Sealey Sand Blast Pot

[JOEPRO]

Hi all,

Just bought one of these

Pardon our interruption...

Good used from Gumtree




Anyone any experience in using these?

I have a few classic cars so it will be used very occasionally to blast a subframe or chassis rail etc.

I guess it will make a right mess but I have tarps and rolls of plastic bodysheet so shouldn't be an issue. I have a 3HP 100L compressor which should be manageable for small areas.

For anyone using this pot type of blaster what media typically works best? I know you can't use just any sand for health reasons but is the black grit better?

 

[brightspark]

you can get away using supafine grit .it will work in a fashion 14 cfm being on the bare minimum but it wont hold at 90psi pressure the grit regulating valve is pretty poor not giving a constant flow and they require a 3mm carbide blast jet on the end instead of the silly hand trigger one fitted

 

[armalites]

You need to make sure your media is kept dry, if trying to reuse then put it through a sive. Recycled glass is probably the most economic media.

Does it have the same deadman valve on it? The one I bought years back just had a ball valve on it which lasted no time at all.

 

[Neilj]

The cheap black grit, more expensive supafine grit or crushed glass all work well if kept dry. The trigger style nozzles are useless, a lot of people recommend using a plain nozzle like this: LINK
However, you then have no way of shutting the thing off so you have to add a valve on the air supply and be aware that it takes a few seconds to depressurise once you close the air valve. A 3hp compressor will also struggle to keep up with a 2.5mm nozzle at 90 psi, so you'll be working pretty slowly but it does work and I have pretty much the same set up.
The media valve on the bottom of the pot will just be a standard ball valve and these wear very quickly. I think there's a few posts on here regarding a better design copied from a Hodge Clemco pot but if you're just doing occasional stuff then it will probably be ok for a while as it is.

 

[JOEPRO]

On looking closer I see this blaster also came with the extra soda blast accessory kit (+£100) and still has the original sand blast valve in the box.

I was actually going to buy that soda blast kit anyway, good job I looked first!

For my automotive applications that would suit better really. If I had a really heavy rusted sunframe then I could revert to sand blasting mode.

In the video they are cleaning a cylinder head with camshafts in, that can't be right can it(?) Or is soda blasting media that gentle any remains don't do damage? I wouldn't do that anyway but for cleaning cam covers etc at least of some tiny traces of media remained it may not do damage.

 

[brightspark]

On looking closer I see this blaster also came with the extra soda blast accessory kit (+£100) and still has the original sand blast valve in the box.

View attachment 385977View attachment 385978View attachment 385979View attachment 385980

I was actually going to buy that soda blast kit anyway, good job I looked first!

For my automotive applications that would suit better really. If I had a really heavy rusted sunframe then I could revert to sand blasting mode.

In the video they are cleaning a cylinder head with camshafts in, that can't be right can it(?) Or is soda blasting media that gentle any remains don't do damage? I wouldn't do that anyway but for cleaning cam covers etc at least of some tiny traces of media remained it may not do damage.

using soda any particals can be washed away with plain water its costly though

 

[Neilj]

Those camshafts are definitely scrap! Also, a blasted surface will tend to contain minute particles of blast media so blasting any internal part of an engine is a no no. Personally I wouldn't even soda blast engine internals, even though it washes off in theory some of it is bound to stay stuck in the surface of the metal and come out at a later date, to end up contaminating the oil and wiping out the bearings.

 

[JOEPRO]

Those camshafts are definitely scrap! Also, a blasted surface will tend to contain minute particles of blast media so blasting any internal part of an engine is a no no. Personally I wouldn't even soda blast engine internals, even though it washes off in theory some of it is bound to stay stuck in the surface of the metal and come out at a later date, to end up contaminating the oil and wiping out the bearings.

Yes I would agree with you and would never let any kind of media particle into an engine's internals. That is quite foolish for Sealey to show in their video!

 

[frank horton]

didn't someone here modified/tuned one of these up...?

 

[Agroshield]

Yes I would agree with you and would never let any kind of media particle into an engine's internals.

The soda not so much washes off as dissolves in hot water, just like the sugar in your tea. It is the solubility of the media that is the key to its success. As part of a two step process - soda blast and then hot wash, it can work well.

The difficulty with other media is that no matter how hard you try not to allow it to go into the part internals, there is still some risk that it will go there. You can wash the part afterwards but because the media does not dissolve, only suspends in the wash, traces might remain. With soda and washing, it does not matter if the soda goes inside because it will dissolve.

 

[Seadog]

didn't someone here modified/tuned one of these up...?

@slim_boy_fat perhaps?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@slim_boy_fat perhaps?

Not guilty, my puny compressor isn't man enough to run blasting stuff.

 

[Seadog]

I wasn't sure. It's someone dahn sarf then, Zummerzet way, perhaps? (Not TYA).

 

[vw1]

My friend has one but has a clarke 270ltr 28cfm compressor and works Good on car vw chassis parts. I used it with my clarke 200ltr 18cfm and its very slow removing rust.

Please show results of rust removal once your setup.

 

[JOEPRO]

Well that's the next question on compressors! Blasting is obviously very high demand.

I currently have this:



I can also purchase this one



Larger 200l size should help but the CFM is less than my current 100L one!

Or could I link both of them via the air lines? I have a domestic garage with 2no power supplies. But single phase only unfortunately so my limit is probably 3hp times 2x supplies coming in. (One 13amp and one 32amp welder supply)

 

[JOEPRO]

Note that it's not just for this blaster. I have a small bench top blaster which I do use regular. And my 100L cannot keep up at all. Have to stop and wait all the time.

And I intend to get myself a proper full size blasting cabinet which I extend garage

 

[moleb]

I use these with a 3hp Abac (runs continuously). Media is garnet or bead depending on the finish. I binned the original nozzle as found it too difficult to move around in the cabinet and replaced with a ball valve but they don't last so keep a few. Forget Soda in a cabinet as you get a snow storm and can't see anything even with extraction. Also, soda doesn't cut so it's really no better on ally than a good solvent clean. I dry assemble engine casings, plug the holes and blast. No media in there if done correctly, then take apart, solvent wash and put the bits back in.

 

[JOEPRO]

Found photos from @MetalMonkey where he linked 2 compressors. Good idea on the dual 16amp plugs which I could take off my 32 amp supply with the same breaker box.

 

[Neilj]

Easy enough to link two together, just run the outlet hoses into a tee piece and you're off. The two tanks will equalise at the same pressure and each compressor will kick in / shut off as required. To give your supply an easier time with surge loads at start up, you can set each compressor to kick in / cut out at slightly different pressures so they don't try and start at the same time.
A good belt compressor in tandem with your existing direct drive unit would work well.

 

[Neilj]

Another few bits of useful info here, posts #22, 24 & 27
https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/choosing-a-portable-sand-blaster.124952/page-2