I'm interested in buying sandblasting and bead blasting equipment for personal use and making some money on the side. I know very little about sandblasting or cabinets and was hoping you guys and gals could help me out. Is it that hard to do? Having no experience, should I give it a try? I would think that doing thick items and staying away from sheet metal would be a good idea for a beginner. Can you recommend any specific brands or models of equipment?
all I have to offer is find the biggest compressor you can afford, then buy the next size bigger. after that, the bigger the box, the more stuff you can fit in it. and go ahead and buy about 5 extra peices of glass for it, unttil you figure out how NOT to hold the nozzle, you are gonna waste about 1 a week.
Figures a guy with no experience would want to jump in with both feet...those of us who have dabbled in it can mostly think of other things that would be more enjoyable....that reminds me, I have to get my teeth cleaned, and clean the septic tank out.
well in grand haven mi. there is a place called ECON-O-LINE they make blast cabinets best in the market. not the junk like in the rod mag.they also sell every type of media in the world.and sell all repair parts . how do i know i used to work there about five years ago. i think they have a web site. could be under ace blast cabinets too.
This place up the road from where I grew up has been selling them for over 30 years now. I'm real happy with my cabinet.http://www.tptools.com/ Click on internet specials or new products for some deals...
Blasting might be tedious and dirty. But it ain't hard. Blasting with a cabinet is the most pleasant way to do it. Just like the compressor, get the biggest one you can afford/accomodate. Outdoors is the next best way. I've also blasted in a garage with a "tent" set up. I did my whole motorcycle frame that way. It took me most of the day and I looked like I just returned from the front lines of a war when it was done. Glass bead works great for most stuff. But since the beads shatter on impact, you don't get as much re-use as other media. I also like Aluminum Oxide for cutting rust on harder metals. I haven't ever messed with too many of the composite medias or natual ones like walnut shells. DO NOT USE PLAY SAND or any silica sand. The dust will inflame/scar your lungs and could lead to silicosis
Hey, if you want to play in shit all day that's fine with me. I think I'd rather learn about sandblasting. Thanks to the rest for your input.
Have fun! I understand that you can make decent money at it....and like he said, please do it safely, with the proper protective gear on.
Oh by the way,,,,, you might want to check your area as to what you can do out doors with blasting as EVERY state has regulations as to what you can and can,t do...... Open air (outdoor ) blasting is not allowed in any state,, If there are others in your area blasting outdoors they are doing it only because they hav,nt been caught ( big brother government)
Very good point about the regulations-- I just looked this site up for a guy a couple of days ago--I should share with everyone for information about lots of air.The Co. is called Dunn-Right & they sell conversion kits for VW-V6-V8 engines to turn them into compressors--1/2 engine-1/2 compressor. I first heard of them 15-20 years ago,so to still be in business they must be doing something right. The VW puts out 50+CFM@ 100PSI.I'm sure the V8 is more.The kit for VW is $350 for the basic or $550 for the total kit.It makes a small unit to have portable air.Their phone# is (864)296-9316(http://www.angelfire.com/biz/dunnright/index.html)
I do a fair amount of media blasting a year, probably about the equivalent of 20 cars if you include all the random parts that come in between complete car jobs. If you're planning on making money with the operation you need to size your equipment up so you can do the work in less time and less wear and tear on undersized equipment. This means less downtime, quicker turnaround and happier customers. I use a large diesel compressor (180+ cfm) and a 500Lb blast pot. I have 2 water separators, a pressure regulator and a hard helmet/cape with its own filtered air supply. All blasting takes place in a large shed with fans to remove the airborne dust. When I started I was taught by someone who had specialized in blasting antique car parts for 20 years and that was the most important piece of the whole puzzle. When people talk about sheetmetal getting warped by media blasting, it just means that either they don't know what they are doing by not selecting the proper media or pressure or are taking it to the wrong person. I would suggest finding someone in your area that you could learn from. If you have any specific questions please feel free to pm me.
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