Sandblaster information for beginner

farmalllh · Mar 19, 2015

I'm buying a sand blaster tonight and I'm just
looking for some of the dos and don'ts of
sandblasting, any tips or advice on anything would
be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Ed NM · Mar 19, 2015

Siphon or pressure pot unit? The pressure units require a lot of C.F.M. Be sure your air compressor is big enough.

farmalllh · Mar 20, 2015

Pressure pot unit. We have a large compressor.I believe my sand needs changed. I have found a lot of chunks of rust and of all things a dead mouse that was restricting my flow of sand.

showcrop · Mar 23, 2015

Your sand needs to be either new out of the bag or if recycled it needs to be screened prior to going into the reservoir.

87nassaublue · Mar 23, 2015

I prefer a pot blaster for large stuff. A blast bin works great on small stuff.

For media, I almost exclusively use play sand, but I always, and I mean always screen the sand before I put it in the pot, even new sand. If you don't, you're sure to get frustrated cleaning clogs out of your nozzle. I just use plain old screen wire that I've scrapped. Another thing to be certain of is make sure your sand is bone dry. If it's damp, it will clot and clog your blaster. I usually put a large piece of plastic down when I'm blasting and sweep it up after and re-screen it and recycle it. If you keep it dry and screened, you can run a whole pot out without a clog. If you don't, you'll be certain to get a number of clogs along the way.

thdrduck · Mar 23, 2015

Also sand won't last forever. If you reuse it (and I think you should) it's a good idea to mix some new with with the recycled. Not all media is created equal. Sand with sharp edges is the best like aluminumoxide (expensive but great), screened flint, coal slag (cheap but nasty and won't last long), crushed glass (hard to find but works great). Beach and playground sand work but take longer because they are more round then sharp but easy to get. Then there are specialty medias like crushed buttons and walnut shells. Good for removing paint but won't etch the metal or touch rust. If you want to see dust fly... use walnut shells. Makes a crappy job even worse. There is other stuff like soda and steel shot but unless you are ordering the stuff by the pallet most just use what is easy to find and cheap. Always use a respirator no matter what media you use. A fresh air supply blast hood is way better.

Married2Allis · Mar 27, 2015

You'll need a serious compressor with B@LL$ or your just wasting your time. At least 8 CFM or higher, the more the better. Also make sure the sand is DRY. If you buy sand in bags, most likely it will be damp and clog the feed line.

showcrop · Mar 27, 2015

(quoted from post at 10:34:08 03/27/15) You'll need a serious compressor with B@LL$ or your just wasting your time. At least 8 CFM or higher, the more the better. Also make sure the sand is DRY. If you buy sand in bags, most likely it will be damp and clog the feed line.

????? I use aluminum oxide. Sand can give you silica poisoning. It has always come in plastic or plastic lined paper without a trace of moisture.

Married2Allis · Mar 28, 2015

Yes I think you should stay away from sand so you don't get hurt. The rest of us will go on using it. LOL

showcrop · Mar 28, 2015

(quoted from post at 10:35:23 03/28/15) Yes I think you should stay away from sand so you don't get hurt. The rest of us will go on using it. LOL

married, If we poll I be that very few are using sand. People don't tend to be so careless about their health as we may have been forty years ago. I have never seen anyone use anything but Black Beauty or whatever brand of Al Oxide they use. I am sure that some use soda and some walnuts and some the beads.

gene bender · Apr 4, 2015

hope you have a huge compresser as you need lots of CFM and 80lbs pressure.

Sandblaster information for beginner

farmalllh

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Ed NM

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farmalllh

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showcrop

Well-known Member

87nassaublue

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thdrduck

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Married2Allis

Well-known Member

showcrop

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Married2Allis

Well-known Member

showcrop

Well-known Member

gene bender

Well-known Member

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