Sand Blasters

Has anyone experience of using the 'pot type' total loss sand blasters
that turn up on eBay regularly at about £80 ? Basically a 10 gallon
pressure pot with suitable hoses and nozzles ? I need to strip back
several square meters of grotty paint on sheet metal, and a bit but no
too much thankfully that is rusted.

Are they resonably effective?
Can you infact collect and recycle the media with strategically placed
poly sheeting?
What media (I assume dry sand is out due to silicosis) to use ?
They claim 6-25 cfm air use - or do you really need a road compressor?

AWEM

Andrew Mawson wrote:

> What media (I assume dry sand is out due to silicosis) to use ?
> They claim 6-25 cfm air use - or do you really need a road compressor?

We use aluminium oxide, but you can get copper slag which is rougher
than a bear's arse for rapid removal. You do need a lot of air though.

Steve

Andrew Mawson wrote:

> Has anyone experience of using the 'pot type' total loss sand blasters
> that turn up on eBay regularly at about £80 ? Basically a 10 gallon

Yes, though it was more than that paid.....

> pressure pot with suitable hoses and nozzles ? I need to strip back
> several square meters of grotty paint on sheet metal, and a bit but no
> too much thankfully that is rusted.

OK that doesn't sound too bad

> Are they resonably effective?

Yes

> Can you infact collect and recycle the media with strategically placed
> poly sheeting?

No. Well, you can, but it's very messy and you will have to sieve it
and make sure it's kept dry. Pretty difficult to recycle I found.

> What media (I assume dry sand is out due to silicosis) to use ?

Aluminium oxide as Steve says is commonly available though VERY
expensive at least in the quantities we buy it in (one 20Kg bag is
probably about £1 a KG, may be off there since haven't bought any for
about a year)

> They claim 6-25 cfm air use - or do you really need a road compressor?

YES! You need a lot of air for a decent blaster. Ones that claim they
need less have tiny nozzles and clear tiny areas at a time - picture
yourself going over your sheet metal 2 or 3 mm at a time and you'll get
the picture. I use one with a 3HP/150L compressor and it's only just
useable - I need more reciever and ideally a bigger motor.

Be very carefull about buying - cost of the blaster will fall into
insignificance compared to the costs of running it, you will need a
good blast hat as well which will probably start at thirty quid
upwards, good gloves etc. You'll need to be sure you can get spare
nozzles for your eBay special and make sure you have a dryer somewhere
in your airline that works otherwise the moisture clogs the valves and
you have to stop every five minutes and unclog bits of it. Not
pleasant.

If you have a big compressor and can find grit reasonably priced
locally then go for it, otherwise I wouldn't advise it. Cheap
sandblasters were discussed here fairly recently I recall.

Regards

William MacLeod