blastcabinet avi

I would probably build the base out of 2x4 and the top would be like 1 inch mdf. the frame for the blast cabinet itself would probably be 1" steel screwed into the top/bench 1" mdf... I was going to use a piano hinge for the pivot but i think 2 large bolts on each edge of the frame in back would be stronger.

for the catch i will have to figure out some heavy duty rubber or something to fall into my little carry around sand blaster from sears that way its a continuous feed of sand.

it would be side load with both sides hinged.

when opened there will be lock pins through the side frame to the front of the work area base.

i think i can order just the gloves from a company i found online.

maybe some gas struts to help open it too.

i dont know how much dust is generated as ive never used a sand blast cabinet before.. should i look at plumbing in a dust catcher?

I just cant see myself spending 300 for a metal one from harbor frieght but i want one big enough to do things like sway bars and wheels. BUT i dont want to loose a whole section of garage to have one.

thanks.

You will need a dust collector (and a light inside). Otherwise, lack of visibility will render it useless after a few seconds of blasting.

This is an interesting idea. One issue is the funnel to collect/recycle media. To assure good flow, the sides need to be pretty steep. If the funnel stays attached, it would stick out behind the unit in the down position so that the bench could not be against the wall.

Hope this helps.

Alot of the big stuff you would want to beadblast are good candidates for powdercoating, swaybars being a prime example. Other examples might be struts housings, rear trailing arms, shift linkage etc...

Arizona Powder Coat will beadblast and powder coat sway bars for around $30 each maybe less. By the time you buy all the painting materials and do all the work on your parts, you will have spent almost as much for an inferior finish. Collect as much stuff as you want powdercoated, because the price doesn't go up that fast. Drop your shit off there and then you can focus on your real problems like rust, while their guys are making your stuff look new.

So depending on what you want to beadblast, the HF $100 benchtop unit might suit your needs. Or if you want the $300 unit, buy it, use it on your project for the next year, sell it on craigslist for $200. But, I wouldn't worry too much about having one big enough for sway bars.

Short OT: jasons, I like your choice of cars (avavtar)

I had an entire shell blasted by the "Master Blaster" in Aurora (Denver 'burb) CO a couple years back for $150, I don't believe it is expensive enough to have to build one to do it yourself unless you are doing an awfull lot of media blasting. ...just my $0.02

thats why i was thinking of a rubber funnel that folds up in the 6 inches of space to the wall. i can figure out a dust collector setup then...

I had an idea an exhaust fan at the top that plumbed into an enclosed rubermaid container with water constantly misting in it to capture the dust and then just filter the water.

BUT,

I have a LOT of stuff to blast and powdercoat... and i dont anticipate this being my last project ---- I would even like to get into refinishing and refurbishing parts for other people to help me pay for my project if i could.

But if they work fairly cheap like that... and I gave them all my heater stuff, suspension stuff, engine tins, interior stuff, wheels and all that and they can do it for 200 bucks, i'd probably go that route.

funny, my NEXT design rendering was going to be a powder coating booth and oven in a cabinet / bench configuration.

thanks jason

do you hear sand or media rolling around in the frame rails when you drive... thats all i'm afraid of with handing my shell over. not getting all of it out of the little holes and nooks. maybe thats a stupid fear but i heard that if you blast a shell you never ever get it clean.

I look at home powdercoating as a hobby thing. Its not for me, I don't want to dedicate my time or space to it. And, I know what kind of results APC can do. They are pros at it, so I prefer to let them do it. They have dozens of color/texture options. I like dropping rusty greasey parts off and picking clean shiney fresh new looking parts. Honestly, I doubt you could supplement your hobby trying to compete with someone like them.

They won't do that much stuff for $200 I know that. And it depends how many different colors you want. Min fee for any color is $30. So if you wanted one red swaybar and one blue swaybar, thats $60. If you want 2 red swaybars, they might charge $40 to $50. Catch my drift?

But whats your time worth? Like I said earlier, you could drop all your ugly ass stuff off and pick it up 2 weeks later, fresh and new looking. During those 2 weeks you could spend your spare time cutting and welding your rust problems.

All of that said, I do my own paint and body because its cost effective. But I can't see it with powdercoating.

Sometimes you own your project, sometimes your project owns you.

Thanks! its an 89 S2 AND its for sale.

I power washed everthing when I got it back, hosed everything out. Fortunatly being here in Cololrado (little to no humidity) it completly dried out setting outside in the sun in a couple of hours, also blew out knooks and crannies with comp. air.
Shot it all with a zinc oxide primer---not a spot of rust anywhere!

huge amounts of dust is generated, you'll want to place the blaster far away from areas in the garage that the dust can wreak havoc (like a work bench with a motor on it that you are doing a rebuild on) (in most machine shops, the sanders and blasters are in a seperate room to protect the rest of the equipment)

for the viewing glass, you can get plastic sheets that go over the glass to protect it from blasting, easier to replace the plastic sheet than the glass

occasionally the cabinets are on sale at HF for $200

if you build one, make sure you have a vent for the vac., 1st time I used mine I turned on the shop vac and it sucked the gloves right out of the brackets cause the vent was closed...

I like the space saving idea. As everyone has said already, very dusty. It also depends on your media too. Cheap media will break down quick and become very dusty. You will also go through cheap stuff quicker .

As for a light I use one of those floor halogens. The little floor stand that comes with it works nice for mounting it inside to the top of the cabinet. Its nice and bright . Also helps if it gets too dusty, the halogen light cuts right through the dust.

I have kind of a reverse dust collection system. I use the vent in the cabinet to blow air in, and have a hose on vacuum side leading outside. The blower is actually a 914 heater blower. Works pretty good.

For smaller items, I have made a blasting cabinet from a large cardboard box. It is about 3 feet square. I have it so it folds down when not in use. I take it outside and place it on sawhorses. I have plastic sheet for the top and front window. I have a cheap Sears sandblasting unit that has a plastic hopper and a nozzle. The entire deal took about 1/2 hour to make.

I just used it to clean all my engine tin. Typically got one piece clean, and then had to use a small dust pan to transfer the sand back from the box to the plastic hopper. I don't have much extra space in my garage. so I didn't want to buy a more permanent unit. I don't have a vacuum vent, so some sand gets outside the box, but surprisingly little. I have two holes about 5 inches diameter that I put my hands through. Just use cloth gloves, a good dust mask ( I have a Hobby air full face mask), and a face shield to catch any dust that comes through. I use media that does not have silica. If you use any of the blasting media that has silica, you need a very good dust collecting system, or good breathing apparatus. I would imagine that the old paint also has lead in it, and would not be good to inhale. The set up I have is only for use outside. Joe

if the setup is sealed right... there should be no dust outside right? would it be obvious to neighbors if i used a blower motor to slightly pressurize the case and blow the dust outside?

but actually....... Im getting to think jason is correct. the more i add up materials etc... I think this idea would cost more than 300 to put together and thats not worth the space saving. and reality says i dont have time to work on my own car let alone anybody elses parts.

I think instead I'll just sell all the stuff that needs cleaning and revert back and plunge into the subaru idea i've always been toying with. parts going up in the classifieds today. gotta go take some pics.

well.. its done... dirty stuff up for sale LOL! forget the cabinet for now.... but i still think its a sweet idea.