Cheap blast cabinet worth it?

[Hood]

Thinking of getting a cheap blast cabinet like this for cleaning up aluminium and stainless.

SSB100 Shot & Sand Blasting & Polishing Cabinet

The SSB100 Shot blast cabinet is most effective blast cleaning system that will revitalise most metal objects suffering from surface corrosion or an unwanted coating.

www.sgs-engineering.com

I am not expecting professional results but just wondering if they work reasonably well.
Basically what I am wanting is to clean up bits of corroded aluminium such as the sheet in this pic.

If they do work would I get an even enough finish or is that just hoping for too much with such cheap equipment?

Apart from a compressor is there anything else needed?

 

[Ruffian]

Big compressor as they like to swallow air.
(But with you being 3ph probably not too much of an issue)

Got the table top one here and works well for calipers and smaller bits,
Make sure you get one with a decent seal though as dust likes to seep out.

Recomend decent dust mask regardless.

 

[Edward Teach]

If they do work would I get an even enough finish or is that just hoping for too much with such cheap equipment?

Apart from a compressor is there anything else needed?

Atlas Copco LE11 Compressor 50cfm

Is anyone interested, in an Atlas Copco LE11 compressor, attached to a 11KW 3 phase electric motor. 50cfm or there about Atlas Copco LE11 Info - pdf

www.mig-welding.co.uk

 

[8ob]

The few that I have used that siphon sand have been very underwhelming, prepare yourself for disappointment

Bob

 

[Hood]

Atlas Copco LE11 Compressor 50cfm

Is anyone interested, in an Atlas Copco LE11 compressor, attached to a 11KW 3 phase electric motor. 50cfm or there about Atlas Copco LE11 Info - pdf

www.mig-welding.co.uk

That does look like a nice compressor but I already have a 14cfm compressor that I use on the plasma table and a slightly smaller one I use for workshop air.

 

[Hood]

The few that I have used that siphon sand have been very underwhelming, prepare yourself for disappointment

Bob

I am not expecting much but if it sort of works then that will likely be good enough but no point in spending £130 if it simply won't work.

 

[8ob]

I am not expecting much but if it sort of works then that will likely be good enough but no point in spending £130 if it simply won't work.

I was more impressed with the sand blast gadget attachment that went on the end of the pressure washer lance.

Bob

 

[MCKDAVID]

The few that I have used that siphon sand have been very underwhelming, prepare yourself for disappointment

Bob

exactly this, the cabinets themselves are fine and not particularly expensive, think I paid around 300 euros for mine full size floor mounted version, but the siphon guns are practically hopeless and at 14cfm, it'll be like peeeing in the wind, these things like air and lots of it.. Mine was gutless, works better with the 23cfm, it works but I reckon I'm fighting dampness in the grit (outside in a container) so I've bought a pressure pot to replace the siphon gun version with the pressure version, just not got it all connected together yet, it's on the list....

 

[Roger440]

The few that I have used that siphon sand have been very underwhelming, prepare yourself for disappointment

Bob

Ive have one of these. Waste of space. You will spend more time trying to get it to pick up grit then you ever will doing any blasting. Plus, unless you rike up some extraction grit will go everywhere.

 

[8ob]

exactly this, the cabinets themselves are fine and not particularly expensive, think I paid around 300 euros for mine full size floor mounted version, but the siphon guns are practically hopeless and at 14cfm, it'll be like peeeing in the wind, these things like air and lots of it.. Mine was gutless, works better with the 23cfm, it works but I reckon I'm fighting dampness in the grit (outside in a container) so I've bought a pressure pot to replace the siphon gun version with the pressure version, just not got it all connected together yet, it's on the list....

I suppose you then have to upgrade all the extraction, when you start to add it all up and take time into consideration some of the proper old school Gunson cabinets you see advertised at about £500 start to make a bit of sense.

Bob

 

[Ruffian]

I was more impressed with the sand blast gadget attachment that went on the end of the pressure washer lance.

Bob

Yep vapour blasting is epic if a little messy with the slurry.
Dry ice blasting is cracking also.

But I dont think hood wants to spend too much (being Scottish and all that)

It does depend on what media you put in it also.

 

[MCKDAVID]

@8ob exactly, and as long as you have the space / air etc, then definitely the best option. Will certainly need need more ventilation, mine came with a hoover connection port, which was as much use as a fart in a space suit, have a 500mm dia extract fan and duct system to comprete for the cnc table and when thats done it'll be tied into the cabinet then too, just leave the container door open for now, which kinda works. The internal light was a bunch of cack so that got upgraded... be more like triggers broom when I'm done with this thing....

 

[Dcal]

I converted a cheap cabinet to run from a cheap blast pot.
After a lot of modifications they both work really well.
You will certainly need extraction if you want to see.
As @8ob says, you might be better with a better second hand one, there were a couple in the "for sale" section recently.

 

[8ob]

Yep vapour blasting is epic if a little messy with the slurry.
Dry ice blasting is cracking also.

But I dont think hood wants to spend too much (being Scottish and all that)

It does depend on what media you put in it also.

Is vapour blasting doable at a home workshop level, seen the results and it looks impressive. Sorry for the derail @Hood , we will get back to your question about roof tiles shortly.



Bob

 

[Hood]

Ok, sounds like I will forget about it, not wanting anything fancy and won't get massive use so I will just save my money and spend it on something for the bike

 

[MCKDAVID]

There's a guy on gaztube who converted a dry cabinet to wet, with good results, so it's definitely an option. No fancy kit required. I fancy a go at it, but reckon it's a second cabinet needed.. will try and find the link..
Edit,
Arnolds design, on YouTube.

 

[Cuthy246]

Have a cheap cabinet and they do have their issues but can be greatly improved with some simple modifications. They come with foam rubber strips for sealing which are useless as only about 2mm thick. When assembling I used nearly a full tube of mastic sealing the whole lot, not had any leaks. The gun it comes with is OK but the air delivery hose is too small so that needs to be replaced (couple of hose barbs and some 10mm hose). The pick up tube is also a terrible design and you get much better pick up and consistency using a media meter made from some basic plumbing supplies like this. This gets attached to the trapdoor media drain at the bottom of the funnel

 

[Brad93]

Cheap blast cabinets are more hassle than they are worth.

I've got a guyson and it's good but flipping hell I hate suction cabinets.

You want a cabinet with a pressure pot really.

I think if we got another cabinet it would be hodge clemco.

 

[Ruffian]

Be better off with a drum burnisher and some scotch wheels

 

[optima21]

now now dont all be dissing the useless suction grit blasters, they are fine for doing small parts

or gentle blasting when you can use insulating tape to mask parts you want to stay shiny

or make the plastic lens on led lights more diffuse to give a more even spread of light.

but for the sort of work you'd be looking at, you'd be wanting a pressure pot blaster rather than a suction one.