Sand Blaster

enjenjo · February 25, 2015, 03:57:39 PM

I have a TIP sand blast cabinet, and am having trouble with it. For some reason it doesn't want to pick up the sand. This is a new problem, it worked well for nearly 20 years. Trying to fix it, I replaced all the hoses, rebuilt the foot valve, replaced the blast gun, cleaned the dip tube, Changed the media, and it's still not working correctly. Any ideas of where else to look?

chimp koose · February 25, 2015, 06:20:08 PM

Moisture/oil in the new hoses?I have seldom had a blaster that ever did work properly

Crosley.In.AZ · February 25, 2015, 06:59:35 PM

When my blaster quits picking up sand, usually is the tube has a worn spot that lets air in above the sand

kb426 · February 25, 2015, 08:50:46 PM

Doesn't it need to be a suction leak to cause this? Is there a possibility of a loose flap somewhere that under pressure blocks off the media?

rooster · February 26, 2015, 12:01:50 AM

air intake to the cabnet, if its that type

zzebby · February 26, 2015, 01:23:10 AM

Moisture clogging up the sand.

GPster · February 26, 2015, 07:51:32 AM

Put air on the bllster end and blow the lines backwards into the tank and see what happens? GPster

enjenjo · February 26, 2015, 08:00:05 AM

Thanks for the tips guys, the more I think about it, it almost has to be a leak in the suction line. I'll check that, and let you know back.

sirstude · February 26, 2015, 08:06:56 AM

On the subject of bead blaster cabinets. This guy sells a conversion for the Harbor Freight cabinet, that really makes it work well. I blast at 20 to 30 lbs of air pressure now. He used to do a boot at the Spokane Good Guys event.

http://www.tacomacompany.com/

58 Yeoman · February 26, 2015, 08:50:23 AM

I built mine quite a few years ago, using TIP's plans for a wooden one. I had a very large sheet of aluminum that I got from a VW PU; the AL covered the entire bed. A friend cut it out with a plasma cutter, then never had time to put it together. I welded it up, having never done AL welding, but it came out pretty good. I'm going to use some of the tips from the video that Sirstude posted to upgrade mine.

You can see part of it in the background behind the toolbox.

Crosley.In.AZ · February 26, 2015, 07:16:56 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"Thanks for the tips guys, the more I think about it, it almost has to be a leak in the suction line. I'll check that, and let you know back.

My tube has been worn thin in a small length and so hard to see till you really look close. Push on the metal and it would collapse

enjenjo · March 09, 2015, 08:43:55 PM

It was the dip tube. The piece I had welded on it last time wore through.

I welded the hole up, and built up the thickness for an inch on each side of the hole. It should be good for a couple years more.

I also found that the utility outlet it was plugged into was bad, so I replaced that today too.