HF Blast Cabinet over modification cost?

[AbitNutz]

I see I can get the HF blast cabinet for $209-20%=$168.00. Quite a deal.

I know I'll upgrade to the TP Tools gun for $85.00
http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=2320

Then I have to add a new light or two.

Then I'll mess with the glass.

Not that I mind doing this but at what point do I say screw-it and buy the $400.00 cabinet from TP Tools?
http://www.tptools.com/p/432,367_780-TL-Top-Load-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet.html

Northern Tool also has a one piece (plastic?) Sandy Jet Abrasive Blasting Cabinet for $399.00. Not sure the gun, or other parts are any better than HF but the one piece construction seems kinds neat....fewer leaks.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200103074_200103074

 

[Okie Pete]

Check out TP tools and equipment. I bought one of their build your own kits years ago . The best investment I made. Get the good stuff first . Don't waste time and money on HF ****.

 

[240sxguy]

That TP tools cabinet was free shipping a few weeks ago. That's the one I want.

 

[dmeadow]

I went through all that analysis, as well, and decided that this was the best bang for the buck:

www.barrelblaster.com

By the time you make all the improvements to the HF item, it is about the same cost, IMHO.

Of course, part of the equation is shipping, which I didn't pay since the manufacturer of Barrel Blaster is in Texas and brought a unit to Houston for me on a scheduled trip. Otherwise, shipping might have been expensive.

I'm very pleased with the quality and the design.

 

[ZRX61]

Check out TP tools and equipment. I bought one of their build your own kits years ago . The best investment I made. Get the good stuff first . Don't waste time and money on HF ****.

Before I had my TP960 I had a benchtop HF model. I also had a pro set up at the hangar. When I bought the 960 I gave the HF model away for free.

 

[James E]

I have a TP cabinet. One of the best tools I've ever bought. No comparison to the bargain cabinets.

IMO, once you upgrade the bargain cabinet, add up your time and extra money and you may as well have bought the TP.

 

[DekeT]

I see I can get the HF blast cabinet for $209-20%=$168.00. Quite a deal.

I know I'll upgrade to the TP Tools gun for $85.00
http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=2320

Then I have to add a new light or two.

Then I'll mess with the glass.

Not that I mind doing this but at what point do I say screw-it and buy the $400.00 cabinet from TP Tools?
http://www.tptools.com/p/432,367_780-TL-Top-Load-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet.html

Northern Tool also has a one piece (plastic?) Sandy Jet Abrasive Blasting Cabinet for $399.00. Not sure the gun, or other parts are any better than HF but the one piece construction seems kinds neat....fewer leaks.
http://www.northerntool.com/shopg/tools/product_200103074_200103074

I'm sure that is a good cabinet but your link to TP shows $499 + shipping. Bit more than $400.
The HF cabinet is a great deal at what you are looking to pay.

 

[Nor*Cal]

I see I can get the HF blast cabinet for $209-20%=$168.00. Quite a deal.

I know I'll upgrade to the TP Tools gun for $85.00
http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=2320

Then I have to add a new light or two.

Then I'll mess with the glass.

I got a HF blast cabinet for free but the "glass" is broken. What would you do with the glass if you went that direction?

 

[AbitNutz]

I'm sure that is a good cabinet but your link to TP shows $499 + shipping. Bit more than $400.
The HF cabinet is a great deal at what you are looking to pay.

You're right...I guess I was looking at the Northern Tools for $400.00

The other thing that I considered is that I can drive to TP Tools in about 2 hours. Likely more expensive than shipping but sometimes they have scratch and dent sales. Plus it's just a fun place to be a guy in.

 

[Falcon67]

After reading the reviews on the HF cabinet, it's not a bad deal for a bucks down setup, even with $100 worth of tweaks. I'm sure the TP Tools unit would be far better out of the box, so it's really a question of how much tinkering you wanted to put into it. I have a little HF desk top unit and I should have waited and got the big one. And may still get the big one because the little 'um is just pretty useless.

 

[NCtim]

Check out TP tools and equipment. I bought one of their build your own kits years ago . The best investment I made. Get the good stuff first . Don't waste time and money on HF ****.

Hey Pete,

Which model did you get or would recommend; the foot pedal or trigger system? I like this a lot!

Tim

 

[ADSR]

Hey Pete,

Which model did you get or would recommend; the foot pedal or trigger system? I like this a lot!

Tim

Foot pedal! The last thing you want is your hand to get tired.

Bang for the buck, i bought this one for 650 on sale.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/24-inch-x-48-inch-Blast-Cabinet/G0708

 

[Matt M PA]

I've had my TP cabinet for probably 20 years. They are very well made. A big plus is that I can order parts...like when the glass in mine was broken. I've also upgraded the vacuum with all the better filters, etc.

 

[supra90turbo]

I got a barrel blaster for free when cleaning out an old warehouse, but have always hated the crappy curved window. Thanks for that link, dmeadow!

 

[Lhorn]

Are you talking about a real "barrelblaster" or a homemade job? the current model barrelblasters have a little (plastic?) box that sits on the side of the barrel with flat window. For anyone intersted in making their own, I think you can buy the window assembly and other parts for pretty cheap. Check their website.

I've been shopping too but shipping really rips you a new one. The barrelblaster people quoted me a price of about $85 for shipping. I thought that was a bit much until I contacted Eastwood about their plastic cabinet. I think it was over $200 for shipping. Forget the exact number but it was crazy high for shipping.
I've been thinking about the plastic ones because they are usually made in the US, once piece so less prone to leaking and I'd store it outside (under a carport) so it'd be less prone to weather damage.

TP tools was offering free shipping on some items, but shipping was by zone so if you lived east coast, free; if you live midwest a bit more; if you live west coast like me - $$$$

 

[American]

I went through all that analysis, as well, and decided that this was the best bang for the buck:

www.barrelblaster.com

By the time you make all the improvements to the HF item, it is about the same cost, IMHO.

Of course, part of the equation is shipping, which I didn't pay since the manufacturer of Barrel Blaster is in Texas and brought a unit to Houston for me on a scheduled trip. Otherwise, shipping might have been expensive.

I'm very pleased with the quality and the design.

I live in Fort Worth so shipping wouldn't be bad anyway. I bought one of the little Tractor Supply blasters:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/jobsmart-reg-benchtop-abrasive-blasting-cabinet-32-lb-capacity-3951103

Simply because I don't have space for anything larger and quite frankly most of what I'm blasting is rather small.

However... this unit and the larger ones at HF and NT are put together pretty much the same which means they leak sand/media out of the gaps and the door seals are lacking as well. I'm going to dump mine out and silicone all of the inner seams then install some good rubber seals around the door lip. Both of which I've read others have done with good results.

But I have to say I really like that barrel blaster for $300.. .plus freight and tax of course will be $400...unless I can get an inlaw to pick it up for me then would be about $325.

The TP blaster is very nice and might consider after I have more shop space in the future. with shipping it looks to be about $600.

 

[dmeadow]

I've been shopping too but shipping really rips you a new one. The barrelblaster people quoted me a price of about $85 for shipping. I thought that was a bit much until I contacted Eastwood about their plastic cabinet. I think it was over $200 for shipping. Forget the exact number but it was crazy high for shipping.

If you have a Northern Tool nearby they will ship to the store for free. Northern has a $400 plastic cabinet that, as far as I can tell, is identical to the Eastwood one, except it is black instead of blue. I'm 90% sure they are both manufactured in the US by the same manufacturer.

 

[Cobra6]

The other thing that I considered is that I can drive to TP Tools in about 2 hours. Likely more expensive than shipping but sometimes they have scratch and dent sales. Plus it's just a fun place to be a guy in.

This sounds like a no-brainer to me - TP Tools has good stuff - if you are knocking shipping out of the equation, and possibly can get a better deal - they also have swap meet specials pretty often.

I had a friend who tried the HF model, bought the gun, etc. - it also leaked like a sieve - by the time he got through sealing it up and modifiying everything, he basically ended up with a HF blast cabinet for a TP blast cabinet price...........

I found a TP 960 Pro on CL with the vacuum and a compressor for $600 - I was goign to go with the 780 TL, but I think I can make do with this one

 

[Sharpest]

On the subject of blast cabinets, I have the bigass Harbor Freight bench top model. How do I set up a dust collector system? I don't know much about them but have seen mentions of a HEPA filter for a shopvac? What kind of filter is that? I have a bigass old Craftsman and small newer Rigid shopvacs.

I will be ordering that gun kit linked above. My cabinet was a demo and was assemble when I bought it but it was missing the pickup tube and I never knew. I've been using a pressurized vessel blaster from Northern Tool with the hose ran into my cabinet but the media keeps destroying the ball valves on the end of the hose.

 

[skyking]

I purchased the Hf 3 days ago.Came with a light .I use a small shop vac to vent it and it works great. I paid $179 with a coupon.Came with glass and 4 self adhesive safety lenses as well. Far cry from $ 499