[PMD1969]

I am looking for some advice on getting set up for a sand / bead blasting system. Keeping a very low "budget" system I will need to start from the bottom up as I don't even have a compressor.

Living in a smallish home I have a two car garage and a need for a decent sized compressor. I have looked all over at compressors and might have settled on a two stage from Eaton. I might have room for an 80 gallon but that might be too big considering I am by myself and may not need that much volume not sure. Can't put it outside at this home bc the shed it too far away and is unreasonable. Can't haul it up into the attic for obvious reasons and cost. It will be used for a whole host of air tools and spray guns so it will get used.

But then there's the cabinet? The bigger the better I know but again we are limited in terms of space.

So any idea's where I should look other than harbor freight?

[flat-bill]

I have a cabinet I made from a sheet of 3/4 plywood. I used a kit from TP tools. It is 4 feet wide on the outside and maybe 2 feet deep and 2 feet high inside.

http://www.tptools.com/Abrasive-Blasting-Cabinets.html

I lined the cabinet with rubber sheet to prevent wear on the inside. I have used this for, probably, 15 years. Get a foot pedal. Also expect to use at least the ceramic nozzle or better yet the carbide. It will pay off in the long run. The steel nozzles don't last. Get the big dust collector. You need good dry air. Run the glass beads at no more than 85 psi. If you do the beads shatter and your bead usage goes way up. Aluminum oxide will use more, maybe 100psi.

I can change out the media in about 15 to 20 minutes for different jobs.

http://www.tptools.com/Foot-Pedal-Op...binet-Kit.html

I had a 5 HP two stage and it would keep up with it OK but I eventually went with a 7.5 HP two stage. You need a good bit of cfm. The more the better.

I have a local industrial supply source for glass beads and aluminum oxide so I don't have to pay for shipping. I use the glass beads for aluminum and thin metal with the aluminum oxide for heavy cast iron, steel and really rusty stuff. Glass beads do not work well at removing paint. Aluminum oxide is better. I have not used the black crushed slag or crushed glass media.

If you plan to use this equipment to make money know that it needs upkeep and you need to charge enough to maintain your system.

I hope this is some help to you. Billk

[flat-bill]

I would not think a Harbor Freight outfit would be satisfactory if you are serious about this.

[61-63]

x2 everything flat-bill said except for the rubber lining part I would recommend sheet metal if you can get it. I used car body panels.

I too used the TP Tools kit and made my cabinet out of angle iron, sheet metal hopper and cabinet inner liner and plywood outer skin. A wood frame will serve just as well and as I recall the kit comes with plans for one made out of 2x4s. I used vacuum cleaners to remove the dust inside the cabinet until I got tired of the dust ruining the vacuum cleaners, and then bought a TP Tools vacuum specifically made for blasting cabinets.

Get an 80 gal. tank with as big a two stage compressor and motor as you can afford. Blasting uses quite a bit of air. Die grinding if you ever get into it really uses air.

Do what flat-bill says re media, nozzles, etc.

[bdk1976]

Step 1: get the biggest compressor you can- the REAL 5hp units with ~17cfm is about the minimum, IMO. Look for quincy, Curtis, saylor-beall and other industrial grade American made brands.

5HP/17cfm is what I run now with a 120gal tank, but still wish I had more cfm. Used to have a 10cfm@90 60 gal Home Depot type unit and it would 'work' on smaller items but caused quite a bit of frustration overall.

I did the TP tools wood cabinet from plans and it was decent.

Since then I found a used Dayton unit on Craigslist that needed new gloves etc and transferred my gloves and gun from theTP unit over to that one. Also found a nice dust collector on craigslist as well but used cheap garage sale shop vacs in the meantime.

Keep an eye on Craigslist - if you're patient and educate yourself you can set yourself up without breaking the bank.

[Cardo]

I just got mine yesterday from TIP industries in Ohio. Haven't even opened the box yet... but looks to be a well built unit from what i can see and reviews. Ended up getting sale price plus 10% for holiday sale. I bought the tp800 with the vacuum.

[Jerry H.]

You'll never regret the money you spend now. I bought the unit very similar to this one:

http://www.tptools.com/USA-SKAT-CAT-....html?b=d*8015

30 years ago! And other than replacement parts it hasn't given me a minutes trouble. As others have posted, get the BIGGEST compressor you can. I've run mine on cheap 5 hp compressor's; had to replace them, rebuild them, etc. I would have been money ahead to have purchased a quality compressor at the time I purchased the cabinet.

If you are on a budget, buy the compressor first and wait until you save up for the blast cabinet. Don't think you can run it on a $800 compressor. Good luck in your endeavors!

[400 4spd.]

Jerry, I have a red version of this one, the Patriot 960, about 15 years old. It gets used every day, sometimes for hours, and is on it's second vacuum. Best equipment I've bought.
http://www.tptools.com/USA-960-DLX-D....html?b=d*8015

[Forrest]

I have been using this compressor and set-up for around 10 years..no problems http://www.airfloinc.com/item/2946 it is an industrial air (around 35 cfm's @ 175psi depending on motor hp.).. it about half of the price of the saylor beal 707..(same platform/design) and it uses alot of the same parts as the 707.. I use this along with a true 7.5 hp. leeson.. similar one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leeson-Elect...sAAOSwo6lWFqEP ( weighs around 80lb's..240v) motor and 80 gal tank.. along with another generic set-up ( 80 gal.with a generic "7.5hp" (weighs around 40lb's), 1/3 the size of the leeson..cheaper motors e.g harbor fr./craftsman/campbell haus...etc..) and 17.5 cfm's @175psi in series.. so I can run a blaster that needs around 50 cfm's.....alot of these motors that claim "this much hp." is just not true..you have to pay the premium for a true rated hp. motor! so if you can get the pieces to put all this together it will be a great dependable "real" system at a wonderful price..around 1500.00 less..much less if you use a cheaper motor

[PMD1969]

So from what i have read and searched through at a minimum I'm looking at $3k plus more parts to create the proper air lines, vacuum, and other parts. I'm guessing another $750 ?

Honestly a cabinet for $1400 seems a bit too industrial for occasional use.

What about this? http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...t?cm_vc=-10005

Compressor https://www.eatoncompressor.com/pist...air-compressor

[Cardo]

I've been using this compressor for 11 years with no problems, plus half the price! http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...l?cm_vc=-10005 This is the cabinet i ended up getting. http://www.tptools.com/USA-800-T-Top....html?b=d*8014

[rohrt]

I have a Eastwood blasting Cabinet with glass bead. I have have two bargain basement 60 gallon air compressors. Even when both air compressors are running I eventually get to little pressure and have to wait to build up the pressure again. The blasting cabinet is basically the worst case scenario for any air compressor.

The cabinet works well for being a cheepy. I can get a rim in there and intakes too. Its fine for what I use it for. It would have been nice to have a vacuum attachment but its a luxury item. When it gets too dusty I flap the door open/close a few times.

It ends up being a matter of how much you want to pay for convenience. A two stage 80 gallon in your case would be supper nice to have but a 60 gallon 3.5 hp single stage will work for a someone that only uses it occasionally for the weekend hobby work. You will just have shorter intervals for blasting before you have to let pump back up.

This got me looking at compressors again. I want this one.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...r?cm_vc=-10005
18.1 CFM @ 90 PSI

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by rohrt

I have a Eastwood blasting Cabinet with glass bead. I have have two bargain basement 60 gallon air compressors. Even when both air compressors are running I eventually get to little pressure and have to wait to build up the pressure again. The blasting cabinet is basically the worst case scenario for any air compressor.

The cabinet works well for being a cheepy. I can get a rim in there and intakes too. Its fine for what I use it for. It would have been nice to have a vacuum attachment but its a luxury item. When it gets too dusty I flap the door open/close a few times.

It ends up being a matter of how much you want to pay for convenience. A two stage 80 gallon in your case would be supper nice to have but a 60 gallon 3.5 hp single stage will work for a someone that only uses it occasionally for the weekend hobby work. You will just have shorter intervals for blasting before you have to let pump back up.

This got me looking at compressors again. I want this one.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pro...r?cm_vc=-10005
18.1 CFM @ 90 PSI

For the vacuum why wouldn't a large electric shop vac work? Just need to make sure to use the filters and a bag inside of it right?

[bdk1976]

Originally Posted by PMD1969

So from what i have read and searched through at a minimum I'm looking at $3k plus more parts to create the proper air lines, vacuum, and other parts. I'm guessing another $750 ?

Honestly a cabinet for $1400 seems a bit too industrial for occasional use.

I have less than $1k into my complete setup (compressor, cabinet, dust collector). I probably could have come in a lot less than that with some patience and compromise.

You should be prowling Craigslist, estate sales, and farm/industrial auctions to do this for a reasonable price, IMO. I've picked up quite a bit of good blast media for dirt cheap this way too.

[61-63]

Originally Posted by PMD1969

For the vacuum why wouldn't a large electric shop vac work? Just need to make sure to use the filters and a bag inside of it right?

An electric shop vac will work fine - for awhile. I used up three or four and finally bought a TP Tool vacuum dedicated to pulling the dust out of a cabinet. The dedicated vacuums have much finer filtering capability and this prevents you from burning out the bearings in the electric motor, which will eventually happen to the shop vacs.

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by bdk1976

I have less than $1k into my complete setup (compressor, cabinet, dust collector). I probably could have come in a lot less than that with some patience and compromise.

You should be prowling Craigslist, estate sales, and farm/industrial auctions to do this for a reasonable price, IMO. I've picked up quite a bit of good blast media for dirt cheap this way too.

I have been looking through CL for quite some time. Thing is that the city we live in isn't exactly an area where there are a ton of guys that do what we do. Its a much newer soccer mommy town so the odds of CL ads popping up with good and used compressors and blast cabinets is going to be very rare. the other problem is that some of the good ones that I might want to look at are typically too big for my home. I'm talking about the floor type compressors over 100 gallons and such. I can't use something that big or anything wired for 440.

So looking through CL for much of anything for these tools is going to be a challenge.

[P Glade]

The Tractor Supply cabinet you linked to above is no better, and probably not as good as, the large HFreight cabinet...

>Appears to be possibly smaller than HFreight's large cabinet

>It appears to be around $100 MORE than the HFreight cabinet, and

>I can almost guarantee it's made in the same country as the HFreight cabinet

You probably don't realize how much size matters on these cabinets. The TSupply cabinet, I guarantee, will have you bitchin' and moaning after trying to deal with anything like an air cleaner base in.

Remember, most of both of your arms are INSIDE these cabinets and you will soon find, with a too-small cabinet, that you're bending and contorting your wrists and arms to fight with whatever larger part you're trying to blast and trying to maneuver the blast gun around at various angles.

Believe me.....been there, done that (hundreds of hours of blast cabinet time here) with many different cabinets and sizes.

Quite frankly, even an air cleaner base with a snorkel can be a PITA to blast using the largest of the HFreight cabinets BUT it can be done. Wheels???....don't waste your time with the large HFreight cabinet (and a just as bad with the TSupply cabinet you linked to).

Take the advice of the guys that have already posted about the 4' long or so homemade and TP-made cabinets......get one that size and it will be worth whatever addtn'l money it costs.

You seem to be "fighting" their advice and I can tell you from personal experience that a bigger cabinet is MUCH, MUCH better VS. trying to save a little space or a few $.

You really need to experience how bad it is trying to blast items like an air cleaner base in a cabinet it will just "fit into". Quite simply, not enough room in them. Said another way....don't base the usefulness of a cabinet on the fact a part will fit inside of it.

Oh yeah....I forgot....HFreight 20% off coupons seem to grow on trees OR you can get their larger cabinet on sale just about any given week (maybe $299 or so??).

EDIT AND ADD: The TSupply cabinet you linked to above appears to be the same cabinet as the large stand-up cabinet sold at HFreight....but compare the prices (again...HFreight cabinet seems to always be on sale for much less than the TSupply version). If you're blasting only small stuff then the HFreight/TSupply cabinet is just fine (AFTER you've sealed/chaulked up EVERY SEAM on the things while assembling them)....but once you start dealing with "larger" parts like the proverbial 4 bbl air cleaner base with a snorkel, etc blasting with either of these two cabinets can get real old real fast.

Also...the flourescent light supplied with the cheap (ie HFreight/TSupply) cabinets sucks pretty bad. Now here we go again on "size". The solution is to attach a regular flood lamp style fixture INSIDE the cabinet (you really need two...one on each end)...."great!!....now I have more light and can actually see if I'm really getting the part clean". BUT.......here comes that "space saving" box size back to haunt you. You just succeeded in occupying a bunch of maneuvering space inside your cabinet with a flood light bulb and fixture.

[bkmont]

Yep, If your not in a hurry keep trolling Craig's list. I got an old double door INEX cabinet with foot pedal for $150. I also found a 3-phase 2 stage 7.5hp 80 gallon Ingersoll Rand on the cheap due to it being a 3-phase unit. The conversion to single phase cost me about $750. USA 7.5 motor and new starter.

[63gpman]

I have been using the Harbor freight stand up cabinet going on 6 years now. Nice for what I need. 15" wheels fit inside, but very thing working area. The gun has been replaced once with one from Northern Tool and the gloves have been replaced 2x since purchase and need a 3rd shortly.

As for dust, I use a standard shop vac and it works great. What I learned is that you want to use the bags inside the shop vac like these http://www.acehardware.com/product/i...7-85ecbf837501 It was a game changer for me when I figured this out because it does not clog the filter like it was doing w/out a bag and is much cleaner to dispose of.

[bdk1976]

Originally Posted by PMD1969

Thing is that the city we live in isn't exactly an area where there are a ton of guys that do what we do.

So looking through CL for much of anything for these tools is going to be a challenge.

Your location says DFW - you may want to update if you've moved. I can't imagine not finding what you need on craigslist in that area. Sure, (like me), you're generally not going to find a ton of 50 year old industrial machines for less than scrap value since you aren't in a former manufacturing hub, but with little effort you should find what you need in short order.

I just did a quick search on DFW craigslist and saw two HF standup cabinets for $75. Wouldn't be surprised if you could snag one of them for $50-60 if you know how to deal.

I had to be patient to score the compressor I did. You need to know what you want and keep on top of craigslist as the good items at good prices go fast. Set up alerts on your phone if possible.

Yes I know the DFW area is huge and there may be some driving involved, but that's the cost of doing business in such an area.