Martin Libhart wrote:
> Has anyone used one of the small home-type sandblasters, such as the
> unit[s] from Sears? I'm looking for an inexpensive method for clean-up
> of a chassis, steel wheels, etc. - not sheetmetal or other more critical
> parts which would call for plastic media, etc.
>
> Anyone with experience with one of these units?
>
> Martin Libhart
Martin,
I bought one cheaper than that! I went to the local discount tool
place and they had two choices, both venturi feed. The one with the
small hopper (5 gallon galvanized) for $35, and one with a metal tube
for piercing into the sandbag for $15. They both used the same nozz-
le, so I said ah-ha! I got the cheaper one, and rigged it to a 5 gal.
plastic pail. It dosent get every last ounce of sand out, but I just
refill it with more anyway...
You really should get at LEAST a three horse air compressor to use
this, as it is my little 2hp/20gallon compressor may just have a heart
attack one of these days from all the abuse these things give it.
Silica sand #00 is great for a quick strip, but it leaves a rough sur-
face, which must be D.A. sanded for a show finnish. It is an all right
finish for brackets and unimportant parts. Glass bead is excellent for
alluminum, it made the carb bodies I did shine like new (not the dark
grey they once were), and it leaves no pitting. But it removes paint
one layer at an agonizingly slow layer at a time. I have not used any
other media than these two.
The setup I have is only good for brackets and other small items, any-
thing the size of a wheel or larger requires a pressuized pot system.
Once you do get a blaster, you'll wonder how you ever lived without one
though. And don't forget to always use an etching primer on bare metal,
and plan your blasting around a painting schedule, you don't want to
have things re-rust.
Good Luck,
JOE IV
TR 250
WALLINGFORD, CT. USA
|