Bought a sand blaster today

[Lulu]

I got a wild hair...again. Decided to forgo the professional blaster for the DIY method. So I bought a cheapo Husky siphon-feed sandblaster for about $11. Did a search for media and sandblasting on here but most people just mention taking it to someone. Has anyone done it themselves... what media do you prefer? And did I just buy a mistake... don't care about time, don't care about mess, just want to do it all myself...
I have read about walnut shell for body, what about playground sand? Person at store told me it was too aggressive, they haven't seen my frame . Any ideas from you guys?
Also bought a low end spray gun for Rustoleum and a foam roller in case I'm not so good with gun. I didnt get the hlvp cause they were out. Is it worth the wait for stock and extra money?

Thanks for any info!


Brad

 

[Trollhole]

I wouldn't use playground sand.

Sandblasting, Sandblasters Silicosis Risks

 

[cruiser88]

I prefer Black Beauty but also you will not like siphon-feed sandblaster more so if you have a small compresser.

 

[Cuerno Largo]

I used aluminum oxide grit from TSC on my axles and miscellaneous parts. A bit pricey though to do a whole frame since it will be hard to recollect your media. I have used playground sand in the past but wore a good respirator while doing it. I ended up acid dipping and galvanizing my frame.

Edit: Touching on what 88 said, I have an 80 gallon compressor and a pressure pot blaster and you still have to wait at times for the pressure to build back up. I can't imagine the PITA a smaller compressor would be.

 

[Lulu]

There is a place in Dallas, that will do a frame for $140, but I was planning on doing the body as well as I am painting that too. I know my compressor is too small to run it continuously but the paperwork with it says it will run paint and blaster guns... a company called ClemTex here also sells the media, black beauty and walnut shell and alum oxide. I have already sprayed phosphoric acid on it that has converted rust and put some etch into the metal. Rattle canned some primer to cover it for now... should I bother blasting after acid or just go ahead and put good primer on it and paint. Same for body?

 

[cruiser88]

There is a place in Dallas, that will do a frame for $140, but I was planning on doing the body as well as I am painting that too. I know my compressor is too small to run it continuously but the paperwork with it says it will run paint and blaster guns... a company called ClemTex here also sells the media, black beauty and walnut shell and alum oxide. I have already sprayed phosphoric acid on it that has converted rust and put some etch into the metal. Rattle canned some primer to cover it for now... should I bother blasting after acid or just go ahead and put good primer on it and paint. Same for body?

Let me get you a link for a decent cheap blaster......do the work yourself stand-by a minute

 

[cruiser88]

Get the 40 pound......you will be happy.

Harbor Freight Tools

Good enough to work on cruisers

 

[Cuerno Largo]

Get the 40 pound......you will be happy.

Harbor Freight Tools

Good enough to work on cruisers

That is the pot I have and it works fine. If you are blasting as much as you say you want to, it will be worth it. However since you already have the siphon blaster give it a try first. I bet you will end up chunking it for something better.

 

[cruiser88]

That is the pot I have and it works fine. If you are blasting as much as you say you want to, it will be worth it. However since you already have the siphon blaster give it a try first. I bet you will end up chunking it for something better.

I have one of those eBay siphon blasters more for a joke but I ended up using it on my roof rack in the front yard...took 3 hours to blast that thing

 

[Lulu]

thanks cruiser88. Is this similar
Northern Industrial Abrasive Blaster with FREE U.S. Patented Deadman Handle — 5-Gallons | Portable Abrasive Blasters | Northern Tool + Equipment
There is a northern tool here in Dallas. we don't have harbor freight so I would have to order it...
thanks again.

 

[Lulu]

I can take the blaster gun back. got it at HD and haven't even taken it out of the box...

 

[cruiser88]

thanks cruiser88. Is this similar
Northern Industrial Abrasive Blaster with FREE U.S. Patented Deadman Handle — 5-Gallons | Portable Abrasive Blasters | Northern Tool + Equipment
There is a northern tool here in Dallas. we don't have harbor freight so I would have to order it...
thanks again.

SWEET and with a deadman....yep that will work.

 

[Lulu]

thanks again. you guys have the threads I have been reading about blasting and painting.
I bought a low end spray gun yesterday too cause the they were sold out of hvlp guns... again husky... this is not a hobby just want to paint the cruiser and maybe play with other stuff randomly. is non hvlp ok for what i am doing?
more importantly how long can i go after blasting to get primer on... i bought some primer by Kilz at hardware store, called Hammerite Rust Cap. anyone used that... spraying rustoleum by the quart after that.

 

[cruiser88]

thanks again. you guys have the threads I have been reading about blasting and painting.
I bought a low end spray gun yesterday too cause the they were sold out of hvlp guns... again husky... this is not a hobby just want to paint the cruiser and maybe play with other stuff randomly. is non hvlp ok for what i am doing?
more importantly how long can i go after blasting to get primer on... i bought some primer by Kilz at hardware store, called Hammerite Rust Cap. anyone used that... spraying rustoleum by the quart after that.

I have several of the low end paint guns.....just practice. And you need something to trap water so it does not get in your paint.

Do not touch the body or frame with your bare hands due to oil after you blast the surfaces. You want to try to prime as soon as possible after blasting. And also be sure to get as much sand or whatever you are using out of the frame....just use air to blow it out.

I do not like using walnut shell especially on frames.....it takes forever it seems like. Take your time when blasting look for grey/dark areas that you may have missed. It or the metal should have a profile not just normal looking steel. You can say the metal when blasted correctly will almost appear white...almost

 

[Lulu]

Thanks again C88. I went ahead and got the 60# unit from NT, a tyvek jump suit, and two 50# bags of amber blast media. Says either low or no silica content. My compressor will run at 8 scfm. So hopefully it won't take me all day.

 

[Trollhole]

Thanks again C88. I went ahead and got the 60# unit from NT, a tyvek jump suit, and two 50# bags of amber blast media. Says either low or no silica content. My compressor will run at 8 scfm. So hopefully it won't take me all day.

You can also spread a large tarp under your project and recycle your media. Your not gonna get all of it but it does help. Just sift it through a piece of screen door mesh. I do that quite often in my media blaster.

 

[Mace]

So black beauty huh??

I have heard that playground sand is problematic due to the distribution of grain sizes..
AL Oxide is nice, but a PITA.

I need to call and see what prices I can get silica sand or black beauty for..

 

[cruiser88]

So black beauty huh??

I have heard that playground sand is problematic due to the distribution of grain sizes..
AL Oxide is nice, but a PITA.

I need to call and see what prices I can get silica sand or black beauty for..

I am paying lie 14 bucks a bag(50 pounds) ..........but then again its made right down the road.

 

[webelk6]

I prefer Black Beauty but also you will not like siphon-feed sandblaster more so if you have a small compresser.

A siphon blaster is NOT the way to go.

I used aluminum oxide grit from TSC on my axles and miscellaneous parts. A bit pricey though to do a whole frame since it will be hard to recollect your media. I have used playground sand in the past but wore a good respirator while doing it. I ended up acid dipping and galvanizing my frame.

Edit: Touching on what 88 said, I have an 80 gallon compressor and a pressure pot blaster and you still have to wait at times for the pressure to build back up. I can't imagine the PITA a smaller compressor would be.

the bigger the compressor the better.

I have one of those eBay siphon blasters more for a joke but I ended up using it on my roof rack in the front yard...took 3 hours to blast that thing

My kids can use a siphon feed. Not a good piece of equipment.

So black beauty huh??

I have heard that playground sand is problematic due to the distribution of grain sizes..
AL Oxide is nice, but a PITA.

I need to call and see what prices I can get silica sand or black beauty for..

Marco also makes a variety of "black beauty" type of media. Comes in about 6 different grits, all according to what type of steel you are blasting
Marco | Abrasives, Blasting and Painting Supplies

 

[Lulu]

Wow, glad to see this thread still going with other people getting info from it. I got a hook up from a friend. He works for an architect who does his own fabricating of signs... he makes the EDS signs in Dallas and he also fabricated the mechanism that turns the Exxon-Mobil red horse at the top of a bldg in downtown Dallas. Anyway, he had commercial sized compressor and paint booth. Ended up spraying urethane primer and satin black.