lighting for sand blast cabinet

[BTL-A4]

I bought a HF sand blast cabinet on CL and it really needs lights. I was thinking of using these LED strip lights that adhere with tape.

This is another option. A rigid aluminum track with LED lights. I need to check if I could join them together with just one power supply, though.


Anybody got a better idea? I want them as bright as possible and easy to install without taking up much room inside the cabinet. They need to plug in to a regular outlet as well.

 

[rsanter]

I made my own cabinet and the whole top is a piece of lexan with a 4' fluorescent mounted on top (outside)
Kicks a ton of light

 

[American Locomotive]

I did LED strip lights in a HF cabinet. 3 across the top of the window, one row on each remaining side of the window. It's nice that it eliminates shadows, but it's not as bright as I hoped and the soft silicone or whatever they're coated needs constant cleaning. I would probably go a different route if I had to do it again.

BTW, if your cabinet still has the stick-on protective film on the window - get rid of it and replace it with a piece of glass. There are a bunch of articles on it. The film is worthless and gets hopelessly cloudy within minutes

 

[BTL-A4]

I thought i might put the LED strip lights in a clear tube to protect them. Thoughts?

Seems like i could use any light but I`m worried about the dust getting in and shorting something out.

Interesting about the glass. I might try that. It's really hard to see in the cabinet.

 

[William Payne]

The brighter the better. You have two problems with a sandblast cabinet one being the lighting needs to be good as often it *****. Secondly is the issue of being able to see through the viewing window as it will get etched and be very hard to see through.

 

[nadogail]

Be prepared to frequently replace your viewing window and the shield for the lights.

 

[Kaizen]

Whatever you use will be trashed in short order. Any glass covering will become not clear fast. Plastic will not work inside.
YouTube it. Think most use outdoor glass fixtures or bulbs. Not sure they make those heavy screw in bulbs anymore


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[misterfixit]

I will be refurbing a used cabinet in the near future. I have often thought of painting the inside white to help with lighting. Seems the common red color inside ***** in light and makes it seem dark.

 

[BTL-A4]

I will be refurbing a used cabinet in the near future. I have often thought of painting the inside white to help with lighting. Seems the common red color inside ***** in light and makes it seem dark.

That is a GREAT idea! I think I will be painting the inside bright white. Thanks!

 

[BTL-A4]

They make lighting kits that have a big ol' light, but it takes up too much room in the cabinet.

I've seen strip lights mounted to the viewing window on the outside. I might try that, since it's easy and relatively cheap and I can see if it actually works.

Another option I saw is to have some sort of light inside 4 tubes connected at the corners by blocks. The blocks are held on by magnets. I think the tubes are sealed where they enter the blocks.

I don't think having clear or frosted glass matters; as long as there's a lot of light I'm fine. I'm just wondering how the dust affects the lights

 

[Jazz1]

Whatever you use will be trashed in short order. Any glass covering will become not clear fast. Plastic will not work inside.
YouTube it. Think most use outdoor glass fixtures or bulbs. Not sure they make those heavy screw in bulbs anymore


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My homemade sandblast cabinet has a glass outdoor porch fixture with incandescent bulb. Cabinet I made from filing cabinet.

 

[Kaizen]

My homemade sandblast cabinet has a glass outdoor porch fixture with incandescent bulb. Cabinet I made from filing cabinet.

That’s a good idea as the top takes most of the direct impacts.
I was talking the screw in spotlight bulbs that have thick glass. Not sure they are making those anymore


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[lis2323]

I just stuck a halogen flood in each end of the cabinet.




Sucking out the dust helps a lot too.


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[rburke65]

I have the same set up as the above picture

 

[BTL-A4]

I got some LED lights at HF since I was there for some of the magnetic hooks. They were significantly cheaper than Home Depot. I was at HD a week or so ago and could swear I saw strip LED's for about $20, but all they had was $50 and up.
Anyway, I got some clear pipe and made some blocks and threaded the LED lights into them. It could be brighter, I think, but the concept is sound. I could not find out how bright in Lumens the HF LED's are, but they are interior lights for under cabinets, so they might be more decorative than functional. They came with a remote and change colors.
I've attached some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

 

[csp]

I just stuck a halogen flood in each end of the cabinet.

Same here but in the rear corners. The switch turns on the lights and powers the outlet that the vacuum is plugged into.

 

[BTL-A4]

Here's a few pictures of the finished cabinet. I haven't tested it yet, though.
If I were to do this again, I'd get LED rope lights (about $10 for an 8' set at HD). Thanks for all your suggestions.

 

[atch]

I just upgraded the lighting in my red blast cabinet. I bought the cabinet used so I don't know what brand it is. It may or may not be HF or Tractor Supply or something else, but they're all just about alike.

I had one of those 4 bulb over the mirror bathroom light fixtures that sweetie had me replace. I attached it to the underside of the top of the cabinet. I had to have a switch for the light so I used a power strip with the new light and shop vac plugged into it. Now just hit the ON switch and the light and vac both come on. I can actually see what I'm doing in there. Before I had to turn out the overhead lights and still could barely see what I was doing. The first pic is looking down through the window. The second pic shows the brush I keep there to brush off the dust that statically clings to the outside of the window. The third pic shows the power strip mentioned above. The fourth pic shows the inside of the cabinet. In pic 1 and 4 you can see the magnetic parts trays I keep on the back wall. It's amazing how many ferrous metal particles wind up stuck to them. Also in the 4th pic you can see the shop vac hose hanging down almost to the screen. I have found this to be much more effective than plugged in up at the factory hole in the cabinet back.

The bulbs are "daylight" LEDs of the highest wattage I could find. I suppose that if I pointed the media spray directly at the bulbs that I could break one. I make mistakes like everyone but it would take total idiocy to point at a bulb.

Oh, yeah; I didn't have to buy anything to do this. Everything I used were parts I had hoarded over the years, including the bulbs. So total cost out of picket was $0.00.

 

[RegalX]

I picked up these, wired in using a different box and switch.

Amazon.com

 

[FredWanaker]

I just hang a $5 trouble light in there. when it dies after 10 years I buy another one.

 

[nadogail]

The few blast cabinets I have used had the lights mounted in boxes on the exterior of the cabinets. There were glass windows separating the light boxes from the interior of the cabinets.

If the Boss caught you pointing the blast gun at the windows it would cost you your job.

 

[Showkey]

Blast cabinets have replacable glass protection film. Some are precut to common window sizes.

Been down this road many time with internal lights. Changed to a portable LED light on the outside glass. Tight against the glass there’s not reflection.

If you have a well lit shop it helps to darken the shop slightly when blasting so the cabinet is brighter.

The light life is directly related to type of media, pressure, the shape and size of the parts and time used. Example……Rims in a smaller cabinet will eat the light and glass protection film

 

[FredWanaker]

I just replace the glass once a year or so. We used to put duct tape on the one in the shop, then when it got bad pull a couple strips of tape off, get bad again, pull a couple more strips off.

 

[blairjw]

I will be refurbing a used cabinet in the near future. I have often thought of painting the inside white to help with lighting. Seems the common red color inside ***** in light and makes it seem dark.

Terrific observation and idea!