Sandblasting questions? | Museum of the Game® & International Arcade

I've got a craftsman 20 gal that I got off craigslist used for about $100. It's dual 110/220 but as it turns out, there is basically no advantage to running it on 220v. Maybe it runs the motor a little cooler? But it definitely does not generate any more air at 220v.

My compressor keeps-up fine. I've seen tutorials that recommend modifying the harbor freight cabinet to use a pressure pot (link) but I see no need with the compressor I have. At most I'll give it a second to catch-up, or give it a break after several minutes of continuous operation to cool down.

Thing is -- if you blast a coin door, or marquee bracket, or something on rare occasion... you're not putting it through the same workload as somebody who is doing old car parts all day long. theres several types of blast media out there to pick from.

the most popular are good old silica sand and crushed walnuts.

walnuts work ok but take forever. the plus side is they wont make the metal as hot so less chance of warpage and they arent as agressive. Think of it as fine grade sandpaper.

good glass beads work great. Really quick, aggressive, but if you get the nozzle too close or take too long in one section, you can accidentally warp, deform, or pit the part youre trying to clean up.. Think of it as midgrade/coarse sandpaper.

aluminum oxide also works well. thats the krap other people might call black sand or black diamond. Its SUPER AGGRESSIVE and can really fuck stuff up if youre not careful. However with care, it can be the most awesome because its so aggressive, you blast quicker. think of it as like 40-60 grit sandpaper. SUper aggressive.

pros and cons to each. Ideally youll want something all purpose but keep in mind if you plan to blast something delicate youll want to use a finer media with less pressure. I've had my eye on this compressor for quite some time, it goes on sale around the holidays ect... but you need a 220v outlet to run it. it's a beast


Kobalt 3.7 HP 60-Gallon 155 PSI Electric Air Compressor: $499.00 (non sale price)

-Cast iron, twin cylinder, oil-lubricated pump features one-piece cast iron crankcase, thermally stable cast iron cylinder body, aluminum head and machined cast iron valve plate, automotive style ball bearings, and durable stainless steel reed valves
-Heavy duty induction motor for maximum performance and efficiency, 208-240 volt
-Large capacity, 60-gallon ASME vertical tank provides more air for longer tool run times on air tools such as ratchets, impacts, spray guns, hammers, etc
-155 PSI max pressure, 13.4 SCFM @ 40 PSI, 11.5 SCFM @ 90 PSI , 3.7 running HP



http://www.lowes.com/pd_-...p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=Kobalt

tho reading the reviews gives me mixed thoughts on this unit, it looks nice in person; guess it's a gamble once you get it home


Btw sorry not trying to jack the OP's thread, i'd be using this for blasting, and spraying mainly and the occasional automotive repair. Wish the blast cabinet from harbor freight wasn't as expensive >.<

I also planned on using what ever media HF had and mainly to do lots of small parts with the occasional coin door/autopart.

Your pancake compressor will not cut it. It does not have enough volume in the tank. I use a cheaper 2hp 150psi 30gal craftsman air compressor. It does not have enough volume to blast continually but will go 5-7minutes and you'll have to wait a couple of minutes for the compressor to catch up. Eventually I'll buy a bigger compressor but got this one on trade for something else and it works ok.

Add to that, the sound of that pancake compressor constantly running is deafening.

I have the little Porter Cable pancake compressor and for anything other than nail and staple guns, it's useless. You can't run a paint gun or media blaster with it. If you don't want to spend a lot, check Craigslist for used compressors. Beware though, you might have to fix what you buy. I kinda got ripped, although really..it still turned out to be an ok deal.

I bought a 40gal horizontal tank Craftsman compressor thru Craigslist. I got to the house, in the bad part of the town. The seller wasn't home, but his wife came to the door in barely a t-shirt/gown. Wasn't half bad, except she looked like a druggie. They had these massive dogs that she had to put inside before I went into the backyard. The compressor was in a dark shed, she took me back there, etc.. I got weirded out for sure, and the husband/owner came home, came back there, then pulled the compressor out of the mess of a shed. As he's pulling it out, he slips on the wooden ramp, landing right on his back in a split second. It was like something out of a cartoon, except creepy. Plugged it in, heard it run, paid the low price, got the heck outta there.

Next day, started messing with it, and found it wouldn't pump any air. I took it apart and found that the cylinder sleeve was badly worn and the piston was worn out around the edges so that there was NO compression. I had to order $50/parts from Sears online, but after replacing the sleeve, piston/ring thing, O-rings, a brass fitting, then put a better valve on the bottom, it was still a good deal. I just didn't plan on fixing the thing. I did get a really nice/long hose that I don't think they planned on selling with it, so that sweetened the deal a bit in the end.

Can anyone recommend a good piece of equipment (along with
approx. cost and source) that can be used to put that
sandblasted looking finish on a piece of jewelry? I had to size
a plat ring today with this type of finish, and I would liked to
have able to refinish the worked area of the shank to better
match the rest of the piece. Also, can stones be ‘masked’ with
something to avoid possible damage during this type of
finishing? Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to
offer.
Jim, MT.

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Note From Ganoksin Staff:
Looking for a sandblasting cabinet for your jewelry projects? We recommend:

• Reading our guide to the Best Sandblasting Cabinets Review for jewelry work here
• Searching for more discussions about Best Sandblasting Cabinets here on the Orchid forum

Um. You probably need a sanblaster. Harbor freight sells some
table top blasting cabinets that work fine. There are small
shoebox sized dental units out there that also work well enough
for occasional use, as well as several types that look more like
an airbursh for small detail use. Prices seem to start around 75
bucks and up, depending on the type and size. Used ones crop up
now and then. You also need, of course, some source of
compressed air. Some of the small blasters don’t need much,
though. I know one guy with a little home built one that he’d
run off a somewhat overinflated spare truck tire… Didn’t give
him much, but for the once in a blue moon need, it was just
fine.

Peter Rowe

Hello Jim! The blaster I’m using costs around $250. Any supplier
you choose should have it. It’s basically a 10 inch square box
with a glass front for viewing. You’ll need a compressor as
well. Watch Sears for a 30 gallon 5 hp. You can get them on sale
for around $259. The smaller mushroom units are cheaper, but
don’t hold much air and tend to run more than they’re off.Good
luck.
Tim

Hi! we do sandblasting on lots of our line and really the only
way is to get some sort of way to redo the finish, ie,
sandblasting. There are several ways to get it done with out
buying a whole unit, talk to your equipment supplier or me
and I’ll get you some info. I use a wax pen and "mask ", off the
parts I dont want blasted, stones, with wax, or tape if your
going for different textures on the metal. Let me know, Matt the
Catt @ C.I. A.

Hell Jim! A sandblaster would have been nice to have for that
project. What I’ve been doing for masking is fingernail polish.
There are masking products that seem to work similar to nail
polish. Occasionally I’ll cut scotch tape to fit stones or areas
to be protected. It holds up better than the polish. I hope
this thread produces more effective methods. I have always
assumed there were better products and methods for masking. Lets
hope for an easier way.

Tim

i have been using a air eraser for a sand blaster for several
years. Glass beads as the blasting medium. I just recently bought
a large air compressor, but before that I used a portable air
tank filled at the gas station or a co2 bottle. About 40lb of
pressure seems to bring the best result. I used a cardboard box
with a vacuum cleaner for a blasting booth untill i got a plastic
one. Wasted a bit of blasting media, but got results.The air
earaser is about $80 to $100 and the air tanks can be bought at
surplus stores for about $25 to $40. Glass beads are available at
Gesswein etc. I use fingernail polish as a block out or else use
a plastic mastic or even scotch tape. all seem to work it is just
the control of the mask that varies. God luck Frank

I picked up a bead blasting cabinet from Enco for about $150. I
then went to Home depot and picked up a compressor for $300-350.
One needs 60-80 lbs of air to sand blast. The media that I use
is composed of glass beads. I might point out that glasss beads
tend to self destruct at these pressures and one should be sure
to use a good respirator. The beads are not as destructive as
quartz sand or a few other medias. They are available from most
jewelers supply housesThe glass beads also seem to provide a
softer finish that is seen on more jewelry. Coarser media also
provides an interesting finish but can open up pits in cxastings
a lot quicker and when masking stonres with wax or tape can do
real damage if it does get past the mask. I usually use bee’s
wax or a synthetic equivalent for masking.

Bruce D. Holmgrain Maryland’s first JA certified Master Bench
Jeweler http://www.goldwerx.com

Hello Jim, There are some small benchtop pencil-stylu
sandblasting cabinets available listed in the Rio Grande
http://www.riogrande.com and the Enco tool
http://www.use-enco.com . I’m using one from Enco Model 803-
it costs $150. It apears to be the same as Rio’s 336-248 for
$159.

I would not use anything smaller than this. This machine needs a
compressed air supply and a vacume to keep the dust down so that
you can see what you are doing.

This machine has its drawbacks.

1. I found the internal air filter to be inadiquate. I
   replaced it with an automotive air filter to increase the air
   flow and increase visibility inside the cabinet.

2. After wearing out the ceramic tip, I replaced it with a
   tungsten carbide tip. ceramic tip wore out in about a week of
   heavy use.

I would advise purchasing a better machine. However if you would
like to know how I modified mine, contact me off list.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website GRC Sandblasted Finish.

good luck

Timothy A. Hansen

:
@Timothy_A_Hansen
Web site:
http://home.earthlink.net/~tahhandcraft/index.htm

Jim, I have a small sandblaster from Gesswein. It has a light
inside, glove on the left side, pressure gauge, a little window
and that’s about it, I guess that’s all you really need other
than an air compressor. The unit ran about $300.00 and has been
very effective. I cover stones and areas that I don’t want to
sandblast with tape, I use a surgical knife to trim where
necessary and that works pretty well. You have a range of
choices in what you use for media, I primarily use a more coarse
quartz material because it gives a deeper more sparkly finish
that seems to last a little longer. That is available from any
larger supplier, as is the sandblaster I would imagine.

Mark P
WI

Hi Jim

For non-production sand blasting I use a Sears compressor and
their sand blasting gun. Looks like a spray gun with a trigger
and tube nozzle. I then took a see-through plastic container that
you can get from any department store and cut a hole in the end
for the nozzle and a large hole in the side for my arm to hold
the piece I’m sand blasting. Use the container upside dow n with
the lid on. When you through you can reclaim the sand. Jewelry
supply houses sell sand in various sizes. I use masking tape to
protect those areas that I don’t want sand blasted. If I’m not
mistaken you need a compressor that delivers about 40Lb.
pressure. Make sure you use eye protection and a respirator. If
anyone wants to see a picture of this whole mess let me know and
I will put one one the web.

George Hebner

If you are going to use an air eraser for blasting and an air
tank for air pressure, try finding an empty freon tank the size
of a 20 lb propane tank. There is a conversion kit with the
fittings, an air pressure gage and the hose for $10 available
here from NH, which sells various motors and industrial
supplies. Unfortuntely, the kit doesn’t work with the propane
tank and the freon tanks are a bit harder to find, but you will
run across them.

HTH,
Roy (Jess)

Hello:

I responding to Tim’s letter to Jim about Sandblasting units. I
too recently bought an air compressor from Sears (can beat them-
craftsmen stuff is priced just right).

I bought the 4.5 HP 20 gallon (motha of a) compressor. I just
sound proofed the compressor. I thought I would pass along the
info if the noise a compressor makes is a problem for other
folks. I bought these really great vibration and sound proofing
rubber mats from MSC. Everyone on this list should get their
catalog. 1-800-645-. MSC is a Industrial Supply Co., they
have EVERYTHING. Whitney at Metal Kitchen passed along their name
to me. Now I look throught the page catalog every morning
with my tea instead of reading the trades.

I also encased my compressor in a lucite box I made. When the
compressor is running the box helps to deaden the noise
(another suggestion from Whitney). I have a group of graphic
designers below my studio and the noise I make while working
makes them crazy. They noticed a huge difference now when I run
the compressor.

Anyway, I hope y’all find the info useful.

DeDe

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