Newbie- Beggining sandblasting

[Teyber]

Hello!

sorry if this is the wrong section but didn't see a better sub-forum...

My main milling work is creating thermal transfer devices. So obviously more surface area is better (chatter=good for once :P )

i want to start sandblasting my work after its being done milled. People have found 10-15% increase in performance by doing this.

so i am looking for a small, cheap sandblasting cabinet. I have a 3hp, 20 gallon air compressor which should probably do the job for what i am doing.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Benc...-Cabinet/G0476
Was looking at that. Besides the cabinet, air source, and media what else do i need? What do you guys recommend for the vacuum source, if any? i don't understand how the vacuum source works... does it suck out the media or just pull the media floating around towards the filter?

Also, what do you guys recomend for media? pretty rough, and on copper? are there numbering code's for different grits?

Really would appreciate any safety opinions also(most important!). basically if anybody just skims this and know anything about sandblasting, relevant or not please let me know.

Regards

[Dr Pete]

Vacuum serves 2 purposes.
Keeps the cabinet clear so you can see what your doing.
Traps everything and usually gets thrown out.

Grits should be labeled but in my experience they are not.
We use Al2O3 for blasting.

We use everything from pea gravel down to 30 micron size. (Real dusty, but fine)

I would suggest talking to someone who sells the grit and let them know what kind of finish you want on the material.

[jeep534]

I would at least order this catalog http://www.tptools.com/ they have been supporting the auto restoration industry for years.

archie =) =) =)

[Crevice Reamer]

That cabinet requires 5-15 CFM of air. Your compressor will not even come close to that.

It looks to me like you will have to make a seriously large investment for a marginal improvement. Maybe there are less expensive but equally effective ways to go.

Have you tried a roughing endmill? Perhaps chemical etching would give as good a result with much less investment?

CR.

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

Just another point: Using the same media, little bits from the previous job can/will remain in the media. Ex. steel or iron in the media will impinge in the surface of stainless steel, causing the stainless steel to rust. (I learned that the wrong way) I ASSume the same would happen with copper.

Dick Z

[Teyber]

thanks for replies guys!

dr pete- thanks mate! you mean traps everything as in traps the media in? or does it vacuum out the media?(this part doesnt' make sense to me)

jeep- thanks will do!

crevice reamer- argh... Lots of my work that will be sandblasted is with slitting saws... and last time i checked no roughing slitting saws.

Can i use tanks of gas? i have a 60cuft of n2 with a flowmeter regulator and another victor regultaor (as well as a 20lb tank of co2). could i use that?

Also i am sandblasting TINY things... would a smaller cabinet work? i don't need perfect or a great finish, just small roughing's over the internals.

richard- thanks for the advice! I will be cleaning these in a ultrasonic cleaner afterwards which should help that.

Regards

[Teyber]

http://www.automotivepartsnetwork.co...product=229121

what that work better due to smaller work area?

[Teyber12]

thread revival but my friend in canada has been bead blasting stuff for me, but each time something is blasted its at least $30 in shipping. so im going to give a ghetto blaster a shot all i need is roughing.
so im thinking of buying this

http://cgi.ebay.com/10-Pound-Glass-B...742.m153.l1262

ive got a bid on this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=170299856774

and i was thinking of using this as a cabinet


or if its too small make one form mdf, since all i will be blasting is blocks that are about 1.5"x1" or 2.5"x2".

if my air compressor probes too small i will use dry nitrogen as ive got a couple tanks of it and a nice victor regulator

lets hope it works. ill get some gloves from harborfreight hopefully

cheers!

[Crevice Reamer]

You can't fit that into your cabinet.

You could always just buy this, some play sand from Lowes/Home Depot and just go outside and blast away.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93221

THIS might just fit into a cabinet:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=96972

Or maybe something like THESE would let you use your cabinet:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37025 -- 3.5 CFM might just work with your compressor.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40925

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44762

CR.

[Crevice Reamer]

You might want to get a larger "cabinet" and fit a pair of THESE into it:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4468

CR.

[Teyber12]

Originally Posted by Crevice Reamer You might want to get a larger "cabinet" and fit a pair of THESE into it: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=4468 CR.

yeah this sounds nice

ill see what i can find at lowes next time im there... or look around. theres containers everywhere, and it would be very convenient if i could just fit gloves like these in, thanks for the link! my mom would kill me if i blasted outside lol.

cheers!

[LaserImage]

Originally Posted by Crevice Reamer You could always just buy this, some play sand from Lowes/Home Depot and just go outside and blast away.

Please don't do this!!! Regular sand, silica, causes silicosis. If you don't know what this is I would suggest looking it up - it's plain friggin nasty!

My suggestion would be to buy a small cabinet and pressure pot from Harbor Freight. I have a 40# pot and their larger cabinet and it works fine with a 5HP, 60gallon, 14cfm compressor. I also have their green colored dust collector. HF is usually pretty low quality, but for the cabinet you don't need anything more than a 6 sided box with glass to see in and holes to reach in. If you are inclined, you could build one pretty easily.

If you really want some extensive info on sandblasting, go to www.cuttingedgesandcarving.com - it is to sandblasting/carving that this site is to cnc.

Gary