sand blaster

[enjenjo]

I posted about this briefly a few weeks ago. Between figuring out how I wanted to do this and gathering parts, here we are. This is a Harbor Freight bench top sand blaster. I made a stand for it so it's portable, and decided to make some other modifications. I wanted more room inside, so I dropped the screen support 3" which was just a matter of drilling new holes 3" lower and reinstalling it. I also changed it from internal non-adjustable mixing to an external adjustable mixing chamber.  This meant drilling a new hole in the bottom of the sand hopper to install the external mixing chamber.  I also wanted some good lights that were outside the blast chamber. So I cut two 4 1/4" holes in the top to install a pair of 4" acrylic hemispheres. I also modified, badly, a pair of 5 1/2" light sockets with reflectors, and LED bulbs to bolt into the same holes as the hemispheres. I used 10-32 Nutzerts to hold the screws in the top of the cabinet, and also to hold the frame for the window in front.

The cabinet had a hole for air inlet with a baffle, and one hole for a vacuum connection, but no baffle. So I fabricated a baffle for the  vacuum port, and pop riveted it into place. That will be all for now, more as I get into plumbing it.

[idrivejunk]

Cool cabinet mods. Have a blast.  

Is this in preparation for the sport wagon doings? :?:

[chimp koose]

Rusty , Dusty and Sandy were standing around the blast cabinet with a soda one day.........  

[papastoyss]

I also have a Horrible Freight floor cabinet, scored a new whole house vaccum unit at a yard sale for 10$. It sure does suck the dust out of the cabinet

[enjenjo]

I finally got a chance to get back to this. I sealed the hopper to the cabinet with caulk, cut a new grate from 1/2" by 14 ga expanded metal, and started plumbing the pressure regulator and blast nozzle.I also picked up a cheap shop vac on Craigslist.

[enjenjo]

I've got some more done on it between other things I have the mixing chamber done. The short piece of small pipe with the holes in it is to bleed air into the chamber to mix with the media. It is tapped 10mm 1.25 and by screwing the bolt up and down the bleed air can be adjusted. The chamber sets horizontal coming out of the bottom of the media hopper. It gets 1/2" id hose vinyl on the bibb.

I mounted a box on the side so I can use one cord to power everything.

I cut the expanded metal to fit the hopper.  It has 1/2" diamond shaped holes. I am installing two crossmembers to support it. I will be cleaning some heavy parts in it.

I made an adapter to fit the shop vac I bought for it with a PVC bushing and some 1 1/4" plastic pipe. I turned everything on the lathe to fit.

Until the next update.

[416Ford]

I tried a shop vac on mine but it sucks all the sand out. I was thinking that a really small shop vac would be better. Good luck with and let us know.

[enjenjo]

I tried a shop vac on mine but it sucks all the sand out. I was thinking that a really small shop vac would be better. Good luck with and let us know.

I installed baffles trying to minimise that.

[UGLY OLDS]

I tried a shop vac on mine but it sucks all the sand out. I was thinking that a really small shop vac would be better. Good luck with and let us know.

I installed baffles trying to minimise that.

 I did the same with mine ...Also installed the exhaust vent through the top panel in the opposite corner, "away from the action"..

You will find ,(as I did), that a small shop vac does not have the "umph" to clear the dust .....

 It also helps to have a vent, (ie: an adjustable air leak), somewhere on the top panel to allow incoming air so the vacuum will work....  :oops:

Bob...

[enjenjo]

I have a vent with a baffle on the other end at the back.