alfredo
1978 xs650 Special
It's the Harbor Freight one and I have seen some of the guys on here have these. Looking for some advice on using it, sealing it, buying media for it (where, etc) and anything in general. It's my first.
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Got a gift from a friend: Blast Cabinet
- Thread starter alfredo
- Start date
blackbetty
XS650 Junkie
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I use that cabinet, it sucks, but it works. The worst part about it is keeping the glass inside clean. I can't recall if it came with a plastic cover or something, but the media will fog it up pretty good; you may want to get a piece of lexan or something and seal it up real well from the inside. Also, the tube that goes under the grate to pick up the media clogs frequently. I had to clean mine out and re situate the media every 15 mins or so. We use aluminum oxide they sell in bulk at HF. I don't think the clogging would be such an issue if you changed the media often.
Ours doesn't have an overhead light, but instead a port to run a trouble light w an extension cord. Kinda sucks, bc as I mentioned, the glass gets dirty and makes things hard to see.
I guess these are problems that can happen w any media blaster.
That being said I blasted 99% of my small parts in our HF cabinet, and it got the job done.
Make sure you have a decent compressor, I think ours is a 125psi unit.
Ours doesn't have an overhead light, but instead a port to run a trouble light w an extension cord. Kinda sucks, bc as I mentioned, the glass gets dirty and makes things hard to see.
I guess these are problems that can happen w any media blaster.
That being said I blasted 99% of my small parts in our HF cabinet, and it got the job done.
Make sure you have a decent compressor, I think ours is a 125psi unit.
cros36
thread killer
nice score man. i have no help tho, just a little jealousy.
54inches
Vagitarian
tptools.com for all of you upgrade parts. Some will not work on your junk, but some will.
Get a wet/dry vac so you can see and blast, and get 2 lights......make sure you have a big compressor and change your tips often....
Get a wet/dry vac so you can see and blast, and get 2 lights......make sure you have a big compressor and change your tips often....
Bruce Wayne
XS650 Enthusiast
I agree with blackbetty. The glass will get hard to see through after you use it for a while and in mine the media always seems to get hung up along the sides of the funnel. I have to stop every 15 minutes or so and reach inside and physically push the sand down the funnel to loosen it up.
Other than that nice score! it's always nice to be able to strip a rusty dirty part down to it's bone and make it look nice again
Other than that nice score! it's always nice to be able to strip a rusty dirty part down to it's bone and make it look nice again
blackbetty
XS650 Junkie
- Messages
- 786
- Reaction score
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I blasted this tree in my HF cabinet, VERY NICE 
alfredo
1978 xs650 Special
I blasted this tree in my HF cabinet, VERY NICE
What did you use for that? Sand/Glass/Walnut?
And thanks for all the input everyone!
thelowlife
XS650 Addict
I have the Canadian version of that cabinet from Princess Auto.. its fit is terrible. The thing leaks from every corner.. so after I clean out this material I will be resealing everything for a second time with silisone.
1. Hook up a shop vac to it so you can keep the dust down
2. Lights inside are 100% a must
3. A foot pedal wouldn't be a bad addition
4. I don't know how the height is on your cabinet but mine is about 5 inches to short, causing me to hunch over the cabinet while blasting. so maybe casters, or something would help
1. Hook up a shop vac to it so you can keep the dust down
2. Lights inside are 100% a must
3. A foot pedal wouldn't be a bad addition
4. I don't know how the height is on your cabinet but mine is about 5 inches to short, causing me to hunch over the cabinet while blasting. so maybe casters, or something would help
rocky5045
XS650 Member
I have the same unit I believe. Once I got it, I took it apart and caulked all of the seams and then put it back together. It helped quite a bit when I resealed it but some media still gets out. I also use one of those disposable screw on, in line filters right at the cabinet where the air hose connects. If your media gets moisture in it it will clog. I use the black diamond media (coal slag) from tractor supply. Its cheap and it works well.
alfredo
1978 xs650 Special
Does the coal slag remove rust and such? I have heard about it, but not sure what it compares to. Soda, Sand, Walnut?
I have that cabinet. Take the stock siphon tube and gun out and throw them in the garbage. Buy this immediately http://www.tptools.com/p/2320,22_USA-Cabinet-Gun-and-Pickup-Tube-Upgrade-Kit.html That alone will make a huge difference.
The next thing you need is a vibrator motor to shake down the media since the funnel is not steep enough. I bought this: http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=250 but the motor isn't strong enough so I bought this: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-Vibrator-Motor-10C903 It shakes about 5 times as much as the one from TP tools and actually works.
Those two upgrades literally made my blaster work about 5-10 times better than it did out of the box. Their guns really are junk.
You need lots of air! Like 10-15 CFM at the minimum. A 220v 5hp compression will do. I use a 6.5HP gas compressor that pushes 13 CFM and I use a 1/2" air line. I also using high flow couplers and fittings. My 33 gallon Craftsman compressor that puts out 6CFM (or so it says) really doesn't work well at all. Two of them plumbed together on separate electrical circuits might have done the trick.
I have a large desiccant air dryer and after that an air regulator/filter right before the cabinet. You need dry air.
Next you need a vac to clear the dust. A smallish to medium size shop vac will work. Mine runs through a drop trap to catch the big stuff, then a water trap for the small stuff, and then outside. I'm thinking of dumping the water filter since the shop vac was cheap so I'm not too worried about burning it out with the fine dust, and the water trap really takes a lot of suction away from the system. I run RV antifreeze in it to keep it from freezing. So anyway, you need something to clear the dust. That will keep the inside clear and keep media from going out the port in the back.
My cabinet doesn't leak and I didn't seal it at all. People might think their cabinet is leaking when media goes out the port in the back because their vac isn't strong enough. Or maybe theirs really do leak
I use aluminum oxide for everything. I use anti static sprayed on a rag and wiped on the inside of the window to keep it somewhat clear. It needs to be wiped down every now and then.
I bought a foot pedal air valve from ebay (like this one: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/INGERSOLLRANDARO-Manual-Valve-2G525). That will be my next upgrade when I get around to installing it. The next step for me is better lighting. Then I might upgrade my window.
Change your tips and air jets when they wear out. It makes a huge difference.
The next thing you need is a vibrator motor to shake down the media since the funnel is not steep enough. I bought this: http://www.tptools.com/Product.aspx?display_id=250 but the motor isn't strong enough so I bought this: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON-Vibrator-Motor-10C903 It shakes about 5 times as much as the one from TP tools and actually works.
Those two upgrades literally made my blaster work about 5-10 times better than it did out of the box. Their guns really are junk.
You need lots of air! Like 10-15 CFM at the minimum. A 220v 5hp compression will do. I use a 6.5HP gas compressor that pushes 13 CFM and I use a 1/2" air line. I also using high flow couplers and fittings. My 33 gallon Craftsman compressor that puts out 6CFM (or so it says) really doesn't work well at all. Two of them plumbed together on separate electrical circuits might have done the trick.
I have a large desiccant air dryer and after that an air regulator/filter right before the cabinet. You need dry air.
Next you need a vac to clear the dust. A smallish to medium size shop vac will work. Mine runs through a drop trap to catch the big stuff, then a water trap for the small stuff, and then outside. I'm thinking of dumping the water filter since the shop vac was cheap so I'm not too worried about burning it out with the fine dust, and the water trap really takes a lot of suction away from the system. I run RV antifreeze in it to keep it from freezing. So anyway, you need something to clear the dust. That will keep the inside clear and keep media from going out the port in the back.
My cabinet doesn't leak and I didn't seal it at all. People might think their cabinet is leaking when media goes out the port in the back because their vac isn't strong enough. Or maybe theirs really do leak
I use aluminum oxide for everything. I use anti static sprayed on a rag and wiped on the inside of the window to keep it somewhat clear. It needs to be wiped down every now and then.
I bought a foot pedal air valve from ebay (like this one: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/INGERSOLLRANDARO-Manual-Valve-2G525). That will be my next upgrade when I get around to installing it. The next step for me is better lighting. Then I might upgrade my window.
Change your tips and air jets when they wear out. It makes a huge difference.
54inches
Vagitarian
Ahhhh another tptools junky; good to see it is you Travis!
I use black diamond for everything! I even used it on some OLD aluminum wheels!
AlO2 is better though.
I use black diamond for everything! I even used it on some OLD aluminum wheels!
AlO2 is better though.
rocky5045
XS650 Member
Yes the coal slag removes rust and about everything else. I have never used soda or walnut but I did try sand and I was never able to get a good flow with the sand, it kept clogging. I found the coal slag and really like it for the price. I do all of my own powdercoating and it works really well for that.
Yep, TP Tools is the way to go.. I just reread your first post in the thread and realized I basically reiterated everything you said, just with more words.
blackbetty
XS650 Junkie
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I used aluminum oxide on this
hooktool
XS650 Junkie
I have the almost the same setup Travis has, and agree with TP Tools. Its a great resource for advice on setting up. Mine is hooked to a large dust collector that is plumbed into my shop. For cleaning cases etc, glass beads are hard to beat, they are plenty aggressive for cleaning and levee a somewhat polished surface on cases etc. They don't really remove material but will clean rust and paint easily.
That is a very good cabinet you have there.
John
That is a very good cabinet you have there.
John
1974jh5
Curmudgeon.
I have a HF benchtop cheapie and use glass bead. It's not as likely to damage stuff as the sharper/harder media will. Since I do a good bit of carb work, that's important.
Do you guys run your shop vac the whole time? I have mine so sealed up that if i run the vac It sucks the gloves so tight you can't even move your fingers. I even now have a small vac on it and it does the same thing. It took 4 tubes of caulk to get it to stop leaking.
I leave the vac running the whole time but don't block the port in the back so there is a huge intake hole.
Ah yes I get it. Mine is sealed and caulked. I have been only running the vac when it gets bad,I just crack the door then turn it on. I imagine with that port in the back open you would have to run the vac the whole time or you would have a hell of a mess. Sorry to the op if i highjacked the thread
