Author Topic: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade  (Read 4687 times)

Offline Graham Meek

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #15 on: March 10, 2019, 11:55:05 AM »
Here's one I made sometime back, cost less than £15 / $20. Most of the items came from the workshop, and the DIY bits held in my stores. For my occasional usage, and the small work I do it suits my needs. A big plus is it does not take up any bench space and is stored away beneath the bench when hot in use. Being portable it can be used outside so dust in the workshop does not become a problem.

Regards
Gray,

ChuckKey

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #16 on: March 10, 2019, 04:55:19 PM »
My current plan is the unit will be used sat on my workmate with the blasting media housed in a bucket under the cabinet with the gun suction hose poked through the hole in the bottom of the cabinet into it.

I have one that looks almost identical. The blasting media sits in the trough at the bottom of the cabinet.

I think I don't have enough of the stuff, as I am constantly shifting media, or the end of the suction tube, to try and get them to be in the same place.

Offline Bluechip

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #17 on: March 10, 2019, 05:15:12 PM »
I seem to remember with mine that the pick-up tube should not be buried deeply in the media ...  :headscratch:  needs to pick up air to entrain the grit / whatever.

Another gotcha which usually occurred after I had not used it for a week or so was it's reluctance to deal with damp media.  ( I think that was just glass bead though  :thinking:  :old:  ... it was some 45 years ago ...  :facepalm2:  )

So, a moisture separator is essential ... and empty the thing regularly ..

Dave



Offline Jo

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #18 on: March 10, 2019, 07:43:11 PM »
Thanks Dave,

Yes I need to enable an air flow to the bottom of the siphon tube or it will restrict the amount of sand it can pick up. The sand is going in an air tight bin which should help keep it dry and I am plumbing in a decent moisture trap on the new compressor hose..... but am still waiting for the tail to do the final connection  :disappointed:

Jo
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Offline Jasonb

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #19 on: March 10, 2019, 08:05:22 PM »
but am still waiting for the tail to do the final connection  :disappointed:

Cut one of that elephant :LittleDevil:

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #20 on: March 10, 2019, 11:07:32 PM »
Hello Jo

I don't know if this will be of use but I've had an identical cabinet for quite some time now - the inside light packed up quite quickly (still not replaced) and I've never coupled up a vacuum to it but I've never had any issues with using it :) - for what I do

One thing I would point out though was that before I got mine I used to use a friends purpose built one - he used to have a small piece of carpet laid inside to lay the components on. I followed suit with a small piece of doormat laid on top of the inner open mesh layer. Shortly after this I began to experience a 'diminishing of effect' of the bead and it took a while to realise that the carpet was also being blasted and the fibres were contaminating the bead, building up unseen and preventing the suction pick up in the bottom of the cabinet.

Once realised I easily resolved this - so I thought - by using a kitchen sieve to filter out the fibres from the bead. This did not solve the problem however and it was only after I stripped the gun head completely - along with it's pick up tube - that I found all the internals completely clogged with fibres ::) Despite a high-ish pressure (140 psi) and volume output from the compressor that was still sufficient to prevent the bead from flowing adequately for bead blasting.

Once cleared I also reversed the mat to present the rubberised underneath to the bead and though much slower in resisting the  effect above as I did these latest engines I have found that the same thing was beginning to occur but this time with rubber fragments.

Just something that you might want to note but overall I do not use anything to improve the basic use - I don't find any problems with the small items I require it for, indeed for the relatively small outlay it has been a brilliant addition to the workshop

Regards - Tug

« Last Edit: March 10, 2019, 11:11:39 PM by Ramon »
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Offline Jo

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #21 on: March 11, 2019, 08:36:09 AM »
Thanks Tug, we probably will be using it for the same sort of thing  ;)

I was thinking about what I could put bits on to blast them. Some of my castings are rather small and I wouldn't want to loose them  :o

Edit: I might have found a suitable casting container for holding bits while blasting  :noidea: I also have some much finer stainless mesh but I suspect the grains will catch in there.

Jo
« Last Edit: March 11, 2019, 08:44:47 AM by Jo »
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #22 on: March 11, 2019, 09:27:03 AM »
Hi Jo - if it's glass bead you are using then that sieve will be fine - it looks to be the same mesh as I used to filter out all the fibres.

Not so sure if you intend using grit though - I've only ever used the glass bead in mine

Regards - Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline petertha

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #23 on: March 11, 2019, 06:40:19 PM »
Graham, what a great idea re purposing the plastic container for the chamber! Dumb question - what am I looking at here on the business end of the sand blaster. The trigger nozzle looks like my shop air blaster. Is the metal thingy on the inside a siphon draw for the abrasive medium? Is this a commercial thing or something you adapted?

Offline Graham Meek

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #24 on: March 12, 2019, 11:50:13 AM »
Hi Peter,

The steel piece on the end of a standard air-duster/blaster is indeed the siphon which is homemade. The plastic feed tube is pushed into the steel piece such that the air-duster/blaster nozzle is blowing over the end of the tube. Any wear that takes place is easily remedied by cutting a slice off the tube. My tube was 6 mm diameter and I found the tapered end of my hand reamer gave a very good press fit in the steel piece. The eccentric portion of the siphon is to allow a longer "fit" for the 6 mm tube.

I built this unit to match my existing compressor, most commercial units need a higher flow rate. This set-up does all I ask of it.

I hope this helps,
Regards
Gray,


Online Vixen

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #25 on: March 12, 2019, 12:11:47 PM »
Hello Gray

Thats a tidy and convenient sized blast cabinet for doing out kind of small work. Looks good, well done. :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

Do you have a sketch of the siphon bit? I cannot quite visualise your description.

What do you consider to be the better blast media and where do you recommend to buy it from?

Thanks in advance

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline Bluechip

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #26 on: March 12, 2019, 12:34:36 PM »
Hello Gray

Thats a tidy and convenient sized blast cabinet for doing out kind of small work. Looks good, well done. :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

Do you have a sketch of the siphon bit? I cannot quite visualise your description.

What do you consider to be the better blast media and where do you recommend to buy it from?

Thanks in advance

Mike



www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&id=9487627C206FA7DBE03BD44AD5A4A7161E133543&thid=OIP.A2qv-RNz_SkDjzUg8vO1hAHaDV&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.guyson.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F01%2Fsuction_and_pressure.jpg&exph=273&expw=605&q=guyson+blaster+nozzle&selectedindex=66&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&eim=0,1


Gorblimey .... wot a link ...  :headscratch:

The L/H one ( 400 ) is the gun that was fitted to mine .. Not too good a piccy unfortunately. Air up blue pipe, steel cone acts as a venturi and creates partial vacuum which sucks up air and media up t'other tube. Steel cone wears away eventually, especially with aggressive abrasive. Not so much with glass bead ..

Dave

Offline Graham Meek

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #27 on: March 12, 2019, 04:07:24 PM »
Hello Gray

Thats a tidy and convenient sized blast cabinet for doing out kind of small work. Looks good, well done. :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

Do you have a sketch of the siphon bit? I cannot quite visualise your description.

What do you consider to be the better blast media and where do you recommend to buy it from?

Thanks in advance

Mike

Hello Mike,

I have an article prepared that is with the UK publishers. This gives all the details of the nozzle design and the spherical bearing for mounting the air-duster/blaster. As regards when this will be published I cannot say.

The media I use is "Suafine Shot, Sand Blasting Expendable Abrasive Grit". It has a grain size of approximately 0.2 - 0.7 mm, and despite it being called "Sand", it isn't. I bought my 25 Kg bag from the internet back in 2015, the media in the cabinet at the moment is still the first filling. I doubt I shall ever get to use it all.

Regards
Gray,

Online Vixen

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #28 on: March 12, 2019, 04:18:09 PM »
Thanks,

I will look out for your article

Mike
It is the journey that matters, not the destination

Sometimes, it can be a long and winding road

Offline awemawson

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Re: Cheapo sandblaster upgrade
« Reply #29 on: March 17, 2019, 05:52:29 PM »
The problem that I have with mine, which is a full size commercial Guyson one, is the glass misting up as I breath on it - never solved this problem in the ten years that I've had it ! I suppose a heater pad would maybe do it?
Andrew Mawson, East Sussex, United Kingdom.

 

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