Physically Small Blaster

Punx0r · Jun 19, 2011

Hello chaps

I'm looking for a little blaster. The job in mind is to clean up some scabby wheel arch lips, so only a strip an inch wide.

I like the 10/20 gallon blasting pots on ebay, but they're physically just too large - storage space is currently non-existent.

So unless someone makes a little one, I fear I may have to get a suction gun like these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Clarke-SB3-Sa...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item4cf416dc16

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PORTABLE-SAND...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item5d2e496a08

Although I'm really not sure if spare nozzles are available for them...

Or, any chance that the hose/gun parts can be bought separately and I could make a pot from a dinky calor gas bottle or similar? I'm not sure what these pots have going on inside.

Please forgive me if there are already threads on homemade pots. I spent some time with the search engine but didn't see anything.

Thanks,
Anthony

brightspark · Jun 19, 2011

ace sandblasters make a small one but are a rip off in price for what they are . u can make your own out of a smaller gas bottle , buy a decent carbide jet and some ball valves of e bay and a few bsp pipe fittings and some hose a water seperator and away u go

rtbcomp · Jun 20, 2011

Have a look in the links section for Anglo Scott Abrasives, they do a superior blast gun to those you mention with the option of a carbide nozzle.

The hardened steel ones don't last long at all.

I made my own hopper, have a look in the homemade tools section.

Engineer · Jun 20, 2011

No point in messing around with blast cleaning for this............just buy a knotted wire wheel to fit an angle grinder,

brightspark · Jun 20, 2011

Engineer said:
No point in messing around with blast cleaning for this............just buy a knotted wire wheel to fit an angle grinder,

it depends on if u want the job right. wire wheels wont get into the pitted metal and expose weak spots blasting will

Punx0r · Jun 21, 2011

Yeah, I want to get into the pits and not end up grinding the metal paper-thin. Plus I gt nervous using a wire wheel on panel edges because when it snags it sure does kick...

Looking at the Anglo Scot website it looks it seems I should have been looking at "spot blasters" for the suction guns.

I like the idea of more blasting power for the same air consumption though, so a pressurised pot would be the choice option.

Brightspark, I don't suppose you know of any website or article featuring the construction of a homemade pot. The main issue is I don't know what should be inside the pot, like any baffles, grids tubes etc. Also what parts form the "gun" on the end of the hose.

shenion · Jun 21, 2011

A buddy of mine has a gravity-fed gun. Looks like a paint gun with a can on top. Great for small jobs.

brightspark · Jun 21, 2011

Punx0r said:
Yeah, I want to get into the pits and not end up grinding the metal paper-thin. Plus I gt nervous using a wire wheel on panel edges because when it snags it sure does kick...

Looking at the Anglo Scot website it looks it seems I should have been looking at "spot blasters" for the suction guns.

I like the idea of more blasting power for the same air consumption though, so a pressurised pot would be the choice option.

Brightspark, I don't suppose you know of any website or article featuring the construction of a homemade pot. The main issue is I don't know what should be inside the pot, like any baffles, grids tubes etc. Also what parts form the "gun" on the end of the hose.

il take a few photos of mine and put on post. there a simple design. nothing complicated

brightspark · Jun 21, 2011

blast pots

heres a few i have. the smallest has the 3mm carbide jet .all pipes and fittings are available off ebay reasonably priced. the lid is quick reliese but to simplify it make one the same as the machine mart one . a screw on cap on to a coupling its ready made to weld on

just get a tallish gas bottle not a short fat one as the grit falls on gravity .it will cost about 60 quid for the parts to make . the second one has the industrial couplings and blast hose with 6mm carbide nozzle and its holder. parts to build that one would be over £120. didnt cost me that :whistle:

dont bother using the fancy tap on the blast hose nozzle end just use a jubily clip on it and operate the air from the main input ball valve . just go look at one in machine mart and get the rough idea on them :whistle:

luke123 · Jun 21, 2011

The question that comes in to my mind, does you welding need to be very good as the pot will be under pressure?

found this but you can make one to your own spec for about this price

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ace-Gritblast...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item415b03ee1e

brightspark · Jun 21, 2011

luke123 said:
The question that comes in to my mind, does you welding need to be very good as the pot will be under pressure?

found this but you can make one to your own spec for about this price

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ace-Gritblast...Air_Tools_and_Compressors&hash=item415b03ee1e

put it this way you wouldnt be making one if u were just learning to weld. i wouldnt fancy something flying off at 100mph thats been welded on with crow sh ..//.te its bad enough if a hose blows up and thats down to bad mantenance and lack of inspection

rtbcomp · Jun 21, 2011

Those ACE ones hardly hold any grit, it takes ages to undo the top to refill and the hold-down bolts need replacing regularly, as does the T-piece at the bottom.

brightspark · Jun 21, 2011

rtbcomp said:
Those ACE ones hardly hold any grit, it takes ages to undo the top to refill and the hold-down bolts need replacing regularly, as does the T-piece at the bottom.

verry true and there over priced

400-ascona · Jun 21, 2011

I find this good for doing small areas of bodywork:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...n/path/sandblasting-equipment-and-accessories

It has different shaped nozzles to allow you to do different areas and edges. It localises the amount that is blasted, and produces virtually no mess.

Rob.

graffian · Jun 22, 2011

400-ascona said:
I find this good for doing small areas of bodywork:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/p...n/path/sandblasting-equipment-and-accessories

It has different shaped nozzles to allow you to do different areas and edges. It localises the amount that is blasted, and produces virtually no mess.

Rob.

There was a post a few weeks ago about a lidl or aldi one, it was around a tenner. I had one, used it a few times and it seemed OK, you can force the rubbers against most surfaces. I lent it to someone who bare metaled the back half of a 57 Fairlane with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I took the junk[nozzellly stuff] off it and still use it, but in a drum;-)

Punx0r · Jun 22, 2011

I think I'll have to try one of those machine mart spot blasters as a stop-gap because it'll take me a while to make the pot blaster. Are replacement nozzles available?

Thanks for the photos Brightspark, I think I can see what's what now.

Am I right in thinking the first ball valve is the main on/off control, the one on the side of the pot is the throttle and the one on the bottom controls grit flow?

Is there a reason why I couldn't dispense with the first valve and just use throttle valve to turn the thing on and off?

Not only have I never made a blasting pot, I haven't used on either! :laughing:

Punx0r · Jun 22, 2011

I was just looking for blasting media on the MM website and noticed they do a blasting attachment for a pressure washer!

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/sand-blasting-attachment-3

I'm not really tempted by it, I just found it curious

brightspark · Jun 22, 2011

Punx0r said:
I was just looking for blasting media on the MM website and noticed they do a blasting attachment for a pressure washer!

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/sand-blasting-attachment-3

I'm not really tempted by it, I just found it curious

there ok if u havent compresed air but messy with water and a sand slurry

Shox Dr · Jun 22, 2011

luke123 said:
The question that comes in to my mind, does you welding need to be very good as the pot will be under pressure?

Without doubt!! If you don't know if your welds are good enough*. Then don't even think about it

*and by that I mean you DO know what a good weld is

Punx0r · Jun 23, 2011

Am I right in thinking you only need to weld in pipe and filler fittings, not cut the tank in half (I saw some photos where this was done)?

Obviously you don't want a steel pipe fitting shooting off, but that's got to be less catastrophic than the whole tank blowing in half!

I think it'll be ok. I made a pressure pot from two cheap saucepans a while ago for injecting waxoyl and tested it at 100psi. I'd test the blasting pot at 150psi to be sure

Physically Small Blaster

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