Cheap sandblasters on fleabay?

Modena · #1 (**permalink**) 10-24-2011, 08:48 PM

There are a number of cheap sandblasters on ebay, under $200, has anyone had any experience with these things? I'm not wanting or needing to do hundreds of parts, probably only use it half a dozen time but it will pay for itself easy at those prices.

Are they any good, or useless rubbish?

Ben

Racer_X · #2 (**permalink**) 10-24-2011, 09:32 PM

I don't know about the ones on fleabay, but I bought one of the harbor fright ones second hand from someone that had added caster wheels to the legs. It's OK, the panels leak like crazy. I need to take it down and use RTV at all the joints. The gloves are very thin, and if you hold any parts to blast them well, the gloves will wear quickly. The tear away sheets are useless. I just go to my local hardware store every once in a while and buy a couple new pieces of lens glass. OK for the usage, but if you can get better, I say go for it!

stiffy · #3 (**permalink**) 10-24-2011, 09:53 PM

Mando,

I purchased one from Hare & Forbes ( $370 and $450 for the vacuum assembly ) I was told to use Glass beads for auto work. It wa sthe wrong call, I changed to Garnet and things take 1/4 of the time.

I am still contemplating getting a bigger one as you use it ALL the time, it such fun........... just need a good capacity compressor to keep up.

STIFFY

Zedn · #4 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 01:19 AM

Not sure which type you mean, but i have used the really cheap hand held one that you put a tube in a bucket and also the ones that have a tank for the abrasive.

As Stiffy said Garnet is you friend. I bought a bag ages ago and have reused it about 20 times.

I used the hand held gun with the bucket to do fairly large parts just by folding up a sheet of clear plasting and taping around the edges with duct tape. You can then just use it as a giant cabinet. I just wear welding gloves and a welding mask with a clear lens.

Definately worth getting if you are prepping parts. I have done all my suspension parts like this including the entire jag front subframe. Just prime and paint after or POR 15.

boxhead · #5 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 06:17 AM

I have one of these guys, I am yet to use it (as I want to put it in a different spot) no garnet added yet to save the weight.

DAVID GAGNARD · #6 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 07:51 AM

This is what I did about 10 years ago.....

Build-Your-Own Cabinet - Trigger-Operated System - TP Tools & Equipment

Bought the basic $99.00 kit, back then,probably about 50 bucks......One and a half sheets of plywood,built my own cabinet,it's 4 feet wide X 2 feet deep X about 30 inches tall..took me an afternoon to build it with help from a buddy....I probably spent no more than 100 bucks all total, but I did have the blower and some other items around the shop before hand......I made the front section where the lense is,hinged,so I load from the front, I use plexiglass for the lense,works fine.....I have two regular 60 watt light bulbs inside and a small squirrel cage blower mount on the outside to draw the air/dust out,all wired in to one 120volt switch........works like a charm,very inexpensive.....
Also,depending on what your blasting, I use regular sandblasting sand, I find beads do not cut enough when things are rusty and way too slow...

I used their basic plans, just made the cabinet larger for my use....Once you have one, you'll wish it was bigger, and you'll use it all the time....I'd bet I use mine on average once a week, it's just too easy to go in the shop, turn on the air compressor, flip a switch and be blasting/cleaning up anything in less than 5 minutes......

David

scaffold · #7 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 08:11 AM

I have the cabinet blaster as well as the type where you put the tube in a bag of abrasive. Obviously you can't put a large piece in the cabinet whereas you can blast anything with the remote gun. Both work pretty well if you have a large enough compressor

Zedn · #8 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVID GAGNARD

This is what I did about 10 years ago.....

Build-Your-Own Cabinet - Trigger-Operated System - TP Tools & Equipment

Bought the basic $99.00 kit, back then,probably about 50 bucks......One and a half sheets of plywood,built my own cabinet,it's 4 feet wide X 2 feet deep X about 30 inches tall..took me an afternoon to build it with help from a buddy....I probably spent no more than 100 bucks all total, but I did have the blower and some other items around the shop before hand......I made the front section where the lense is,hinged,so I load from the front, I use plexiglass for the lense,works fine.....I have two regular 60 watt light bulbs inside and a small squirrel cage blower mount on the outside to draw the air/dust out,all wired in to one 120volt switch........works like a charm,very inexpensive.....
Also,depending on what your blasting, I use regular sandblasting sand, I find beads do not cut enough when things are rusty and way too slow...

I used their basic plans, just made the cabinet larger for my use....Once you have one, you'll wish it was bigger, and you'll use it all the time....I'd bet I use mine on average once a week, it's just too easy to go in the shop, turn on the air compressor, flip a switch and be blasting/cleaning up anything in less than 5 minutes......

David

Be careful using sand. It is banned in Australia because of the silica. Beads, garnet, nut shells etc are used here.

DAVID GAGNARD · #9 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Be careful using sand. It is banned in Australia because of the silica. Beads, garnet, nut shells etc are used here.

Actually, almost impossible to get here now, I just go to any hardware store and buy a bag of masonary sand, basically the same thing....I have also gone to the local river when I was out of sand and needed some on a weekend when the hardware stores were closed and shoveled a #3 tub full of "river/beach sand", I made a box out of 1" by 6" board, about 24 inches square, with no top, then cut a hole in the bottom a little smaller than the top of a standard 5 gallon plastic bucket,cover with screen door screen, set the box on the top of the bucket and poor the sand in it to filter out the small rocks/gravel and debris, shake the box a little and in no time you will have all the sand you need.........FREE

David

DAVID GAGNARD · #10 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 02:56 PM

I just checked and the filter is 14 inches square with an 8 inch hole in the middle.........
Going to try to attach pictures of the home made cabinet and filter.....

David

Gav · #11 (**permalink**) 10-25-2011, 03:21 PM

I have one of the named blast cabinets too, I found that the garnet was a pain as the gun was clogging all the time.
Hoe ever the glass beads are great, I have used it for lots of small alloy and steel parts but no greasy suspension bits.

Zedn · #12 (**permalink**) 10-26-2011, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gav

I have one of the named blast cabinets too, I found that the garnet was a pain as the gun was clogging all the time.
Hoe ever the glass beads are great, I have used it for lots of small alloy and steel parts but no greasy suspension bits.

Yeah, i have found that you need a good water trap and to pull it all apart for a clean every 20mins or so.

David, With the sand, i have used it like that too. Problem is moisture but putting an oxy on it and shoveling around in a wheel barrow dries it out. Doesnt make it safe though. Wear a mask.

DAVID GAGNARD · #13 (**permalink**) 10-26-2011, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zedn

Yeah, i have found that you need a good water trap and to pull it all apart for a clean every 20mins or so.

David, With the sand, i have used it like that too. Problem is moisture but putting an oxy on it and shoveling around in a wheel barrow dries it out. Doesnt make it safe though. Wear a mask.

I do wear a mask.....I started out using beads,but most of the things I blast are heavier metal items with a lot of rust on them and beads just take too long and in a lot of cases will not cut thru the heavy rust, sand is just easier and faster...
For smaller,"delicate" items, I use the beads.....

David

Aussie Mike · #14 (**permalink**) 10-26-2011, 11:51 AM

I bought one from Radum for about $250 and it's been good. They have a showroom where you can check them out and are not a dodgy eBay seller and you will get some backup on your purchase.

Radum Pty Ltd

I welded up a frame for the legs on mine to lift it up a bit. It's made for someone shorter than me. I also added some castors to make it easy to move around. Probably cost me another $100 in materials.

Cheers

Sal Gerace · #15 (**permalink**) 10-26-2011, 02:00 PM

I went with TP tools to keep it american mde. You ca go to habor frieght for half the price, made in china. Be sure to use a water trap on your air line so that you do not clog your media as stated in other posts. I also use mu shop vac to clear the air inside the cabinet. A provition is on the side of the blast cabinet for it, you just need to attach the hose from the vac and duct tape it or purchase an adapter. They do use a high volume of air so make sure your compressor is lage enough. At least a sixty gallon compressor, anything smaller and it will run constantly and may not provide a steady pressure.

Aussie Mike · #16 (**permalink**) 10-26-2011, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sal Gerace

I went with TP tools to keep it american mde. You ca go to habor frieght for half the price, made in china. Be sure to use a water trap on your air line so that you do not clog your media as stated in other posts. I also use mu shop vac to clear the air inside the cabinet. A provition is on the side of the blast cabinet for it, you just need to attach the hose from the vac and duct tape it or purchase an adapter. They do use a high volume of air so make sure your compressor is lage enough. At least a sixty gallon compressor, anything smaller and it will run constantly and may not provide a steady pressure.

My compressor is only 12 CFM but it works OK. You need to regularly give it a rest to let the pressure build up. I want a bigger compressor.

As Gav mentioned the biggest issue with the cabinets using Garnet is moisture build up. The Garnet dust turns into mud inside the nozzle and blocks it up. You have unscrew it every now and again to clean it out. Garnet strips much better but glass beads flow better. I'm looking at building a water trap setup on the inlet to the air to try and keep the moisture out.

Cheers

ng8264723 · #17 (**permalink**) 10-27-2011, 09:10 AM

The best cabinet ia made by zero blast. They come with a turbine that sifts the dust from the good beads. They are quite fast don't leak. There is really no comparison. ZLook and wait until one come for sale. You won't regret it.
ZERO BLAST - BLAST CABINET & DUST COLLECTOR / SINGLE PAHSE | eBay

The above unit is a little smaller than mine. I waited and founr mine for $500 at an auction. It is so quite you can talk while blasyting. You can blast for hours. They do need a real compressor. Mine is a saylor beal 10hp with a 120 gallon tank
chris