You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
How often do you change blast media?
- Thread starter Lou N
- Start date
Bib Overalls
Well-known member
There are a couple of rules that I follow. The first is to use the amount of media that the cabinet manufacture recommends. More than that is not better. Second, don't add fresh media to old, used up powder. It seems to help at first but not for long. Take the time to swap out 100% of your media when it is no longer cutting like it should.
I use aluminum oxide and I change it out when it starts to turn powdery.
I use aluminum oxide and I change it out when it starts to turn powdery.
tcianci
Well-known member
What he said...Another good indicator is when there is more dust than usual in the cabinet during the blasting operation.
I try to go by the "powdery" concept.
Pathfinder
Well-known member
Make sure you use a good drywall dust filter on that shop vac or it won't last very long. Even better is to add a water trap filter before the shop vac.
John
John
Greatbear
Well-known member
I mostly use glass beads, I change media when it becomes powdery or contaminated.
jabberwoki
Well-known member
"Another good indicator is when there is more dust than usual in the cabinet during the blasting operation."
__________________
Thats it for me!
__________________
Thats it for me!
dodge610
Well-known member
I change after every 2 jobs or so usually by then its pretty well contamineted and wont do me much good.
rockchucker
Well-known member
More often than not!
Grab a handful and when it isn't grainy anymore then it is done. When it feels like Baby Powder it is toast.
Grab a handful and when it isn't grainy anymore then it is done. When it feels like Baby Powder it is toast.
zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I use crushed glass in my cabinet and can usually tell by the dust and how it is cutting the paint or rust that I am blasting. For the most part it seems about twice a year is what I end up changine mine.
On a side note, when I bought mine the literature said to put 50 lbs. at a time in the cabinet when changing the blasting media. I did that a few times but quickly found that it works out better to put only half a bag of media (25lbs.) at a time in. When I notice it needs to be changed I dump the old and add the other half of the bag. That is when I know it is time to buy another new bag of media so I always have some on hand.
Mike.
On a side note, when I bought mine the literature said to put 50 lbs. at a time in the cabinet when changing the blasting media. I did that a few times but quickly found that it works out better to put only half a bag of media (25lbs.) at a time in. When I notice it needs to be changed I dump the old and add the other half of the bag. That is when I know it is time to buy another new bag of media so I always have some on hand.
Mike.
bgott
Well-known member
It lasts about half as long as you think it should last. I finally changed out the grit in my spark plug sand blaster the other day. I had forgotten how well that thing works!
6768rogues
Banned
I try to avoid blasting heavily rusted parts. However, when the media is dusty and broken down, I toss in a rusty part that is waiting for its turn. That kills what is left of the media and I change it out.
I save the old media in a barrel and use it one more time outside in the pressure blaster for parts that will not fit in the cabinet.
I save the old media in a barrel and use it one more time outside in the pressure blaster for parts that will not fit in the cabinet.
All,
Thanks for the replies. I checked mine based on the powder theory and its time for a change. Seems like glass bead is the most universal choice so I'll go with that again. I do have a good dry wall dust type filter on the vac. I am going to work on plumbing in a water trap to help with dust.
Lou
Thanks for the replies. I checked mine based on the powder theory and its time for a change. Seems like glass bead is the most universal choice so I'll go with that again. I do have a good dry wall dust type filter on the vac. I am going to work on plumbing in a water trap to help with dust.
Lou
bgott
Well-known member
Forgot to ask, how do you dispose of the old glass bead?
The media itself is inert. You could spread it on the lawn and it won't hurt anything. If you are blasting newer stuff, or just rusty stuff you can spread it, too. If you are blasting old stuff with lead based paint you might want to bag the old media and send it to the dump.
tcianci
Well-known member
Like I said earlier, when it gets dusty in the cabinet, it’s time. I empty my cabinet into my pressure blaster for one last go-round as I would be using that machine outside on the grass or dirt
Be sure and look at the multi-hundred page thread that is a sticky at the top of the forum. You can spend days reading about blasting and all the different details you can optimize.
You should add a cyclone dust deputy before any vacuum. Otherwise your just killing the motor in your vacuum because of the very fine dust. I don't even need to change my VAC-40 HEPA filter anymore either! Very easy to dump the dust out of the 5 gallon bucket too.
.
.
.
You should add a cyclone dust deputy before any vacuum. Otherwise your just killing the motor in your vacuum because of the very fine dust. I don't even need to change my VAC-40 HEPA filter anymore either! Very easy to dump the dust out of the 5 gallon bucket too.
.
.
.
Kaizen
Well-known member
Read up on air pressure with glass beads. If yours is too high the first time they hit they are broken. I'm not experienced enough for that stuff so i stuck with alum oxideAll,
Thanks for the replies. I checked mine based on the powder theory and its time for a change. Seems like glass bead is the most universal choice so I'll go with that again. I do have a good dry wall dust type filter on the vac. I am going to work on plumbing in a water trap to help with dust.
Lou