Blast Cabinet Question

[texasz]

I just got my blast cabinet from Harbor Freight set up and working and have a quick question. The gun inside came with four total (one installed) ceramic tips and the holes in the end are of varrying size. Can anyone help me understand what the intended use of the different sizes are please?

[V8-240Z]

I have a Trinco bead blast cabinet and the different tips are for

varying size air compressors. The large tip consumes a lot of air

and the small tip will use less air. Start with the small tip and

work your was up unil the compressor can just stay ahead of

the air consumption. You will need to hook a shop vac to the

H/F blast cabinet or you will never be able to see anything.

[26th-Z]

Tell me about your experiences with your blast cabinet. It is on my list and several friends have been asking about one. I did a BUNCH of research some time ago and concluded that I couldn't determine value. The expensive cabinets seem to offer features I think I need, but the cheap cabinets might do for a couple of cars and then just throw it out. In either case, I concluded that the compressor needs to have more uumph than what I have now. I want to be able to clean suspension parts and smaller. No wheels or big things like that, but it would be nice to be able to do the A arms and springs.

[V8-240Z]

Mine is the Trinco Master model 36 and I run it with a

5hp 2 stage Champion compressor. The H/F ones will do

well with a couple minor changes. Get a PVC male pipe

X PVC hub adapter where the hub fits the end of your

shop vac hose. Then put the PVC adaper in your cabinet

with a nut on the inside to hold it in place. Then you

will have a leak proof connection. My Trinco just had a

large hole to stick the suction hose into and it leaked

bad. The next thing is the light. H/F uses a light bulb

screwed into a socket inside the cabinet. Trinco uses

a Fluorescence light on top of the cabinet that looks

through a piece of plastic. You need to move the light

outside the cabinet. My viewing glass is protected

on the inside with a very thin sheet of plastic that

comes by the roll. I have to change it after a couple

of hours of use to see. I run it at 85 pounds and blast

everything. The parts come out nice and ready for paint.

The best paint I have found is Krylon. I think you will

be happy with the H/F cabinet as long as you bought

one big enough. If you using glass beads in the cabinet

I found that H/F beads work well. If your using sand get

it from Home Depot and buy pay box sand. I have never

tried sand except in a small hand held blaster that looks

like paint gun, and boy are they messy!

[texasz]

I have just been out playing with mine and even my wife had fun cleaning some parts! :surprised Now I know who I can get to clean my parts for me. :laugh:

I just looked at H/F website and the one I bought was not on there. I got one that is larger than the grey one but a little smaller than the red one and it was only $124. It's a bench top unit but I bought a tool cart from eBay with locking wheels and three shelves to keep it on this way I can roll it out into my driveway to use and not make a mess in the garage. Plus I not have two additional shelves for storage!

The parts I just blasted were part of the throttle linkage, the alternator bracket, and I started in on one motor mount (the metal part that attaches to the block). The linkage part was the first one I did and it looks 100% better but it could still use a little work. Next I did the alt. bracket and it looks brand new!! I'm now convinced that this purchase was well worth it.

I am using the H/F glass beads in it, a 50lb box was only about $30 and the cabinet holds about 10lbs of media at a time (that's what the directions said to put in at least).

I think that I will have to install a drier between my compressor and the cabinet though, there seems to be too much moisture in the air coming directly from the compressor.

That takes me to the compressor...I'm using a 6hp 30gal Craftsman which out paces the blast cabinet with the tip on the gun as it came (one of the larger ones if not the largest tip that it came with).

[26th-Z]

Great! Just the sort of stuff I wanted to hear. The roll-around cart idea is superb! Good suggestion on the PVC / shop vac fitting. Dust is a problem inside the shop.

Thanks

[Zthing]

Hey Texasz, would love to know the model number of the unit you picked up from Harbor.

Want to pick one up soon, and your blaster sounds like the ticket. Thanks!!

[hls30.com]

I have been using the red HF counter-top cabnet for over a year. I have an original shopvac(the one made from a 5gallon bucket) on it, and I found that placing one of the magnetic flourescent lights, http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=46114 ,

in a clear plastic bag inside the unit works very well to illuminate the cabnet. The magnet holds the light to the top,and the long power cord is easy to snake through the air intake.

I also drilled a hole, installed an air connection into the cabinet, and ran the gun and hose that came with it in the inside.

I have found it difficult to find the suprisingly expensive replacement plastic film that keeps the glass from being abraided, so I tape cardboard rectangles inside the shields, and expose the next section when the one I am using becomes too cloudy to use.

Will

[First Gen Z]

I've had my sand blaster for 20 years. I say sand because it's the only medium I've used. I built my cabinet because after seeing what was available on the commercial market I wasn't impressed. My cabinet is 50" x 26" x 24" tall. The door opens from the front. I can blast just about anything off of a car. As for a useful shop tool, once you have one you'll wonder why you didn't always have one. If you hook up your shop vac be sure to clean the filter after every use. The fine abrasive dust created by the medium will eventually reach the motor and ruin it. I've destroyed 2 shop vacs in the years I've had mine. The different size tips are for different volumns of air and medium. Small tip for small areas, large tips for large areas. I've also found that it is very useful to wash the finished parts with mineral spirits before painting as very fine dust particles on the pieces will negate a good paint finish. A drier is also a good idea. And don't forget to maintain your compressor. They are a very faithful servant. They don't ask much. Just drain them on a regular basis and keep their filter clean. Mine is a Saylor-Beale and I've had to work on it only twice in 30 years.

[texasz]

Hey Texasz, would love to know the model number of the unit you picked up from Harbor.

Want to pick one up soon, and your blaster sounds like the ticket. Thanks!!

Since it's not on their website I'll have to see if I can locate it. Strange that it was in the local store but not on the website, I have found it to typically to just the opposite...I find something I want on their website and it's not in the store (a catalog or website only item).

...and I found that placing one of the magnetic flourescent lights, http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=46114 ,

in a clear plastic bag inside the unit works very well to illuminate the cabnet.

Why the plastic bag? The larger one from mine had a flourescent light in it but no bag and I see another one on their site that also has a flourescent light with no bag. I was planning on putting a light in mine and would like to know your experience.

...I have found it difficult to find the suprisingly expensive replacement plastic film that keeps the glass from being abraided, so I tape cardboard rectangles inside the shields, and expose the next section when the one I am using becomes too cloudy to use.

Will

Will, maybe these will help you:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=39874

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=39873

I agree, these stupid things are expensive...$2/each!! :surprised

[hls30.com]

The plastic bag keeps the sand out of the housing-the sand gets behind it, and actually fills the lens up with sand. The sand also ends up destroying the switch in short order-even if you just leave it on and use the plug, it will quit working in a couple of days use. A large freezer bag keeps this from happening-just use a tie wrap around the chord...I burnt up four lights in short order before I tried this seven months ago-still on the same light...

The Store here does not stock the shields, and at almost $10(for a piece of clear plastic film) each after shipping(the ones I need are $20 for three plus $8 handling), $10 a day is too much for the volume I do when I do it. You only look through a small section of the lens at a time, the carboard keeps the rest of it clear untill you are ready to use it. I use cardboard rectangles approx 1.5"x4", the sheild will last for over a months use.

Will

I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

Will

[V8-240Z]

I buy my plastic film in a roll from Tap Plastics. Its 5 mill thick

and comes in a 2ft wide roll thats 50ft long. My viewing window

is 2 ft wide and 1 foot high. I have most of the 50 foot roll left

I will cut and mail a piece for your blaster as long as each piece

is no bigger than 2ft X 1 Ft for $1.25 each piece shipping included.

This film does not replace the viewing window it just covers the

glass. A bead blaster is not going to be as hard on the film as

a sand blaster.