Media blasting cabinet?

[Thumper68]

I have wanted a blast cabinet for awhile and have looked at a few used ones as well as the HF ones.

I just have not found one that I like at a price that I am willing to pay, so what a guy supposed to do.

Well build one of course, I have quite a bit of 1.5 inch angle laying around and some smaller stuff too, a few sheets of expanded metal and a source for some galv sheet metal.

I first had to decide what size I needed and after looing around the net at a few came up with a design that I like.

an hour with sketch up I have this.

 

[Thumper68]

oops wrong button.

Seeing as I don't have a break big enough, I will be making the frame out of angle and then attaching the sheet metal to the frame.

This will be a siphon style with a hopper. A shop vac as a dust collector and hopefully a foot peddle control for the gun.

I have made a foot peddle pneumatic valve for a friends air over hydro press a few years ago and I'm going to try and recreate it for this.

 

[phill u7c]

Hi there,
Let me tell you a bit about my blasting cabinet.
I brought a cheap cabinet new from eBay, at first everything was fine, i don’t use it every day, just for small projects now and again, so my first problem was when i wanted to change the glass i found that the frame holding it in was done with nuts and bolts. This meant that i had to lean in through the side door to get to them, no big deal, but irritating, i have since changed them for rivnuts. The second thing was that it blows dust and grit from just about every joint. Seam sealer has fixed this. The light inside was not bright enough so i have changed this to a full width LED strip and put it in a clear plastic pipe, and fixed it to the top of the cabinet. The lamp it came with was a 12 volt tube light that was not earthed, i guess when you are blasting there is a build up of static electricity, because every now and then i would get a jolt off one of the bolts holding the glass in. Not a nice thing for a nose to have to deal with i can tell you, so now i have made sure that the cabinet is earthed back to the plug, and have not eleratcuted a booger since!
Being that I’m in the UK the next big problem was wet air coming from my compressor, OK so i do live in the driest part of the UK but by most standards its still dam damp! The wet airs made the sand clump together and block the gun. So i fitted a good water/air separator next to the cabinet.
The next problem I’m working through is the dust control. Like you have said i wanted to couple up the shop vac to the sandblaster to keep the dust down, the problem i have is that the vac is too good. This means that when i switch it on the gloves are pulled into the machine and when i put my arms in its very hard to move them, when anybody is using the cabinet, they are known as the sandblasting zombie!!
I did think of putting a filter but am worried that it would just overheat the vac, so maybe i will add a rheostat so that i can turn the vac down.
The final thing is whatever size you think you need .......double it. I have seen some really nice cabinet on here GJ made from old oil storage tanks, and the like.
I hope that this will help in the building of your sandblaster, and when you have finished please post some pics.
Good luck

 

[Charles (in GA)]

TP Tools has plans for a wooden blast cabinet. They make very good blast guns and components so build the cabinet and buy the other parts from them. You could make the cabinet from metal using their plans also, with just a few changes.

Charles

 

[Thumper68]

Hi there,
Let me tell you a bit about my blasting cabinet.
I brought a cheap cabinet new from eBay, at first everything was fine, i don’t use it every day, just for small projects now and again, so my first problem was when i wanted to change the glass i found that the frame holding it in was done with nuts and bolts. This meant that i had to lean in through the side door to get to them, no big deal, but irritating, i have since changed them for rivnuts. The second thing was that it blows dust and grit from just about every joint. Seam sealer has fixed this. The light inside was not bright enough so i have changed this to a full width LED strip and put it in a clear plastic pipe, and fixed it to the top of the cabinet. The lamp it came with was a 12 volt tube light that was not earthed, i guess when you are blasting there is a build up of static electricity, because every now and then i would get a jolt off one of the bolts holding the glass in. Not a nice thing for a nose to have to deal with i can tell you, so now i have made sure that the cabinet is earthed back to the plug, and have not eleratcuted a booger since!
Being that I’m in the UK the next big problem was wet air coming from my compressor, OK so i do live in the driest part of the UK but by most standards its still dam damp! The wet airs made the sand clump together and block the gun. So i fitted a good water/air separator next to the cabinet.
The next problem I’m working through is the dust control. Like you have said i wanted to couple up the shop vac to the sandblaster to keep the dust down, the problem i have is that the vac is too good. This means that when i switch it on the gloves are pulled into the machine and when i put my arms in its very hard to move them, when anybody is using the cabinet, they are known as the sandblasting zombie!!
I did think of putting a filter but am worried that it would just overheat the vac, so maybe i will add a rheostat so that i can turn the vac down.
The final thing is whatever size you think you need .......double it. I have seen some really nice cabinet on here GJ made from old oil storage tanks, and the like.
I hope that this will help in the building of your sandblaster, and when you have finished please post some pics.
Good luck

Thanks for the tips!!

I am planning on using a old vac for the dust and pipe the exhust through the wall so I don't have to worry about the filter, but now I am thinking that I might have to reduce the air flow to limit the draw.

TP Tools has plans for a wooden blast cabinet. They make very good blast guns and components so build the cabinet and buy the other parts from them. You could make the cabinet from metal using their plans also, with just a few changes.

Charles

Yes I have been looking at the TP Tools guns and their protective film for the window.

 

[rsanter]

Yours has a shape similar to the one I bought

Tips

Get some lexan sheeting and use it for the top panel. Then get a 4ft florescent light and mount on top outside of the cabinet. You will have lots of light.

Also use a sheet of lexan for the front angled part which is your viewing window. I hate the small windows they normally use.
Then to prevent the lexan from getting blasted have a window screen made that will protect the lexan and mount it about 2" inside of the view window (lexan).

Conceder using a pressure feed system, much faster, much better.
Install a drain plug on the bottom of the hopper (piece of pipe and cap) to make it easy to drain the media to change it or you can drain and filter it or to drain and put back into a pressure tank for a pressure feed system later

Bob

 

[my58]

Look into an inexpensive cyclone used with a 5 gallon bucket to go between the blast cabinet and your vacuum (It will save the motor on the vac and contain the dust better)

Keep us posted on your progress, it looks like its going to be awesome!

 

[PDM]

took an off the shelf bench top type Harbour Freight/Princess Auto blaster...and just made up wooden legs on a frame, so that it became a floor model with wheels and casters to roll around. That way it can be rolled out when used , and moved for storage when not being used.

Didn't like the lighting, so cut out a section on the top, and just installed the cheapest halogen 300 watt light I could find. No more dark blasting.

Vacuum I use a small woodshop air collector (vacuums didn't have enough volume for what I liked, so found the dust collectors flow a lot more air to keep the blaster dust free. Air collector is also on wheels so it follows the sand blasting unit around.

Ended up changing the cheap supplied blasting guns too after going through a bunch of them, and ended up getting a higher quality unit that has replaceable nozzles and orifices.

Lastly, got tired of paying for useless, expensive plastic covers that don't work and get damaged too fast. Ended up looking into expensive shatter proof glass at first, then finally said screw it, and use standard cheap glass I can get for cheap from offcuts from the local glass shop that can cut down broken,but useable sections from glass they remove from previous jobs. Pay like $1/sheet and can throw them away weekly if doing enough bead blasting. Never had an issue with breaking or damage in 6 years.

 

[ZRX61]

Being that I’m in the UK the next big problem was wet air coming from my compressor, OK so i do live in the driest part of the UK

I lived there, it's a swamp.

 

[Thumper68]

Also use a sheet of lexan for the front angled part which is your viewing window. I hate the small windows they normally use.
Then to prevent the lexan from getting blasted have a window screen made that will protect the lexan and mount it about 2" inside of the view window (lexan).

Bob

I understand the idea of a screen but what would you make it out of? Window screen?

 

[rsanter]

I understand the idea of a screen but what would you make it out of? Window screen?

Regular old window screen. In fact I picked a used one up on trash collection day. Took it apart to trim it down to the size I needed and reinstalled the screen.
I built mine about 16 years ago and I am still on the same piece of lexan and same screen.
My cabinet has been handed around between several friends and has gotten a bunch of use. Been through a couple guns, a few hoses but same windows, screen and light

Oh, and mine is on wheels and has been stored outside with a tarp when it has been in my way

Bob

 

[pepi]

Regular old window screen. In fact I picked a used one up on trash collection day. Took it apart to trim it down to the size I needed and reinstalled the screen.
I built mine about 16 years ago and I am still on the same piece of lexan and same screen.
My cabinet has been handed around between several friends and has gotten a bunch of use. Been through a couple guns, a few hoses but same windows, screen and light

Oh, and mine is on wheels and has been stored outside with a tarp when it has been in my way

Bob

Two things first you will spend more building than just buying, second all that dust you want to shoot out the wall. Is your media, you want to catch and recover the media/dust.

Want to build it just because you can nothing wrong with that.


@phill u7c

I like the idea of the leds for the lighting, going to look into that.

 

[R6 Racer]

Thumper68 I would like to see the foot pedal set up you made for your buddies press. I am looking forward to seeing it set up for a blast cabinet.

I want to make up a couple & I'm lost for inspiration.

Details man! I need details!

Steve

 

[Thumper68]

Thumper68 I would like to see the foot pedal set up you made for your buddies press. I am looking forward to seeing it set up for a blast cabinet.

I want to make up a couple & I'm lost for inspiration.

Details man! I need details!

Steve

The one I cobbeled together for my buddy (his gun didn't have a switch) was just a few bits of steel a 1/2 inch ball valve and a spring, when you stepped down on it, it opened the valve and when released the spring would close it.

When I get around to building it I will post up pics.

 

[rsanter]

Two things first you will spend more building than just buying, second all that dust you want to shoot out the wall. Is your media, you want to catch and recover the media/dust.

Want to build it just because you can nothing wrong with that.


@phill u7c

I like the idea of the leds for the lighting, going to look into that.

I think you need to read my earlier post....
The window screen is to protect the window. Te rest of the cabinet is metal

Bob

 

[senlow]

Then to prevent the lexan from getting blasted have a window screen made that will protect the lexan and mount it about 2" inside of the view window (lexan).

Bob

Wow. That's an excellent idea. I never would have thought of that. I'll have to try that on my blaster.

 

[isaac338]

I tried the window screen idea and it didn't do a thing, blasted my window all to **** before long. Maybe it has to be aluminum screen?

My solution was to get an offcut roll of Duralar from Grafix plastics - it was under a hundred bucks for several hundred (thousand? can't remember) feet in an 18" wide roll. Enough for a metric *** ton of window shields.

 

[jimbbski]

I cover the inside of the view window with the shrink to fit plastic sheet sold to make temporary storm windows. You apply double faced tape to the edge and then a piece of the clear sheet. Then all you have to do it apply some heat. I have used a propane torch but now a hot air heat gun. It's cheap and will last for about an hour of blasting but it does depend on what media you are using. Glass or walnut shells aren't as hard as aluminum oxide.

 

[Thumper68]

Well I finally got a chance to get started on this thing. I just hope other chit quits breaking so I can keep going on it.

First up was to get one end frame cut and tacked together

Nice tight joints, I like doing it this way, it takes some extra time but it give more joint room to weld.


Once I had the first side completely welded I cheated and used that as a template for the 2nd side. For those of you who haven't used this technique before it's very simple.
Flip the first piece face down on the table or floor then clamp the pieces for the 2nd to the first and tack it together, some of the finish welding can be done before removing the clamps. Doing it this way you are assured that both sides will be mirror images.
Next up were the wheel brackets, I have a good supply of double swivel castors from about 20 display racks that I scrapped a few years ago. The bracket is easy to make a piece of 1" square with a 29/64ths hole, weld the tube in place and then insert the stem of the castor, I have held them in 2 different ways, if I know that I will need to remove them I cut a shallow groove and use a e-clip or a snap ring depending on access or as in this case I will just tack it in place.

 

[Thumper68]

Continued.

Next I had to connect the 2 sides, I went back and forth a few times trying to decide how wide I wanted the cabinet, In the end I decided that 48.5 inches outside would work well both for use and for the size of materials I had (2x4 foot sheets of 20ga free from a friend)





Once that was done I started on the hopper, I didn't have quite the materials that I wanted so I used some 3/4-3/4-1/8 angle I had laying around.

Next up was the sheet metal for the hopper, The 2 narrow ends went slick as snot, with the help of some cad (cardboard aided design)


Also in this pic you can see the hole in the hopper to let the media out when changing types.

Once again I used what I had on hand I bent up 2 pieces to work as slides/retainers with another piece as a trap door.



The 2 large sides were a bit more work as my break isn't large enough to do it in 1 piece so each of these had to be done as 2 pieces.


And the hopper all in place.



To be continued....

 

[Thumper68]

Last one for today..

Once I had the hopper in place using both screws and rivits I got started on the cabinet, Fairly straight forward, Cut drill rivet.







Originally I was going to clean up everything and paint it before assembly but after some thought I decided that I would put it all together and test it/use it for awhile before painting, to get any bugs worked out.

The EM is just a piece that I had.
Next weekend I will get the door, door seal, windows and gloves in place, and hopefully test it out.

 

[aggierailroad]

That looks pretty slick - let me know when you're ready to make me one

 

[Thumper68]

That looks pretty slick - let me know when you're ready to make me one

If you pay my normal rate + parts + shipping I'll have it done in 2 weeks....

 

[Thumper68]

Ok guys, It's been awhile since I have had a blast cabinet and the media has changed a lot, what media(s) should I get for general use, stripping paint and rust from steel, cleaning parts prior to painting etc...?

I'm planning on ordering the gun and syphon tube from TPtools or is there a better place to get them?

 

[Cobra6]

Are you going to build a finger trigger or foot pedal setup?

You might look at one of their kits with everything -
http://www.tptools.com/Master-Build-Your-Own-Cabinet-Kits.html

I was about to get 780 TL cabinet, but scored a TP Tools 960 Pro Skat Blast cabinet with the vacuum setup and a compressor for $600.
I hope I can get the air lines up next month.

 

[Thumper68]

Foot pedal at some point, I built one for a buddies cabinet a few years ago out of a 1/2 ball valve and some scrap.

For the moment, until I order the gun from TP I'm going to use a old gun I have had sitting around.

 

[LXCam]

I have to say something. Brutha, your greatest regret is going to be using this before you paint it. Don't do it, it'll be the worst PITA and it'll never be good. But good luck on your project.

 

[Thumper68]

I have to say something. Brutha, your greatest regret is going to be using this before you paint it. Don't do it, it'll be the worst PITA and it'll never be good. But good luck on your project.

I will be hitting it with a quick coat of primer to stop rust.

 

[akdiesel]

Thumper68

Great build. I will be watching this one for a future project.

 

[Thumper68]

Unfortionatly I won't be getting back on this project for at least 3 weeks, My wife Grandmother passed away Sunday night and we have to go to Sioux Falls for the funeral this coming weekend, and the following weekend my daughter has a Hockey turny and I have to run the clock (not that I would miss any of her games anyway).

 

[Darcythecat]

I built the T.I.P. wood blast cabinet about 15 years ago. 3/4 inch plywood and lined the inside with vinyl carpet runner that you can get anywhere. This prevents the media from eating through the wood. It's still one of my main tools and I use it a lot.
I did burn through several shop vacs before I bought a special one made for blasting cabinets, also from T.I.P. Not had another problem since.

 

[Thumper68]

Well swmbo rocks, she looked at me Friday morning and said "after the service and the gathering at my aunts house why don't you and the kids head home, no sense if all of you hanging here all weekend. So after driving the 7.5 hours on Thursday I turned around and headed home on Friday afternoon. Saturday morning I got up and headed out the the shop for the weekend.

Took a bit to get a few other things done once I arrived, but got a lot done on this.

Since I need a few more parts that I haven't picked up yet because I didn't know I was going to get a chance to work on it I did paint it.

Still needed:
Plex for the light
plastic for the glass protector





I found a great door latch, I had some old hard drives that I have been planning on stripping for scrap and when I noticed that I hadn't picked up latches yet, the light bulb went off, I pulled the magnets from them and used them to keep the door closed. If you are wondering how strong they are I have to use a strong grip on the door the other hand on the cabinet to pull it open.

so just about done, I think I should be done next Sunday and ready for it's first test.

 

[larry4406]

Nice job on the cabinet. Won't the door magnets attract small pieces of rust?

 

[Thumper68]

Nice job on the cabinet. Won't the door magnets attract small pieces of rust?

They might, I will just have to wait and see, if it becomes an issue I can add manual latches.

 

[Thumper68]

I forgot to mention that the green textured paint that I got at HD (found it in the clearance aisle, while looking for the .98 rivets, yes I bought all they had, both paint and rivets) is almost a prefect match for the Grizzly green finish on my table saw, jointer, spindle sander and wood lathe.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Before you start using it, I'd try to caulk all the seam on the inside that you can reach. That fine dust is going to get out of every little crevice it can.

 

[Thumper68]

Before you start using it, I'd try to caulk all the seam on the inside that you can reach. That fine dust is going to get out of every little crevice it can.

Yes I did most of them while putting it together. Still have a few to go but wanted to get it painted first. I used a combination of ribbon caulk and silicon seam sealer.
For the door gasket I will use a old trick.
a even bead of pure silicon covered by cling wrap and then close the door softly, don't let it slam or shut hard, then open the door and peal the cling wrap off and let the silicon cure, gives you a custom "soft" gasket that fits perfectly and works around any obstructions like the magnets. I will use the same trick to seal the plex for the light.

 

[phill u7c]

I've added this sand catcher to the door of my sand blaster, because I don't like that "sand dropping on to the floor when you open the door feature" of my cabinet. and because I'm terribly **** I've powder coated it the same colour. It just hangs over the edge of the cabinet and is sandwiched between the 2 foam seals.

 

[Thumper68]

I put a kicker panel on the inside of the door that should keep any media away from the door seam.

 

[Thumper68]

Almost finished, Had a bit of time yesterday and today.

First up was getting the gloves installed, the rings I cut last weekend fit perfectly the only trick was keeping the glove in place while Iinstalled the retaining rings and the bolts, if I ever have to replace the gloves I will install nutserts instead of using loose nuts.

Next up was the plex to cover the light, quick work on the table saw, I cut 3 so as they turn opac <sp> I can slip a new one in place with little down time.

I ran a bead of silicon around the opening and then set the plex, pushed it down and then set the light in place, threw about 10 lbs on top and let it sit

Next was installing the window, pretty straight forward, wrap with window film, left overs from the windows in the house, then set in place and install the removable pieces, once everything was screwed in I pressesd the foam weather seal in place.

The last thing I could do this weekend was installing the outlet and switch, also straight forward except you need to remember to cut the end of the toggle off so it will fit in the cover.