So Ive recently decided to buy a sandblaster to do various cleaning on a project car. Im looking to spend 140-170, maby a little more but not by much. Im looking for one that can do various media. I need some help choosing a good sandblaster for the price I mentioned, Thanks guys
Save some more money and get a real tool that will last. I bit the bullet many years ago and bought a Tip blasting cabinet with the vacuum cleaner. I use it all the time. The best tool in the shop. Anything in your price range will either be too small or a POS. You will waste that 140-170 and still need a good tool. I had a poster in my shop that read...Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten. Tip has all the replacement parts so it should last you a lifetime even if you do break something.
A cheap sandblaster or an expensive one are both inadequate unless you have a good compressor with a large capacity tank,,a sandblaster eats up a lot of air and will work a small compressor to death.HRP
Yes I agree with your quote, but Im on a budget and might have to resort for the cheaper one thats why Im asking for that price range. Also, a cabinet or hood box, what ever they are called would be great but I need a portable one. Ill check out Tiptools.com
Get every thing ready and all set up, then go rent one. Also rent the diesel powered screw compressor to go with it. Did that my self once. Cleaning up the aftermath was such a pain in the ass that I learned my lesson. Expert blasting work ain't really expensive, but a $170 budget is not going to do much no matter how you go about it.
All of the blast cabinet are rated around 100 psi and 10 cfm, so even a big compressor will work a lot when in use, and a small compressor wont work at all. I've got a 5 hp compressor with a 40 gal. tank, and I wouldn't buy one just because mine wont do over about 8 cfm constant.
If you're on a budget my advice would be to not throw away $ 140.00 on a cheap sandblaster. I did that about 3 years ago. I have a 5 HP 60 gallon Sanderson compresser and it did'nt do the job. Used the blaster once and parked it in the corner. Sold it for $75.00 last fall.
Im beginning to believe you guys. I have a 5 hp 60 gallon compressor also. This is the reason I asked the question though, so I could get some straight up answers. thanx
Owned my own commercial blaster but sold it because it's cheaper to carry everything you need blasted to some one that can handle it. EPA watched me close then I found dust free sand in Wadesboro NC Their sand is 99.999% dust free but my find was to late. Anyone wanting to know about finding dust free blasting sand should send me PM and I will hook you up. One last thing; cleaning up after basting is more labor than one might think. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
i have used my pressure pot blaster with a 5 hp 60gl compressor with pretty good success, you have to wait from time to time, i have done lots of little jobs, a boat trailer, 57 chevy frame, a pot large enough to hold one whole bag of media is what you want, this machine from HF will do alot for you, a couple of tricks that will help, when you start to blast turn your air on first and then the media, do the reverse when turn it off, that will keep the media from building up in the blast hose and coming out in a big blob when you start, i also replaced the dead man valve with a ball valve, because i turn my air on first the ball valve lasts for years, i have a bigger pot i paid $400 for, i have had friends with a pot like the one i show and they have used it for years without any trouble. http://www.harborfreight.com/110-lb-pressurized-abrasive-blaster-95014.html
I sandblaster my entire '54 Ford wagon the body,frame suspension,garnish moldings,,everything that was metal. I used 33 one hundred lb. of sand and have a small beach in my back yard. Yeah,you figured right that's 3,300 lbs.,,that's a lotta sand. I have a big compressor and tank and sometimes I had to wait. Another thing to remember,,for the sand to work it must be dry. HRP
Your budget is a problem. Even used, none of this equipment is cheap. I have both the TIP 99 blast pot and one of TIP's media cabinets. I like them both, though I believe TIP stopped selling pots. If I recall correctly a company in Ohio sells a "BRUT" line of pots which appears to be the same as what TIP used to sell. You will need plenty of air to "sandblast", a screw compressor is just the ticket. If you are going to blast you will need protective gear. At minimum you'll want a good hood and a source of breathing air or a good respirator. Using silica sand for blasting is not recommended. A lot of hobbyists find coal slag or "Black Beauty" media works well.
So what do you guys think of Soda Blasting? From videos on youtube Ive seen it takes paint right off. Does it also remove rust and oil?
as far as i know soda will not remove rust, nothing will remove oil, not any media blaster i know, oil is for power washers. also you should be able to rent a small pressure pot blaster just to try out anyway.
Practice on junk metal first, GENTLY. Sandblasting work hardens metal and makes it so brittle,it leaves warps that are horrible to straighten.Big flat areas are prone to crack/ The cracks are so hard and thin ,welding is super hard. It can be done, but go easy and use wallnut shell, or soda, even plastic beads.I would not use a sand blaster on anything light gauge.Lots of nice old cars ruined.Ask lots of guys who do it.
I have a small portable one for little quick jobs. As long as I use good media, works great.... But...personally....unless your doing something everyweek?....get to know your local powder coating guy. They sandblast everything before the powder coat it....by the time you factor in the cost of the sand blaster...media...compressor....it can be pretty cheap.
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