Blasting on a budget!

[sethile]

I've been working on this for a while, but I finally have my own blasting rig. The main hurdle was wiring for 220V. I finally managed that and found my old air compressor still worked well once I'd converted it back to 220V. It's only a 2 HP 30 gallon unit, but it's much beefier than the typical new units of that size. Still, I was highly suspect of it keeping up. In my research I found that if the compressor is not keeping up with your blasting your likely using too large a nozzle and was figuring I may be looking at a little more time. I bought a smaller cabinet that requires 5CFM @ 100PSI. I figured this set up might seem pretty wimpy compared to the larger rig I've been using at school (14.5 CFM). Much to my surprise, this little rig works great! It's a Cyclone model E-100:


My compressor keeps right up with it. The full size Cyclone unit at school must be too much for the compressor there, or maybe they have way to large a nozzle on it--mine way out performs it. Instead of more time, it took less!

Here is the first victim:








It's not a Rad Davis blast, but better than average for me. I have some smaller nozzles on order so I can explore working the grain a little more. I also need to experiment with different media. This was #12 glass bead, and I have some #10 glass bead to try.

I'm loving this set up, and I really thought it would be substandard.

[KurtHuhn]

Hey Scott, you're going to love that 5CFM nozzle. I've been using the Cyclone (Cylon?) cabinets for a few years now, and I'll never go back to anything else. They've got a customer for life.

[Charl]

Very, very nice blast!

One day when I grow up I want a blasting cabinet like that as well!

[jeff]

Hey Scott,

Well done! I've actually got the same cabinet in my shop. It's nice to see that you've had good results with it and the new compressor. Congratulations! Now let's see some more pipes.

Oh, the dublin variation looks very good.

Best,

Jeff

[ckr]

Congrats Scott! Much better than my victims. As for the cabinet, having never used another I really can't comment in comparison to others. I did find it a pain having to add media as it continually filled the hollow feet, and it was also a royal pain in the rear to switch media and remove it all from the feet. So...



I felt a little plywood and some caulking was necessary. It does make it a little tougher removing the screen but I don't think that is really necessary as anything on the sides can be easily blown into the well, or at least that is the plan.

If it doesn't work well, there is always duck tape.

[sethile]

Thanks, Jeff! It's great knowing I'm on the right track.

CKR, man that's a great idea! The same thing was bugging me. On that first blast I lost at least half my media into those hollow legs. I'll figure out how to get it back out and then seal those puppies up!

I thought I'd wrecked my air compressor. Turns out the socket I'd used to wire for 220V in the shop failed. I've gone to a much heavier one and all is well again.

[Briarfox]

Well based on this thread I ended up with the same sand blaster! The old one in the shop had seen better days so it's been tossed. I've been doing some research but I've been unable to find out how course of a glass bead I want for blasting? What are the benefits of course vs fine?

Thanks.

[sethile]

... I've been doing some research but I've been unable to find out how course of a glass bead I want for blasting? What are the benefits of course vs fine?....

Good question, and one I'm still sorting out. I think your going to need to experiment with it yourself, but I'd cetainly be interested in any incite others might care to share.

I've got #10 and #12 glass bead, but only used the #12. It's maybe a little too fine, but I'm not unhappy with it. My next step will be to try a smaller nozzle as the one that came with the unit seems a little too wide for this fine a media. I also think I can work the grain a little more with a narrower stream. The finer grit seems to facilitate a lot of detail in the blast, but I don't know at what cost.

The grit and nozzle need to match up, so to some extent your limited by that on the coarse side of the equation (your nozzle size is limited by how much air compressor you have, in terms of if it can keep up). It's a matter of fine tuning the process based on your set up, the briar, and the type of blast your after. For instance, Jim Cooke uses three separate medias and at least two different nozzles.

I've blasted enough on a system I had no control over to realize that a lot is the wood itself. Some pieces just seem to blast great in spite of all the limitations, while others seem to refuse to yield no matter what you shoot at them

[Chris Morgan]

What kind of compressor would you recommend for that Cyclone E-100. Im trying to get a cheaper system to see if I like the blasted look on my pipes.

Thanks guys.


By the way I like the way yours turned out.

[jeff]

Chris,

There are various threads on this subject in the forums already. Do a search and you'll find them. The basics are that you need an 80gal 7+hp compressor to do the trick. I've used 30gallon, 60gallon, and 80gallon compressors and I would never consider anything less than 80 for production work. But if you are just messing around and have a few hours to burn on a shallow blast, you can buy in the sub-60gallon size.

[RadDavis]

What kind of compressor would you recommend for that Cyclone E-100. Im trying to get a cheaper system to see if I like the blasted look on my pipes.

Thanks guys.

Buying a cheap system is a false economy. You won't like the results, and then you 'll have to get a proper system and throw the cheap one away.

Plan on spending $2500-3000 by the time you're ready to blast. If you buy a cheap system first, you can add that to the total.

Rad

[jeff]

What kind of compressor would you recommend for that Cyclone E-100. Im trying to get a cheaper system to see if I like the blasted look on my pipes.

Thanks guys.

Buying a cheap system is a false economy. You won't like the results, and then you 'll have to get a proper system and throw the cheap one away.

Plan on spending $2500-3000 by the time you're ready to blast. If you buy a cheap system first, you can add that to the total.

Rad

Rad is dead on. Don't throw your money away. You'd do well to find a rustication technique that yields results you find pleasing if budget is an issue. But blasting a pipe just to say that it's blasted is ineffective marketing when the result isn't worthy of sale.

[ToddJohnson]

You can go with a 60 gallon if it's got a two or three cylinder motor, but expect it to run some during the initial blasting stage (100-130 psi). Just to throw my own professional opinion in with those of Rad and Jeff, I agree, don't waste your time or money on the Easy-bake-oven version of a blasting setup.

Better also to focus on refining shapes before experimenting with how you like different finishes "on your pipes." The economics of pipemaking--if you're going to be a pipemaker--dictates that you will have to blast half of your pipes. That will have to happen whether you like blasted pipes or not. Otherwise you get to be A) a hobbyist, or B) a starving artist.

Todd

[KurtHuhn]

You can get get a good blast with a 60 gallon, single cylinder compressor - but you have to be comfortable with it running non-stop during blasting. If you're okay with that, and can keep up with the maintenance on it, then it will be okay. If you do go this route, be sure you change the coolant/lube regularly, otherwise you'll have a $800 pile of scrap metal.