Small Sand Blaster, good idea?

[geoffsurf]

I'm trying to learn as much as I can because there is so much I still don't know. I did a search on the subject of sand blasters and saw a bit of info. However, I'm not trying to do a whole chassis or anything large, just a few small bits on a car I'm restoring.

Are the small sand blasters that recycle the sand any good or are they really not worth bothering with, I'm guessing that if you don't get a 100% seal then you lose all the sand very quickly?

If I want to remove rust from some panels like sils, where the panels have a 90 degree bent edge that is spot welded to the floor, is this a bad idea because of sand getting stuck in the tight spots?

If using an open sand blaster with no recycle feature, are they dangerous health wise. I mean would I need to buy an air fed mask or can I get away with dust masks?

Is this particular sand blaster the type of thing I should be looking at, or not? I have a 3hp 160ltr compressor that I would use to run it. Is there any words of wisdom when it comes to buying sand blasting equipment?

 

[brightspark]

small cabinets arent much use . suction guns arent much better .pressure fed pots are the best . 3mm jet with a minimum of 14cfm comp will get u away for a while and peter out of pressure in not a lot of time open blasting is best with a proper airfed blast helmet but u could get away with a simple breathing mask and a grinding visor to stop u been blasted its uncomfortable but cheap and works. your probably looking about 120 quid for a pot. expendable grit £5.00 for 25kbag can be used twice if sieved

 

[rtbcomp]

A 14cfm (3hp) compressor will keep a 3mm nozzle on a blast pot going ok, but it will run continuously. You don't need very high pressure (70 psi will work) for normal car paint.

J-Blast Supafine can be used 3 or 4 times before it becomes too worn, I use it until it disappears as a fine dust! Soaking bits in paintstripper (methylene chloride) helps a lot.

It's dangerous, illegal and not all that efficient to use kiln dried sand in your application.

 

[outofthefire]

It's dangerous, illegal and not all that efficient to use kiln dried sand in your application.

Why? not arguing i'm interested as thats what i've used. Not right often which is why i've never bought anything else and I always have sand in the workshop for bending tube.

 

[brightspark]

kiln dried sand has silica in it .the dust of it is well powdered. its ok using it on aluminium but hasnt hardly got any cutting power on rusty and painted steel ,. its only ilegal for firms to use it and in public places .personal use the choice is yours i use it as well as expendable abrasive on open blasting and in cabinet but i have airfed blasting helmet and if used in my cabinet a good fan that can suck more air out than the blasting nozzle can deliver . therefore no health risk

 

[rtbcomp]

its only ilegal for firms to use it and in public places

No. According to the HSE guy who visited me it's illegal to use it inside premises to blast "things". Actually it is OK to use it outside on steel structures such as bridges!

Even if the legislation is "HSE at Work" if someone complained the local environmental officer from the Council could still do you.

As for ventilating a blast room or cabinet you want a fan that can suck a much larger volume than the nozzle delivers and allow extra air to enter the cabinet so the increased airflow will shift as much dust as possible.

Again accoring to HSE the expelled air must be filtered, I use 25 micron filter bags

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/album.php?albumid=1026

 

[outofthefire]

Cheers

 

[geoffsurf]

Thanks for the replies, after reading them I found the tutorial on this forum about the sand blasting which I found very useful as it has photos as well.

For removing small areas of rust, are 20 gallon pressurised sand blasters a good idea or not worth the hassle. I am receiving an air belt sander soon but I thought a sand blaster would get into much more confined and awkward spaces.

Are the pressurised sand blasters on eBay for around £100 okay?

Also is there a particular brand of air fed mask that people recommend, I have come across Devilbiss? Would I be able to run one at the same time as a sand blaster on a 3 HP compressor? Is it useless if you have the compressor in the same room as the one you’re blasting in, as the air will be the same?

 

[graffian]

If it's only small areas there are spot blasters, they have a rubber shroud on the front of the gun, you press it against the thing to blast and blast a spot. They come with an assortment of nozzles to do inside and outside corners and so on. You can also take the spot stuff of and use them in a box.

 

[rtbcomp]

I have a 10 gall and a 20 gall pot off ebay, both have been brilliant. Bear in mind the hose, nozzle, bottom & Hose valves are consumables.

Look in the sandblasting section for the articles on fitting a tungsten carbide nozzle, well worth the effort.

As for the mask, you need a proper one such as the Hodge Clemco "Apollo" or the slightly cheaper "Scorpion" (look on Ebay for Captainvisor).

These helmets are fitted with a removable film visor in front of a thicker polycarbonate visor. The visors become opaque very quickly.

Bear in mind these helmets require quite a bit of air (via a suitable filter) from your compressor. I've modified my Scorpion to work off a heater blower from a car.

For doing small bits outside I'd use a disposable mask and a polycarbonate face guard. Tape a piece of clear plastic (from a drinks bottle) to the guard to protect the polycarbonate.

 

[geoffsurf]

graffian - I was thinking of one of those, but the areas I am trying to get at are on the underside of the floor by the sills and top hat/cross members. So I don't think I will be able to get a good enough seal with the nozzle and I'm not sure if the tool will then be useless if it can't recycle.

rtbcomp - I had a look at these pots yesterday on eBay and was thinking about getting one, big piece of equipment though just for a few small patches here and there around the car, but they seem to be much better for smaller compressors than suction guns, so might have to think seriously about getting one.

 

[rtbcomp]

You could always make one - several people on here have done.

Machine Mart list the 10gall one in their catalogue, it may be worthwhile nipping down to the local branch to have a look.

 

[geoffsurf]

Bit nervous of making things like that, and also need to do work on my project asap. Its not so much the cost its just have a large item like that in the garage, but more importantly knowing if I will actually use it and if it is the right tool for the job I'm trying to do. At the moment I'm guessing the right tools for the job and having to buy them to find out.