Best Sandblasting Sand?

[srjones]

Thanks for bringing this up--it's really got me thinking taking the plunge. Especially once I get my PTO compressor finished.


HF has a 100 pressurized blaster for $129.99 (on sale).
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices


They also have a 10lb soda blaster for $99.99.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

But if I look at what eastwood sells and look at the following patent I might be able to retrofit the big tank to be able to do both.

Soda blasting apparatus - Google Patents

 

[Scooby074]

Thanks for bringing this up--it's really got me thinking taking the plunge. Especially once I get my PTO compressor finished.


HF has a 100 pressurized blaster for $129.99 (on sale).
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices


They also have a 10lb soda blaster for $99.99.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

But if I look at what eastwood sells and look at the following patent I might be able to retrofit the big tank to be able to do both.

Soda blasting apparatus - Google Patents

I have a simular pressure blaster to the HF one. Its not too bad id say 7/10. Goes thru nozzels and their unique to that model plus theyre expensive.The deadman is worthless. The deadman block is made of aluminum or something soft so it wears very fast. The abrasive doesnt feed all that well when its below 1/2 full due to the lack of slope on the bottom of the tank. This causes you to start adjusting the abrasive flow, then you get a jam and have to blow out the line. I plan on rigging up a vibrator to try to help that. I also plan on upgrading to a good quality nozzel that i can get good tips from my local pneumatic supply for.

How much air do you have? Your realistically going to need 18CFM delivered at the tank. My compressor is around 19CFM and its not enough. Id rather have 25-30 at least.

Your going to need very dry air, especially if you go soda. Coalessing filters arent good enough, you will need dessicant or refridgerated dryer for blasting.Count on filtration being the better part of $500. I use 2 coalessing and a dessicant canister on mine. It works pretty good. Water in air is the cause of most peoples problems with blasters. Your air really cant be too dry.

 

[Scotty370]

For what it's worth, my employer uses Black-Beauty, as mentioned above, for cleaning pipes and fittings prior to coating. I think it's almost an industry standard! ~Scotty

 

[srjones]

I have a simular pressure blaster to the HF one. Its not too bad id say 7/10. Goes thru nozzels and their unique to that model plus theyre expensive.The deadman is worthless. The deadman block is made of aluminum or something soft so it wears very fast. The abrasive doesnt feed all that well when its below 1/2 full due to the lack of slope on the bottom of the tank. This causes you to start adjusting the abrasive flow, then you get a jam and have to blow out the line. I plan on rigging up a vibrator to try to help that. I also plan on upgrading to a good quality nozzel that i can get good tips from my local pneumatic supply for.

How much air do you have? Your realistically going to need 18CFM delivered at the tank. My compressor is around 19CFM and its not enough. Id rather have 25-30 at least.

Your going to need very dry air, especially if you go soda. Coalessing filters arent good enough, you will need dessicant or refridgerated dryer for blasting.Count on filtration being the better part of $500. I use 2 coalessing and a dessicant canister on mine. It works pretty good. Water in air is the cause of most peoples problems with blasters. Your air really cant be too dry.

Jason,
Thanks for the info. My compressor will deliver 13.5 CFM @ 90 PSI. However my primary interest is for wood restoration and I've read it's recommended to run at 20 psi, so I should be on the high side of 16 CFM. I hadn't thought too much about drying the air, but I think you're absolutely right--the dryer, the better. I since I'm building it now, it's probably the best time to put in a cooling/drying system.

-srj

 

[CCWKen]

I've been using sandblasting sand. I get it for $7.50/100# at the paint shop. When the pressure tank holds 300 pounds and you go through that in about an hour, you tend to shop around. I have a tarped room, filtered exhaust, suit and air supply so the silica is less of problem for me. I recycle the sand and can get anywhere from six to ten uses out of it. What powders out gets pulled out by the exhaust. I like the recycled sand myself. It gives the same finish as soda after the about the 4th time through. Longevity depends on the pressure you're shooting too. For steel panels I shoot 60-80psi and for crusty old frames I shoot at about 100psi.

My big compressor puts out 160cfm @ 125psi so there's no shortage of air. And lately, moisture is the least of my worries. I've had to run a ground wire to the pressure tank then from the tank to the gun. I was getting Zapped! Static electricity was pulsing at about 2Hz at the gun and the part if I grabbed it to move it. Not real bad but enough to be uncomfortable. It will arc about .060-080"--About the gap on a wide spark plug. It goes clean through the leather welding gloves I wear.

I run separator then an air pot off the compressor. From the air pot, it goes through a filter/dryer then to the pressure blasting tank. The air pot collects most of the moisture when it's humid. I leave the bottom valve just cracked and it auto-drains. The filter/dryer takes care of the rest. I haven't clogged a line yet. But I run a 3/4" supply line to the tanks and a 1/2" blast line to a 5/16" tip.

 

[Bruce-4310TX]

I use a 2 stage compresser 80 gal from Home Depot i think 15.6 cfm it workes great on the big pressurized blaster tank from HF.if you use the specialized sandblast sand get 100lb bags around here its about $12 a bag #4 grade works the best for most jobs. Playground sand 60lb bags at Home depot can be used but much dustier and you must sift it first use a commmon home window screen works great. Use a respirator and keep the sand dry any dampness it will clog.