Sandblaster!!!

[Brian Rupnow]

Green twin---your system needs a dewatering manifold. That is simply four 3/4" o.d. steel waterpipes about four foot long with a thread on both ends of the pipes. arranged vertically against a wall. The tops of the pipes are connected with two elbows and a short coupler The bottoms are connected by two short couplers and a simple valve. this should be located fairly close to the compressor. The water in the air condenses in the steel pipes and runs down to the valve. Every time you turn on your compressor, crack the valves open and let the water out. You will be amazed at how much water collects and how dry your air will be.---Brian

 

[Mike Ginn]

Hi GreenTwin
The solution is simple - use a vacuum extractor. The process of sand blasting (with almost all media) creates lots of fine particles which obscure vision and must not be inhaled. My cabinet has an inlet filter and the extractor on the opposite side connected to a vacuum cleaner. I use a standard Henry but I am not sure if that is available in the US. A small vacuum cleaner with a good suck is all that is needed BUT you must use a cyclonic separator so that the particles don't block up the cleaner. Also see my post #14 above which talks about the media management. I have loads more info if you run into problems.
Please be very careful if you use kiln dried sand - its a massive potential health issue!
Mike

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

I have a sandblaster box.
As I mentioned, I had problems with water clogging the sandblasting gun, and I also had problems with the window clouding up, or getting sandblasted to the point where I could no longer see through it.
Is there a solution to the window problem ?
.

Install a ventilation fan if you lack one, so the fine dust gets sucked into a filter.

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

Green twin---your system needs a dewatering manifold. That is simply four 3/4" o.d. steel waterpipes about four foot long with a thread on both ends of the pipes. arranged vertically against a wall. The tops of the pipes are connected with two elbows and a short coupler The bottoms are connected by two short couplers and a simple valve. this should be located fairly close to the compressor. The water in the air condenses in the steel pipes and runs down to the valve. Every time you turn on your compressor, crack the valves open and let the water out. You will be amazed at how much water collects and how dry your air will be.---Brian

These systems only get your air to 100% relative humidity. You really need a dryer after them to have dry compressed air.

 

[GreenTwin]

Thanks Brian and others for the helpful suggestions.
Much appreciated.
I knew there must be some tricks I was not aware of.
I have only used a sandblaster once, but I liked how well it worked, when it worked.
I think I can get the bugs worked out of my sandblaster now.
Thanks again.
.

 

[stanstocker]

You may find spare parts are available in Canada from Princess Auto. They seem to be the Great White North's Harbor freight.

Cheers,
Stan

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Stan--I know that . A good percentage of the Rupnow fortune gets spent at Canadian Tire and Princess Auto every year. Now for my next question---And remember, I'm doing this "On the cheap". The view port that lets me look into the sandblaster is some cheap Polycarbonate, and as can be expected is quite "hazy" in spots. I have washed it in cold water and that helped a lot. I am looking for a chemical that will clear it up even more. I know that Canadian Tire sells kits to restore the clarity to polycarbonate headlight covers that have gone hazy from age. Only problem is the price of these kits get to be more than it costs to buy a new piece of polycarbonate. Can anyone recommend a good "Haze" remover that is relatively inexpensive and is available in Canada.---Brian

 

[GreenTwin]

I saw a video the other day, and a guy was showing how he cleaned his auto headlights.
He took household bug spray, and sprayed it on some very dull and cloudy headlights on his car, waited 15 seconds, and wiped it off.
I did not believe it, and had two cars with headlights that needed cleaning.
It does take of the old oxidized part, and for the price of a squirt of bug spray, works extremely well.
I had to spray and wipe my headlights a few times, but it was a huge improvement.

.

 

[stanstocker]

Stan--I know that . A good percentage of the Rupnow fortune gets spent at Canadian Tire and Princess Auto every year. Now for my next question---And remember, I'm doing this "On the cheap". The view port that lets me look into the sandblaster is some cheap Polycarbonate, and as can be expected is quite "hazy" in spots. I have washed it in cold water and that helped a lot. I am looking for a chemical that will clear it up even more. I know that Canadian Tire sells kits to restore the clarity to polycarbonate headlight covers that have gone hazy from age. Only problem is the price of these kits get to be more than it costs to buy a new piece of polycarbonate. Can anyone recommend a good "Haze" remover that is relatively inexpensive and is available in Canada.---Brian

800 grit paper used with soapy water, followed by 1200 grit should get rid of most of the fine scratches, a few deeper ones won't matter in this application (or at least wouldn't to me). Buffing with baking soda made into a paste with water, toothpaste, or a plastic polishing compound using a buffing mop or a long vigorous upper body workout will probably get it pretty clear. Just like the headlight kits, it will get it a lot better, but usually won't get things to like new. A coat of gloss clear coat will often make a great improvement once the buffing is done, and is a good final step with headlights. How it will hold up in a blast cabinet I have no idea.

 

[stanstocker]

I saw a video the other day, and a guy was showing how he cleaned his auto headlights.
He took household bug spray, and sprayed it on some very dull and cloudy headlights on his car, waited 15 seconds, and wiped it off.
I did not believe it, and had two cars with headlights that needed cleaning.
It does take of the old oxidized part, and for the price of a squirt of bug spray, works extremely well.
I had to spray and wipe my headlights a few times, but it was a huge improvement.

.

Using this MAY cause the polycarbonate to become brittle. Baltimore City Prison tried large clear polycarbonate windows to keep the inmates contained a long while back. The hope was the lack of bars would give a more open feeling to the pen and reduce inmate violence. If you have even spent any time in Baltimore you probably are already rolling your eyes . The inmates started spraying deodorant on the windows regularly and after a year or so there was a break out as the windows would shatter with hard impact. I think is was the isobutane propellant that did the trick back then.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Yesterday I fabricated the six "stand offs" that weld to the back of the support frame and bolted it to the wall---the stand offs were necessary because the sandblaster covers up my 120 volt outlet on the wall, and I need space to run an extension cord out from behind the sandblaster to a power bar. A closer look today shows me that I will have much better luck using my existing one quart sandblaster with this cabinet than trying to refurbish the existing gun that came with the cabinet. I don't have any problem doing this, and I can remove the one quart container and use the gun without the container. It really looks to me like somebody bought this sandblasting cabinet new from Harbor Freight and then flogged it right to death with no maintenance of any kind. Tomorrow I will cut some 1/2" plywood to make up a couple of shelves which will mount into the two intermediate frames below the cabinet. The gloves were completely trashed, so tomorrow I will go across town to Princess Auto and see if their sandblasting gloves will fit my application.

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

Using this MAY cause the polycarbonate to become brittle. Baltimore City Prison tried large clear polycarbonate windows to keep the inmates contained a long while back. The hope was the lack of bars would give a more open feeling to the pen and reduce inmate violence. If you have even spent any time in Baltimore you probably are already rolling your eyes . The inmates started spraying deodorant on the windows regularly and after a year or so there was a break out as the windows would shatter with hard impact. I think is was the isobutane propellant that did the trick back then.

Anything with esters in it will crystallize poly carbonate rapidly. Dawn dish soap, scents, synthetic compressor oil, used glow sticks etc.

I used to demo this by putting used glow sticks into a Nalgene bottle and leaving it somwhere warm for a week. After a week the bottles shattered like glass when dropped.

One place I worked lost an exhibit that was made of poly carbonate but continually submersed in dilluted dawn dishwashing soap. The plastic shattered.


I use high grade charcoal in a dessicant vessel to remove esters from my compressed air as I have an IR brand compressor running 100% synthetic.

 

[L98fiero]

Yesterday I fabricated the six "stand offs" that weld to the back of the support frame and bolted it to the wall---the stand offs were necessary because the sandblaster covers up my 120 volt outlet on the wall, and I need space to run an extension cord out from behind the sandblaster to a power bar. A closer look today shows me that I will have much better luck using my existing one quart sandblaster with this cabinet than trying to refurbish the existing gun that came with the cabinet. I don't have any problem doing this, and I can remove the one quart container and use the gun without the container. It really looks to me like somebody bought this sandblasting cabinet new from Harbor Freight and then flogged it right to death with no maintenance of any kind. Tomorrow I will cut some 1/2" plywood to make up a couple of shelves which will mount into the two intermediate frames below the cabinet. The gloves were completely trashed, so tomorrow I will go across town to Princess Auto and see if their sandblasting gloves will fit my application.

Princess auto SKU: 8631947 siphon sandblaster gun will solve the problem of the gun for $30, Barrie has 5 in stock!

 

[Brian Rupnow]

L98fiero---I already have a sandblast gun that I bought a few years ago and plan on using it. Today I ran my sandblaster budget up to just under $100----$60 for the sandblaster cabinet, $27 for a new pair of sandblaster gloves from Princess Auto and $7 for a pair of brass fittings from "Bolts are Us" so the airline feeding into the back of the cabinet can come in at 90 degrees instead of straight in like it was originally. I have very limited clearance between the back of the sandblaster and the wall.

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

L98fiero---I already have a sandblast gun that I bought a few years ago and plan on using it. Today I ran my sandblaster budget up to just under $100----$60 for the sandblaster cabinet, $27 for a new pair of sandblaster gloves from Princess Auto and $7 for a pair of brass fittings from "Bolts are Us" so the airline feeding into the back of the cabinet can come in at 90 degrees instead of straight in like it was originally. I have very limited clearance between the back of the sandblaster and the wall.

Now you just need a dryer and to make sure you don't exceed your compressors duty cycle. Sand blasting is notorious for ruining compressors by exceeding the duty cycles.

 

[NapierDeltic]

Bug spray is interesting to try on headlights (limited number of cleanings). I have tried special headlight kit and I was not able to clear them - it might seem some are clear lack covered; anyhow I couldn't remove scratches but multiplied them with this dedicated set -which is very fine.
About polycarbonate sheet, I can support stanstocker's classic method. Although treated surface may loose its perfect flatness (micro-bumps) It becomes transparent like 90-95 %, depending on your wish and effort. A lot of water during polishing prevents melting.
I wonder how much a cling film layer could protect the glass. It can be changed much often.
On another hand, could reusable silicagel desiccant (maybe cat litter or not) be used for air drying? It can be regenerated by heating.
Sometimes it is available for free because it is added to packaging of humidity sensible goods.

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

Bug spray is interesting to try on headlights (limited number of cleanings). I have tried special headlight kit and I was not able to clear them - it might seem some are clear lack covered; anyhow I couldn't remove scratches but multiplied them with this dedicated set -which is very fine.
About polycarbonate sheet, I can support stanstocker's classic method. Although treated surface may loose its perfect flatness (micro-bumps) It becomes transparent like 90-95 %, depending on your wish and effort. A lot of water during polishing prevents melting.
I wonder how much a cling film layer could protect the glass. It can be changed much often.
On another hand, could reusable silicagel desiccant (maybe cat litter or not) be used for air drying? It can be regenerated by heating.

Big jugs of blue silica are cheap on amazon. The cobalt indicator salts turn pink when saturated, which is handy. It can be regenerated in an oven.

For head lights try novus 3 then novus 2. Cheap on amazon. The key is to lightly load the buffing cloth and use as little pressure as possible.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Today, nothing of value was accomplished. I have to make a pair of adapters to fit the new gloves onto the existing sandblaster cabinet. Priced out some 1.5" thick aluminum and it was too expensive. Found an oak plank that I had squirreled away and decided to use it, but the bandsaw blade was dull. Went to my usual supplier but they don't sell bandsaw blades anymore. Spent the rest of the morning finding a new supplier right here in beautiful Barrie, and I did but it will take a week.

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

Today, nothing of value was accomplished. I have to make a pair of adapters to fit the new gloves onto the existing sandblaster cabinet. Priced out some 1.5" thick aluminum and it was too expensive. Found an oak plank that I had squirreled away and decided to use it, but the bandsaw blade was dull. Went to my usual supplier but they don't sell bandsaw blades anymore. Spent the rest of the morning finding a new supplier right here in beautiful Barrie, and I did but it will take a week.

Can you just cut squares and load them onto your lathe?

 

[Brian Rupnow]

The adapters require 6.75" outer diameter circles. You could knock those corners off in the lathe but it would be a lengthy process.