Sandblasting ?? (Again)

rattlecanpaint

rattlecanpaint

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Location
Winston Salem
My buddy bought a cheap 40 lb sand blaster at harbor freight to blast some rusty parts on his '49 Plymouth. Got the big 60 gallon compressor from there too. We can't seem to get the stupid thing to work. My guess is that since the sand (play sand from Lowes) sat in the blaster for a few months, (It's hell trying to find time to work on this thing), that the sand is wet in the bottom of the blaster. I'm gonna take the bottom valve off it and clean it out, but are there any other suggestions out there at to what could be wrong? It just blows air out the nozzle, no sand.
 
clogged.... dry sand is a must.... as is a dry and clean tube....
 
You need a dryer or filter to catch water before it gets to the pressure pot. Also, when you turn all the valves on, turn the drop valve on last, which is the one on the bottom that lets the sand fall into the air line. And when you stop, turn that same valve off as fast as you can, because if you stop, the pressure entering the top of the tank will push sand and fill the hose all the way to the dead man valve. Don't mess with builders sand, find a local grave marker business and buy the white sand they use on granite, its harder and cuts way better. I screen out the trash and large particles and save it in 5 gallon buckets.
 
The blaster has a drier on it. Do I need another one o a dessicant type dryer on it too?
 
The main thing is to not use sand. blasting with sand is really bad for you and anyone else close by. Clean it out and replace the sand with actual blasting media and it should work a lot better. Plus the health problems aren't nearly as bad.
 
Well, sand is what we got and it's in a blasting cabinate (SP?). I'd bet that blasting in general is bad for you because of what is removed. (Paint, rust etc.) Anyway, we are using particulate masks too for what little escapes the enclosure. It has worked a few time for brief periods with a much smaller compressor. Maybe wednesday we'll look at it again. Thanks for all the input.
 
the problem with using sand is it contains sillica. not only is it dangerous to use but its illegal.
 
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