Blasting equipment....

[Jim V.]

Ya got have the tools! Finding myself knee-deep in disassembled & degreased parts from my 65 project, I am at nearing the refinishing stage. This time around I am considering poping for some blasing equipment to squeeze into the old two car garage. I have a low end 12 scfm @ 40psi compressor and would like some recs on entry blasting equipement.

The biggest stuff would be wheels and front control arms. Option B, is toting the stuff off to redi-strip like I did the last time. Ebay has some, what appear to be decent vendors like Badboy, Consolidated Stripping, Skat Blast, etc... BTW..is TiP still in business?

Thanks

[Phil P.]

18 SCFM @ 90 PSI TO RUN NA GOOD BLASTER *NM*

[Harmon C.]

Re: Blasting equipment....

TIP tools is still in business.A 5hp compressor and a small cabinet take a lot of space and are dirty.I think you better stick with redi-strip. I would like to move my blast cabinet out of the shop to an area just for the blast cabinet.

Lyle

[Michael L.]

Re: Blasting equipment....

Here is what I did with an 8 cfm compressor @ 90 lbs: I bought a cabinet with nozzle that required 16 cfm @ 90 lbs. I then bought a cheap portable blaster with a 6 cfm @90 lb nozzle. I replaced the cabinet nozzle with the portable nozzle and it works well enough for a single car restoration. I use black beauty blast media ( non- silica) and that cuts well on hard materials. Just don't try to push the compressor too much, if it runs more than 50% of the blast time, let it rest. I also tossed the cheap flouresent light and wired in a 100 watt bulb in an outdoor weather proof fixture for an extra 16 bucks. If you get a cabinet, try not to set it up by a door or window, in a darker location, you don't have glare issues on the glass...

Bought my cabinet on Ebay for 150 bucks including the shipping. Whole thing was less than $200. If you put your own cabinet together, silicon seal every joint, dust goes everywhere if you don't.

Mike

[Gary C.]

Add a vacuum cleaner port to help with dust *NM*

[Jim V.]

Re: Blasting equipment....

Thanks Mike. Can you give me a few more of the details. I assume you connected a shop vac...right? I thought nozzles were replacable. Why not just buy smaller nozzles intead of a "cheap portable blaster"? Might you recall the ebay sellers?

I am concerned about the dust. Is that a real issue with your setup? I may hang some plastic with I use the blaster.

JimV

[Phil P.]

CHECK ON A TRINCO

jim, trinco blast cab. from trinity tool co. fraser mi. 586-296-5900---give them a call for a dealer near you--- their cab. comes with everything including a correct shop vac---i like to use aluminum oxide on heavy rust parts and use the fine glass on delicate parts---i've used the glass on plastic and fiberglass with excellent results---need to watch pressure and how close to the part you get---good luck,phil

[Jim V.]

Where's TiP...

I can find a TP tools but I am having trouble locating TiP....Does anybody have a lead?

Anybody use Badboy equipment? They market via Ebay

[Chuck S.]

Re: Blasting equipment....

Lyle, TIP sells a secondary dust recovery bag you install on the vacuum outlet. Mine never made a real dust problem, but I keep the bag emptied, and have replaced the bag when necessary. The dust catcher bag does seem to recover any dust that makes it to the vac outlet.

After I did my garage renovation, and finally got all the dust off everything, I retrofitted my TIP vacuum with the later model sound proofing kit and the dust catcher. I have used my cabinet occasionally since the vacuum upgrades, and the dust catcher appears to do a good job...no dust escaping.

I have the Model 960 and it has served me well. TIP's stuff is pricey, but it's like other good tools...you'll be using it very effectively as long as you can or want. The great thing about TIP is...I don't have to worry about having to get spare parts from Beijing Pneumatic.

Jim, for a compressor, you want at least 6-7 real horsepower, belt-driven, with a two-stage intercooled pump, and 80 gallon reservoir compressor. This performance level will put you in the 220V motor starter arena, but some 220V compressors do not require a separate motor starter.

Preferably look for cast iron pumps, or at minimum, steel-sleeved aluminum. I think you can get by with as little as 15 cfm, but as someone said, you do not want the compressor to run more than about 50% of the blasting time.

Do not consider integral motor/pump compressors with non-lubed pistons (Craftsman) for this service. I don't mean to offend anyone that owns one, but if you are buying a new compressor for this task, you might as well get something that can easily handle the job...non-lube compressors can not handle the constant base load of a bead blast cabinet, and live very long for you to enjoy the success. JMHO...been there, done that.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Where's TiP...

TP Tools and Equipment ( www.tptools.com )...That's the new name for the old TIP tools. You have to been bead blasting since dirt was young to know that. As I said, TP makes quality stuff but it's expensive. It's been about 15 years since I shopped, so maybe it's time to review the competition for price and features. The thing I like about TP is if I need a LH cabinet glove (and you WILL need one) and some plastic liners to cover the inside of my cabinet window, I can find them at TP and have them here in a week.

[Jim V.]

Re: Blasting equipment....

Great stuff Chuck. Unfortunately, it sounds like you have a much larger budget than I. I have a 5hp 30gl Craftsman which runs on 220v. It's name plate shows 12scfm@40psi, 10scfm@90psi. Given the limits of this compressor and hobbiest needs, what are my choices? I am also looking at pressure blasting vs siphon. It appears the pressure blasting stuff (outdoor) requires less air. Can one use these pressure blasters with a cabinet?

Thanks

[Chuck S.]

Re: Blasting equipment....

Budget??!!...Nah, shoot, I'm on fixed income. I bought that cabinet back when I could afford this hobby.

It sounds like the formula Mike 44237 followed is closer to your initial point...there's a certain level of inventiveness and improvisation involved there that I do not enjoy. If you already have a compressor, then use that...but, trust me, a new opportunity will present itself soon when you start running that Craftsman continuously to power a blast cabinet. Those plastic piston rings...they just slip-slide away when they get hot.

If you go pressure blast, I wouldn't consider it WITHOUT a cabinet unless you live on a farm...it makes an incredible mess in a small space. I have a little portable pressure blaster made by Sears that I use on stuff way too big to get in my cabinet (Like, say...the birdcage/body??!! HA! ). The result is good enough, but you blast about 5 minutes, and then you have to sweep up the media to run it through again...and again...and again. I suppose you could have about three cubic yards of media in a pile there, and occasionally push it back into a pile again, but now we're definitly talking cheap beach or river sand.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Blasting equipment....I lied

Actually, the little Craftsman blaster I have is a siphon blaster but it operates in the open LIKE a pressure blaster...the mess is still the same.

[Chris H.]

Re: blaster vacuum?

What/how do you guys use for a vacuum. I have a harbor freight blaster cabinet which works fine but when I blast it gets so dusty inside I cannot see the part. I hooked up my Craftsman shop vac to the included outlet and it sucked out all the dust and the sand on the bottom!!

[Harmon C.]

Re: Blasting equipment....

I have the extra bag but the media that comes out when you change grit or type then what drops off the parts. It all adds up to grit on the floor in the area of the blast cabinet. I have a 960 TIP model with a Qunicy 5hp two stage and it works very good.