Blast Cabinet Advice
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 529
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From: Waco TX
Blast Cabinet Advice
I'm thinking about buying a blast cabinet as it seems that I always have something that needs to be stripped/blasted. Eastwood has one for around $150.00. Anyone have one? Advice?
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
I bought one 5 years ago from the local parts store. It looks just like the Eastwood unit. I think I paid 100 bucks for it at the time. You can buy them cheaper at Harbor Freight as DB says. Buy the glass beads for media unless you have heavy rust to remove. I haven't had many parts that the glass beads wouldn't clean up. The only limitation with the bench top units is the size of the part you can fit in. Also, you need a good air compressor as it consumes LOTS of air. Mine is a 5 HP 30 gallon Sears and it runs almost constantly when I blast.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
I bought one 5 years ago from the local parts store. It looks just like the Eastwood unit. I think I paid 100 bucks for it at the time. You can buy them cheaper at Harbor Freight as DB says. Buy the glass beads for media unless you have heavy rust to remove. I haven't had many parts that the glass beads wouldn't clean up. The only limitation with the bench top units is the size of the part you can fit in. Also, you need a good air compressor as it consumes LOTS of air. Mine is a 5 HP 30 gallon Sears and it runs almost constantly when I blast.
What are some of the common medias and what are they good for?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
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Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 361
Likes: 0
From: Valley AL
I use aluminum oxide for heavy paint or rust removal on steel or cast iron. Glass beads for paint removal on aluminum and light clean up on steel. Two different grades of plastic media for aluminum clean up, paint removal from chrome and any other soft or fragile parts. The trick is to use just enough air pressure/media to remove the paint or corrosion without changing the original texture of the part. I have even had success glass beading rubber parts (boots, seals etc.) at low pressure to remove paint and dirt.
BTW- I'm using the $199 Harbor Freight standing cabinet, 7.5 hp 100 gal vert. compressor, .5 hp evaporative drier
BTW- I'm using the $199 Harbor Freight standing cabinet, 7.5 hp 100 gal vert. compressor, .5 hp evaporative drier
Last edited by tobyte1; Apr 15, 2007 at 11:22 AM. Reason: added BTW
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,165
Likes: 950
From: Keizer Oregon
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 845
Likes: 1
From: Columbus Indiana
My cabinet came from a local discount new and used tool place. Was around $70 if I remember right. It's big enough for A-frames, backing plates....etc. I can get a seat frame bottom in it ok, but a seat frame back just barely fits.
When I bought it it was in a flat box and had to be put together. I had some gorrilla tape and used it to seal the seams and corners. I had planned to use glass beads from the start and know those lil' devils will seep out of any opening. The cabinet came with a cheesey piece of plexi for the window, I immediately had a piece of 1/4" glass made up to replace it. I wasn't happy with the air flow through the cabinet with a small vacuum hooked up, so I cut a bigger circle and covered it with an old shop vac filter. These are the glass beads I use. I bought them through Grainger.
They seem to be a good compromise between rust removal and cleaning up aluminum cast.
This is what aluminum looks like after bead blasting with this cabinet and this glass bead size.
The intake and water pump were both beaded. It looks good, not too rough and not too shiney. I've saved a lot of money with this little cabinet, and have cleaned up a lot of rust out of places that a wire wheel just didn't reach.
John
When I bought it it was in a flat box and had to be put together. I had some gorrilla tape and used it to seal the seams and corners. I had planned to use glass beads from the start and know those lil' devils will seep out of any opening. The cabinet came with a cheesey piece of plexi for the window, I immediately had a piece of 1/4" glass made up to replace it. I wasn't happy with the air flow through the cabinet with a small vacuum hooked up, so I cut a bigger circle and covered it with an old shop vac filter. These are the glass beads I use. I bought them through Grainger.
They seem to be a good compromise between rust removal and cleaning up aluminum cast.
This is what aluminum looks like after bead blasting with this cabinet and this glass bead size.
The intake and water pump were both beaded. It looks good, not too rough and not too shiney. I've saved a lot of money with this little cabinet, and have cleaned up a lot of rust out of places that a wire wheel just didn't reach.
John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
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From: Myrtle Beach SC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
I got one off Ebay for about $120 delivered. It works pretty good, but some issues to look at:
Get a free standing unit if you have the room
Seal all the seams real well, the kit comes with stuff for this
Get as large a cabinet as you can
Use a good water seperator
put a good light in it
I ended up making a lift top on mine, easier to replace the plastic glass liner
The HF kit is ok, the blaster itself is just a box, Air Pressure and flow are critical.
I have aluminum Oxide for heavy stuff and glass bead for aluminum parts.
Get a free standing unit if you have the room
Seal all the seams real well, the kit comes with stuff for this
Get as large a cabinet as you can
Use a good water seperator
put a good light in it
I ended up making a lift top on mine, easier to replace the plastic glass liner
The HF kit is ok, the blaster itself is just a box, Air Pressure and flow are critical.
I have aluminum Oxide for heavy stuff and glass bead for aluminum parts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,938
Likes: 2
From: Arkansas
I ended up buying a top load cabinet like the one above.