Sandblast cabinet gun replacement
- Thread starter Orca
- Start date
txvwnut
Well-known member
TP Tools & Equipment
TP Tools: tools and equipment, parts and supplies for automotive restoration and auto body repair
JABgj
Well-known member
Before you buy another gun, make sure the pickup tube is clear with no holes and your media is dry and with no lumps or debris
Yes Already did that. Pulled everything apart to check for clogs or leaks. Media nice and dry. Used the blaster a week ago and worked O.K. Just surprised me today that it just stopped sucking up the media. I see all the guns now do not have the ceramic nozzles sticking out of the guns but stop at end of gun. New technology? See identical gun bodies but none with the nozzle sticking out.
OccupantRJ
Well-known member
finn
Well-known member
I have a couple of guns, including the generic deadman gun you describe.
i like my Shatblast gum from TIP tools vest.
If your gun just stopped working though, it’s clogged with oversized media or a chunk of rust.
your nozzle could be worn excessively, but I’d think that would just reduce velocity.
i like my Shatblast gum from TIP tools vest.
If your gun just stopped working though, it’s clogged with oversized media or a chunk of rust.
your nozzle could be worn excessively, but I’d think that would just reduce velocity.
JABgj
Well-known member
If you don't mind me asking, what kind of pick up tube is being used? Is it metal or plastic/rubber? What media and size are you using?
Hi, I made a straight metal iron pipe tube pick up and welded another tube staggered for air next to it. Found this on line. Worked great. It originally had a vee type conduit pipe with a hole in the bottom of the tee. Blaster did not work well. I bought media from an on line source. Will get paperwork on it tomorrow. Looking on line see there is a procedure to tune the gun for maximum pick up of media. Will attempt to try and tune the gun tomorrow to see what vacuum I achieve. I believe I used a company out in the western United States several years ago. They supplied the gun and medium. Was working well until today. Have 80 PSI air pressure input. Running a two cylinder 5 H.P. 100 gallon air compressor for air supply. Thanks for the reply.
JABgj
Well-known member
Sounds like you are on the right track. The idea with the pick up tube is to mix air at the entrance of the tube so the media won't plug the tube and lose suction. Is your rig adjustable there?
You may be able to adjust the "jet" front to back a bit to tune the suction a bit as well.
On some guns you can ad a piece of vinyl tubing over the jet tube to reduce wear.
You may be able to adjust the "jet" front to back a bit to tune the suction a bit as well.
On some guns you can ad a piece of vinyl tubing over the jet tube to reduce wear.
American Locomotive
Well-known member
The guns do wear out. We just put a Skat-Blast gun with carbide nozzle from TP Tools on our cabinet, and it's amazing how much better it works than the HF gun. Huge improvement.
Your gun doesn't look like a HF gun though. Looks like @OccupantRJ found the consumables your gun takes. You might just need to rebuild it. The internals do wear.
Your gun doesn't look like a HF gun though. Looks like @OccupantRJ found the consumables your gun takes. You might just need to rebuild it. The internals do wear.
JABgj
Well-known member
If you do a lot of blasting, the carbide nozzles do wear longer. The sad truth about sandblasting, part of the cost, is what
wears or consumed inside the cabinet. Everything can be worn or affected, just a matter of time. Windows, seals, grates, lights and fixtures etc.
wears or consumed inside the cabinet. Everything can be worn or affected, just a matter of time. Windows, seals, grates, lights and fixtures etc.
X2, if the cabinet isn't physically sucking up the media it's clogged somewhere. Have you removed the media hose from the gun, put the nozzle into the hose and gave it a blast, it should clear out a blockage.
Hi, All the above has been done .No clogs. Number on Air nozzle is #7. Nozzle inside diameter is 3/16 inch. I measured the vacuum on the gun at 80 PSI. As follows
1, Air nozzle all the way in with lock nut in place 10 inches of vacuum.
2, Air nozzle out 1 turn with lock nut in place 6 inches of vacuum.
3, Lock nut removed and nozzle all the way in bottomed out 10 inches of vacuum.
So I found on line a tutorial where they tune the nozzle for maximum vacuum. 16 inches of vacuum considered sweet spot. So I am low in vacuum. Could be worn parts or gun just not that great.
As far as grit Stanios Industrial company Black grit 20/40 Medium abrasive
I will call around and see what a few vendors have for me and report back.
1, Air nozzle all the way in with lock nut in place 10 inches of vacuum.
2, Air nozzle out 1 turn with lock nut in place 6 inches of vacuum.
3, Lock nut removed and nozzle all the way in bottomed out 10 inches of vacuum.
So I found on line a tutorial where they tune the nozzle for maximum vacuum. 16 inches of vacuum considered sweet spot. So I am low in vacuum. Could be worn parts or gun just not that great.
As far as grit Stanios Industrial company Black grit 20/40 Medium abrasive
I will call around and see what a few vendors have for me and report back.
JABgj
Well-known member
Are you using a foot valve for control? If so, make sure it is not a restriction when open, limiting your available flow. The valve needs to flow better than the nozzle to keep up.
MileHighRover
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2018
- Messages
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This is the gun my Snap-on cabinet uses. Not sure if the newest cabinets still use it, but it's a nice gun. Uses a carbide nozzle.
https://americanhawkindustrialproducts.com/product/3-16-assembly-101-gun/
https://americanhawkindustrialproducts.com/product/3-16-assembly-101-gun/
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Hi, yes foot valve works as designed feeding air pressure. Will verify it tomorrow to be sure it is working properly. Have a gauge on the inlet side of cabinet and it stays quite steady when pedal is pushed. Dips a bit but shows steady flow. And will check out the snap on gun. thanks for your input.
OccupantRJ
Well-known member
My bet is you will not like using a trigger style gun. I hate the bastards.
dadz34
Member
Since you're in the process of evaluating new guns, here's an idea to consider. I also agree that trigger guns can be a pain to operate for extended periods of time. My cabinet is made by ICM and the trigger is a push switch which is located on the left arm hole. This allows the operator to simply bump the switch with their arm and leaves the two hands free to simply aim the open "Y" fitting at the end of the hoses. You could also incorporate a foot pedal switch to accomplish the same goal of leaving your hands free from trigger fatigue. Just an idea to consider.
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Hi, yes my gun looks like the IDS company pirate gun 1667-830 3/16 air nozzle #7 branded on it but I have the long ceramic nozzle extending out from the gun. Has this type of nozzle been discontinued? Cannot find it anywhere. if memory serves me correct I bought this from Tacoma in Idaho. Their tech set me up with it. Been using it for about 3-4 years now. Not many hours of use on it. Maybe 10-20 hours max. Do not see it in their line up.
Hi, Just looked up Tacoma company in Idaho. This is where I purchased my gun from. Their web site shows the ceramic nozzle I have on line shown as spare ceramic nozzle but their guns do not look the same ? If I remember they set me up with a gun for upgrading Harbor freight sand blast cabinets but mine is the Econoline blast cabinet. Calling their number I get their number is suspended. Have they gone out of business?
I've been to TP Tools, and a decent in state road trip to buy a new cabinet dust vacuum. Small parts I would probably just order from them as they are in state.
I also have an Econoline blast cabinet, I picked up used.
I also have an Econoline blast cabinet, I picked up used.
OccupantRJ
Well-known member
@Orca, If you have the gun tuning link, could you post it so others can read up on it? I have also posted the link for this thread in the Abrasive Blasting Resource Thread.
If you go to Blast it All, they do a video on tuning the gun for optimal efficiency. Also found another site where they try different nozzle combinations to optimize also. I will try to post a link to them. This is not my forte but will try. Thanks.
Called Blast-it-All today and spoke with their tech. dept. Spoke with John there. We went over the cabinet I have, all the checks I made and compressor data and media I am using. He thought 10 inches of vacuum on the gun should pull the media up but thinks internal parts are worn. Explained my current gun was from Tacoma but could not reach them for help. He went to their site and saw the gun I have and their ceramic nozzle sticking out of the gun which is unique to Tacoma as nobody else uses that style. Said that nozzle could be used for hard to get areas. He sells a extension to their guns if needed. He suggested a #3 suction gun with the tungsten nozzle. I purchased one and will be shipped soon. To see how they evaluate siphon guns type in Blast-it-All sandblaster gun tuning video in the search box. This explains their method of tuning the guns. They test every gun before they are shipped out for optimal performance. Will post when the new gun comes in and report back, Thanks.
Hi, got a chance to hook up the new Blast-it-All sandblaster gun. Checked the vacuum reading that pulls to **** up the media. 15 inches of steady vacuum. When I purchased the new gun the rep. John said each unit is adjusted for max vacuum. The old unit I got from Tacoma about 4 years ago would only pull 10 inches. I tried adjusting the air nozzle to get maximum vacuum but 10 inches was the max. Assume the internal parts are worn. I tried reaching Tacoma but as many said here I could not reach them to get new parts so I purchased a Blast-it All unit. Very satisfied. So I am out of the woods on this project. Wanted to report back my results. Thanks to the forum and great input. Appreciate it.