Try Doing it with the Lights OFF!

[Major Ramifications]

Guys, this may be old news to some of you (if so, thanks for sharing), but I have always had trouble seeing what I was blasting inside my blast cabinet. The cabinet has a light, but as soon as the window gets a dusty film, my visibility goes to hell.
Well last night I noticed that I was getting some glare from the overhead lights in the garage (it is well-lit), so I turned them off. HOLY COW! I could see perfectly inside the cabinet, even though the window was badly dusted.

Thought I would pass this along for you guys.

 

[danski0224]

I do some of my best work in the dark

 

[Brad54]

Bead blasting with the room's light off is one of the best tips there is.

Another good one is to put the blast cabinet on 6x6 timbers to get it up higher. I'm 6'1", and always get a bad case of hunchback every time I use a blast cabinet. I don't have mine set up yet, but when I do, it'll be on 6-inch risers to put it at a more comfortable work height. I did this with my drill press, and it works wonders. For my hydraulic shop press, I replaced the cheep angle iron base with 2x4 box tubing stood on the tall side, and then added adjustable machine feet to the bottom to raise it 6 inches.

I hate hunching over of the shop! Any time you can raise your work height closer to eye level, it's a huge help.

Raise the blast cabinet, turn off the lights, and you'll be looking for an excuse to bead blast stuff.

-Brad

 

[cyamaha2007]

just tried it great tip thanks man

 

[Xenocide]

Aww I wish i had a blast cab now

 

[Displaced Hokie]

Sometimes I find I can see things with a flashlight better if I turn off the house lights. I.e., you are looking down in an engine compartment or behind something in the shop.

 

[iandh]

To take it up another notch, once I realized this at work a few years ago, I added an opaque curtain around the sandblast booth. It doubled as a light blocker, and sand containment device.

 

[Wildfire1]

That's a good tip. I've that for a long time. I usually replace the upper glass over the lights inside but when it starts to get etched I turn the room lights off as well.

 

[s_ontario]

Going to have to try that