Finally, Cabin sandblaster fix.

[azlo]

As some of you know I have the Harbor Freight sandblaster. Everybody has had problems with the cabin sandblasters. But after messing with it all day, i figured it out!! Let me explain.... this is the type of gun I have.

and black Diamond for media from Northern Tool. I was blasting with the gun upside down to see if it would make a diffrence when I realise that the media wouldnt get sucked. I took the hose off and the media would just sit here (see pic) when the trigger aT FULL blast (and gun upside down).

Media was stuck. Of course this very course media, but I also used fine glass beads and it was doing the same. So i took the end of the gun apart.

Took the ceramic end out.

Inside the gun is this insert.

This insert is part of the air feed passage and it meets with the suction passage where vacuum is created. U see where the allen wrench hits the insert in the gun...

Well the media would get clogged there. For some reason course or fine media would get stuck here. So,,, I took the insert & grinded it to give more passage without loosing vacuum.

 

[azlo]

This is what the insert looks like after grinding it.

Installed the insert back in,,, and now u see the extra space. (allen wrench pointing at the insert.)

Put everything back together. What a diffrence!! I even lowered the psi to 80. And I even took all restrictions from the media feed hose, ( in other forums it is suggested to plug or restrict the media feed hose so you can prevent clogging or the surging effect.). SO now at full throttle I get a constant stream of media!! This is beautiful man!

This would usually take 40mins. It took 15 at most. I am one happy camper. I might even see if i can improove on this but it works just fine.

 

[bchee]

HF site

 

[Kirbot]

Man oh man, how I wan't a blasting cabinet!


Thanks for the post!

 

[spongerich]

That's awesome. I have several buckets of walnut shells that I've been unable to use due to clogging. I might give that modification a try. Have you tried it with glass since grinding it?

 

[Toolhorder]

That's awesome!

My cabinet sits unused after a couple problems I had with it.

1. The light broke inside it. I have power to it but the light won't come on. New bulb doesn't help. Can't figure out how to fix this yet..

2. Suction hose comes off the pipe that runs to the bottom of the cabinet that ***** the media. I hose clamped it and it's still an issue.

3. Barely works when the light and suction hose wasn't a problem.

Guess I'll try this and see about fixing the other problems so I can use it again!

 

[Goobzilla]

I've only ever used aluminum oxide in mine with very few issues. Only problem I've had with mine was having to use a whole tube of silicone to seal all the leaks, been pretty good since then. I hear it's not as big of an issue with the new design though.

 

[azlo]

As soon as I get some windows covers from Autozone im gonna stick a vacuum gauge to the gun & see if im loosing any vacuum or can improove it. Love my week ends.

 

[azlo]

Have you tried it with glass since grinding it?

Switched over to glass and it works beautiful.

also tried it on brass

Gonna clear coat it..

 

[muibubbles]

awesomeee gotta try this! thanks for sharing!

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Good write up..I'm going to get one down the road, and I'll probably use this thread..

 

[Kool Coe]

Put everything back together. What a diffrence!! I even lowered the psi to 80. And I even took all restrictions from the media feed hose, ( in other forums it is suggested to plug or restrict the media feed hose so you can prevent clogging or the surging effect.). SO now at full throttle I get a constant stream of media!! This is beautiful man!

Have any links to these other forums? I need to "mod" my HF cabinet, its just not performing like it used to. Im sure i need to start with the mod you did, but would love to know what or how to plug the media feed.

 

[T56 Impala]

Right on time with this post. I have never had the problem you are speaking of, using the same media you have. Glad you found a fix in case I do run in to it at some point.

My biggest problem is with the siphon tube. I can seem to get it to stay in the media. It always floats or is pulled up to the top and I just **** air. Maybe I need a longer tube or I need to attach it to the bottom of the cabinet. Any ideas?

 

[azlo]

For the some of u thats asking if this sandblast mod works, well heres a vid.
U tell me if it works.



Love the mods.

This is glass beads by the way.

 

[azlo]

Have any links to these other forums? I need to "mod" my HF cabinet, its just not performing like it used to. Im sure i need to start with the mod you did, but would love to know what or how to plug the media feed.

I use a boat plug from HF. Heres a link.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-inch-twist-drain-plug-98114.html

 

[ramtuff]

Excellent! I received a blast cabinet from Homier Tools as a gift a while back (probably the same thing as the HF one). I used it a few times and wasn't very impressed with it. I'll have to pull it apart this week and check it out.

 

[TopFuel]

Azlo, I can't thank you enough!!!!

I got a similar cabinet a while ago but never was able to get it to do much. I'm using walnut shell media to clean up aluminum parts and only one blast would go through. It was pathetic and I was about to junk it. I had taken apart the gun to play with it and even gave the orifice some thought. But your post with the GREAT photos was the trick. I fired up the bench grinder to modify the orifice then gave the blasting cabinet a try. Perfect!

I got the work I needed to do done and now I know that the cabinet is a viable tool for similar work in the future.

Know that you helped someone today.

 

[blueflame6]

Azlo thanks, I've had all the same problems for years with my cabinet unit. Clogging,pulsating,weak blasting, always a PITA. Gonna try your remedy, sounds like a good fix to me!!.............thanks again.........

 

[Beaumont67]

azlo - thanks for your great tip mod. / when blasting, anything to avoid clogs is a "life saver".

Below, is a few links I wanted to share - great BLASTING resources:
Media blasting
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Media_blasting
Blasting
http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/blasting-190793.html
Soda blasting
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Soda_blasting

------------------------------------------------
Beaumont { :>)) www.petperfectexpress.com
1965 Malibu S/S, 1966 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont Custom, 1967 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont 396-350HP Sport Deluxe M21-411's - SOLD 1970 Judge

 

[padronanniversary]

Maybe I'm expecting too much out of my Grizzly 0707 gun. I ordered the TP gun kit to see how that helps. Maybe its just media. Anyone have this gun ?

 

[Beaumont67]

FYI - here is a brand new gun / I bought last year...unit is est. at 20 years old.
Don't know if this USA company, is still going...but everyone likes American made pics.






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------------------------------------------------
Beaumont { :>)) www.petperfectexpress.com
1965 Malibu S/S, 1966 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont Custom, 1967 Beaumont Custom original paint, 1967 Beaumont 396-350HP Sport Deluxe M21-411's - SOLD 1970 Judge

 

[padronanniversary]

how do you like the ALC CO gun ?

 

[Beaumont67]

how do you like the ALC CO gun ?

I bought the SandyJet A.L.C. Co. gun (mfg. in Ohio) for use in a sand blast cabinet build and once the "real deal" purchase came along later, have put it on the back burner, for now.
(will save for a small Stainless Steel glass bead cabinet...acquiring components for)

Soon after I bought the SandyJet Gun - a TRINCO 24x42" split top/14 gauge cabinet was purchased (Michigan made - pictured below).
- setup in a factory tool room and never put into production...became a local foreclosure auction buy

 

[bchee]

And I even took all restrictions from the media feed hose, ( in other forums it is suggested to plug or restrict the media feed hose so you can prevent clogging or the surging effect.).

 

[slacker garage shop]

Hello. I did this mod but having some problems with it. Its definitely did work better but with in half hour the media is cutting right through the porcelain nozzle. After just looking back at the pics I see that yours isn't ground all the way to the hole and mine actually is into the hole. Could that be my problem? Thanks for any advice.

 

[muibubbles]

i did this too helped out but still not as good as it was when i first got it... anyone have tips on how to vent/ get rid of all the dust? im using a water trap with a tiny shop vac and barely does anything......

 

[WayWang]

Alzo is DaMan ! This was such an easy fix I cant believe its not posted on a billboard outside every hardware store. I went from being disgusted and ready to dump the blaster in the river to highly psyched and looking for things to blast. I went from blasting at 125 psi with very little media to blasting at 85 psi with plenty of media. The jobs get done quickly and my small 21 gal compressor ( Hey, I working on it, give me time to upgrade ) keeps up much better. I laugh when I read other blogs where these so called experts lend advice. I tried so much of there **** and it had little to no effect. Alzo, I owe you a beer !

 

[boilermanc]

I have a very similar nozzel and dont want to mess it up. Did you find out if that is correct? That looks like the end that sticks out of the gun which I could not tell for sure on the original pics. I have very little room to grind without taking on the hole....

 

[Coursey]

Bumping an old thread!

 

[Cdubbb]

Azlo, thanks so much for finding this fix. It prompted me to take the gun apart and looking at the parts and ports. I found something in my gun that may be in others. When I looked inside the sand intake port of the gun, I discovered that it was almost completely blocked. During the making of the gun, when the cast was poured, this port was partially blocked with the metal of the pour. When I drilled out this excess metal the sandblasting cabinet envisioned now works perfectly. Whatever I pointed the gun at the paint disappeared. So what I did was take the gun apart as Azlo describes, take the parts out and take a drill bit that is about the same size as the sand intake port. Now drill that port to make sure that passage is clear. I didn't have to grind down the part as listed above because the drilling out worked for me. If my part was obstructed during manufacture maybe yours is also. Hope this helps. Cdub

 

[lilbob56]

I am so happy to have run across your post on how to improve these guns! I own the exact same setup as shown. Using it could be a nightmare! In fact, I used mine today. The constant clogging was driving me insane. I was able to clear it by tapping the gun on the workpiece, but only for 4 or 5 seconds, then I had to tap it again. I'm gonna give this a go tomorrow!

 

[kmacht]

Ok, resurrecting this old thread hoping that someone has saved pictures of the mod originally mentioned. The photos are no longer available on the "3rd party hosting site". I recently bought and setup the HF sandblasting cabinet and when it works, it works great. When it doesn't work it is because something is keeping the glass bead from being sucked through. I made a new pickup tube with a breather tube next to it but am thinking maybe it is something with the gun or nozzle. Anybody have pictures of what this original post was referring to?

Keith

 

[PCMusicGuy]

kmacht,

If you use chrome and use the Photobucket Hotlink Fix extension, you can see the pictures just fine. If for some reason you can't do that, let me know and I'll save the pictures and then reattach them in a reply.

 

[racerock]

Are you able to do that still? Greatly appreciated if you can and would do so.