Blast Pot Mixing Valve getting Clogged

[Pugly]

I have a cheap blasting pot that the mixing valve keeps getting clogged on. I'm using medium grade crushed glass that I recycle a few times & the air suppliy is via a Clarke regulator & water trap.

Do I need to dry the air more thoroughly or would changing the blast media help?

 

[rtbcomp]

It could be due to damp air, usually shows up after a while when the air has warmed up.

Could also be due to fine dust in the media, it's OK sieving out the big bits but the fine dust can cause clogging, especially combined with moisture.

Try altering the settings, close the bottom valve slightly and increase the pressure a bit.

Mixing recycled and new media may help.

When it clogs do you still get air through the nozzle, or does the whole lot stop?

 

[Pugly]

Thanks for the detailed reply.

I don't sieve the media which from what you're saying will definitely not be helping! I'll give sieving it a go.

I still get air through the nozzle, just no media.

 

[rtbcomp]

Definitely sieve it! I used a cheap one from Asda or Tesco &c. It wasn't very strong so I found a pan with the same diameter, cut it down and gaffer taped the sieve to it. After a while I made a mechanical sieve, but I was blasting for a living!

As you're getting air through, the blockage is in the valve rather than the mixer, hose or nozzle.

 

[frank horton]

my sieve is fitted to a huge funnel, just fill the pot at the same time......I can get 1/2 a bucket full of media in easily........

 

[rtbcomp]

That one of mine fits in a funnel, but it's gone walkies so I couldn't photograph it.

I made a funnel out of a small propane bottle and fitted a ball valve so I could keep it permanently fixed to the pot, with a ball valve.