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Originally Posted by Skuce
What do you mean "upgrade the cabinet" to be able to run AO? details?
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When you buy a cabinet they give you some ceramic nozzles and low grade metal air valves. These are fine for sand, black beauty/Magic, glass bead and other media. When you get into aluminum oxide, and some of the harder carbides you will wear down the ceramic nozzles very quickly. In order to use AO and harder media, you will need to get a carbide nozzle and air valves at the least. I got the nozzles, air valves and gun. I tried the ceramic nozzles and went through 3 in about 3 hours of blasting with silicon carbide media. AO will not wear them down quite as fast but still the rate was unacceptable so I spent about $100 and upgraded to the heavy duty parts. I also bought a new pickup tube because it will also wear more quickly when using the harder media. I have been using the same carbide nozzle for about a year now and will be replacing it in about a month. I stopped using glass bead in the cabinet completely, and only use AO and occasionally silicon carbide. I just prefer the finish and it creates less dust and lasts alot longer than the softer medias. In the long run however I think the cost will even out with the cheaper media. So no cost savings there but like I said...I just prefer the finish and lower dust accumulation.