Harbor Freight blaster
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,334
Likes: 4
From: Midland TX
Harbor Freight blaster
I want to get a bead blaster to clean up some interior parts. I was looking at the bench top blasters at Harbor Freight. They have 2 for ~$100.
Anyone have any experience with them?
I've got an air compressor that should be able to do small jobs.
Anyone have any experience with them?
I've got an air compressor that should be able to do small jobs.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 19,659
Likes: 34
From: Lenoir City Tennessee
Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Bench top means very small. I had one and used it when I first got into my rebuild. Once I got to bigger stuff, I had to resort to someone local to help me out. The bench top worked fine for my purposes. The good thing about it, was when I was finished with it, I gave it to one of my buddies just to get it out of my garage and out of my way.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,950
Likes: 498
From: Chino Hills CA
I bought the red one a few years ago. It comes with a pad of clear sheets to tear away as the window gets hazed up. It didn't work very well. I ended up buying a piece of lexan and polish the haze off before each use. Worth the money though, but works best on small parts.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 11,874
Likes: 263
From: Arlington Va Current ride 04 vert, previous vettes: 69 vert, 77 resto mod
i also bought the red one and used it for a bunch of times ...you will need a lot of SCFM to make it work, i mean like 10 or more 90 psi.....i gave it away when i moved and the next one i get will be big and have a vacuum system in it. it was an ok unit
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,334
Likes: 4
From: Midland TX
The gray one has 25" x 15" working area.
The red one has 19" x 23".
I'm looking at small interior parts (for now). I've done the bigger exterior parts at my former company.
I don't really have enough garage room and air compressor for a larger cabinet.
The red one has 19" x 23".
I'm looking at small interior parts (for now). I've done the bigger exterior parts at my former company.
I don't really have enough garage room and air compressor for a larger cabinet.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
I bought the next bigger size from HF. It was a severe pain to use. When it was working right it worked great, although it was really only good for very small stuff. The biggest thing I put into in was an a arm and it took forever and bent the grill up that the parts sit on. I gave mine away too. At this point I would rather wire wheel parts than jack with that blaster again. If I had a heavy duty industrial one I would probably use it..
Last edited by Merlinhaggard; Dec 30, 2007 at 10:36 AM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Tucson AZ
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Calgary Alberta
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Tucson AZ
Racer
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 473
Likes: 6
From: New Port Richey FL
I've got one similar to those units. I'm happy with the size. Your going to need a good size compressor regardless of cabinet size. The siphon gun is pretty much the same no matter the cabinet size. Largest thing I could fit in mine was the air cleaner base. It was a little difficult getting it clean, but worked fine, and I'm happy that I can move it out of the way when I'm not using it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
I've got one similar to those units. I'm happy with the size. Your going to need a good size compressor regardless of cabinet size. The siphon gun is pretty much the same no matter the cabinet size. Largest thing I could fit in mine was the air cleaner base. It was a little difficult getting it clean, but worked fine, and I'm happy that I can move it out of the way when I'm not using it.
to a point. I should have remembered earlier. The size of the compressor is not important. The amout of output, in SCFM or cfm is. You can have any size compressor, as long as it keeps up with the output of the blaster. Most blast cabinets will tell you what it consumes in CFM and pressure. Good point to bring up Green73.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,424
Likes: 0
From: Lakeland FL
I've got the little red one. I'm fairly disappointed with it overall. I can't get much in there and don't have room to work with the stuff that I do get in there. My neighbor has one a little bigger and it seems to be nicer to work with.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,429
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From: Tucson AZ
We could have alot of fun just with this 1 comment. But out of respect, I'll leave it alone.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
of it....
When it comes time for another restoration, I'd like to try building my own blaster like stinger12 did
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
Bought the red one a few years ago, and didn't like it. I found it to be way too small, and it leaked blasting media out the seams and through the door seals, and made a real mess in the garage. I gave it to my neighbor, and he ended up getting rid
of it....
When it comes time for another restoration, I'd like to try building my own blaster like stinger12 did
of it....
When it comes time for another restoration, I'd like to try building my own blaster like stinger12 did
Yea Stinger, whatcha reckon them there plans would cost a person for a copy????? HUH??
I'd putcha in the will
Pro
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 633
Likes: 1
From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Much better & more versatile to get a hand held gravity fed gun or a small pressure tank for about $100 & a canister type dust mask & just blast on a bench outside. That way you're not restricted to part size & have no windows to change. Visibility probably a lot better too.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
Much better & more versatile to get a hand held gravity fed gun or a small pressure tank for about $100 & a canister type dust mask & just blast on a bench outside. That way you're not restricted to part size & have no windows to change. Visibility probably a lot better too.
If you're gonna use this type of blaster, put up plastic sheets around say 1 stall in your garage and tape it to the ceiling and the floor. To make a door, overlap the sheets 4-5 feet, still taped to the floor with just enough space to tightly walk thru.