Just bought a cabinet from Harbor Freight (speaking of things made in China ). Now I need a blaster setup. Are the Harbor Freight ones acceptable? I just need something for occasional blasting. I assume the pressurized ones are better? 20 lb vs 40 lb? The 40 lb is on sale but it's pretty big to have to store compared to the 20 lb. Also, can you use all the different types of blasting media interchangeably(abrasive, glass bead, walnut shells, soda, etc) or are they made for a certain type? What is the best blasting media to use on a rusty ralley II? Any and all advice is welcome.
Ive heard the pressurized is much better than siphon but Ive always used siphon type and gotten by just fine. Ive also read of design problems with the fittings on the HF ones, but that they can be easily fixed. I buy my media at HF and I use Aluminum Oxide for general purpose but use glass bead on delicate parts or soft metals, such as aluminum, etc.
Bob, I just set mine up too a couple of weeks ago. Got mine off evilbay. Basically the same as HF. One thing I had to do was seal up all the seams inside because it leaked everywhere. I put glass bead in it because I wanted to clean up an alum intake but it doesn't work as well on rusted steel. Takes a little longer.
You're right on, Bob. I've been working on my wheel with glass bead and it takes off the paint great but it looks like the rust is staying. I'll pick up some Al oxide and try that. Mine drops dust all over whenever I open the door. It's barely big enough to fit a 14" wheel and the only way I could get it in was by removing the glass. But I am making progress.
I had one from Harbor Freight, used it for about 5 years. It was a siphon type. I did all my rims, bracekts etc. Wasn't the fastest thing around but it worked well...
I have the siphon cabinet, works fine. Occasionally you have to re-filter the sand and clean the nozzle. As your assembling it caulk all the seams, the gasket stuff they give you will not seal it. You can also get a variable speed control for a few bucks to hook up the shop vacuum, no need to run it full force. Also the little inside light is a POS, install some sort of sealed flood light. Make sure you have some sort of water trap on the air line, and install a ground wire, static build up hurts.
Wanting a Custom fit in an off the rack world.
I don't have time for a job, I just need the money.
Well, I went from a 3 car to a single. Talk about a real bummer. But I also went from the armpit of the world (Buffalo) to Central FL. You win some, you loose some.
Had a 3 car garage but could only drive the bird for 4 mo out of the year. Now I have a single car but I can drive the car all year round. The ole give n take routine! I'll take where I am now!
ho, you are dead on with your recommendations about the cabinet. I did exactly as you stated with my cabinet and it made all the difference in the world.
Before sealing the seams the media went everywhere. Using the shop vac made inside the cabinet easier to see when blasting. Installing the new light also made a HUGE difference! The only thing I did not do was the ground wire, never thought of that.
Once those mods are made to the cabinet from Harbor Freight it worked perfectly and effectively. I ended up selling mine just before we moved, I had also JUST purchased and filled the parts cleaner that I bought from there just prior to the move and that thing worked great!
I have a 12x25 concrete pad next to my single car garage. Although it is open to the elements I am going to epoxy paint the pad and set up an outdoor type work area. I'm thinking of maybe buying a steel roof type thing to keep the sun/rain off the car and the work area.