Sand Blasting . . .

[IRQVET]

So I've owned the Black Bull gravity fed sand blaster for about 5 years. It works "okay" but recently it's been really unimpressive. Getting more air out the gun then abrasive. Then I "jiggle the handle" and it works again as intended. I've kicked around the idea of a blasting cabinet, as this thing makes a MESS. But I also kinda like the fact I can blast bigger objects outside that cannot fit inside your typical cabinet.

Any input would be appreciated.

Curious to see what others are using. . .

 

[PCustoms]

So I've owned the Black Bull gravity fed sand blaster for about 5 years. It works "okay" but recently it's been really unimpressive. Getting more air out the gun then abrasive. Then I "jiggle the handle" and it works again as intended. I've kicked around the idea of a blasting cabinet, as this thing makes a MESS. But I also kinda like the fact I can blast bigger objects outside that cannot fit inside your typical cabinet.

Any input would be appreciated.

Curious to see what others are using. . .

Thread 'The Abrasive Blasting Resource Thread' https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/the-abrasive-blasting-resource-thread.237844/

I suspect if it worked ok and now it doesn't you have something worn, perhaps the nozzle or siphon tube?

 

[Ing3018]

Curious to see what others are using.

I have a small pressure pot. I have used coal slag (Black Blast) that I always run through a screen before filling. The screen openings are about 1/3 the nozzle size.

 

[MileHighRover]

If you have a need to blast larger parts, your setup is the way to go. Otherwise, smaller parts that fit in a blasting cabinet make the cabinet a much more enjoyable experience. It's also so much easier and faster to blast a small part since everything is set up and ready to go.

I do agree with PCustoms that there must be something wrong with the machine. It may be something as simple as screening the material. I've always did that before loading the machine and never had a feed issue.

For me I started with a pressure pot blaster from HF. It worked great for larger parts from the vehicle I was restoring. Once I blasted all the larger parts I had no need for it. I bought a blasting cabinet off Craigslist and have used that ever since. Just a couple months ago I sold the blaster from HF as I hadn't used it in about 8 years. Figured if I'd gone that long without using it, I didn't need it.

 

[Steve_P]

I have two of the ancient orange plastic one-piece smaller HF blast cabinets; one with glass beads, one with aluminum oxide. They're big enough for >95% of typical car parts, lightweight.... no idea when they stopped making them, but it's been years; I guess the tooling wore out. I also have the small HF pressure pot blaster (looks like it's their 110 lb); even with the smallest nozzle, it uses a LOT of air, like 2X as much as a siphon feed blast cabinet gun does with a slightly larger ID nozzle.

You need dry air and may need to screen your sand if you're having clogging issues.

 

[IRQVET]

So I'll unpack my setup. As discussed, I'm using the Black Bull gravity fed blaster. That is connected to my air compressor with an air/water separator mounted on the wall as the air exits my compressor. As more media- I've always used play sand. Generally I have to put the sand into several pots and put those in the oven. Reason I do this is to remove any moisture. I do not screen, never have- not oppose to it. Just an additional step I've never done.

Historically I've always blasted things in the front yard, usually Jeep parts or old tools I'm restoring. This was today's project, but I'll admit- it didn't go as soothly as it has in the past. Gun kept junking up . . . I suspect moisture was still getting into the gun?

Don't claim to be an expert when it comes to sand blasting. These were kinda difficult to blast, lots of nooks and crannies, very strong original paint. Soaked these in citrus paint stripper, wire wheeled where I could, blasted the areas my wire wheel couldn't reach. Ran out of sand toward the end, so the saga continues another day.

 

[WildBill]

I have one of these, its amazing. Almost no dust when using it. Amazing for cars and larger stuff but works fine on smaller items as well. Takes a ton of air though.

Uni-ram UR007 Blast-Vac Unit, Hd | ToolDiscounter

UR007 Blast-Vac Unit, Hd. Shop Portable Sandblaster from Uni-ram at ToolDiscounter

www.tooldiscounter.com

 

[IRQVET]

I have one of these, its amazing. Almost no dust when using it. Amazing for cars and larger stuff but works fine on smaller items as well. Takes a ton of air though.

Uni-ram UR007 Blast-Vac Unit, Hd | ToolDiscounter

UR007 Blast-Vac Unit, Hd. Shop Portable Sandblaster from Uni-ram at ToolDiscounter

www.tooldiscounter.com

Too rich for my blood, but thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Steve_P]

So I'll unpack my setup. As discussed, I'm using the Black Bull gravity fed blaster. That is connected to my air compressor with an air/water separator mounted on the wall as the air exits my compressor. As more media- I've always used play sand. Generally I have to put the sand into several pots and put those in the oven. Reason I do this is to remove any moisture. I do not screen, never have- not oppose to it. Just an additional step I've never done.

Your water separator needs to be as far away from the compressor as possible to give the air some time to cool down so that the water vapor (the air is HOT) has time to cool so that it can be "separated" out.

The air from my compressor goes up to close to the ceiling, over to the wall, down the wall 20+ feet with one "dead leg" mid-way, drops down to another dead leg at a 90* turn, comes back 20+ feet towards the compressor, another dead leg at a 90* turn, goes up and over to the water separator, and then into either the hose reel for general use, or I valve that last section off and send it to another set of filters to feed a separate quick connect that I use for painting or blasting. It's all copper tubing.

If you're using play sand, you NEED to screen it. Blasting sand is cheap....

 

[IRQVET]

Your water separator needs to be as far away from the compressor as possible to give the air some time to cool down so that the water vapor (the air is HOT) has time to cool so that it can and can be "separated" out.

The air from my compressor goes up to close to the ceiling, over to the wall, down the wall 20+ feet with one "dead leg" mid-way, drops down to another dead leg at a 90* turn, comes back 20+ feet towards the compressor, another dead leg at a 90* turn, goes up and over to the water separator, and then into either the hose reel for general use, or I valve that last section off and send it to another set of filters to feed a separate quick connect that I use for painting or blasting. It's all copper tubing.

If you're using play sand, you NEED to screen it. Blasting sand is cheap....

Great feedback, thank you.

Need to adjust my set up, as mine is right at the compressor.

 

[Steve_P]

Here is an old pic of the grand finale. >90% of my water gets trapped in the dead legs before the filters. It's 3/4 copper until just before the filters shown.

The RH vertical line goes up the wall, then back towards the compressor, and then down to a hose, to connect to the hose reel which is mounted on a weldment that's bolted to the compressor.

I had a water leak outside where the main supply enters the house, so that's what the sheetrock disaster is all about.

 

[308guru]

Siphon blast pots always seem to frustrate and work inconsistently. If you're working on larger parts, how about getting a pressurized blast pot? They work a lot better and a lot faster.

If you're cleaning parts like the vise jaws shown, you could use a small blast cabinet. At least you could recycle your media and it's easy to give it a kick, shake, or nudge when the siphon isn't working.

With your current setup, do you ever try blocking the nozzle to redirect air back through the media pickup? That will often clear a clog or get the media flowing again.

 

[JradM]

Just because no one else mentioned it, I'll be "that guy" who points out that play sand is dangerous because the silica can cause lung problems. You ought to be wearing a respirator anyway, but still - dangerous.

 

[daytonworktrucks]

As someone who has only used a blast cabinet, I am very curious as to what it would be like to shoot the sand outside into the open air. Do you go through a lot of sand? I imagine none of it can be reused as it can be with a cabinet.

 

[Steve_P]

As someone who has only used a blast cabinet, I am very curious as to what it would be like to shoot the sand outside into the open air. Do you go through a lot of sand? I imagine none of it can be reused as it can be with a cabinet.

I'm in a subdivision so I have to do pressure blasting on my concrete driveway. I put down a giant tarp, then raise up the edges a few feet with sawhorses, 5 gallon buckets, small children.... to create a "basin" to work in to trap most of the sand- and I do. It's a PITA to set up and take down. Yes, I reuse the sand a few times and run it thru a screen just in case. This is more trouble than it's worth if you're on a farm, have a gravel driveway.... and don't need to use a tarp. I'm going to need to clean it up anyway, and reusing it makes less to dispose of. It does make a reasonable amount of dust, so it's not something you'd want to do if your neighbor lives twenty feet away.

Best advice I can give is to find someone and pay them for occasional large parts if you have them. I had a place that engraved tombstones that did my pressure blasting, but they stopped doing it for the public, and I couldn't find anyone else locally- so I had to DIY.