Projects Visibility in Blast cabinet - any tricks ?

When replacing the thin acetate sheet behind the glass, it was a pain in the neck (literally) trying to do/undo the screws around the frame from the inside of the cabinet. I flipped the screws around and put some locknuts on the inside and wing nuts on the outside. A piece of the self-adhesive spongy tape takes up any gaps.

 

I probably get an hour out of each tear off.

 

The glass was hinged on The Davis sand blast cabinet that I had in the school shop I taught in and They said to and I did use Saran wrap to cover and protect the glass, Depending on how close to the window they were working in the cabinet it could last quite a while or just a few minutes. That cabinet had a big dust separator on the vacuum system to collect the dust plus a cloth bag on the outlet.
I've got one of those Cyclone dust separators for mine that I plan to run in line with an old shop vac I have with the outlet of the shop vac running to a dryer vent outlet thing to vent outside the shop.

 

I’m my cheap HF blast cabinet I use the protective sheets on the glass and 2 layers of window screen. Was on there 20 years and still the same tear off.

 

There is a lot of good information to be had here. I only blast with glass beads, so I don't have much of a dust problem but I will try the window screen method to see if it helps me to keep from changing the plastic film more frequently.

 

I have to agree here.
You have used up the medias life expentency.
Try new media and turn down your air pressure.. when changing out your media , thoroughly blow out the cabinet.
If you use cheap media , do not expect it to last long.
I have had many skat blast cabinets and good luck with the clear lenses that they sell.
Vic

 

I work in the sign industry, so I use the LED modules for channel letter signs. They are 12VDC and have 3M double sided tape on the bottoms. Cleaned the top inside of my blast cabinet and stuck 6 of these LED modules inside, drilled a small hole with a rubber grommet to pass the 2 wires through, then wired a 12VDC,60Watt to 120VAC LED Power Supply to the modules and to an extension cord on the other end. When the LED modules get messed up from sand, I rip em out and toss some new ones in. I've had this set up for 10 years and have only replaced the LED's once.

 

I have had good luck with Ballotini "impact (glass) beads, 70-140 sieve size. They clean well, keep metal erosion low, and last quite a while before they pulverize down to pumis. It all depends on how dirty the parts are that you are cleaning. I try to degrease & wire wheel as much heavy rust & dirt as I possibly can off the parts. I get mine from Grainger part # 2W580. Up here the 50# pail I bought today was $69.10. They have other grits available also.