DIY Sand/Media blasting.

[Nasher]

Hi all

Need to get my trailer wheels and other bits and pieces blasted in the new year, and as usual want to do it myself rather than pay somebody to do it for me.

My limiting factor is my Compressor – 2HP, 5.7cfm max 116psi – but it’s a good bit of kit that does everything else I want it to do so don’t want to upgrade it at this stage just for this job.

So wondering if anyone has any experience of any of the following types of gear with a lower spec compressor.
Bearing in mind I'll want to use something harsh for the wheels, but something less so like ali oxide for some Ali castings.

As I see it I have 4 options.
Simple gun like a paint gun with integral container.
Like - 222250A Sand blaster Spray Gun Grit Shot Blasting, Car Truck Paint Rust Remover | eBay
This looks like it would work for me with limited power as the media has less far to travel to the gun, but looks like it will keep need refilling and is a ‘suction’ system

Pressurised pot style
Like - SAND BLASTING MACHINE SAND BLASTER NEW 5 GALLON CT175 | eBay
Again I like this as the compressor can keep topping up the pressure vessel which would work well for me.

Gun with hose and pickup to stick in a bag of media.
Like - Yato professional Air sand blasting gun | eBay
Looks like it would struggle with my lower power compressor as the media is sucked up a long hose.

Open tub with a hose attached to a gun
Sealey SB993 Shot Grit Sand Blast Blasting Blaster Kit & Gun | eBay
Again this relies on the media being sucked up the hose but is a neater solution.

Anyone tried any of these?

Thanks.

Nasher

[Barrowboy]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Hi all

Need to get my trailer wheels and other bits and pieces blasted in the new year, and as usual want to do it myself rather than pay somebody to do it for me.

Nasher

I thought the same as you about 10 years ago when I decided to remove the antifoul from my yacht using eco-friendly glass as the media and option '2' on your list.

I'd do it again tomorrow because, rather than entrust it to someone else, you're able to control a very delicate process (ie, not damage the gelcoat by being too aggressive) but I would insist on paying someone else to CLEAR UP THE MESS!

Because I was being 'gentle' I used a hell of a lot of media and obviously had to work in a confined space due to masking off my yacht from neighbouring yachts in the yard. I have never, EVER, got into such a filthy state in my life and although the process itself only took about 3 hours, the clear up took the best part of a day!

Good luck

[nugent]

I have hired this more than once great results



http://www.brandontoolhire.co.uk/en/...bmit_search=Go

[Peter_C]

I have a Snap-on bead blaster that works awesome for wheels. Unfortunately it takes a serious compressor and a lot of space. I also have one of those pressurized sand blasters that you show on Fleabay, but mine came from a store in the USA called Harbor (Chinese Junk) Freight. They both serve their purposes and are completely different. The bead blaster uses a glass media that is fine and doesn't ripe the metal apart. The sand blaster...well it works great for removing rust and a layer of metal or two, even with fine sand. What I do have is a hand held gun that works awesome with glass bead media, that I bought and use mostly for cleaning electrical connections (I was performing flooded vehicle repairs at the time I bought it). For the amount of work of doing a wheel, I wouldn't consider anything but a blast cabinet.

Otherwise this would be my recommendation for a hand held, and is what I have.

[Festinghouse]

i have option 1 which is slow, also you have to keep shaking the pot to get the 'sand' under the pick up tube inside the pot. shaking also causes the 'sand' to pour out of the nozzle. im considering option 2 myself as an alternative, so would like to hear peoples views on that.

[paintman]

I have a 2hp compressor with 50 litre tank. Runs SMART size sprayguns (I do this professionally) without issue & will run a full size gravity fed gun, again without having to stop & wait. It will run a rattle gun (impact wrench) in short bursts.
I've got the machine mart blasting gun Clarke SB3 which looks very like your first listing & it's a total waste of time. I've tried a couple of other blasting guns with it with the same result. A small compressor simply can't deliver the volume of air required at the high pressure required. The SB3 blurb says it needs 80-100psi & they do say a min 3hp compressor. I though it might work for short bursts but I was very wrong. I'd do better throwing the media at the wheel.

Small compressors are generally advertised with their air displacement figure given. This is always much higher than the important one which is the Free Air Delivery (FAD) & makes them look better than they are. The pressure figure given is what they can go up to not what they can sustain esp with a high consumption tool.

ETA As already said, if you're going to blast wheels build yourself a cabinet to do them in. If you've never used one you won't believe how much dust & mess just one wheel produces. Plus if you riddle the media you can re-use it.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by paintman

Small compressors are generally advertised with their air displacement figure given. This is always much higher than the important one which is the Free Air Delivery (FAD) & makes them look better than they are. The pressure figure given is what they can go up to not what they can sustain esp with a high consumption tool.

A lot of people get caught out with this & IMO it's sneaky & misleading by the manufacturers. They quote the volume of air IN & the (max) pressure
OUT.

[Bigtalljv]

I second the idea of paying somebody to do it. I blasted most of my zodiac hull with a cheap soda blaster and large parts of an old ford bronco with a cheap sand blaster and I spent a fortune on media and it took probably 10x longer than a pro. I have a decent 60 gallon compressor that is big but not terribly effective.

I got to use a professional rig one to blast the frame of my bronco. A vehicle towed compressor, a 500lb capacity sand blaster, a water injected blasting nozzle, and the full forced air helmet setup. It was a great experience and proves how difficult home equipment is to work with.

Jason

[Peter_C]

So are these aluminum wheels or steel? There also comes a point that you can buy brand new wheels, and possibly tyres for less than repairing them.

[bedajim]

Pair of wheels at my local place is £20 for cash
We have lots of machine parts done it's really not worth the hassle or mess

[mick]

Originally Posted by bedajim

Pair of wheels at my local place is £20 for cash We have lots of machine parts done it's really not worth the hassle or mess

+1 can't see the point messy job plenty of places that will do it for a few quid

[GordyP]

+1 for renewing if it's for steel wheels. Looked at this earlier in the year, it was only 20 quid to buy a new rim.

[Nasher]

Thanks for the replies guys, and apologies for not getting back to this myself sooner.

From the research I've done it looks like my biggest issue may now be where to carry out the work and make a stupid amount of mess.

Unfortunately buying 4 new rims isn't really an option.
My wheels are 14" and a slightly odd 5 stud on 6" PCD which means the cheapest I can find them is @£50ea.

Nasher.

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Nasher

Thanks for the replies guys, and apologies for not getting back to this myself sooner.

From the research I've done it looks like my biggest issue now be where to carry out the work and make a stupid amount of mess.

Unfortunately buying 4 new rims isn't really an option.
My wheels are 14" and a slightly odd 5 stud on 6" PCD which means the cheapest I can find them is @£50ea.

Nasher.

You should be able to get 4 of them blasted and powder coated for £50 the lot