Shotblasting cabinet visibility problem

[vijay]

Hi,

I've got a shotblasting cabinet like this one - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sealey-SB974-...ryZ22664QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem but the problem I have is the area just filling up with the blasting media and then I can't see anything in the cabinet Even with a vacuum attached (with a paper filter), it soon clogs and I'm back to the same problem.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

Vijay

 

[kjb]

have you fitted any form of illumination via the 12v supply?

 

[vijay]

Just the striplight inside the cabinet that came with it

 

[rtbcomp]

Yes they do don't they!

Is it media or dust that's stopping your vision?

Dump the stupid flourescent light and fit some 12v halogens.

Put a bucket under the chute and open the flap, that should increase airflow.

 

[gavuk]

whats clogging the hoover media or dust?

 

[shenion]

What type of media? I bet some are worse than others.

I really like using glass bead. Nice finish and it does not seem to fill cabinet with dust.

I did fit a bigger 120V fluorescent light than the useless 12V one. The one it came with had a 18 watt bulb but had a 12V 800MA supply. So the bulb was probably running on half the power it was supposed to.

 

[vijay]

I think it's the dust that's blocking the vacuum.

Not sure if it's the media or the dust, I assume the dust as wouldn't the media (aliminium oxide) fall instantly to the bottom??

"Put a bucket under the chute and open the flap, that should increase airflow" - do I just put the suction hose into the bucket then?

I'll certainly have to look at the lighting as suggested but wouldn't that just refelect off the dust?

Cheers

Vijay

 

[rtbcomp]

..
"Put a bucket under the chute and open the flap, that should increase airflow" - do I just put the suction hose into the bucket then?

......

LOL - I'm half asleep - I use a pot with mine!

I also use a Dyson vacuum cleaner which doesn't clog at all. You could try reducing the air pressure slightly, but those syphon guns do use a lot of air.

The light will reflect off the dust, but brighter lights certainly improve things. Commercial cabinets have the lights in the front of the unit, shining towards the back.

 

[gavuk]

if media is in the hoover can u adjust the draw of the vacuum ?ie lower the suction rate.to only pull dust..how new is the media if its mostly dust then add new or change,,,,,i have seen seperators used ie a sealed container between blaster and hoover ,to allow media to drop and only dust to go to hoover .like a "bong",hoover attached to "lid" and pipe to shotblaster in side with deflector plate to angle down to bottom of bucket so only dust goes to hoover heavy media collects in bucket and can be recycled.turn off room lighting so blaster light is only light source

 

[vijay]

The vacuum is an Earlex wet/dry one with no adjustment on the suction Not sure I can invest in a new Dyson, the garage is already full! lol

Any idea where I can look at these sepeartors?

The media is new (ali oxide) but I'm wondering if I should just try glass bead and see how I get on with that

 

[gavuk]

seen drums used as separator ,put hose in top (pouring hole)and cut hole in side, 1/3 to 1/2 way up for suction pipe between drum and blaster,suction pulls dust/media into drum media drops into bottom of drum and lighter dust goes to hoover,by fitting an adjustable valve /opening in lid u can control amount of suction in drum and therefore vacuum to blast cabinet.....could use 25litre drum

 

[gavuk]

what are u blasting vijay? rusty metal

 

[vijay]

was taking paint/rust off some metal brackets from my car

 

[gavuk]

http://www.woodcraft.com/articles.aspx?articleid=408
something like this !pipe to blaster can even be in water,as long as pipe to hoover is way above water,water will trap the dust before clogging hoover

 

[vijay]

Thanks Gav. What's the smallest you think it could be made?

Vijay

 

[rtbcomp]

http://www.woodcraft.com/articles.aspx?articleid=408
something like this !pipe to blaster can even be in water,as long as pipe to hoover is way above water,water will trap the dust before clogging hoover

Any media will end up in the water too. Not a problem for single-use grit, but glass beads will need drying out and chilled iron will rust into a lump.

 

[gavuk]

rtbcomp,is quite right media may end in water (depending on strength of vacuum cleaner),vijay is using aluminium oxide so should be able to dry ?also by controlling suction this could be kept to a min,ideally only dust and "spent"media into this separator ,because its lighter. The idea is to filter using separator.cloth filters or water before paper filter in hoover blocks ,many ways of doing the job depends on what u can get your hands on ..........

 

[marknotgeorge]

The vacuum is an Earlex wet/dry one with no adjustment on the suction Not sure I can invest in a new Dyson, the garage is already full! lol

Any idea where I can look at these sepeartors?

The media is new (ali oxide) but I'm wondering if I should just try glass bead and see how I get on with that

You don't need a new Dyson - a second hand one off ebay would do.

 

[rtbcomp]

You don't need a new Dyson - a second hand one off ebay would do.

I got mine for nowt off Freecycle.org

 

[gavuk]

i have used as small as 25l oil drums in the past to make a seperator,but i prefer the suggestion of freecycle dyson .......something which works but wheels or accessories have broken could be ideal . the trick is to only pull dust and not media by controlling suction ,not really used alluminium oxide before more glass bead or iron shot ,but we used to re-use dust /media if it had a high media content ,judge by the amount of dust in cabinet after refilling from seprator/hoover,also obscuring other light sources ,even having a cloth over your head so u can only see light from cabinet helped at one place i worked,hope this helps