[Jayhawk_Aviator]

I have a 60 gallon upright. I expect to do both cabinet and outside

 

[sberry]

Sand and suction head. Can change jets.

 

[Marctrees]

" just occasionally put your finger over the end and squeeze the trigger to reverse blast the sand suction line and clear it out."



What you 'talkin bout Willis ?

Marc

 

[Showkey]

Speaking of two paths:
Blasting frame or chassis parts is one thing.........blasting body panels is a completely different process, if you want useable flat panels when your done !!!!!!!!

Dustless blasting or soda blasting with the proper equipment and technique is the preferred methods for Body panels.

 

[sberry]

Soft fine sand for penetrating rust pits. Hard coarse sharp sand for coating and paint removal. But,, prefer to sand anything I can.

 

[evintho]

I bought a Texas Blaster and used it to blast my frame, body panels and various other parts and pieces. A little pricey at $600 but, it's a real blaster! Head and shoulders over the HF or ALC pressure pot blasters. The difference is literally night and day!





Also, for indoor blasting there's the barrel blaster...……

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

 

[OccupantRJ]

" just occasionally put your finger over the end and squeeze the trigger to reverse blast the sand suction line and clear it out."



What you 'talkin bout Willis ?

Marc

Standard practice for me, but only on the suction type blaster. Don’t play this with a pressure fed blaster.

 

[OccupantRJ]

The real difference in the Texas blaster design is the use of a wye instead of a tee under the vessel as the abrasive feed. This would likely improve the feed on a HF unit if it was implemented. I think a pressure pot at low pressure feeding one of the pressure washer sandblasting attachments might work well. They do not work well as supplied, in my opinion. Sand feed is too erratic.

 

[Marctrees]

OK, this is something I can talk about.

I did a 76' CJ5 naked frame on sawhorses frame up restomod with the below setup.

I found sandblasting to be VERY VERY satisfying... WAY better prep... NO comparison for paint then wire wheel or ANY other method.

*** WARNING - As said above, sheet metal like body panels WILL warp and get wonky.

Blasting them requires MUCH more care than like a frame, axle housings, anything thick.

*** BE AWARE of above.

First off... if it is a true 5 hp comp that puts out about 16 CFM you will be OK for the size of the Jeep project you want to do.

I had a 5hp baldor IR T30, so I had that.

DO this - I put a better than average $25 box fan hung over to cool the motor and pump of the Comp.

Not needed for short quick runs, but for anything like I dunno over 20 minutes of blasting DO it.

DEFINITELY for the frame, axle housings, anything not small.

Get any pressure pot blaster... I got an ALC about 100 lb... 1/8" ceramic nozzle is all a 5 hp will handle reasonably... you will use like about ballpark 4 nozzles for the total Jeep project.

REPLACE the ceramic nozzle when it grows to like 3/16.

False economy to keep using it past that w a 5HP.

Carbide and Tungsten nozzles are available, but does not apply to you at this scale.

Just buy some cheap replacement ceramics... for one vehicle.

Do whatever you can to dry your output air... BUT STILL buy a Motorgard "Toilet paper" filter before the sandblaster.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WZYKAE/?tag=atomicindus08-20

UNLESS you are in a super dry geo region just BUY IT off the bat.

It will save MUCH heartache.

Just buy it... will save much bitching.

And, after extended use, like when you do your frame or axle housings, take the filter apart and allow the paper roll to dry in a good drying place.

If you have $$$, just toss out... but I dry and reuse mine.

If you don't open canister and remove the paint inside the AL housing will corrode and degrade.

"Don't ask me how I know"

Nothing more frustrating than the Tee getting plugged from moisture... and the previous mentioned Y upgrade makes sense.

Use plain cheap silica sanblasting sand labeled "Do not use for Sandblasting"

Ironic yes, but they label that way to defend from lawsuits.

The whole silica panic is totally true for Idiots , but totally BS as long as you use a frickin brain.

Black Diamond or Black Beauty is fine, but will give slightly coarser surface.

Set the regulator to the pressure pot at 80 +.

DO THIS - Buy a cheap canvas blasting hood... and a small as possible tiny cheap shop vac.

25' ? 1 1/4" ? hose...Run it up under backside of hood... put vac far away as possible to not **** in ANY ANY sand in air.

I put my vac in shop, close doors, and blast outside of building.

This will do two things... one is keep ALL silica from your breathing... Two is cool your head sweat so lens does not fog.

Gotta think... will post more.

Marc

 

[ZRX61]

" just occasionally put your finger over the end and squeeze the trigger to reverse blast the sand suction line and clear it out."



What you 'talkin bout Willis ?

Marc

I do that when mine gets blocked. There's nothing hitting your finger, you don't feel anything other than a slight bit of pressure.
It also has the benefit of aerating the stuff in the hopper.

 

[Marctrees]

Either I am not understanding, or you guys have a different setup.

If I put my finger over the ceramic output nozzle, I would be have to be immediately driven to ER, and probably lose part of that finger.

Marc

 

[OccupantRJ]

SUCTION blaster setup. The pressure loops back through the abrasive suction hose instead of coming out of the nozzle if it gets restricted by your GLOVED finger. It purges the abrasive hose of excess abrasive and restores flow.

 

[Marctrees]

That Texas blaster has two features I see that I like -

One is the Y rather than a t...

THAT is where it gets plugged from moisture in the feed air.

Second is the loading funnel being more a part of it rather than something you need to hold w one hand.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

SUCTION blaster setup.

What are you trying to say?

You are not getting charged $ per word like a newspaper want ad 30 years ago.

Suction blaster is totally inferior to pressurized.

Edit - OK, it seems you are talking about the finger thing.

Not about what OP should get.

Got it.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

I do have the experience on this issue, and I am wanting Jayhawk to get setup sufficiently but for the least $.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

My 20 yr old ALC pressure blaster has a very concave bowl like top, so it does not require a funnel.

That is quite a benefit... easier to load... but for whatever reason that feature seems to come only with higher priced units nowadays.

So, use an appropriate funnel I guess.

That Texas one seems to include it... a good detail feature.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

You will get an occasional clogged nozzle...

Not talking about a clogged line usually at the T at bottom of tank...Due to moisture...

But at the Nozzle...

The blasting sand you buy is graded through a specific size sieve...

But for some strange reason you will get a dozen or so oversize grains / per bag that WILL fit through the nozzle on their own...

BUT CAN clog the nozzle w other smaller particles.

So then, when that happens, you need to unscrew the nozzle retaining cap and remove ceramic nozzle and push the clog out backwards w some stiff wire or proper tool.. then re install and back to blasting.

Marc

 

[Mekanizm]

I bought a cheap HF pressure pot blaster and bungee corded a saws all to the handle and turned it on as a ********. That thing worked flawlessly the whole time! I did have dry air.

 

[Marctrees]

Is she a "Squirter" ?

Marc

 

[ZRX61]

Either I am not understanding, or you guys have a different setup.

If I put my finger over the ceramic output nozzle, I would be have to be immediately driven to ER, and probably lose part of that finger.

Marc

Regular cabinet set up, not one of those nozzles for cleaning buildings or battleships.

 

[Marctrees]

ZR - Still not an explanation.

It should be obvious we are not talking some like 80+ CFM flow stuff in this thread...

But like home shop stuff with " 5HP" w the pump maintaining at like 16 CFm Max or so...

Certainly the 60 - 80 gal tank can output more for short times ...

But that is beyond the scope of what we are addressing here.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

I have only the experience of "My setup"

SO, I do not understand how one could put a finger at the nozzle output without VERY serious injury.

Marc

 

[ChrisLS8]

I bought a cheap HF pressure pot blaster and bungee corded a saws all to the handle and turned it on as a ********. That thing worked flawlessly the whole time! I did have dry air.

I immediately thought of the Red Green Show

 

[ZRX61]

I have only the experience of "My setup"

SO, I do not understand how one could put a finger at the nozzle output without VERY serious injury.

Marc

Take your hand/foot off the trigger, finger over nozzle*, hit the trigger. Air/media can't come out the nozzle so it causes the pressure to backflow into the hopper & out of the pick up. It cleans out the entire media line.



Try it, you won't get hurt.


*Obviously your hands are still inside the gloves.

 

[Marctrees]

How can that possibly clean out the "Gun" ceramic nozzle without shooting a hole in my finger filling it with sand ?

The pressure is "behind" everything.

?????

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Bedtime... re visit this tomorrow.

Marc

 

[ZRX61]

How can that possibly clean out the "Gun" ceramic nozzle without shooting a hole in my finger filling it with sand ?

The pressure is "behind" everything.

?????

Marc

The media line isn't pressurized, the gun works like a paint gun with vacuum pick up (venturi/syphon effect). The air passing over the media line ***** the media from the hopper. If you put your finger over the end of the nozzle it diverts the air down the media line.

I think you're thinking of pressure pot systems.

 

[James-W]

I bought this one at Harbor Freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/benchtop-blast-cabinet-62454.html

I don't do very much sand blasting, mostly just lawnmower blades and then only a few of those, the ones that are really terrible with caked on grass. I scrape off the most of it and then sandblast them to get them looking really good.

I put a stand under the cabinet because I found that I didn't like the cabinet sitting on my workbench. I preferred it to be outside so the dust and ant sand that came out of the cabinet wasn't all over the garage.

It works quite well for small jobs, I would not want to use it for larger jobs, my compressor isn't big enough and the cabinet isn't big enough. For small jobs and/or occasional use, this sand blasting cabinet from Harbor Freight is OK. For larger jobs and/or regular use, get something nicer.

 

[evintho]

The media line isn't pressurized, the gun works like a paint gun with vacuum pick up (venturi/syphon effect). The air passing over the media line ***** the media from the hopper. If you put your finger over the end of the nozzle it diverts the air down the media line.

I think you're thinking of pressure pot systems.

I believe we ARE talking about pressure pot systems, here.