The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest sand blasting

I plan on getting a simple inexpensive syphon style sand blasting kit to clean the loose rust off a trailer I just got.Any tips on this prospect? What medium do I use for blasting the loose paint and rust off this steel before coating with a rust inhibitor/converter.
I have never done anything like this before so I know nothing.thanks---Jack

I bought a siphon set from Sears to blast my rims. It took way too many hours. I used play sand from HD.
I found a decorative iron company to blast my cab. It only cost $135 for them to completely strip the outside and inside. They had it only 1 day.

Yes,but has anyone used this style successfully? what should I use for a medium?I only wish to remove flaking paint and loose rust. The converter should handle the rest.This is just a utility trailer.

If you have the air to run a siphon gun they are ok.. but the cabinet must be designed for it to work.. and oh yeah, LOTS of air. Bags of sand from a hardware store can have moisture.. you need 100% dry sand. For play sand you may need to pre-screen it if you see pebbles or make sure you buy screeened sand.. its a little more expensive.

Best bang for the buck is to go to a landscape business (or that sells paver bricks) and get a ton of sand.. will cost like $15 vs $3 for 50lbs at a store. Must still be dry and screened.

If you don't see a lot of blasting in your future then you may get by with a siphon gun... but for large parts (cab, frame) no. Job out the work or get a pressure pot. I actually did a frame with a pressure washer and siphon setup and it worked really well... but a the pressure washer can provide a lot more suction than an underrated air compressor.

I got the siphon gun and a couple bags of black diamond. After a half hour I got alot done and just barely dented the bag. It started to rain so I'll finish this later. From what I got so far,this looks like it's gonna work just fine.---Jack

Black diamond is pretty aggressive media. I run my pressure pot at 40psi when I use the stuff (Medium, 60/80 grit.. fine as I can get) through a 1/16th in orifice. Works well.

One good thing about siphon guns is that they are pretty immune to clogs due to the large orifice.

I prefer to blast my own sheet metal...I'm a bit concerned about farming that out due to potential for warpage..had a nice set of dog dish hubcaps ruined many years ago by a local blasting company before I got my own set up.

I'd have no hesitation for heavier stuff tho.

So why is it professional sand blasters don't use play sand?

It's for playgrounds...
To get the job done in a reasonable amount of time stay away from round balls and use something with a sharp edge.
A good test might be putting one grain of play sand in your left eye and one grain of aggregate in the other and noting which you want out faster....

http://devestechnet.com/Home/SandBlasting

That's what works for me. Sounds like you have it covered though. Good luck!

http://devestechnet.com/Images/Projects/SandBlasting/SmallPartsBasket1lg.jpg

I'm thinking about making/marketing these. I am amazed at the time savings. Over the years, I toss old bolts and misc rusty crap in a large coffee can. Then another, then another.

Takes about 30 minutes per load (about 1/2 of a large coffee can) and everything in the basket is perfectly clean. Walk away for 30 minutes, no interaction, and when you come back everything is ready for the Zinc plating that comes next.

If you make one, be sure to get a sealed motor!

That's pretty slick Deve. Trying to think what kind of stuff I would put in to justify buying the setup from you. Say something like the 18 head bolts on 235. Is that something you would use this for?

How do you do the Zinc plating?

Where does all the sand go do you have an enclosed space

This unit sits inside your blast cabinet, plugs in thru a rubber grommet on the top that goes to an outside receptacle. So you just close the cabinet door and turn it on and walk away.

Allen, the head bolts are large enough to hold in your blast cabinet glove without doing too much damage, so that wouldn't be justification. But don't sandblast your head bolts. They just need a good solvent bath since they are hardened and have no chance of rusting.

No blast cabinet? It WILL change your life. They are amazing and I couldn't do much without it. The Zinc plating process is something I just go to a Plater and have them do. Its about 20 cents a pound.

Truly like your spinning blaster setup cause I HATE sandblasting anything. I now have a local person who does great work reasonable. One of my tricks for small items is using a 5 gallon bucket 3/4 full with black beauty in a paint shaker. Works for it's purpose. Everything you do Deve is over the top....All on the Bolt thanks you
Dan

You know, that is INGENIOUS! I always pass over the easy way of doing things to my demise. It wouldn't be hard at all to fill a one gallon paint can about 1/4 full and pour a little less than 1/4 sand in there and do it that way. Interesting.

The ONLY concern is anyone purchasing a paint shaker that is a hobbyist will get it from HF or somewhere. My HF shaker is an air model, and I wonder if its wise to run it alot more than normal, just due to its longevity? Also, my unit works inside the blaster, but with an enclosed can you could do it anywhere. Now I am thinking using the rotating machine idea, with two attachments, one the screen type drum and another that is totally enclosed.

Not sure about the efficiency of these ideas. I just know it takes me 30 minutes per load and isnt too hard on the parts. Thanks Dan for getting that out there!

Ditto Deve's comments Dan.thanks for offering that up..happen to have both BB and a paint shaker..I will definitely give that a try, but with a gal bucket.

That's a fancy basket... and 30 minutes is a long time. I just use a $3 stainless steel mesh strainer found kitchen utensil isle of Dollar General. May not hold as many parts but works well for a handful of bolts/nuts or small parts.

My local sandblaster will do anything from a bridge, a truck frame or even glass.

Yeah, I have one of those shaker screen dealies, but you have to DO the work. With my rotating motorized drum, I walk away and do other things. I have done over 60 pounds in the last several days.
Some of it is very valuable old original truck hardware, some is just regular nuts and bolts that have lost their finish. I have to do this about every three years or so.

MY local sandblaster is ME.

You should look up tumble baskets... lots of places sell them.

I use an old KwikWay parts tumbler. I throw small parts in them and go on about my business and they come out looking like new. I still have a Guyson commercial cabinet, a 600 lb. pot and a couple of smaller pots. I had my fill of sandblasting when we hauled bulk fertilizer. I just want no part of it any more.

Yeah, but the advantage to the system I made is, it is cheap, goes into your blast cabinet and it would cost considerably less to make. Personally, I think TP Tools should sell them as an accessory. The difference is the ones I was looking at online, the economy model was $1700.00. This one slides under the cabinet, uses cabinet power and air so as not to reinvent the wheel, and could be made for less than $100.

I'll get the plans posted up on my site when I get a few days to make another one.