|
|
|
Your donations help keep this valuable resource free and growing. Thank you.
|
Small Media Blast Cabinet |
Post Reply 
|
Page 12> |
| Author | ||
PlazinJavelin 
Supporter of TheAMCForum 
Joined: Nov/02/2008 Location: Atlanta USA Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote Reply
 Topic: Small Media Blast CabinetPosted: Apr/03/2015 at 11:43pm |
|
|
One of my biggest and most time consuming project challenges has been fighting rust. Now that I'm gaining momentum on my Javelin and there's a possibility of a second project for my wife (non-AMC), I needed a faster way to kill rust and get things treated/painted and reassembled. There must be a couple hundred small parts to deal with. So... time for a real blast cabinet that doesn't kill the budget and take up a lot of space. After tons of reading and even borrowing Freecat's smaller HF cabinet, I decided to spring for the Northern Tools 30" model at about $229.   The second picture shows my front 10" drum inside for scale. I just got all the bits put together tonight and won't be able to test it out for a couple of days, but size-wise it looks like it's going to do what I need. I'll post more about it once I get to actually use it. My small criticisms so far.... The legs are hollow. seems like you'll loose half a pound of media or more immediately as it fill the legs instead of the hopper underneath. You can see in the picture where I cut white foam blocks to block off the holes. You start out with a bare box and a bunch of parts. It took several hours to put humpty dumpty together. latches, door, gloves, door seal foam, my foam blocks, grate, hopper hose, external air hoses (not included)... I got this to help speed up my projects, but it turned out to be a project of it's own. I still need to work out lighting, and I already bought longer gloves separately. Still I hope when all is done, I'll cut rust work down to a fraction of what it was taking me before |
||
 |
||
|
74gremx
AMC Addicted 
Joined: Jan/18/2009 Location: Adelaide, Aust Status: Offline Points: 949 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 4:41am |
|
|
What are you using for dust extraction?
|
||
|
1970 Javelin 360/727
1974 Levis Gremlin X 304/904 1964 American Convertible 1974 Matador wagon (parts) 2016 Holden Cruze Equipe 2014 Holden Colorado "Don't mistake activity for achievement". |
||
|
||
|
FuzzFace2
AMC Addicted
Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10356 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 6:41am |
|
What size is your compressor, cfm @90 psi? Also are you using a air drier? Once in my new home and garage I will be looking for one too. Dave ---- |
||
|
TSM = Technical Service Manual
75 Gremlin X v8 for sale 70 Javelin 360/auto drag car 70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car |
||
|
||
|
PlazinJavelin
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Joined: Nov/02/2008 Location: Atlanta USA Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 8:24am |
|
There's a small port in the side where I hook up my small filtered shop vac.
|
||
|
||
|
Mopar_guy
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Joined: Jun/07/2009 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 4837 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 8:35am |
|
|
I have a floor model from TP Tools that I've had for years and it works great. My brother has a bench top unit like you bought because of space. Here's a few things that we've figured out over the years - use a Rigid shop vac with a HEPA filter for dust collection. They last compared to other brands and have a great warranty. I use 2 types of media - crushed glass and aluminum oxide. Aluminum oxide is more expensive but has very little dust and lasts a long time. It cuts heavy rust very quick but is hard on nozzles. I prefer crushed glass over glass beads because it cuts better than beads so it takes less time and air to get the job done. Each media has it good and bad. Everybody I know with a cabinet doesn't use mixed media because it doesn't seem to work well.
|
||
|
||
|
PlazinJavelin
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Joined: Nov/02/2008 Location: Atlanta USA Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 9:26am |
|
I've decided to use aluminum oxide in this cabinet. It's more expensive, but for dealing with the rusty chunks of metal I have it seems like the best choice and is supposed to last a loooong time. Not something you want to use on thinner sheet metal or body panels, but they won't fit in there anyway. :) My larger compressor does about 13 CFM at 90. Though I've used my smaller 3.5 cfm compressor ok to do small parts like brackets and bolts, I don't know how that would work the the aluminum oxide media yet. Will try that out sometime. I use a basic inline air filter similar to this one. Seems to work fine for removing moisture. Without it the line clogs.
|
||
|
||
|
PlazinJavelin
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Joined: Nov/02/2008 Location: Atlanta USA Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 9:30am |
|
How long do those filters last? I'm thinking about updating my current ancient hepa vacuum.
|
||
|
||
|
FuzzFace2
AMC Addicted
Joined: Jul/05/2007 Location: Angier, N.C. Status: Offline Points: 10356 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 10:08am |
|
With the water bath you could collect the “dust” dry it out and reuse it if you wanted. http://www.thegaragegazette.com/index.php?topic=65.0 Dave ---- |
||
|
TSM = Technical Service Manual
75 Gremlin X v8 for sale 70 Javelin 360/auto drag car 70 Javelin 360/T5 Street car |
||
|
||
|
PlazinJavelin
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Joined: Nov/02/2008 Location: Atlanta USA Status: Offline Points: 2703 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 2:44pm |
|
|
Thanks for that idea. I'm going to see about building that.
This cabinet deal has sure tuned in to it's own project. I hope I can get back to my car someday soon. :)
|
||
|
||
|
CamJam
Moderator Group 
Joined: Jan/04/2014 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 6553 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: Apr/04/2015 at 3:15pm |
|
|
My $.02 worth:
I have a small HF cabinet. Practically useless without dust extraction, and even my shop vac isn't quite enough to be able to see what you're working on. I plan on buying the HF extraction fan as soon as I get the chance, but for now I do most of my blasting outdoors with my HF pressurized tank. The most important thing I've found about blasting is to keep your air dry. Campbell Hausfeld sells a small two-stage water trap/dryer at Tractor Supply for about $35. One of the jars in that unit holds the little silica gel beads that change color when they get used up. They can be heated in the oven to dry them out and reused, but it's a good idea to buy extra silica beads and have a stock on hand so you don't have to shut down and dry your beads out in the middle of blasting. I bought a quart jar of the beads at NAPA, but you can probably find them cheaper on-line. Best to have a compressor that will deliver at least 10 cfm at 90 psi, otherwise your compressor will be running all the time. That heats the air, which in turn creates condensation, and moisture in the air line. A small compressor makes for a frustrating afternoon. If you have a Tractor Supply nearby, they also sell sl-a-g (the site seems to think that's a bad word without the dash in there) media for about $8.00 a bag. I find it works about as well as aluminum oxide at a much lower cost. I switch back and forth between glass beads, baking soda and either aluminum oxide or sl*g. They each have their place. If you reuse your media, sift it first or you'll get clogged nozzles. Edited by CamJam - Apr/04/2015 at 3:22pm |
||
|
'73 Javelin 360 (current project)
'72 Baja Bronze Javelin SST '69 Big Bad Orange AMX (2018 Teague Heritage Award) SOLD  |
||
|
||
|
Post Reply
|
Page 12> |
Tweet
|
| Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Click for TheAMCForum Rules
Topic Options
74gremx wrote: