C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

[Gerard F.]

I saw a post a couple of weeks back about a beadblast cabinet from Harbor Freight. At the time I was having trouble with my Holley 3810 main body in getting it ready for the dichromate finish. What a pain in the neck to try to get an even finish with all the little crevices. I tried everything to even blasting it with baking soda. This resulted in a light coating of white powder on everything in my shop, including me.

So, I thought I'd give it a shot and put in a phone order. What a deal for $100 plus $16 shipping, and I got it within a week. Here's the setup:

Went to my local NAPA auto parts dealer and he had a 50# sack of Pottery Grade glass beads for $32. I was off and running in about 10 minutes, although I changed out the cheap china air fittings to the gun with brass fittings and stainless steel bands. Tried a few throwaway parts first, then taped up the metering sides of carb body and put it into the cabinet. Here's a shot of the carb and gun in the cabinet:

Beadblasting is fun, here's what the carb body looked like in about 15 minutes:
and

Tomorrow, I'll give it one more shot, blow out all the orifices, then prep and dip in the dichromate. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Still having fun!

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Clem Z.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

i have the very close to the same bead blaster BUT i have found with carbs or any threaded holes you are better off to install the screws in the hole to keep the bead out because they are realy hard to get all them out. sometimes it will cause the screw to seize up when you try to install it. bead blasting also causes a static charge on the parts and i have found nothing removes the beads like hot soapy water.

[Gerard F.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

Clem,

Thanks for the advice and I'll try that. My concern has been the air bleeds above the venturis. Is there any wire gage tool which one can route out the air bleeds. What gage would be the spec on a 3810. One or two of the air bleeds look pretty banged up already, and I want to bring them back to spec.

On the static, I'll probably remove the static with a hot dip in a basic solution.

Jerry Fuccillo

[Clem Z.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

the air bleeds differ with different carbs. most of the time the primary idle air bleed,the larger out side ones,are around .076 diameter. the high speed air bleeds,the smaller inside ones,run around .024 on both primary and secondary. the idle air bleed on the secondary is around .028. you need a set of number drills,#1 thru #80 to check this out. you use the drill chuck end of the drill bit for the gauge not the end with the flutes. once you get the drill set,gauge the good air bleeds and then using a finger chuck to hold the drill bit clean out the damaged ones

[Stephen W.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

I just bought their stand up version cabinet on sale.(side loading) I wanted something big enough to put a wheel inside.
Did you have to tape up the seams of the cabinet to stop it from leaking?
I'm not sure I understand what you did to the gun itself. I'm sure I have the same gun you started out with?
I purchased the 80g glass beads for Harbor freight. Would you say this is the same grit as the beads you are using?
One last question. Are you using a shop vac for dust/exhaust air management?
I see the local store has a 5 hp dust management system that looks pretty efficient ( 195.00) They have a cheaper on for about 95.00 as well.

[Clem Z.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

if you do not use a vacuum cleaner on the blast cabinet you will have beads all over the place. with the air being drawn into the cabinet thru the seams the beads have less chance to get out. i just empty the vacuum cleaner every once in a while back into the cabinet after using a screen with filter out the debris.

[Gerard F.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

Steve,

Haven't really noticed to much leaking, the top has a rubber gasket and hold down latches on 3 sides.

The problem I had with the gun was with the plastic tubing air hose and connections at the gun and inside wall of the cabinet. They kept leaking. So I replaced the light tubing with 600 psi polytubing with brass connectors and stainless steel bands.

Not sure about the glass beads. The bag says Pottery Grade on it with no size. They look very fine for polishing although I have no comparison.

I also haven't found any need for an air management system. The beads just fall to the trough in the bottom of the cabinet and are recycled to the gun as there is a tube from the gun to the trough which is the bead intake. There is about 10 lbs of beads in the trough and I suppose the beads get contaminated after a while and you have to replace them or screen them.

I suppose if one were using baking soda as media you would need air management. The cabinet has a filtered air outlet and one could easily hook up a shop vac with the right size vacuum hose.

You should have seen me trying to blast with baking soda into a garbage can outside the opened garage door. The shop will never be the same, and my wife thought I was getting into coke instead of Rollin Rock. Sure didn't have any need for antacids that night.

Jerry Fuccillo

[Gerard F.]

Thx Clem, printed yr post for my records *NM*

[Tom B.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-3810project

I had a Holley boiled out when I was doing an engine a while back. Although it was very clean it doesn't compare to what you achieved. I think I need to make a trip down to the Harbor Freight store.

Tom

[Gerard F.]

Re: C2:67 Beadblast-top shot

Here is another shot of the top of the carb before dipping in yellow dichromate.


But, when I dipped it in the dichromate, it came out too shiny and uneven. Guess I'll have to redo it next weekend and make it a duller finish. Any suggestions out there on how to make it tone down.

Jerry Fuccillo

[Stephen W.]

Thanks Clem & Jerry *NM*

[Gerard F.]

Re: Thanks Clem & Jerry, Say What

Steve,

I connected a 5HP shop vac to the filtered outlet of the cabinet. Closed the lid and turned the vac on. The cabinet is so air-tight that the gloves stuck straight out at 90 degrees, and one of the gloves then blew its band and went into then cabinet. Laughed like hell and cursing, until I realized that there is a vacuum relief plug in the back of the cabinet.

Pulled the plug and then refitted the band on the glove. Turned the vac on again, and then started bead blasting; before long the right glove started working loose for too much vacuum. I said to myself "Screw It" and then continued bead blasting. Between the noise of the compressor, and the noise of the vacuum (which I put right under the cabinet), my ears are still ringing as of this writing.

Moral of the story: With such a small cabinet, one should probably use a maximum 3 or 2HP vacuum. As the visibility is no different with or without the vac, why even f... with the vacuum. I continued my project without the vacuum.

Still having fun, but getting a little hard of hearing, I should have used ear plugs.

Jerry Fuccillo
#42179

[Stephen W.]

Re: Thanks Clem & Jerry, Say What

Thanks for the tip. I learned the hard way about protecting my hearing when I worked in the body shop. I always thought it was the air hammer that would do more damage to my hearing but the doctor told me it was what I didn't hear that was hurting me the most. Seems that grinder was really the killer with its high pitch noise that did the most damage. Kinda like a dog whistle. If those ears are ringing its a sign you need protection.
I think I'll back the 64 out of the garage before I try out the new blasting cabinet