best sand blaster

[NOPHO84K30]

Looking to do some sand blasting what have you had luck with buying that workrd well.

 

[rct1969]

I have had decent luck with siphon feed ones from Harbor freight, but the one that I like the most is gravety fed with a hopper on it, if you are looking on the budget side. The medium(sand/material) you use will be best purchased from a tool supply house or auto body shop, not the home improvement store. A water filter would be essential to keep the surface dry. Thats my two cents

 

[HotRodPC]

Thread being moved to the Garage Category.

I too have had good luck the couple times I used the siphon feed type. I think probably what's more imporant than the sand blaster itself, is #1, the compressor you're using. Is it powerful enough to push enough material to get the job done, and #2, the type of media you're blasting with.

I'm sure other's will give their .02 shortly.

 

[HotRodPC]

And if you do make a purchase at Harbor Freight. I do have coupons good thru 5/31/13. 20% off $100 or more purchases.
15% off $65 or more purchases.
10% off $50 or more purchases.

This is not single item purchases, this is all your items. So if you get 10 items and your total comes to $200 (before tax) then you'd get $40 off. Not good for internet purchases. INSTORE ONLY. Lemme know if you need them, and I"ll try to post so you can print your own.

 

[MrMarty51]

The best sand blaster is the one that someone else is running.

OKOKOK, I have one of the pressure feed ones from Harbour Freight, Central Pneumatic 40 pound.
I have never used it, I let some friends use it and they said it worked quite well.
The thing that has to be remembered when sandblastg is, sheet metal can badly warp due to the heat created from the media hitting the surface, it gets even hotter when the hopper starts to get empty and is running out of media, it is then like running an engine on too lean of a fuel condition and the execessive heat can do some real damage.
It is a dirty messy job, do not try blasting in Your garage/shop, no matter what kind of an enclosure You put around the blasting area, You will have dirt and dust all over everything.
It takes a very good compressor to keep up with any sort of a blaster.I have a dual stage rated at 17.4 cfm @ 100 PSI and it barely keeps up with one of those table top bead blasters.
Do`nt use too course of a media, it will leave the surface excessively rough, even frames, and then it is a lot of work trying to smooth that out with finer media.
The media can be used over up to three times, each time that it is recycled it gets a bit more duller, in , not taking off as much material, You will need to build an enclosure for this to trap it in and keep the execessive dirts and rocks out.
I had thought about using 1/4 inch OSB board and building an out doors enclosure with a lid on it, big enough for vehicle frames and hooking extension lights to it along with a couple of shop vacs for dust control and having a 3/4 inch OSB decking for a floor then I could retrieve the media and have a nice place to do that type of work in.
The lighting would have to be protected to keep the blasting from busting a light bulb, can You say spontaneous combustion from too much dust in the air, I think with two big shop vacs hooked to it that it should be relatively clean in there as far as dust, but, the lights would need to bne protected regardless.
When not in use I would build it with hardware so I could redily take it apart and stow it away to keep the weather from damaging it.
A good blasting hood would be a must, along with a good set of welding gloves to protect the hands, but, no matter what You use for clothing You are going to have that media under Your shirt and down Your neck. I hjave done some sand blasting for the DOT and it was a messy and dirty job.
There is the hand held gravity flow media blasters that works real well {even for electrical terminals} , does a nice job and are fairly inexpensive to operate. They do`nt take such a high output compressor either.

 

[skysurfer]

Looking to do some sand blasting what have you had luck with buying that workrd well.

The search button is your friend.

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2699&highlight=sand+blaster

 

[MrMarty51]

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2699&highlight=sand+blaster

OUYCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH ........................

 

[kleedus]

i used the blasting pot from eastwood to blast the under body of my vega and it worked great. i shoveled up the sand sifted it and reused it.

and i have a blasting cabinet i bought of ebay i use it alot

 

[NOPHO84K30]

Well i bought one, its a cheapo 30 $ one but it works great i got 100lbs of medium grade media from lowes for 8$ not bad. But i didnt get a hood or coveralls that will be next i was coverd head to toe everywhere ,nose, ears ,eyes and thats just the 15 20 mins i played with it after i got it set up wich took all of 5 mins. Only thing like H.R. said the compressor not enough air have to start stop let it build up and go again a real pain got sucked in to buying a craftsman 33 gal acouple years ago shoulda went with a sixty gal oh welll next one i get ill get the big one ..... Thanks

 

[davbell22602]

Do they make low pressure sandblaster with wond for small air compressors? I care less how it takes to get the job done longs it gets done. I know they make low pressure paint guns.

 

[skysurfer]

But i didnt get a hood or coveralls that will be next i was coverd head to toe everywhere ,nose, ears ,eyes and thats just the 15 20 mins i played with it...

Hope you have a respirator, not just a particle mask, a real respirator. That dust can kill you.

From the American Lung Association: Silicosis is a lung disease that is caused by inhaling tiny bits of silica. Silica is a common mineral that is part of sand, rock and mineral ores like quartz. People who work in jobs where they could breathe in these tiny silica bits—like sandblasting, mining, construction and many others—are at risk for silicosis. The silica dust can cause fluid buildup and scar tissue in the lungs that cuts down your ability to breathe. Silicosis cannot be cured, but you can prevent it if you take specific steps to protect yourself and your family.

 

[davbell22602]

I'm thinking trying this sandblasting method. It hooks up to a pressure washer.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_8520_8520

 

[HotRodPC]

Hope you have a respirator, not just a particle mask, a real respirator. That dust can kill you.

From the American Lung Association: Silicosis is a lung disease that is caused by inhaling tiny bits of silica. Silica is a common mineral that is part of sand, rock and mineral ores like quartz. People who work in jobs where they could breathe in these tiny silica bits—like sandblasting, mining, construction and many others—are at risk for silicosis. The silica dust can cause fluid buildup and scar tissue in the lungs that cuts down your ability to breathe. Silicosis cannot be cured, but you can prevent it if you take specific steps to protect yourself and your family.

Did anyone else not notice this warning??? Suggest everyone READS it.

 

[davbell22602]

Hope you have a respirator, not just a particle mask, a real respirator. That dust can kill you.

From the American Lung Association: Silicosis is a lung disease that is caused by inhaling tiny bits of silica. Silica is a common mineral that is part of sand, rock and mineral ores like quartz. People who work in jobs where they could breathe in these tiny silica bits—like sandblasting, mining, construction and many others—are at risk for silicosis. The silica dust can cause fluid buildup and scar tissue in the lungs that cuts down your ability to breathe. Silicosis cannot be cured, but you can prevent it if you take specific steps to protect yourself and your family.

Is that for dry or wet sand blasting? Or both?

 

[HotRodPC]

Is that for dry or wet sand blasting? Or both?

If it's airborne, you're going to breathe the ****. So does the wet blasting keep 100% of the stuff from flying around? Myself, I'd probably say both. Even if your media is weight down, the crap you're blasting off, like rust and paint chips that probably have led in it etc, could be airborne. Better safe than sorry. Or maybe at least a dusk mask with wet, and a respirator when doing dry.