Sand Blasting

gary,

lets see what equipment your using ?

ron

Basic HF blaster I have been using for some time. I remove the valve on the end and just use a "quick disconnect" fitting. I go through about 5 fittings a day before they wear out on the side. I buy them by the handfuls at HF.

I wear a full paint suit and cowboy boots to keep sand out of my shoes. I wear respirator, and hood. Hood has replaceable glass but scuffs so fast it was hardly worth it. I changed to goggles under the hood. HF has 3 pack for about $3 which makes them disposable.

I also wear ear plugs. Helps keep sand out of my ears. I cut my hair before blasting (buzz job) as it makes it easier to get the sand out of my hair. And I shower in the shop because there is no way in hell my wife would let me in.

Air compressor is stand up single stage but a bit anemic. I get a bout 4 minutes of descent blast pressure before I need to re-charge. Compressor doesn't get much of a break. I have a fan on it.

I also run a HF line drier; air conditioner. Before that I used to have water trouble. The line drier solved my water problems.

More then you wanted to know? How about yours Ron?

Look at the dents in the valve cover on first photo. While waiting for the compressor to charge I hammer and dolly the dents. There were a lot of dents and was crunched pretty good on one side. The 4th photo down was how it came out.

GARY,

I;m still contenplating buying one but here is the closest I have come ... these guys are nearby so shipping not a lot I really have no place to do the blasting is my real problem ? Nice work ...maybe I will ship my car to you ?? LOL

Thank you for contacting us. With the compressor you have you will be able to blast using a 1/8" nozzle. The KF110DM Portable Pressure Blast System is supplied with (2) 1/8" nozzles and a 10 foot blast hose. I would suggest using Medium CrushedGlass Grit as a good alternative. The KF110DM is priced at $766.26. We can offer Medium Crushed Glass Grit for $0.75 per pound (5 x 50 pound bags). These prices do not include
shipping.Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to place an order.

Steven Schneider Sales Manager
Kramer Industries, Inc.

quote:

Hood has replaceable glass but scuffs so fast it was hardly worth it. I changed to goggles under the hood. HF has 3 pack for about $3 which makes them disposable.

Hey Gary, my hood has a fine mesh screen in front of the glass. It's fine enough that it deflects a lot of sand impact and vastly extends visor life yet you can still see through it fine. I did the same to my blast cabinet window.

Kelly

Hmm, mine has the screen but I didn't have much luck with it. I found it really hard to see.

Ron if you are looking at this little blaster I can tell you,,,,you got your work cut out for you. I blasted my entire body with it but keep in mind it was already soda blasted. The paint was already gone. It just needed a little more to get rid of some residual rust and condition the metal. THAT took ALL sumer of last year with this little thing.

Also, the concern that one should be using glass instead of sand. That will hold true for a more powerful blaster but sand won't hurt the body with this little blaster.

I prefer play sand as it is generally uniform. I ran out and used some other sand I had in bags but had to filter it to get some of the larger chunks out. The main thing is the sand must be dry. My wife picked up some sand but it was wet. I spread it out to dry while I was blasting and was able to use it latter in the day.

Also, I blast on concrete next to gravel. I sweep up and re-use; some. After a couple times through it is not as sharp so I constantly add to the mix. The remaining is put in the back of the rock pile to shore up the embankment.

FWIW, I have a 100 lb Craftsman gravity feed sandblaster (plastic tank/box on wheels type) and I set up a catch basin in the back corner of my yard when I had to blast a number of smaller parts (axle housing, misc bracketry, valve covers, air cleaner, etc).

I placed a couple of saw horses in the corner near the fence, put a 5 gal bucket between them, then stapled a sheet of heavy plastic up to the fence on both sides and ran it over the saw horses and into the bucket. I think I had a milk carton crate (or something similar) between the saw horses where I could set objects during blasting. Anyway, most of the sand was caught by the plastic surround and dropped back to the bucket and I was able to recycle it through the blaster several times. It also saved making a huge mess in the backyard.

Sorry, I don't have a picture, but here's a quick sketch. The red lines/arrows in the sketch below represent the plastic I put up. I set the axle housing on the plastic between the saw horses. For smaller parts, I set a milk carton crate between the saw horses and set parts on it to be blasted.

Cool!

Well I have to show my mess! Found this cabinet and my oven at a used equipment dealer. My compressor is the only new thing I bought. My cabinet is 24x30x60, and it only cost me $200.


ACCOBRA

quote:

I;m still contenplating buying one but here is the closest I have come ... these guys are nearby so shipping not a lot I really have no place to do the blasting is my real problem ? Nice work ...maybe I will ship my car to you ?? LOL

Do you have a GRAINGER near you?? Thats where I get my media and they have 80# bags of coal slag for about $24 a bag, I plan on trying Aluminum Oxide media next go round, the price is around $30 for a 50# tub.

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by JeffS:
My cabinet is 24x30x60, and it only cost me $200.
Jeff

Bastard!

Just kidding, that's a heck of a deal!

Hey Gary Just shop away. This place is like going on a six state junkyard tour! All in a 15 acre building.
Jeff

http://www.hgrindustrialsurplus.com/index.aspx

All I know is my barn is not big enough!

JUst wait until you get one of those broken glass crystals under your hand sand or on your buff pad.... Keep all that blasting as far away from your shop as you can! I tried to set up a special area... I have a blast arm in glove ... 180 cfm is real cutting power... Dust ruins final paint... Keep away.... Jeff, Gary lokinn' good Ron...you can turn it upside down and still find beads! Lov ya! Bill

quote:

Originally posted by lastpushbutton:
... Dust ruins final paint...

Just part of the job. I am a big fan of blasting. Glass blasted my MG during restoration. Sand in channels was similar to primmer dust from sanding. Cleaning it is just part of the job. A backup to that is a good tape job before spraying:







Better Photo:

http://www.rc-tech.net/MGB/gal/d1.jpg

I agree but some how I feel blasting the car makes it complete .. restoring a car with new paint and not blasting it ..is kinda like dressing up and putting makeup on a 90 year old women ... underneath ... well you know what I mean ? LOL I;m blasting her and that just makes it complete.

Ron

I have to do one or two a week! I'm gonna' keep following your cars....keep posting.. Ron, Comp2 Belive me ......I know what it takes...Bill

ITS TOOMUCH LABOR....thats why i got out of that business ... LOL if you had to charge for it ..the car would be so far past its value it wouldnt be funny.

Ron

quote:

Originally posted by lastpushbutton:
Belive me ......I know what it takes...Bill

I know you do. An Ron, so true. I am glad I am not in it for the money. The local sand blaster and powder coater (who doesn't touch cars) hires a new blaster every couple weeks. No one wants to "work" for a living any more. I guess I don't blame them if they don't have to.

Yes I really like the way it preps the metal which makes it great for undercoat adhesion:

So lets talk about the equipent for a moment. What baffles me is ...the equipment varys so much in price. What size tanks aree you using and what could be the differences... I was think of just buying the cheapest tank and then ..like Gary did us the quick disconnect and then the blasting set up is done...the co I checked locally wanted 800 total for a tank and hose..bla bla bla... I;m going to do it my self ...just complaining a bit .
Ron

With how I struggle with my little set up, I too would like to see some better setups.