Guys with sand blast cabinets

[Brads86stang]

Looking to pick one up for my own use...Not trying to make a living but also going to start powder coating a few parts for myself and friends (already have the powder coater and oven, just need the blaster and compressor )

I am looking at two home owner grade cabinets.. One uses 5 cfm and is more expensive.. the other 9.5 cfm.. and more in my price range??

I dont have the compressor yet and want to buy the compressor to fit the blaster.

Black Bull™ Vertical Abrasive Blast Cabinet - 3900843 | Tractor Supply Company

and

40 Lb. Capacity Floor Blast Cabinet

are the two cabinets I am looking at. Which would you guys get? The one that uses less cfm would allow me to not have to spend so much on a compressor. 9.5 is a BUNCH of air right

[baz]

one says 9.5 cfm at 90 psi while the other says 5 cfm but does not say at what psi .
the two things that affect cfm consumption is the psi and the size of the nozzle .

[Unatural]

I have the Harbor Freight cabinet you have listed above. That's wierd that it says 9.5 cfm @ 90 psi because right on the label on mine, it says 12-16 cfm at 70-115 psi. With that in mind, I don't think a compressor making 9.5 cfm would be able to work very efficiently with that cabinet. The compressor I have is an Ingersoll SS-5 and it seems to work well with the cabinet. It is able to keep up when I'm blasting without any problems. My compressor is rated at 18.1 cfm @ 90 psi and 15.5 cfm @ 135 psi. I don't have a regulator on the compressor and when I'm blasting continuously, it stays around 115-120 psi.

[Brads86stang]

Harbor Frieght has the cabinet on sale for 199 this weekend for Labor day. Gonna ask dad to borrow some cash (wife is out of work so money is tight) and gonna try to go ahead and get it. Then I just have to save for the compressor.

[mcuozzo]

Hopefully you grabbed a 20% off coupon (in any motorcycle mag) for Harbor freight. Makes that $199 cabinet, $159. And I have a HF compressor, it is the 3.5 HP single stage, sixty gallon one. It works great with that sandblaster, had it over 2 years and no problemo. It's like $400 normally but goes on sale. And again, grab another 20% off coupon.

Matt

[drizzle]

Either of those cabinets will work, I would get the cheapest one you can get your hands on, add a dust collector as I just mentioned in another thread that someone asked about. Upgrade the gun in the cabinet to a TRINCO brass handle with a carbide nozzle. You can spend the money on the foot operated switch or you can just plumb in a regular valve as your on/off switch. Now you can use aluminum oxide! Those standard guns that come with those cabinets are only good for glass beads. Even with all the carbide upgrades the media eats away at the inside of the gun. If you know anyone that works in an office, have them snag you a couple boxes of those clear transparent sheets that are used for overhead projectors. Tape 2 of those together at the right size and tape it inside the cabinet to protect the glass, replace as necessary! I think the Harbor freight cabinets come with plastic windows dont they? upgrade that to glass! Find an old window or something and trim it down yourself. when selecting an air compressor, always go with the most CFM you can get your hands on! Oil less compressors will burn up fast so dont waste your $! I took a Craftsman compressor apart once that was done, the piston is plastic with a copper ring! GAAAAAAAARBAGE! I started out with a Husky 80 gallon 12.6CFM compressor and it was barely enough to power my cabinet at 100PSI. but I managed. Be sure to test out any old compressors before you buy them. I went and looked at an old one and it ran for 20 minutes and only got up to 40PSI. That would have been a waste of $250 and a waste of electricity not to mention the BS to hook it up!

[AMUA6]

I am also running the HF cabinet and no problems out of it.. except for leakage. If you do go with that route, before you put any media in it, seal up EVERYTHING crack, cranny, knook you name it. That thing leaks sound like no tomorrow and also from the bottom of the door. I, however, learned this the hardway and now have every hole sealed up with silicone, a catch tray under the door, and have welded on some wheels to the feet. Hope this helps. Good luck!

[NHRookie]

nhproequip.com has badboyblasters on the cheap! 100 PSI
BADBOY BLASTERS PREMIER SERIES BB-100 SANDBLASTER