OT: Best sand blasting setup

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: OT: Best sand blasting setup
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sean Gregory on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 09:54 pm:

I am going to purchase some abrasive blasting gear soon and was wondering if anyone had any advice on good but relatively cheap units. I plan on buying used from craigslist, I will be using black diamond coal slag, and I only have a 1.5hp compressor. I was thinking of going with one of the pressurized harbor freight tanks, they seem to be cheap and common. I don't mind if it takes a while, I have plenty of time, I just want something that'll actually clean up a rusty chassis. I also thought about looking for a bigger compressor and just buying a gun and doing the siphon feed route, but the pressurized tank seems more practical since I already own a compressor. Thanks in advance,

-Sean


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 10:02 pm:

A compressor that is the size of a small car is just about right for doing it at home.

To get an idea of how quickly the air pressure drops off try running the compressor with the water drain plug removed from the bottom of the tank.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Bender Tulsa Oklahoma on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 10:14 pm:

The compressor you have if truly 1.5 hp at 1700 rpm or so will net you a little over 6 cubic foot of air at 100 psi. Good enough to blow up tires and spray paint with a properly match air cap. Not near enough air volume for blasting. Yes it could be done but oh so slow.

I have 35 cubic foot and sometimes I think it is to slow, size of the holding tank means nothing when blasting, you can only use the air it produces. Best advise is to find a big air compressor and then go buy a bigger one than that. Aaron's sizing is about right. Air ain't free


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Cole ---- Earth on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 11:17 pm:

My big 60 gallon Q-5 Quincy runs allmost constant useing the smallest pressure pot from Harbor frieght.I may not have had it set just right but it sure did blast the crap out of 2 garden tracter wheels.Just bought the setup about 2 months ago.Works,but your compresor will never cut the mustard.Not meaning to be rude or harsh,just shareing experiance.Coal slag works but is exspensive to blow thru 1 time on a job.Works good in a cabinet.
Another thing,it is a messy job.If you use sand,Dust will be on everything.My Cadi sits on the carport 200 feet or more away UP hill from where I blasted and it had a light coating of dust.You can watch it travel for a long ways in either direction the wind blows


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 11:20 pm:

Start haunting farm auctions and estate sales and buy a real compressor for pennies on the dollar. It should be 5 hp or better. New is OK, but big is better. Big and cheap is best.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Floyd Voie - Chehalis, Washington on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 11:32 pm:

Sean, I agree with all the compressor sizing statements above but most important if you are going to do any out of cabinet blasting is wearing a proper respirator!
Your lungs will thank you!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 11:43 pm:

That's a tough call. You say you want to use Black Diamond but it'll need to be powder fine to get it through the tip you'll need. 1.5hp just isn't made for blasting. What is it? About 5cfm? That won't get the job done as you expect. You can count on about one square foot per hour at that rate. Maybe less if there's a lot of rust and pitting. Or you'll just be skipping over the areas that need it the most.

No matter how much time you have on your hands, basting at that rate isn't going to be fun or productive. Big jobs need big tools. Save the money and put it toward a bigger compressor first. If you can't justify that, farm the job out.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Nathan Bright on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 11:55 pm:

also, have a good moisture reducing system.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael grady on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 01:40 am:

Sean....one of the 'tank' blasters out there is the Texas Blaster. I have one and am pretty happy with it.

Take a peek at this link...it is their so called 'blast school'. It give some pretty good info on sand blasting. I think, after reading it, you will find that your compressor just will not do the job.

https://www.texasblaster.com/index.php?blockitemid=30


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 01:40 am:

Find a place that does powder coating and ask them if they will just do the sandblasting.
Some places that do a lot of powder coating will do just sand blast jobs to keep their workers busy.
I found a powder coater in Oakland that does sand blasting so reasonable, and on time, that I could never think of doing it myself.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dale L Myers on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 07:53 am:

You could rent one of the portable air compressors ("the size of a small car") like contractors use for cleaning one chassis. The rental place should also have everything else you need.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Verne Shirk on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 08:14 am:

It's nice to have a blaster available! The compressor size and moisture removal system (unless you live in a very dry climate) is key in it being "nice". Currently using a 7 HP on a Grainger siphon type cabinet blaster. The blaster is worthless. The 7 HP compressor runs all the time. I've been working a a Model A Ford Gordon-Smith air compressor. I figure it will be somewhere around 15 HP or so (scfm is tied to compressor size). It may be a lot of messing around to get this antique system to work but it is fun to play with! As far as blasters go, get a pressure type (not siphon). They are much more efficient. Don't know if they are still in business but SCAT-Blast would be a good one. Someone used to sell a "99-er". Something that holds about one bag is just about right. I have a ceramic tip and haven't changed it yet...blasted quite a bit. I've become very proficient in blasting including sheet metal, wood wheels, Model T coils, etc...ALL the stuff that people say can't be done! One last thought, a cabinet blaster with a pressure pot on the bottom of the hopper is neat. I've used the heck out of one of those. You have to look around a bit for them. They are usually "professional" type blasters.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Wolf on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 09:52 am:

When I need a lot of stuff blasted, I go to the rental place and rent a compressor and blaster for the weekend. Pick it up after 4:00PM on Friday and have it back by 9:00AM on Monday. That way, you are not pressured to get the job done. You can go at your own pace.They usually have the sand(right kind) there, or they tell you what kind works in that blaster.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Adam Doleshal on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 10:17 am:

Two years ago I bought a new 5 hp 175 psi 80 gallon upright Quincy compressor and it is just about the right size for running a "cheap" pressure pot sandblaster without waiting for the compressor to come up to air. My old compressor was a 60 gallon upright single stage 125 psi and it wouldn't keep up. I could do about 5-7 minutes of blasting and then a 7-10 minute break to come back up to air. Two hours of sand blasting took just about all day.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Stan Howe Helena, Montana on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 11:29 am:

I fooled around with little compressors for several years, finally went to an auction where they had a bunch of military surplus stuff. Bought a new old stock gas engine compressor with a 60 gallon tank for $300. I put it on a trailer and I have used it countless hours. It is 17.5 CFM at 150 lbs and it is hard to run it even down on pressure let alone out of air. I've probably had it 20 years. Several years ago I bought a Clemco 412 sandblast pot to replace the old TIP one I had. I've never gotten around to setting it up to use, I don't do much blasting anymore but I used this one to blast a couple trailers, several little Ford tractors, dozens of Ruckstell housings and etc. I make no attempt to save the sand, I have this set up at my little ranch and if the day is right for blasting I have a good breeze out of the southwest that pretty much blows the sand away anyway. I can blast for well over an hour on a bag of sand and figure my time is worth more than saving it on a tarp, screening it and fooling around with it.

The secret to good sandblasting is AIR!! Air is cheaper than sand and most people that I have seen try to blow far too much sand out that nozzle. If you can just barely see the sand stream coming out of the nozzle it is just about right or maybe a little too much. If you are putting out a bunch of sand you are blasting the sand instead of the rust. Lots of air, lots of pressure and a little bit of sand will do the best job. I don't usually run a dryer on the air because it is so dry here but if you are someplace with humidity, buy a dryer and use it.

Do NOT breath the dust and don't trust those little white dust masks. They are not protection enough. Buy a supplied air system or make one. Mine is a Hobby Air, runs on 110 volt, I run an inverter off a battery which runs the fan motor and pushes clean air through a 50 foot hose to a face mask.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By jeff cordes on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 01:45 pm:

I use an 80 cfm lindsay compressor powered by a 35 hp 4 cylinder wisconsin, its just big enough to keep up with my needs. And I use a 5/32 tip on a large pot type blaster. Oh and a huge moisture filter is a must even on dry days.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 03:25 pm:

I have a 2HP compressor and a small Craftsman sand blaster. Its great for small parts & does a good job. Worthwhile having.

It take a long time to do a wheel rim, but a chassis ?.......I don't have that much time left! ;o)

Cheers
schuh


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 03:35 pm:

Well, my compressor is bigger than your compressor. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Paul Mikeska, Denver CO on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 11:57 pm:

A long time ago I used a 2 HP compressor and a small Craftsman sand blaster to do a T frame. It took all darn day and I was pushing sunset when I finished it. The compressor smelled sort of funny when I shut it down!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Garrison on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 12:20 am:

Darn it Sean, I wish you lived close, I'd give you a compressor. I've got what use to be an old gas motor driven compressor with a close to 80 gallon tank and a large what I think is a 2 stage compressor motor on it. I bought it at an auction and it's taking up important room in my shop and I gotta get it out. If you wanted to put a 5 HP single phase 110 volt motor or bigger on it you'd have a butt kickin' compressor. So come and get it whenever you want. Oh, call ahead so I'll be here when you come.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Sean Gregory on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 02:24 am:

Well I appreciate the offer, but I don't suspect i'll be in the midwest any time soon! Thanks for the tips everyone, I am really thinking about my options right now. One thing is that I already bought 3 bags of black diamond when I was out of town since tractor supply was on my way and there isnt one around here. Just thought i'd stock up since it was so cheap...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ex trooper on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 02:38 pm:

AND its a FORD! troop

http://greenbay.craigslist.org/tls/3422013159.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By David A. Siver on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 03:27 pm:

When I bought my firetruck the guy also gave me an extra motor someone had used as an air compressor. He would turn the motor over a couple of times a year so it is not stuck and has been stored inside for the last 20 years. I looked the motor up and it is a 1924 engine. Anyone have any idea what kind of pressure and volume one would get out of it?

David.


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