Sandblasting ?

[old tired rebel]

Has anyone bought the 40 lb sandblaster from Harbor Freight to sand blast small sections of their car?

http://www.harborfreight.com/40-lb-pressurized-abrasive-blaster-68992.html

 

[63RedFury]

I bought one just like that from Tractor Suppy Co. it works pretty good but the hose has blew out a few times.The high pressure hose is junk.

 

[old tired rebel]

I bought one just like that from Tractor Suppy Co. it works pretty good but the hose has blew out a few times.The high pressure hose is junk.

Thanks I just want one to help do under the car after I cut rusty metal out.

 

[Speedbird]

I've got one. Takes a lot of air, you know, to blast.
I hook two 4 hp compressors with 20 gal. tanks together.
I buy my play sand at Lowes Depot and screen it to get rid of the larger pieces.
The trick with this unit it is to start the airflow first and then gradually open the sand valve at the bottom.
Otherwise the sand impacts and plugs up the hose. Took me a while to figure out what was going on.
Duh.
And you have to "throttle" the sand flow too with that valve.
Don't open the valve all the way.

 

[old tired rebel]

I've got one. Takes a lot of air, you know, to blast.
I hook two 4 hp compressor together.
The trick with it is to start the airflow first and then gradually open the sand valve at the bottom.
Otherwise the sand impacts and plugs up the hose. Took me a while to figure out what was going on.
Duh.
And you have to "throttle" the sand flow too.
Don't open the valve all the way.

That is a great tip. Thanks

 

[rav440]

I've got one. Takes a lot of air, you know, to blast.
I hook two 4 hp compressors with 20 gal. tanks together.
I buy my play sand at Lowes Depot and screen it to get rid of the larger pieces.
The trick with this unit it is to start the airflow first and then gradually open the sand valve at the bottom.
Otherwise the sand impacts and plugs up the hose. Took me a while to figure out what was going on.
Duh.
And you have to "throttle" the sand flow too with that valve.
Don't open the valve all the way.

i hope you wear a good respirator and are working in a well vented area PLAY SAND has SILICA .
for $8.00 #50 bag of black diamond blasting media a tractor supplly works really good keep sifting it after use it will last for a few blastings and is silica free .

 

[old tired rebel]

i hope you wear a good respirator and are working in a well vented area PLAY SAND has SILICA .
for $8.00 #50 bag of black diamond blasting media a tractor supplly works really good keep sifting it after use it will last for a few blastings and is silica free .

I have bought a bag from TSC few years ago a friend was going to blast a few parts, his compressor could not keep up.

 

[Speedbird]

Yes, good tip.
I wear a pink HEPA respirator and not just a paper dust mask
I do it outside too.
It's messy.
Sort of on topic.
I just bought a hand held gravity feed gun and tried soda blasting on a carb.
That works great. Got the corrosion off too.
And to think that I've been using carb cleaner all these years to clean them.
I blasted over a trash can and was able to reuse some of the soda.

 

[Cranky]

Another piece of China made junk. A buddy gave one to me because he moved and didn't have room at his new place for all of his stuff and that was one of the things that he gave away. It was only a couple of months old and ALL of the rubber hose rotted in less than a year and the fittings wasted away after a few uses.

 

[Lowhound]

I always wear a respirator plus a hood. With the hot days here in Bama I hook up some flood lights & roll the car out late at night so I don't have a heat stroke. I always wear long sleeves & cover myself up as much as possible.

 

[moparmarks]

I have a new one but haven't used it yet. Actually is a few years old. Kinda gun shy. A friend had a new one come apart on him. Weld failed and the fitting blew off and hit him in the hip. Plus my compressor is too small.

 

[pinkpanthr]

The filter on it is garbage so make sure you either have a good one on the compressor or make sure you drain any water thats in the compressor before blasting. Otherwise it has a nasty habit building up lumps in the media, and clogging the valves/ hoses. Also if you intend to use it for soda blasting, make sure you have at least a 60 gallon compressor or you'll spend all day wainting for the pressure to build back up after a few minutes of blasting as soda blasting takes a lot more air.

 

[bigaadams]

Be it Harbor Freight or any other brand of blaster..it is only going to work as good as it is maintained and all need to have maintenance. Also I do not recommend high pressure blasting on any body and the home compressor of 5hp rating and 60 gallon will run the 40lb unit nicely and by the time tank is empty..you are wanting a break also and my compressor cycles off by the time I have relieved the pressure from the pot and opened it to fill with sand. Do ensure dry air while using or the unit will clog...any unit..I also like to control the air to the tank separate from the air to the nozzle..yes this will require a bit of a mod to the piping...on sand flow..do not shut off flow at the nozzle but shut the flow valve on the tanks sand supply at the bottom of the tank and let the line clear...you will not clog nor sputter and waste sand when stopping and starting...all flow valves will wear that the sand transports through..hoses will wear..you have sand flowing in here so it is only normal to cut, your nozzles will wear and though tungsten carbide is the best..ceramic will last quite a bit..steel, short life junk.....I have blasted entire bodies without warping as I like to use lower pressure and control my sand flow at the tank unlike commercial blasters where time is money and time saved is high pressure with high sand flow and max damage to the metal..used with just a tad of common sense this unit will serve you well...my unit is many years old and I have changed a few flow valves and a tip or two but so far my hose is still performing..again..pressure and flow is the cause for accelerated wear..

 

[old tired rebel]

Be it Harbor Freight or any other brand of blaster..it is only going to work as good as it is maintained and all need to have maintenance. Also I do not recommend high pressure blasting on any body and the home compressor of 5hp rating and 60 gallon will run the 40lb unit nicely and by the time tank is empty..you are wanting a break also and my compressor cycles off by the time I have relieved the pressure from the pot and opened it to fill with sand. Do ensure dry air while using or the unit will clog...any unit..I also like to control the air to the tank separate from the air to the nozzle..yes this will require a bit of a mod to the piping...on sand flow..do not shut off flow at the nozzle but shut the flow valve on the tanks sand supply at the bottom of the tank and let the line clear...you will not clog nor sputter and waste sand when stopping and starting...all flow valves will wear that the sand transports through..hoses will wear..you have sand flowing in here so it is only normal to cut, your nozzles will wear and though tungsten carbide is the best..ceramic will last quite a bit..steel, short life junk.....I have blasted entire bodies without warping as I like to use lower pressure and control my sand flow at the tank unlike commercial blasters where time is money and time saved is high pressure with high sand flow and max damage to the metal..used with just a tad of common sense this unit will serve you well...my unit is many years old and I have changed a few flow valves and a tip or two but so far my hose is still performing..again..pressure and flow is the cause for accelerated wear..

May I pm you when I am ready to start on my car I am interested in doing the underside,cowl area, inner fenderwells.

 

[bigaadams]

yes...I will try to help where I can...

 

[1ol74charger4me]

Looks like this is a pretty complete guide of how to use the cheap blasters! I just had one thing to add. The deadman valves that come with most of them suck so I just replace them with a lever type water valve that's on and off. They wear out but last a lot longer than those stupid rubber blocks and a whole lot less maintenance. You just have to come up with fittings to put the nozzle in. Once I'm suited up I like to just get the job done! That's another tip, use a cheap paint suit to keep the sand off of you and out of your nooks and crannies.