B & Q Crushed Glass

[rtbcomp]

Following on from here:

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=15728

Had a look in my local B&Q Depot. They have crushed glass, stored out in the open in perforated bags, so it was soaking wet. (As was the kiln dried sand )

The bag weighed 21.7 Kg and cost £1.84, I dried it out and screened it into fine (for a 2.5mm nozzle), coarse (for a 4mm nozzle) and too big to use.

Fine = 5 Kg
Coarse = 3.7 Kg
Too big = 8.3 Kg

Waste = 4.7 Kg (Water & dust)

The useable grit (fine + coarse) worked out at 21 p/Kg, the fine 36.8 p/Kg, (assuming you throw the rest away) This is pretty much what you'd pay to have half a tonne supplied & delivered.

In the past I dried 25 Kg of sand in a domestic oven and it took 10 KW-h.

So the B&Q stuff isn't worth the hassle.

 

[Robotstar5]

Isn't it worth putting the "too big" grit through your patented glass crusher?

 

[rtbcomp]

Isn't it worth putting the "too big" grit through your patented glass crusher?

That's the idea - MkIII is still on the drawing board, along with the MkI bottle basher and the screening machine - hopefully some projects for the summer.

 

[Snooper]

I bought some play sand from Toys R Us £4.99. Already very dry and works a treat.

 

[stormin]

When I first got my blast cabinet it had some aluminium oxide grit in. Far too much as it turned out and horribly damp. Had a few sessions of seiving and drying the grit just to try out the cabinet.
I just put a little at a time in the oven after the missus had finished cooking something so cost to dry was nothing.
Turned out the grit was too dusty to use as is but may try refining it somehow.

Where did you get your seives Roger? Had a look round the local garden places when I was considering the B & Q glass grit and they seemed too coarse, think 1/4" was the finest mesh I saw.

 

[stormin]

I bought some play sand from Toys R Us £4.99. Already very dry and works a treat.

If it's for use in a cabinet sand is a waste of time as it'll turn to dust in no time. If you're using it as expendable grit to blast stonework or similar it's cheaper to get kiln dried sand from B&Q at £3.00 for 25kg.

 

[rtbcomp]

I use an ordinary kitchen sieve.

I'm currently building a screening machine using stainless woven wire, it will sieve out big bits, fine & coarse and dust in one go - hopefully!

 

[stormin]

I use an ordinary kitchen sieve.

I'm currently building a screening machine using stainless woven wire, it will sieve out big bits, fine & coarse and dust in one go - hopefully!

How about building two and I'll have the spare one

 

[rtbcomp]

Just found this place on Ebay

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/mesh-company/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686