I thought I was so clever to wash the wet sand out of my sandblaster the other day. But yesterday when I tried to use it I got globs of wet sand splattering on the work, then it quit working even that much, blowing nothing but air. So today I tore into it for a thorough emptying and cleaning.
First I welded a pair of nuts on the funnel so I could turn it off with a long bar. I needed to remove it to replace the worn out rubber plug you see here.
I had always assumed that the sand just went down the sloping bottom of the tank into the exit pipe. But I found this "screen" extends up into the tank.
With the pipe and screen removed I washed out a lot of sandy rust chunks, or rusty sand chunks, that had piled up around the screen. When I thought I had washed out all the sand the other day the tank really still had sand up to the top of the screen.
I guess the lesson in all this is that the sandblaster requires some maintenance every twenty years or so.
so, you'll be storing it upside down now?
This reminds me of air tanks .... bleed the air out often, or you'll end up with a rusted tank, as well.
Steve...
Can you list all the youtube videos (that are related to the model t) you've done ?
Michael
Harbor Fright sells an automatic water bleeder for air tanks for under $10. I think it works...
http://www.youtube.com/user/aqfarn?feature=CBQQwRs%3D
Here is the list of Steve's youtube videos
Do not trust "auto drains". If you read any info that came with your compressor or any air tank it will say to drain the air tank of water DAILY. This is not done just to give you something to do. I have heard of guys killed where an air tank exploded from rusting out from the inside.
OK, here are all the ones about Model T's or having a T in them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFYufrn2dqk&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=1 &feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvScAIvNmos&feature=autoplay&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgC PJXbFCA6w&playnext=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKZ7WrfHdf8&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=4 &feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOOYQOtV70E&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=5 &feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSLn4KeT3do&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=6 &feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ3nkPm87X0&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=7 &feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnOZ2MZt5FY&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=8 &feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21k8N9rR0GU&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=9 &feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfxWPsF4KhQ&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=1 3&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6Mewzu8g0I&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=1 5&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViD_b2j5BbU&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=2 3&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9_jB-jCrHQ&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=2 4&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTiStUTU9IE&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=2 8&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHZCpzrsdEA&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=2 9&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_lkFGQToIw&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=3 1&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zapAGUvBu1w&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=3 2&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCWnmPrxKo0&list=UUFVx528ORtpDgCPJXbFCA6w&index=3 3&feature=plcp
And here's the page with everything, T and non-T.
http://www.youtube.com/user/aqfarn?feature=mhee
Not sure if the automatic will work for you Steve. At least the one's I'm familiar with, (air brake vehicles), operate on a sudden drop in tank pressure. Like hitting the brakes. The drop upsets the diaphragm in the drain unit for a second and let's out a shot of air/moisture. If the unit is exposed to the sand, that is if sand can get into the drain unit it'll clog in an instant anyway and they must be at the absolute bottom of the tank to work at all.
That's correct. It's not for use at the bottom of a blaster. I see two things that will avoid wet sand in the blaster. One is to blow out all the sand when you finish a job. The other is built in. When the unit isn't in use, the filler at the top is open to allow evaporated moisture to escape.