Posted by gtkgtkgtk on Tuesday, July 17, 2001 at 0:26AM :
In Reply to: Sand Blasting Frame posted by Paul on Monday, July 16, 2001 at 6:51PM :
For heavy steel like a frame I use 80 grit silicone carbide media. Good for a couple hundred passes through the pressure blaster. Over the last year I have had quite a few "learning" experiences using my pressure blaster. A few tips:
*Get one of the Hobiair pressurized masks. They are expensive and worth every penny. As a couple of the other guys have mentioned this stuff IS dangerous and you only have one pair of lungs. A second benefit is the fresh air in the mask keeps it from fogging up so you can see what you are doing. Earplugs are also a good idea.
*Stock up on consumables, i.e. faceplate replacements and tips. I have been using ceramic tips for a while but the next ones will be the carbide. Cost more but last way longer and worth the money.
*Use quality cutting media. This is hard work and quality media gets the job done quicker.
*Buy some Hirsch rust inhibitor. You can apply it immediately after blasting and it will stop the flash rust from appearing before you paint. When you are ready to paint, wash it off, apply a metal prep and dry. Then apply paint. The rust inhibitor works great if you keep it dry.
*I put down a double thickness of plastic tarps ( the cheap blue ones) as a floor and back stop. Blast through your media, ( my tank holds about 60 pounds so I usually have 150 pounds on hand) so I can go through three loads before I have to stop and sweep up the used media for reloading.
*Is your compressor up to the job ? A pressure blaster REQUIRES at least 15 - 18 cfm at 125 psi. which is a 5 HP two stage. Do you have vapor traps installed ? Are you using 1/2 inch rubber line ? My previous set up was a 5 HP single stage with 3/8 line. The compressor ran all the time causing continuous moisture problems. I could blast 15-20 minutes and then the unit would clog. Spending the next 30 minutes clearing the unit made for a long day and not much accomplished. I upgraded everything about 6 months ago and my last blasting job went 6 hours without a single clog. Tip Tools has some good info on how to set up a galvi pipe air distrib. system. They work and bring the air temp down. Email me if you have any questions.
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