3hp 14cfm wolf dakota 90ltr + small blasting cabinet?

[Ryan9422]

Hello..after reading many post on here regarding setups for blasting using rather smaller compressors and they're a waste of time. I have came across this blast cabinet

Supposedly the requirements to run this are " Air compressor delivery of 40-80PSI @ 5CFM" .

Just wondering if my wolf 3hp 14cfm 90ltr compressor would be able to run this cabinet to blast small parts for my restoration build..brake callipers, brackets etc...

Any help appreciated thanks, Ryan.

 

[not done it yet]

You need to read more carefully. Careful reading will tell you that 3HP compressors, advertised as 14 CFM simply do not deliver that volume of free air. You have not discerned the difference between displacement and delivery Volumes.

The 90 litre is the receiver size and is, IMO, just another advertising gimmick, to impress the un-knowing.

IF that blast cabinet only really requires 5 cfm, your compressor should be adequate. Actual air usage is often rather under-stated by advertisers. You need to know if these specifications are minimums and what the real-world usage is, in practice.

Other things to check out might include the duty run-time for your compressor.

 

[Burdekin]

Just for clarity the compressor’s rated CFM is at 0psi, so the CFM is less at higher psi. Would it run the blaster yes, for how long I don’t know but someone will have that setup and advise.

 

[8ob]

Hello..after reading many post on here regarding setups for blasting using rather smaller compressors and they're a waste of time. I have came across this blast cabinet
Supposedly the requirements to run this are " Air compressor delivery of 40-80PSI @ 5CFM" .

Just wondering if my wolf 3hp 14cfm 90ltr compressor would be able to run this cabinet to blast small parts for my restoration build..brake callipers, brackets etc...

Any help appreciated thanks, Ryan.

That Switzer gear is nicely made. I use one of the Switzer parts cleaners for the saws which works off suction, needs the same cfm`s as the blast cabinet,that keeps my 14cfm abac busy and there is a lot of system volume. No problem running this for small items but if it was constant use on larger item you would need a larger compressor or at the very least add an extra receiver. @brightspark ??

Bob

 

[optima21]

yeah but it'll be slow to work. I have a similar blaster and use it with the same compressor.

benchtop blasting cabinet modifications.

I've had one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200472037005 for a while now so thought I'd best start tweaking it so I can use it for blasting small parts. for many years Ive been using one of these blast guns (originally from Anglo Scot Abrasives)...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[northwest]

but someone will have that setup and advise.

Me, I do because as some here know if I put anything else in anywhere I won't be able to get in myself! So I use what I have. It is a bit stop/start but works for the small bits I do.

 

[Dcal]

It's all down to the size of the blast nozzle and if it only needs 5CFM I'd say the nozzle would need to be so small it won’t be able to pass even Supafine grit.
I’d say they are being creative with the air requirements.
Just to give you a feel for what a compressor can put out, a 3hp Hydrovane should be able to maintain 80 or 90 psi through a 2mm dia orifice to atmosphere. Go to 3mm and you need over twice the CFM.
Also, It probably has ceramic nozzles and as they wear they will use more air.

Having said that my blast cabinet has a 3mm nozzle and one 3HP compressor will blast a single caliper before I need to give it a rest to build up the pressure again.
I was doing a lot of blasting outside this weekend (stuff was far too big to fit in my cabinet) and even with both my 3HP compressors running, they couldn't keep up but were just about OK for the job as I needed to keep cleaning up, sieving and refilling the blast pot.

Better light and extraction will really improve the useability of a blast cabinet.

 

[brightspark]

as above is about rite a couple of 14cfm comps linked will run nicely on a 3.0mm nozzle happily at 90psi and even cut out the only limiting factor is the comps duty cycle and getting 2 hot with continuous use

 

[Mr Fro]

I've got a similar cabinet and a similar size "silent" compressor.

Yes, it'll do the job if you're not in a hurry. When I've got a bit to do I drag a line over from my bigger, noisier compressor which allows me to run a bit longer.

 

[RWD3M]

Hello..after reading many post on here regarding setups for blasting using rather smaller compressors and they're a waste of time. I have came across this blast cabinet

View attachment 339394

Supposedly the requirements to run this are " Air compressor delivery of 40-80PSI @ 5CFM" .

Just wondering if my wolf 3hp 14cfm 90ltr compressor would be able to run this cabinet to blast small parts for my restoration build..brake callipers, brackets etc...

Any help appreciated thanks, Ryan.

Hi Ryan,

I suggest you have a little read here:

Bench top blast cabinet mods

Hi all, A few months ago, I wrote here: https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/christmas-present.88530/ about the blast cabinet that my son bought me for Christmas and in it mentioned that the rather shallow hopper causing problems. Well, I finally got round to doing something about it...

www.mig-welding.co.uk

including the linked thread. That's probably the same cabinet that I have (just a different colour - they all come out of the same factory in China!) and whilst a 3hp compressor will run it, it won't keep up if you are running it continuously for hours on end. That said, for occasional use for small components it will work a treat. Just manage your expectations!

I very pleased with mine, now it's modified!) and get a lot of use out of it.

 

[Ryan9422]

Cheers for all the replies lads...it will literally only be used for small parts, brackets, bolts etc.. so I don't mind if I have to do one 1 calliper then wait for it to rebuild pressure that's is absolutely fine by me just wouldn't want it running continously and risk damaging my compressor. Thanks for the links also I will read through that. Cheers, Ryan

 

[optima21]

if you're running out of air on using a small benchtop blaster of a small pressure pot blaster with a 3hp compressor you may need to look at your set up. if you use a long air hose (like I do) make sure its 3/8 bore (or larger) rather than 1/4 bore, and make sure you are using large bore fittings (like xf fittings). Also if you reduce the air pressure to the blasters (adjust the regulator) , you'll reduce the air consuption, and running the smaller grit blasters, the compressor can keep up with the quantity of air required, for this reason I normally run mine at 60 psi maximum. With the benchtop models in the blasting gut they have two nozzles, one for the air and a ceramic one for adjusting the air/grit ratio. the air one controls the amount of air used and should be 2.5mm dia max for a 3hp compressor. I used to have a 1.5hp compressor and this had a 1.5mm nozzle and would work fine. with the pressure pot blasters you, this setup works for me continiously for over an hour and the air requirments of the blasters are match to the air delivery of the compressor. and for delicate things, I'll use an air pressure of 25 or 30 psi.

 

[not done it yet]

For delicate things, I would select a grit with a lower Mhos value. Distance from gun to object can be easily altered, too?

 

[brightspark]

For delicate things, I would select a grit with a lower Mhos value. Distance from gun to object can be easily altered, too?

i use kiln dried either in the pressure pot at 90 psi or if it just needs a dusting over use the suction gun also use beads with the suction gun

 

[Ryan9422]

@optima21 hi thanks for the reply. I've already upgraded all my fittings to 1/2 inch XF fittings and I'm currently using 13mm bore air hose which is the biggest I could upgrade too so hopefully this should be enough then?

@not done it yet I don't even know what grit I would use yet mate...not sure what material the callipers are to be honest lol