Blasting Cabinet Upgrade from Tacoma Company
2024 ж. 6 Мам.
638 128 Рет қаралды
After years of frustration using my cheap blasting cabinet from Tractor Supply (the same model you get from Harbor Freight), I finally decided it was time to upgrade the guts to make it a more usable system. I purchased a kit from the Tacoma Company that a viewer recommended to me. This video will go through the install process as well as show the final results that the product delivers.
Keith, and anyone else with a blasting cabinet like this... if you install a very fine steel mesh, like a window screen size, on the inside of the viewing window, it will basically last forever because the grains of media don't fit through the holes to etch the glass. I did this to my blasting cabinet and it was a great upgrade.
Nice upgrade!! Of note, the plastic lens is supposed to be on the bottom of the glass to protect it from getting hazed by the sand. It basically does nothing on top.
4 years later, the website is still "just a placeholder". I talked to Mike years ago about a kit. He is very knowledgeable, but honestly, there is no reason these kits cannot just be put together and ready for sale on a website, ebay or amazon. I would like Mike to know (if he ever stops in here) that there are a ton of people like me that just don't like making that call. I just want to buy the kit. Put them out there, you will sell a lot more. I am finally getting ready to make the upgrade and these kits are still not easily available. So, I watched this video again, got my list of parts and ordered them on Amazon individually. And yes, probably making the call would have taken less time, but like most shop type people (target audience in this case), I don't like talking with people I don't know, not the social butterfly. And a business that doesn't care enough to make the purchase process easy, doesn't get my business. It should be easy to give a business money, not an obstacle course.
I would buy it if it was simply on a website or ebay. I click and buy over 200 times per year for my needs. No time for chit chat
It's like going to Wal-Mart and no prices on anything. Stop wasting peoples time. Wasting your own time too. Click and ship.
Easier to just build one. You can find the plans for free and build it with hardware store parts. I built mine years ago.
Flicking through KZhead, and found I definitely need to do these mods..... to the cabinet that I don’t own yet! Thanks for taking the time to make this! 👍
I don't have any business watching this but this guy is such an easy going easy to watch person that I just stuck through it and watched the entire thing.
I upgraded my HF blast cabinet with the Tacoma kit about 3 yrs ago. The best thing I ever did. I love the way it works. I can blast most things at 40psi. The foot pedal is awesome. I also did some other mods to my cabinet to make it a very versatile tool.
One useful upgrade is adding the largest receiver tank you can score (most hobbyists and many professionals don't know they exist or why), and preferably placing it next to your blaster so you can run a short, large diameter air hose from tank to blaster. Another upgrade is a vacuum with a dust separator, modern plastic venturi style separators being dirt cheap.
That's a pretty cool upgrade. After dropping a nut into the sand during a glass change I used a nutzert kit and did away with trying to do the awkward stretch to hold onto the hardware whilst swapping glass.
Chris Cramer I feel your pain - been there and done that....
the 90's are a great idea, I'll be doing that to mine when I can find the kit, thanks
I would never have thought there would be an upgrade kit for a blasting cabinet. :-) Very good and exceptionally well described and discussed. Thanks very much for your efforts to share this, Keith.
Bruce Boschek Anytime there is a substandard product being made, somebody out there will find away to improve it!
Great upgrades Keith. I've found keeping your bead media nice and dry helps a lot. Dry it in the sun if it gets moisture at all, like spread it out on a clean tarp in the sun or heat source. :-)
Ah the old adage measure twice cut once! Thx for showing this a great improvement.
Great video! Thanks for the information! I just purchased one of these (still in the box!) with these modifications in mind. I love your shop, over the top!
I was not expecting to watch the full 38 minute video, but I did; great job. I saw the exact same blast cabinet at Harbour Freight. I really wanted it but it was just a few inches too small for my parts. I left the store disappointed and empty handed. After watching you drop your deck a few inches, you gave me hope. I'm headed back to the store to see if that mod would give me the space I need. Thank you!
Btw, I forgot to mention this earlier, thank you for the recommendation for the Deluxe Upgrade Kit with Tacoma Company. I also spoke with Mike and ordered the same kit. Since then I have also ordered several blast medias from him. Thanks to your video, I am a long time customer with Tacoma Company.
+Temuba They do a great job!
I placed a fine mesh screen from Mcmaster-Carr under my glass works great. I also cut the back down both sides and across the top, bent the section out about 30 degrees and then filled in the gap on both sides and top. This allows you to lean 17" rims back for better viewing.
I would put a 90 degree elbow on the back of the gun for the air hose. This will put both hoses side by side for easier moving the gun. Looks like a good kit. I like the foot pedal.
Keith, Very nice job on your repair. I am notably impressed as usual. Please keep em coming. Best regards, Your friend, Cliff
Clifford Fender Thanks Cliff - just following instruction on this one. I am just glad that I found these guys!
Thanks. Looks like a good modification that works well ❗️👍🏻
Hi Keith, another upgrade that I saw was to use a rivet gun to put “captured nuts” on so that you could remove the screws without needing to hold the nuts inside the cabinet.
Yep, I did this with threaded insert rivet nuts. Huge improvement.
Keith Rucker, They make self adhesive plastic sheets that stick to the inside of the view glass. When they get damaged, just peel it off and stick on a new one. Keeps the glass new for a good long time. Great video!
I just picked up a blast cabinet, used, locally. No labels or information, but it is exactly the model Keith has! It has a badly cracked window, but otherwise sound. Thanks, Keith! I will contact the guy and get a set as I restore this cabinet for use.
awesome video bud I going to buy the same blaster this weekend and so thank you for the how to video on this I found the upgrade just bought it on ebay thank you again keep up the great job
We stuck some window protecting plastic film available in rolls of varied widths. It works quite well as a peel off system. We tried stacking 4 layers at first, as in dirt bike goggle peel offs, to allow a worn film to be peeled away revealing the next layer. The company Uline rings a bell but I'm not certain. The same film was used to protect helicopter windows during rebuilds. It lasted long enough that we forgot about doing it until a newer guy tried cleaning it with MEK followed by acetone. Not a good idea. On the oldest cabinet there's a hinged, for cleaning, 1/4" mesh screen about 1/2" from the glass and it seems to work well at deflecting the media. You forget you're looking through it after a while. Enjoyed your video, thanks for letting us into your shop.
Hi, Keith - Thank you SO MUCH for your efforts with OWWM and VM! I'm the guy who wound up with that brand-new-in-the-crate 1950 Boice-Crane model 1400 jointer sold on your Classifieds section a few years ago. Your mods to this cabinet inspired me to throw down my 10% off coupon this past Sunday for this blast cabinet. Spent 45 minutes on the phone with Mike at Tacoma, and emerged a believer. Thanks again Keith! -Mike Fink ('DeFinkster')
Keith Very informational video. One upgrade I did on mine was to replace the screws and nuts on the glass frame with RivNuts. They are like a threaded poprivit. I purchased the kit from Harbor Freight for around $16 after the discount and additional RivNuts onlineOn the 2 bottom corners of the frame I added 2 screws from the onside that protrude up and hold the glass from dropping while installing the frame. I used wing nuts on those 2 studs. After breaking one glass , I slipped a piece of plastic tubing over those studs to prevent another accident.
Excellent how to video Mr. Rucker! Thanks for putting this up on KZhead.
+Thomas Ainlay Thanks for watching!
Thank you from Great Britain. We also have the same cabinet and appreciate your upgrade video , many thanks
Thank you!
Nice video! I added a "duststopper" from Home depot to my shop vac. Everything goes in the bucket and doesnt clog the filter.
Great video, did most of these myself when building my own from scrap but TBH would of prefered to by something took lots of trial and error and still is a pain
Thanks for all your videos Keith. I'm waiting for Mike to get back with me about my blasting cabinet upgrade. I built it from plans and components supplied by TP Tools. While it does a good job, I was convinced to call Mike, after watching your video and hearing you comments on the improved performance the upgrade kit made. Much appreciated, Mike
+WMichael S I have been very impressed with the upgrade - it is so much better than what I started with!
I would like to say that this gentleman was very knowledgeable and precise on his presentation I found it so good that I subscrfibed
I've done a few reckless setups in my life so far, but no matter if i see it on video or do it myself or see someone do it near me...hole saws on tiny objects on drill presses give me the chills. And the funny thing is i've never had an incident because i go out of my way to secure the work piece. So seeing you cut that little red door, i was "nope, nope". Odd things aside, great work on putting some functionality in this cabinet, i subscribe to this idea where you take a decent but not shining example of the "breed" and upgrade it where you can. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than buying the big bro of that cabinet. Man they overprice those. Great job on this one, certainly going to put it in my list of to-do things.
aserta Got the same yucky feeling when Keith was drilling.....!!!
Yep, it's that last mm that catches on the teeth...lol. A large drill press vice or using a clamp will be safer.
At least I'm not the only one who sometimes cuts a corner, even when I know better!
Its amazing how much they want for sheet metal box. If I grow out of my small Tractor Supply one, get some sheet metal from the local salvage yard and use my cheap HF MIG welder.
Keith of all the videos i watched assembling all the cabinets yours was the best. Thanks
I know this video is old, but is BY FAR the best video for installing this kit. Most others are 8+ parts of 30 minutes or more and dont tell you what to even do. they are great for completely unrelated and mostly useful info. an install video for these upgrades could easily be done in 20 minutes. maybe a bit more if you add in the screen and shelf mods.
You have lots of good ideas Keith. All the best, Edgar
Very nice. That valve does so much. I just did mine and it literally multiplied the volume. Thank You
....great show, and a nice walk thru on the upgrade and how it works. Have the same unit in my shop and it never has worked really well.....appreciate the info.
Rick L So far, I am a very happy customer. I will be interested to see how well it is still working in a year, but I have a lot of confidence that it will hold up much better than that cheap junk that came with the cabinet!
I'm installing a very comparable cabinet this video is very interesting to me I like the sand injector you installed , it is much better than the original setup I duplicated it with a1 inch tee and a succession of pipes welded together with an internal angle of 6 degrees turned inside to make a funnel to the abrasive hose and I used a 3/8 steel tube coming from the opposite side of the tee to make the air makeup . I used rivnuts to eliminate the problem of reaching nuts from the inside to remove or install the glass I installed a fine mesh screen to remove large chunks that can clog the blast gun
I plan to add wheels to the base so I can move it outside to cut down on dust accumulated in the shop. Nice build thanks for the video.merry Christmas.
+Eric King Thanks Eric - Merry Christmas to you as well!
That's a neat upgrade. Really like the foot pedal. Thanks for sharing
wade hicks The foot pedal is awesome!
I ordered some media from them last week, but had I known they also sold the upgrade, I would have purchased it as well...thanks for the heads up.
jfpinkston Give Mike a call or email and he can help you choose the right kit for your blaster. He is most helpful!
This was REALLY helpful, Keith! Thanks! I haven't needed a blaster yet, but as I acquire more and more Craigs List shop tool finds, being able to de-rust as quickly as you showed at the end would make for a GREAT upgrade to expanding my shop. For about $200 for the base HF/TS cabinet and about $400 for the deluxe upgrade, this looks to be a reasonable addition at some point. All I'd need to do is find a few more old cast-iron table saws or planer/jointers to refurbish and resell, and it would pay for itself!
Sean Harrington It is indeed a handy tool to have in a shop doing any kind of restoration work.
My upgrades on my old HF cabinet. Skat blast gun and pickup tube kit. LED sealed tube fish tank light that runs all the way across the inside of the tank (works awesome). Water separator in the front where i plug the air hose in. A $2 yard sale shop-vac with an extension hose running to the back of my property. I use soda media instead of sand. Sand shatters into a fine glass mist. Not good. Even with my respirator. I cut an old window screen to place inside the tank to catch anything big that may have fell off or bolts ive dropped. I use mine outside because it never fails to get some sort of dust everywhere. Finally i run a floor fan blowing on me that pushes away any dust and keeps me cool in the summer months. The most expensive item was the gun and pickup tube kit. The rest was super cheap or free. Ive used this setup for years and blast mostly old car parts etc that I sell or use. These tanks are perfectly fine to use. A large compressor is a must!
I use a couple of tempered glass screen protectors designed for iPads vs plastic or sacrificial glass. The screen protectors shed dust and resist scratches, last 5yrs (in my case) and typically cost ~ $5.
YOU did a Great job on the upgrade!
+YANGNIMOG Thank you!
another upgrade no one talks abought is higene i have a small shop with 5 guys using the bead blaster some asshole had a wart on his finger now everone has wart or or two on there fingers now i order throwaway dr exam gloves i also change the box gloves on the 1st of every month small price to pay
I have large hands and have had difficulty getting them in and out the gloves especially when the cabinet gets warm. I have found a secret that works. I put on a pair of very thin (almost see through) plastic gloves before sliding my hands in the gloves. The sweat and perspiration don't contact the rubber of the glove. Easy on on easy off! Be glad to send a picture! Thanks for your video.
Love the clip, just purchased a new 18 cfm compressor 120 litre tank and want a blasting cabinet and used would be good.
Excellent video! Thanks for posting this!
vajake1 Thanks for watching!
Great video, Every Keith I know is a great mechanic/Engineer
If you want to maximize airflow through the support you made (16:00) you could use perf angle iron for the frame. I also wondered about the orientation of the vac baffle--would it work more efficiently if it was attached horizontally rather than vertically? Great ideas. Thanks for the video!
TP Tools puts out a great Asian blast cabinet upgrade kit. Works like a charm and you can even order carbide tips instead of ceramic. Foot pedal or trigger operated guns are available. They also stock heavy duty gloves to replace the cheapo ones that come with the cabinet.
Thanks for doing this video, I was using my harbor freight twin to this yesterday on a ford gas tank and it really has limited room, poor lighting, and the siphon gun is big and award to use on the left side of the cabinet. Needless to say after that project I was ready to build a bigger one but I really don't have the room to put one. This gives me hope for mine.
austinwagoncompany So far, I am very happy with this upgrade!
Hi, this video really helped answer some questions i had. I picked this cabinet up on sale recently and knew full well i was mainly buying the box and the gun would need a big upgrade, and this is a perfect walkthrough for it. i plan to get this sort of kit once i save a little as i do a lot of cast iron restoration, and i doubt id remove or cut down my tray like yours just because the extra clearance isnt important to what i need. That said, im a lefty and so the way this kit would go on is completely backwards to how i hold the gun and so id be tangling hoses all day long. do you see any potential way where rigging the kit up reversed I.E. hoses entering from the left vs the right side of the cabinet would be unfeasible? looking at it i dont see how there could be a problem but just wanted to ask someone who has had the kit for a while now if there might be something im missing from looking at pictures. thanks for the walkthrough and thoughts on the kit.
Like the steam locomotive in the Garage... Thank you for doing this video.
Yeah - How cool is that!
Hi Keith, That's a great update for your blast cabinet! I also liked the support piece that you made for under the screen. It seems like that is also a necessary item unless you always work with light gauge materials. Thanks for sharing! -mike
***** Thanks - I agree that the bracket should be a big help, particularly with the heavy stuff I am usually blasting!
Thanks for the video. I just got down building my blaster on my channel.
Like the video as always... I would like to order this upgrade as well... Thanks for sharing!
jfpinkston Give Mike a call - that is the best way to contact him. He is a wealth of information!
Hi Keith, as luck would have I am about to get/build a blasting cabinet, so I will be getting in touch with the guy to buy an upgrade of my own.
You seem like a very nice person and SMART and I love the Train in the background. My Grandson would love it too. I like to etch glass dishes and am looking for a more economical way of doing it rather than the cream. Thanks for the video how to. :)
+CherCherie Thanks for watching!
The plastic goes on the inside to prolong the visibility of the glass.
It's mentioned in the video - wrong or right, the setup shown was as provided by the factory.
It goes on the outside to protect your face if the glass shatters
@@sweed7777 you are correct. There are sacrificial plastic films that are installed to the inside glass surface. If you look at the part of the video where he takes the window out, you see a dirty rectangle on the glass, this is from the double sided tape from the missing plastic films that collected dust.
@Marcus Keeler yes, the outside has a plexiglass sheet to protect you and your face. mine shattered and i was glad the plexi was there. the inside is supposed to be protected by a replaceable taped on Mylar film (www.tptools.com/SearchResult.aspx?searchPhrase=mylar+film%29%29 click on the "abrasive blasting" tab). thats how every cabinet i've seen has was set up, and i used to be a professional sandblaster.
@@SekTauBand every blaster I've used has the plastic film on the inside and the glass outside. I've been blasting for 18 years in plating shops, I've never seen the plastic on the outside.
Excelente, muchas gracias por el video y por comparyir. saludos y un gran abrazo desde Colombia.
I purchased the deluxe upgrade kit from Tacoma Company over a year ago and I have no complaints. It worked so well for me that I decided to buy another Harbor Freight blast cabinet and upgrade it as well. I use mine cabinet for my business so it gets used five days a week. With two cabinets I can have White Star #3 in one cabinet and Glass Bead #75 in the other. I have dealt with Tacoma Company for a couple of years now and purchased many items and I'm very satisfied with all my purchases. Good product and company.
+Steve S I have been using my cabinet more over the weekend and I am still amazed at how well this thing works with the upgrade! Thank you Mike Tacoma for providing such a great product!
I used the same kit. Mike is great guy to do business with. It appears we both added a few new hole saws after buying this! Additionally, I added a few more upgrades such as a expanded metal shelf and blow off gun from TP Tools, a new light/switch/power cord assembly and used some old bed frame and casters to make it moveable.
feedinc I still have a few modifications I want to do to this blaster. There will likely be a follow up video soon!
Great video!!! Super informative! 👍🏼
thank you for the upgrade
Keith I have had my blasting cab for close to or over 30 years there is no a day that goes by that I don't use it. I use what they call potters sand when I want a very fine finish like say magnetos before I rebuild them. I have also used it to blend in the scratches on the cast iron pistons as. I remember when I first got mine I was un happy because it would work some times other times nothing would come out un till I came up with a type of gun that worked fore me I fine tune each sand tube I make. any way I use mine more than any other tool in my shop. So glade to see you do a video on this. Thank you Keith.
Randall Moore Thanks Randall - I am excited with the upgrade for sure. So you rebuild magnetos.... I can think of a few around the museum that could probably use some work, including the one on that John Deere tractor we used in the last video....
We always had a thin piece of plastic sheet between our glass and cabinent.. Like they use on those projectors of old you wrote on with a pen, clear.. Best way i can describe it.
Another fine video! Thanks Keith - Lloyd - DigiTek
Great information,thanks I’m going to try it.
Great video Keith 👍
Very good video well done thank you for making . My cabinet doesn't work very well thanks for the infor
That looks like a really useful upgrade Kieth. As I was watching you assemble the gun, I wondered if a right angle connector or swivel banjo connector on the air hose would make the gun easier to use. The air hose wouldn't stick out as far in back.
l wilton I talked with they guys who sold me the gun and they tell me that the elbow will slow the air down as it goes through it and is not a good idea. It looks good on paper but in application it can be troublesome.
Well done presentation, Keith. Just came upon the same cabinet as you upgraded, that a neighbor put out to the curb. I plan to revamp this one, as you did. If you do not mind me asking, what was the total upgrade cost? Need to work the job into my shop budget. Thanks Keith
I hope you do an update on this in the future after some more use. I have never used a decent blast cabinet but I would love to have one!
bcbloc02 Will do!
😊thank you so much. You answered many questions in one video. Mainly I understood what you where saying. Appreciate it!😊
Looks like some much needed and good quality upgrades Keith. When you took the plastic lens off the glass I was yelling at you...NO...that goes under the glass! LOL Blast cabinets can be a pain in the ass, lucky for me I have a nice high quality unit that don't need much attention the amount I use it. That was cool seeing the "aftermarket" upgrades though! Adam
Abom79 The funny thing about the glass on that cabinet is that it was already installed from the factory when I got it. They put in on backwards before I ever got it! Makes you wonder about the quality of some of this cheap stuff we import from China..... All in all, I think this is a very good upgrade to the blaster. You are very fortunate to have that very nice high end cabinet in your shop!
As said by others, here in, the plexi-glass sheet on the out side of the glass is there way (cheaper than tempered glass) of making a safety barrier. We suggest removing the plastic and using no other layer than a single strength sheet of (through away) glass under the existing layer of double strength. Of course, a layer of tempered or laminated safety glass would be better for this permanent layer, but two layers together is very tough and hard to break, at least more than one at a time. The clarity is the best this way. Any plastic layer, even brand new, is not as optically clear as glass, scratches easily and does do the static cling number, quickly making it very hard to clean with out pretty quickly obscuring the surface.
Abom79 I have the same cabinet & it had 2 pieces of plastic - one on the top & an replaceable one on the bottom. It came with a pack of replaceable bottom plastic units. It's possible that the original plastic sheets got lost along the way. The cabinet is fine, although the gloves go south in a few years and the exhaust is crappy. The gun, however, is really, really bad. We've been through several as well before I moved to my current shop where they have a huge industrial unit (something like 5' x 4' capacity...).
Ditto
Mike, How can I order this kit? @@tacomacompany3387
I also use Windex for a number of unintended purposes, as you've shown. It has the advantage of being very low residue in application.
Job well done, I really like your video thanks
Keith, you know they make mylar film for the inside to protect your glass, right? TP tools, and Eastwood both sell it. it isn't cheap, but it's less than new glass every few weeks. one thing i do in addition to the mylar is several layers of stainless steel screen oriented in different directions spaced away from the glass. it helps slow down and deflect the sand and has little effect on visibility.
Very nice video. I get mine tomorrow. Will have to pause and do as i put it togethet.good trails to sir.dont worry about the negative people.
THANK YOU...for sharing. Maybe time for me to up grade, tried of beating on the sides of the cabinet to get things working. FRUSTRATING!!!
I highly recommend it!
Thanks for bringing this to our attention Keith! I checked EBay and they have nothing listed, I'm thinking they may need to get some sets listed as I'm sure there are other people like me that have the same set up and are going to be looking for this upgrade. Especially with you bringing this to the attention of your KZhead followers.
Fierofreak01 Just give him a call - the phone number and email is listed at the end of my video. It is best if you talk to him first anyway as he can help determine what you really need.
I have wanted to upgrade mine. Might consider the kit. The main thing is the siphon gun takes lots of air just to pull the media effectively. I run mine way to high so even with glass bead it gets a bit aggressive and shatters th glass into talc. I bet it uses less air. I don't think mine will work much below 60psi. Running 40PSI would allow my compressor to stay well ahead. The only change I would have done with the kit is to add a right angle fitting to the gun so the air and media lines point the same direction.
Scott Henion I like the idea of the right angle fitting - I might have to look into that.
This is probably way to late for u to respond but have u tried mounting the media to a bucket/hopper up top to use gravity to ur advantage
Worth a test drive, @@adamryan4137.
Very interesting video. I also just completed an upgrade on my own cabinet (identical style just under a different badge). For my own upgrade I actually bought a standalone 20gallon pressure pot system and then fed this into my cabinet, using the cabinet as a media collector essentially. Makes for a really powerful and efficient setup but my needs are somewhat different from yours since I am blasting wood.
caskwith I don't think that blasting wood would be a problem with this setup, but at one time I even considered putting a pressure pot on this cabinet when I was so frustrated with it. Hopefully this setup will work just fine.
Keith Rucker - VintageMachinery.org Oh I am sure it will work great for you, I can visibly see the improvement over the other system that cabinet uses. For me I am not cleaning the wood I am texturing it to bring out the grain on wooden pipes so there are some major improvements using the pressure pot system, I am still earning though how to get a good definition and detail without blowing a hole in the side of the pipe! haha.
I have the same cabinet in the UK but the upgrades are not available here, I need to make my own as the media keeps sticking in the tube needing blowing back. I also want to make an air cleaner tube across the glass to keep it from etching too much. Good ideas for me to follow , Many thanks
The best and cheapest upgrade is the pressure control valve. Run the compressor 120 to 150, set the valve to 90, and your air supply is effectively constant. Second, add a second mesh screen lower in the hopper, to catch bits. 3rd, cut and weld a gap in the top screen, so it’s removable without needing to unclip hoses. As for lube, silicone spray is most effective. I use it all the time for rubber mountings like exhaust, air filter, etc. As for the cabinet, it’s the same one I have, a generic self-assembly one. I fitted a cheap vacuum cleaner into the left side fitting. Works wonders.
Beautiful job man
Hello Keith, Very handy tool that blasting cabinet and it saves a lot of time to undo rust, but a pity that those cabinets are so expensive as you told. Mostly I use the old fashioned way with a steelbrush and sandpaper to undo rust but not the finest work to do. Thanks for the interesting video and many greetings from Roel !
RoelTyros I think that I have used just about every method under the sun to remove rust, but blasting is by far the quickest and easiest way to get the job done!
i think one of the more important mods is sealing the cabinet better so you're not breathing in the fine dust and loosing blast media on the floor. no one seems to either have the problem or care. i had media spewing from between the trap door bracket and the funnel when in operation. i also had fine dust seeping around the glass and armhole gaskets, as well as media and dust going through a gap between the door seal and body near the back leg. the cabinet is not only cheaply built but also a health risk. even if you dont use actual sand the any fine dust going into your lungs at alarming rate is not great either. first time i used it my breathing was noticeably harder for the rest of the day. i been trying to seal it up but a new week spot shows up.
Wonderful video. Very helpful.
My favorite thing to spray like you're using Windex here is silicone spray. I like it because it dries without leaving a sticky oily residue at all, and I don't believe it has anything in it that will degrade rubber or plastic. Although you have to be careful, I have used some that did discolor plastic, but the WD40 brand doesn't. It comes in a can with a yellow top instead of the usual WD40 red.
BTW, you should look at getting some steel grit. Locally I got #50 for $45, and it can be used 1000-1500 times. Just run it through a screen when it gets too filled with gunk. Lot less dust than sand.
Keith....What was the style of the LED Lights you got at Lowes. I too have the same Blasting unit. On the window...I used 10-24 x 1-1/4 machine screws from the backside and a nut to the cabinet....then drilled the plastic frame...thru holes....now I use wing nuts on the outside of the frame. Thus the window can be removed easily for cleaning and blowing out the cabinet out doors. Thanks for the lighting help...
Keith, I've been giving thought to creating a steel hood for my viewport; removing the viewport lens and reinstalling it on the face of the hood so that it is almost vertical and that much further away from the blasting. Sand slows down quickly and I reckoned that the reduced angle of media blowback-to-viewport, plus the additional distance away from the work would keep the viewport lens in far better condition for far longer. Have you any thoughts on this idea?.
I will have to look into this for ours at work. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Holy cow, those are the thickest knives I have ever seen. Thanks.
Walter Plummer They are about 3/8" thick, which is pretty standard for bolt on knives like this.
I have the same Harbor Freight blasting box. Over the years, I've identified all its flaws. Replaced the blast gun once because the aluminum (die cast) seam broke. Replaced the high pressure hose, with a stronger hose because the original one kept blowing off the fitting regardless of how many times I tightened the clamp. The sheet metal seams leak media everywhere! Still gotta dissassemble, clean and seal all the mating surfaces with new seals and most importantly, run beads of caulk everywhere. The foot operated air pressure controller is appealing. Must also look into a better system to keep the media fine particles in the box and not escaping into the vacuum unit I have. I saw one video of installing a baffle, but I think Harbor Freight has a filter/vac unit that attaches to the outside. Lot's of good ideas to upgrade my blaster thanks to your video. Still, for the price I paid, no complaints, but can only make it better. Thank you again.
+Carl Spence As crappy as the import units are, they can be a good starting point to build a nice system.
I also upgraded with Mike's deluxe kit. I cannot recommend him highly enough. My cabinet is now a media blast MONSTER!!!
+lockbuilder Agreed - it does an excellent job!
Keith I found that using "Saran Wrap" over the inside of the sacrificial lens works great, protects and lasts along with a cheap easy change out. As you said, nothing more frustrating then when a blast cabinet doesn't preform or when the unit works well and you have to wait on your compressor....I solved the compressor issue with the purchase of a 27cfm. At wide open, the compressor will fill the tank and shut off while supplying the blast unit! Enjoyed the video! Chuck
outsidescrewball Fortunately, the museum has a huge air compressor so there is no shortage of air when I am out there. Now at home, it is a different story - which is why the blasting cabinet is out at the museum! I might have to try the saran wrap trick!
Keith Rucker - VintageMachinery.org I've found florists celophane to work very well as the sacrificial surface. You can get 'tear-off' packs from some suppliers like the racers use on windscreens or visors. The big improvement I made to my home made cabinet was to add an eductor to the bottom. The line from my foot pedal is split, with one leg going to a second pressure regulator and then feeding into a nozzle in the mixer. I set the regulator to just a few psi and it fluidises the media greatly improving pickup. I show the setup in one of my videos, I'll link to it in a reply.
A screen made from black fibre window screening material will prevent the glass from being 'blasted'. Make it taut and install about 1/4" below the glass window. Sand will bounce off of the screen and the glass will not be 'blasted'.\ Black will not deter visibility.
@@EVguru did you ever find the link?
It’s all about maximum air flow! The mistake people make is having regulator and filter dryer extra plug in air fittings hanging off the cabinet if you look at the original setup he had it was a mass of air flow restrictions. The kit just made the most of air flow with larger I D hose with push on fittings and a high flow regulator. They also probably told him to reduce the psi to 60 you don’t need to run the cabinet at max psi as all that does is smash the medium into dust. Less psi also gives you more CFM.