gt37vgt

ok my next purchase is a sand blaster and i don't know if i want the pot type or the cheaper syphon type with cabinet ..
Your input and experience please..

Euro951

Get a big cabinet type with a vacuum for dust. Check out Tp tools. Also get a bigger compressor, A 220v/ 60 gallon upright works well. Good luck

Chris White

Get a glass bead cabinet. TP makes nice ones!
You will need something better than a $200 air compressor to keep up with it.

JohnKoaWood

Guy that balanced my turbo has stainless steel in one of his blast cabinets..

Anyone else using it?

Chris White

I am thinking of adding a baking soda cabinet for engine parts...

BTW - be really carefull when cleaning engine parts - just a little sand or galss beads in an engine will ruin yor day!

ramius665

I purchased a cheap soda blaster from Harbor Freight and have used it extensively for my engine rebuild. It works GREAT!! Cleans up aluminum quickly and is mildly abrasive enough to be safe for mating surfaces. Plus it's water soluble and won't damage your engine if a few particles aren't removed prior to reassembly. I didn't take any before/after shots, but the results are as good as sand blasting, but safer for the part and the environment.

F18Rep

Good post, I've been on the fence for a while on this too. I've bought parts form one guy on ebay several times and really the only reason I bought from him was becasue he has them clean (bead blasted). If I were parting a car, I think I would start with some sort of blast cabinet.
On the dust problem, I hadn't really thought about thtat being a problem. Maybe I could just roll the cabinet outside the shop door for the few minutes that I'l need it. Anyway, good to hear ideas, the old school parts washer that I have just isn't cutting it. Bruce

Chris White

The dust problem is a very real problem with sand blasting - you can get Silicosis with long term exposure. Glass bead dust is not much better…Baking soda is much more user friendly – but not as aggressive in removing paint.

Most cabinets have vents, I suppose you could vent it to outside but it is very easy to connect a cheap shop vac and them the exhaust is filtered.

Make sure you get a cabinet with an internal light (or add one yourself).

Once you get one you will clean everything in sight!

2bridges

I rigged an old vaccum to my glass bead cabinet.........
Love the glass bead for aluminum in particular as is closes the pores to leave a much more maintanable finish than raw aluminum

Works very well, but fair warning - you get a nice cabinet, you will beat your compressor to death blasting everything..........

Richgreenster

Another thing to consider would be to have a local blasting shop do the work for you. I have a blaster and used to do my own blasting until I had a local blast shop do some of my stuff. They know me now and usually only charge me $20 to blast a few parts. It is just a lot cleaner and easier if you are willing to wait for them to do it.

gt37vgt

Yeh good piont Rich but i've lost my job and drivers licence i have enough money to just make through summer if I'm carful i have piles and piles of dirty stuff .
I have a modest compressor a V twin thing i may hook up the tank from a chepo one i have here for extra tank .. I'm leaning toward the pot style one as it looks to give a little bit of air storage it seems better value also they are $200 and a cabinet is $400 i feel i can make the cabinet from junk pile stuff .
I am after some comparisons between pot V syphon. perhaps pot is the way for soda blasting as it increased capicty would offset the weakness of the soda.