Your Best Sandblasting Tips and Advice

[RanchMan]

dourobob -

As Frans stated in point #6 - sandblasting is VERY dangerous to your health. Yes, people die from the diseases that can be caused from inhaling free silica. Used to be very common in the old days in mining gold before H20 was added to the drills. Basically that dust you see (or don't see) is a virtual poison cloud. Long term/low level exposure can kill you, but so can a couple of weeks of high level exposure. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The first point is that even though sand (like the stuff you see at the beach) is the most common media used for sandblasting in the U.S., it is the most dangerous and nobody should use it. (That's why bags of sand you see at Lowe’s and such say "Do not use for sandblasting.")

Others on TBN may claim I'm being "chicken little" and retort by saying "Heck, I've used the stuff for years and I ain't got no problems." So be it - I'm not going to get in to an argument with anyone in this area because if someone says there isn't any health risk with sand, or it’s minor, well, they are playing Russian roulette with their health (and potentially yours.)

Anyway, instead of droning on, check out these links and consider using a different media than sand if you decide to sandblast. I'm not saying don't sandblast, I'm just saying be dern careful because you are playing with fire here. (Good luck finding an inexpensive NIOSH approved respirator! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)

Silicosis link 1

CDC on Silicosis

CDC Link 2

 

[em14]

Mike offers some very good advice in his post ... One thing that you need to understand is the relationship of the total process ..that is ... make sure you match the blast media with the items you will be cleaning and ... the preservation materials you will use on the the cleaned parts ... Rust will occur quickly if you aren't careful ... Sand is OK for heavy steel, castiron etc. but know that it is very hard to get out of the hidden spots in frames and so forth ... The media, such as sand, will also etch the material which is both good and bad... Paint sticks great ... but ... surface no longer smooth ... watch the presure you use ... keep the gun moving ... most everthing else has been said ...Good Luck and have fun ...
Leo

 

[fractal]

Just a few notes from a complete and total rookie in the field who finally finished his first project that involved sand blasting..

1 - you can NOT have enough cfm. The 1.5 hp compressor I started with did not even try. The 30 gallon "5hp" single stage compressor I currently use is good for 25% duty cycle with its 6 cfm rating. I would suggest that you should consider something in the 10+ cfm rating if you are like me and uses brute force to make up for experience.

2 - silicosis is a real health threat. There have been reports of cancerous lesions from casual use of sand blasting in enclosed locations. You can probably (WARNING, IANAL and IANAD so do your own research) stay under exposure limits with conventional partical respirators when working outside. I sure hope so since that is how I did it. Sand blasting inside without a presurized regulator or a blasting booth seems like a good way to die young.

3 - pressure pot blasters work a HECK of a lot better than suction feed blasters. I know, I bought both trying to complete a simple project.

4 - did I mention that CFM rule? I got a noticable imrovement when I switched from 50 ft of common variety 3/8 air hose to 50 ft of (omg, I paid too much) 1/2 air hose. My pressure tank now has 3/8 quick fits for 1/2 hose instead of the standard 1/4 quick fits for 3/8 air hose. There is some drop in pressure where the 1/4 inch quick connect plug mates up with the compressor which requires compensation but the overall improved volume of air is worth it.

5 - I hear that there are some very nice blasting materials and they are excelent for working in a blasting cabinet. Far better than common silica sand that breaks down after 1-3 passes through the blaster. I used silica sand and wound up going through 2 x 100 pound bags on one simple 2ft x 3ft garden table.

6 - you can't have enough protection and sand WILL get everywhere, in your hair, in your ears, down your back... It gets everywhere. My most pleasant experience was by wearing a painters sock, then the respirator and safety goggles, then the blasting hood. This managed to keep most of the sand out of the head area, but I still managed to get a rash certain places I can't mention in public from sand abrasions before I got to the shower.

As for techniques ... They told me that practice makes perfect. I sure practiced a lot on that project and don't think I got anywhere near perfect. Good luck with your project and stay safe.

 

[djradz]

Great Advice. Now I'm wondering, has anyone tried a sandblasting attachement for a pressure washer. You convert the last half of the wand to a suction wand that has about a 10 ft hose and a tube at the end of it that you put in a hopper or bucket of sand. You get the huge benefit of the thousands of pounds of pressure and it goes on wet so there's less blowing of sand around. Bought one from Northern Tool, but have yet to try it. A buddy bought one and loves it.

 

[bellweather]

lots of good advice here. when restoring cars, walnut shells are considered the best medium for "sand" blasting sheetmetal. also, keep in mind when painting, that primer is not an effective rust inhibitor. primed parts will rust. as someone already stated here, you must treat the bare metal parts with specific rust inhibiting chemicals. having read all of this, are you sure you want/need the expense, health risk, and bother of it all. perhaps worth investigating the cost of having the parts derusted/repainted by a professional?

 

[mrcaptainbob]

Black Beauty is the absolute way to go if you're workin' relatively heavy gauge that won't get reshaped by the blast. It cleans much faster the first go-round than sand, and, as Franz points out, is good to go a second use. Plenty of cfm at sustained pressure is an absolute, and the pressure system is ideal. I left some brackets bolted together when doing some blasting prior to painting. A few weeks ago I had to remove one of the brackets. I was surprised to find the grit in the blind bolt hole! I now (should have) take all items apart and finish them individually so as to make sure that all grit is accounted for as much as possible.

 

[OkieG]

djradz,
Thanks for the tip on the blasting attachment for a pressure washer. After reading your post, I also ordered one.

OKieG

 

[ns_in_tex]

So far I have been unable to locate this attachment.
Can you point me to it?
Thanks

 

[dourobob]

This link might be the one - can anyone verify this? Also, has anybody see anything like this in a Canadian outlet?

Thanks
Bob

 

[OkieG]

ns-in-tex,
Dourobob's link above pictures the unit I ordered. I believe that is the product djradz was talking about.

I am very new to sandblasting, but quite impressed with the results my little pressurized unit can achieve. It is easy to see, however, that the silica dust gets everywhere and represents a major health risk.

The other drawback, for me, is the hugh amounts of air a sandblaster needs. My 25 gal. 4hp Sears oilless can't even start to keep up. An adequate compressor will run several hundred dollars. Still, I have been seriously considering buying one...until this thread revealed the PW attachment. It's cheap and could eliminate the threat of significant airborne silica. Wow. I can hardly wait to give it a try!

OkieG