help setting up the blast cabinet

[FigureLLC]

Ok, so I recently got the big HF blast cabinet. I know I will primarily shoot aluminum oxide. I know I want to swap out the gun for something better with a carbide nozzle.

But I'm a bit confused at how to select the gun/nozzle combo. We have a 10hp/120gal compressor, that I'm assuming puts out somewhere around 35cfm@90psi (it's old and I don't know the real specs). The HF gun comes with ceramic nozzles that are 6 and 7mm, so ~1/4in. And the HF gun supposedly consumes 15-17cfm. Charts for better guns say a 1/4" nozzle at 90psi would take 80cfm.

I want the biggest baddest mammajamma our compressor will handle. Any suggestions? Thanks a ton! -Len

[jtagger19]

I've been ussing this one for about 5 months now.
and it is still in perfect shape , this is a very nice gun to have .
High Volume Cabinet Gun - TP Tools & Equipment

every part is replaceable so if any part goes wrong you just buy the part you need .

[CarWiz]

I think the "better gun" charts are in error or it's for a pressure blast system. A 1/4" nozzle won't even pass 80cfm of air alone much less adding abrasive. It's more like 21-22cfm of air so the 17cfm is probably pretty accurate for 6-7mm with abrasive. There's two different air requirements depending on whether the system is siphon feed or pressure feed. If your system is like most boxes, it's siphon feed. Also, the air jet size is different than the nozzle size. Simply adding a larger nozzle won't increase the capability of a gun. The fixed air jet size has to be considered and is generally matched to a specific nozzle size or range. The same goes for the feed line or hose.

Most charts are developed by compressor manufactures and their compressors have been over-rated for years. Their purpose is to sell compressors. True flow rates don't come near actual flow through a hose or fittings so chart specs will indicate a higher cfm compressor is required. If your compressor can indeed output 35cfm, you'll need a minimum of 3/8" air feed fittings and hose. It should be able to handle a 5/16" nozzle with no problem. If your willing to wait while the compressor catches up occasionally, 1/2" hose with a 3/8" nozzle will give adequate blasting.

[CarWiz]

Forgot to mention:
Remember that however much air (cfm) you put into the box has to come out somewhere. Make sure your filter/vacuum system can handle the load as well.

[Travst]

I have this one from Sears that I like a lot. I've tried a number of the cheaper, more available guns, but they aren't worth spit compared to this one. However, the TP gun mentioned above looks like a good one as well.

Dee-Blast Siphon Feed Sandblast Gun - Model 1003 at Sears.com

[FigureLLC]

Originally Posted by jtagger19

I've been ussing this one for about 5 months now.
and it is still in perfect shape , this is a very nice gun to have .
High Volume Cabinet Gun - TP Tools & Equipment

every part is replaceable so if any part goes wrong you just buy the part you need .

looks like a good start! thanks!!

[FigureLLC]

Originally Posted by CarWiz

I think the "better gun" charts are in error or it's for a pressure blast system. A 1/4" nozzle won't even pass 80cfm of air alone much less adding abrasive. It's more like 21-22cfm of air so the 17cfm is probably pretty accurate for 6-7mm with abrasive. There's two different air requirements depending on whether the system is siphon feed or pressure feed. If your system is like most boxes, it's siphon feed. Also, the air jet size is different than the nozzle size. Simply adding a larger nozzle won't increase the capability of a gun. The fixed air jet size has to be considered and is generally matched to a specific nozzle size or range. The same goes for the feed line or hose.

Most charts are developed by compressor manufactures and their compressors have been over-rated for years. Their purpose is to sell compressors. True flow rates don't come near actual flow through a hose or fittings so chart specs will indicate a higher cfm compressor is required. If your compressor can indeed output 35cfm, you'll need a minimum of 3/8" air feed fittings and hose. It should be able to handle a 5/16" nozzle with no problem. If your willing to wait while the compressor catches up occasionally, 1/2" hose with a 3/8" nozzle will give adequate blasting.

yeah, ours is siphon, and i was looking at the siphon charts. you're probably right on about them spec'ing bigger compressors than necessary. we have a "6hp" locked rotor joke pre-litigation craftsman, but the upgrade compressor is from the 1970s with a 10hp baldor... we actually have to have an electrician come upgrade the electrical system to handle it. the tp tools kit posted above is something like i was looking for, since everything is matched. good point about the dust collector. i don't know if ours will handle it, as-is, but i can sort that out a bit later.

thanks for the input!

[FigureLLC]

Originally Posted by FigureLLC

good point about the dust collector. i don't know if ours will handle it, as-is, but i can sort that out a bit later.

ok, it's a bit later, and after maybe 30 minutes of blasting, i guess the aluminum oxide chewed up the shop vac motor. on the bright side, the blaster works well. that tp tools high volume gun is sweet. thanks for the recommendation!

[Powder_Coating_Pros]

Originally Posted by FigureLLC

ok, it's a bit later, and after maybe 30 minutes of blasting, i guess the aluminum oxide chewed up the shop vac motor. on the bright side, the blaster works well. that tp tools high volume gun is sweet. thanks for the recommendation!

tptools sells a 1 hp dust collector I used for mine.

Also I used a bad boy pressure pot blaster with AO @60-100psi depending on metal or aluminum. My compressor was a 120gal with a 3.5 hp motor. Yes it was under powered, but it worked. I would say a 5hp (true 5 hp look at amps) and a big tank will be fine.

[FigureLLC]

i disected the shop vac and figured out 1) aluminum oxide did not chew up the motor. the motor is isolated from the blower wheel, and the motor is clean. 2) the failure happened in one of the windings... there is a one-shot fuse hardwired into the winding. the fuse is shot. why the hell would they build it like that? why not a replaceable fuse?? why save the motor from burning up if it's still going to be shot or require a major undertaking to replace it??

can anyone recommend a shop vac with a continuous duty motor? because this was apparently not one of those.