Sandblasting

laurence997

After searching the site I find that this topic has been covered many times so far, but most people simply are looking for someone to sandblast their car etc. What I am looking for is one of those portable blasting pots to do the work at home. These do not seem to be overly expensive in compared to getting it done professionally, though the media for blasting does seem to be expensive enough. Can this be re-used?
Also, what kind of media would be capable of removing rust as sand is not healthy to use?

Does anybody know if it is possible to get a blast pot for a 15CFM compressor that would be capable of blasting the frame of a rusty trailer. As far as I can see, most of the blasting equipment requires compressors with very high outputs which would just be too much to buy for only blasting the odd thing and we have an electric 150l 3hp compressor on the farm which I think has a 15CFM output.

Thanks.

GERMAN ROCKS

also quiet interested to hear more

laurence997

From what I've read on the web I think that steel shots are the best way to remove rust and they can be re-used many times so would prove cost effective, but I find it hard to find a site selling these. Also I don't understand how they can be collected again for use as I would imagine that they would go everywhere when sprayed from the blast pot. Does anybody know how they are collected again?

cormywormy

I have seen small blast pots for small compressers but you would use 10 ton of sand and it would take you a week to clean a trailer.My friend has a 260cfm compresser.

In professional blasting places the floor is a vaccum. So when the sand falls it is sucked thriugh the floor back into the pot to be re used.

A friend of mine is blasting girders for a new shed and he made something that resembles a bus shelter.So when he blasts the sand stays in the shelter, after a few girders he sweeps it up and puts it back in.

When you go to buy blasting sand they will tell you you can not use it twice but my friend has used it about 3 or 4 times. The more times you use it the better cleaning it does as it is like play sand it is so soft, New blasting sand is ruff and bounces off the steel but when it is re-used it does not bounce of so much.

Yes, iron fillings are the best but they are expensive. Some people use crushed glass but it is dangerous and is very hard to store, if it gets a little damp it will stick and you cant use it.

quietsailor

Aldi or Lidl are selling cheap shot blasters and media at the moment, it woldn't do for a professional but if your just cleaning a single trailer it might suit - it think you'll get it for under 50 euros.

As for collecting it, put a platic sheet on the floor and tie up the sides and back, that'll stop the media from flying everywhere and you'll be able to sweep it up.

CJhaughey

Soda blasting is the best thing for rust. The chemicals involved make it harder for rust to start after blasting.
I haven't seen any home kits though, only guys that come out and do it at your place.

MrFoxman360

sand blasting is really a proffessional job and its hard to achieve decent results in a reasonable space of time without proper equipment, like a proper blasting pot and a road compressor.

In saying that, I did do a bit with one of these before,

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=68174&group_ID=1799&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

its ok but very slow, it doesn't hold much grit and the 200 lt compressor couldn't keep up to it. I wire brush on an angle grinder would have been quicker had access not been an issue.

As regards the media, we used a mixture of course and fine grit, although when using it the second time around, it wasn't as effective on paint, no difference on rust though. Main thing is keep it dry, if it gets damp your wasting your time.

vincenzolorenzo

We sandblasted an MF 1135 last year and tried reusing the sand a second time but its just not as good at all. It took way way longer to get paint off with the used sand than it had been with fresh sand. You can try it to save yourself a few bob but its not near as good as fresh sand