sand blasting options anyone? HELP!

[res0wc18]

Do we know anyone in Washington that can give a deal on some sandblasting/ painting?

Or do we know someone that has a blaster? I have a huge compressor. The other option is renting the blaster but the media is super expensive unless you buy direct from the four or five company's around and most of the time they don't want anything to do with a single person that is not in business.


What are my other options?

http://www.m715zone.com/vb/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=117010

 

[skajm]

order a sand blaster from harbor freight. get play sand from home depot in the bag (dry). get a metal strainer. strain sand to remove pebbles, this takes some time but better than clogging nozzle. also get a GOOD filter mask, and eye protection wear long sleeves and long pants and gloves. An than blast away

 

[frodobaggins]

Doing a boat trailer just like skajm said right now.

 

[Beerslayer]

You can also get the blast media from Harbor Freight and reuse it too. I used to blast and paint professionally. Blast media intended for the purpose cuts a lot faster than sand as the sand particles are mostly round and while they work, they don't cut as well.

 

[davo727]

Maybe check around and see if any tool rental places will rent a big gas or diesel powered compressor for a reasonable rate for a day or two. See if they have one with 50 cfm output. That combined with a harbor frt or Northern tools pressure pot style blaster and you can kick butt.

A regular home shop compressor wont work worth a crap blasting, not enough CFM.

 

[res0wc18]

i own a 175cfm diesel mobile compressor and found out sun belt rents the blasters for 100 a day for the 300 pounder. What about media though? I see northern tool has some media for ten bucks a fifty pound bag but shipping kills you!

 

[twinfiftys]

I buy blasting sand at our local lumber yard for $8 for a 80 lb bag. Call around, its probably closer then you think.

 

[rivired]

Ok here was my set up.

70 LB pressure pot blaster from Craigslist. 120$
Sullair tow behind 185H compressor rented from united rentals
(if u rent from united on a friday u get to keep it all weekend for the one day price!)

And im sure most are gonna talk **** about this idea so ill DISCLAIM RIGHT AWAY

SILICA SAND DUST,IF INHALED CAN CAUSE THE RESPIRATORY DISEASE SILICOSIS!.
if u get it u will most likely die a time later

but!,it does cut extremely well..with the set up i used i could clean and quickly blast 8inch round paths to bare metal in one pass.

BE SURE TO WEAR A EXTREMELY GOOD RESPIRATOR WHEN USING SILICA SAND.

i went this route cuz its 7$ for a 100lb bag at home depot/lowes.

 

[rosco]

Go down to the Sand & Gravel place, and buy a yard of plaster sand. Sometimes, you don't have to screen it, because they do it. Pretty cheap that way. I have done whole semi trailers that way.

Lee in Alaska

 

[GoHot229]

For the parts to protect use HIGH tac duct tape. Silica sand in 30 or 35 grit It is a carcinagin, and is highly bad for the lungs, it after time 'can' cause silicosis if proper breathing aparatus are not used, definatly get a GOOD type of mask, a sandblast hood is best.

 

[russ81]

Wrap a rag around your head also. You will get sand all over in your hair, your ears, and down your collar by the ton. I use a sheet of plywood with 2x4's on edge around the edges for doing small parts. This way I can shovel up the sand and reuse it over and over.

 

[powerhouseduece]

BE SURE TO WEAR A EXTREMELY GOOD RESPIRATOR WHEN USING SILICA SAND

This is no joke, I work at the plant that makes the stuff (mostly the gell that says do not eat) but this stuff is really really bad for you!

It doesent matter if it has silica in it or not, a good resperator will go a long way! It also would not hurt to get a full face so you dont get the junk in your eyes.

 

[res0wc18]

Does the dry play sand from lowes really work? How long could you blast with a 300lb pot before having to refill it?

 

[Coldfusion21]

i bought a 50lb bag of glass bead for 20 bucks from an industrial supply outfit in town. I would imagine a bag of AO (aluminium oxide, more suitable for steel and rust) would be even cheaper...

But feel free to use whatever. Pressure pot and a huge rented compressor is the best way. Thanks for the tip on united rentals, will have to check that out.

 

[res0wc18]

sun belt has a 600lb blaster for 100 bucks a day, that would provide substantial blasting time before having to refill.

 

[paulfarber]

You want a product called BLACK BEAUTY. The 20/40 grit if your nozzel is 3/16 or bigger, 40/80 is smaller. Its about $5/50lbs. With a 3/16th nozzle at 60psi it lasts about 2-3 minutes per 50 lbs.

I would NOT rent a huge rig because you will never keep up with it (you will be the slow part).

Plus a rented compressor has industrial sized connections and hoses... not that 1/4in stuff your harbour freight pot has (I use the HF pot, BTW).

You need about 20-40 CFM to keep a pressure pot happy. And only run about 40-60 psi otherwise you are simply disintegrating the media when it hits.

 

[davo727]

Im going to do the rental compressor route to blast a trailer, ya 40 cfm would be ok for a harbor freight blaster Pot but looks like they either have small compressors like 15 cfm or go to 90 or 180cfm.

They dont rent a 40 cfm compressor, so ya gotta go big cause 15 or 20 cfm is just gonna pi$$ you off and you will get nothing done.

 

[2Deuces wild]

I blasted my trailer and it came out nice. use a tarp to catch the media and a window screen over a bucket to clean it. large jobs its a must. Kalen

 

[nk14zp]

Like they said get a respirator.

 

[res0wc18]

right. I own a diesel powered compressor though, i wonder if i could just make some siphon attachment that runs of the 3/4" hose at 100 psi and 175 cfm that would most likely suck the sand right out of a bucket etc? Im thinking if i could do this i could just make a nozzle with a reducer and use regular sand because with that much air flow it would most likely suck it up no matter what.

Or rent a blaster or i couuld get the pressure washer attachment and use the giant air compressor to blow all the water off?