Question about Media Blasting and Compressors, Which is the correct combination? Options

[ellisor3]

I recently bought a media cabinet and I already had a 30 gallon compressor. I started a trial run with the cabinet on a pair of calipers. I got no where. The media barely put a dent in the caliper paint. I sprayed for 30 minutes and completed an area about 3"x3". The media was glass bead 70 grit and the compressor was set at 100 psi.

I believe my issue may be the amount of air the compressor moves, and not the PSI. What is the recommended amount that will work on brake calipers? My compressor is a 5.2 CFM.

Is glass bead appropriate for enamel paint?
What size compressor do I need?
What is everyone else using?

[Brian_Boss]

My compressor is a 5.2 CFM.

I think this is the root of the problem.

No idea what sort of cabinet/gun you are running but the smallest blast gun nozzles I remember seeing use > 10 CFM.

Is glass bead appropriate for enamel paint?
What size compressor do I need?
What is everyone else using?

1) If you don't have a pressure gauge at the cabinet, add one (better yet, gauge and reg). Without it you really don't know what the PSI at the gun is.
2) If you are trying blast continuously with that setup, you are almost certainly emptying the tank and running at something below the set reg pressure.
3) If you really are blasting with glass beads at 100 PSI, you are really hammering the blast media. I try to stay under 50 for best media life. Once the beads get pulverized, they are even slower cutting.
4) Glass beads, while leaving a nice surface finish, are not the fastest for stripping paint. For steel that will be repainted, I switch to garnet or Al Oxide media.


FWIW, I have a 5hp two stage rated ~18CFM @ 90 PSI and it still runs almost continuously while blasting.

Hope this helps