Harbor Freight sandblasting cabinet...
- Thread starter Kern Dog
- Start date
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Earlie A
Well-Known Member
BEST TOOL UPGRADES
I added the foot pedal, metering valve and gun from this company. Big improvement over stock.
I added the foot pedal, metering valve and gun from this company. Big improvement over stock.
I bought an HF sandblasting cabinet for work a few years ago WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP
the expanded metal shelf inside twisted like a bowl like the 2nd time I used it, it leaks sand from all the corners, the gloves might have lasted 4-5 uses, if that.... I go to the local glass shop and they cut me new 1/4" thick windows for like $7. Out of used glass. I'm due for another one. I put a shop vAC on the side vent while using, helps a lot.
I got new gloves for it from eBay, again I need another set but the eBay on a lasted several years. I have also been thru a few eBay blasting handles of different brands, usually I get the ones that come with a 18" piece of pipe and a hose . meant to stick into a bag of Media. I don't know the brand but by comparison the one I have at home is day and night a better machine.
I've been looking at CL and MP for a better one for work. Have one I've been trying to get ahold of since "2 hours" after it posted and they won't respond I've tried 4-5 times.
the expanded metal shelf inside twisted like a bowl like the 2nd time I used it, it leaks sand from all the corners, the gloves might have lasted 4-5 uses, if that.... I go to the local glass shop and they cut me new 1/4" thick windows for like $7. Out of used glass. I'm due for another one. I put a shop vAC on the side vent while using, helps a lot.
I got new gloves for it from eBay, again I need another set but the eBay on a lasted several years. I have also been thru a few eBay blasting handles of different brands, usually I get the ones that come with a 18" piece of pipe and a hose . meant to stick into a bag of Media. I don't know the brand but by comparison the one I have at home is day and night a better machine.
I've been looking at CL and MP for a better one for work. Have one I've been trying to get ahold of since "2 hours" after it posted and they won't respond I've tried 4-5 times.
Please explain why the glass should be tempered? I just replaced my glass (non-tempered) and the glass business suggested to not use tempered glass as if it breaks it will basically crumble (shatter like a tempered shower door) and require the media to be replaced. They made a 1/4" replacement for me. Normal use doesn't put force on the glass, and I always use the stick-on clear covers on the inside that can easily be replaced when they get cloudy. I see no advantage or need to use tempered glass, 1/4" glass with the plastic inside cover is very durable.
They do leak like a sieve. I pulled mine apart and caulked all the joints. Much better now. I bought the gun kit shown above too-huge improvement
Thomas Dennis
Well-Known Member
I have a Bench Top Harbor Freight one. The Blasting Material doesn't like to slide down into the Hopper. I have to open the Door and slide the Material down by Hand when the Hopper empties. I plan on replacing mine with a Top Loader one. I wish it had a built in light.
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
It's a catch 22. Tempered glass was often used by sandblaster manufacturers especially in industrial cabinets because it is much more durable than plate glass. If an inexperienced operator has really high air pressure to the gun and pulls the trigger the gun could kick back and shatter the plate glass causing injury. Does tempered crumble when hit hard? yep but it takes a much harder whoops impact for that to happen. Plate glass is also much more likely to cut than crumbling tempered.
I've been using Red Garnet, #40 I think?
This cabinet works pretty good but it is not perfect. The lighting is not great, it just has one florescent bulb. I have a shop vacuum attached to the back of the cabinet to clear out dust. Thanks to those that offered help in finding the plastic shields.
Take advice from a professional. Leanna (RIP) got all her stuff from here and swore by it. Her favorite blast media was black beauty. The site below is the same parent company as what hoppy posted up there ^^^^.
skatblast.com
Quality Abrasive Blasting Cabinets - Made in USA - Skat Blast Inc.
Skat Blast Inc. has proudly manufactured high-quality, affordable, and fully assembled abrasive media blasting cabinets for over 35 years. 90-Day Money-Back Guarantee* and 5-Year Limited Warranty*. Skat Blast Abrasive Blast Cabinets are always IN STOCK! Ship Quick within 24-48 hours!
skatblast.com
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
Yep, Cudachick was spot on. Those cabinets totally encapsulate the blast box with no poorly fit seams. Just a nice, rugged door with an excellent seal. You have to pay up for them, but the design and performance is excellent.
Oh and I can tell you this from personal experience. You need to SEAL every single seam, crack and creavice of those blast cabinets with some kind of sealer or they will leak like crazy.
Their benchtop model is on sale right now for just under 300 bucks.
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
We have 2 big ones at work with unlimited use during lunch and after work. They are Trinco cabinets. I chased around all the suction leaks from the company using silica sand in the biggest one a couple of weeks ago and the damn thing still wouldn't pick up. Then I realized our machinist was making the nozzle insert holes bigger because they thought it would improve the performance. He makes the nozzles out of tool steel and hardens them. OOPS... But I did learn a lot about the auger system, dust collector and all the suction piping. (it's a big one) The nozzle was fresh off the shelf, so I never thought of checking the hole size. LOL. 300 bucks for a benchtop seems fair to me for the quality of a Skat box.
I see used full size models on FB market place for around $100-$200. Throw $40 at it for the metering valve, duct tape the joints and you are set. Mine sits outside tarped up quite a bit and s looking pretty sad after my Dart's restoration and it doesn't owe me anything.
jeff alder
Well-Known Member
Put a cheap ball vibrator on the hopper. Let me rephrase that. Put a cheap pneumatic vibratory ball on the hopper funnel.
Just a thought...
Would clear bra material work as a protector?
Would clear bra material work as a protector?
I think I saw that in the Blue Forum!
I already have the cabinet and have no intentions of replacing it. It works well enough for what I do. I just need the plastic sheets to protect the inside of the window. I'm going to check with a Tractor Supply down the road.
The place Hoppy and I linked to also has them, as well as all accessories for your cabinet. I was not recommending you replace yours. I was simply pointing out they had a good deal on one. I have a total chinkesium floor cabinet I got from Summit years ago and I am in the middle of doing some work on it now. The cabinet itself really doesn't matter as long as it's assembled and sealed well. It's "everything else". lol
This and a razor knife, problem solved. You also get 10 of them for the price of 4 from HF for the latent cheap bastard win as well.
Kinda what I did. I got a new one, but from Summit. Total chinkesium, but I sealed every seam and crack in it. I'm working on it right now resealing a few places that have developed leaks over time and getting an upgraded pickup and hose for it.
What gun kit ? Point in the the right direction !
Link?
Skat Blast® USA 28 MINI Bench Top Abrasive Blast Cabinet
MADE in USA - FULLY ASSEMBLED! 27-3/4" wide, 18" deep, 16-1/2" high work area - makes abrasive blasting easy, fast, and affordable! Our NEW MINI Bench Top is easy to use - open side-loading door and pour abrasive (sold separately, see below) into funnel. Load parts, close and latch door...
Tractor Supply showed these shields on their site but had nothing at the store when I went there.
That **** pisses me off....It sucks to know that stuff is out there but not in a store where I can have it immediately.
I went to a local independent plastic supply store and got 4 sheets of 3/64" clear plastic sheets. $35.
I bought this blast cabinet in January 2021 and have used 3 or 4 of the thin plastic shields that came with the kit but right now, the one in there is almost like looking through a shower door. I figure that I'll use these thin plastic sheets with packing tape to hold them in place. The Harbor Freight covers had thin strips of adhesive that didn't stick that good, allowing dust and stuff to get between the window and the cover, making it fuzzy to see through.
That **** pisses me off....It sucks to know that stuff is out there but not in a store where I can have it immediately.
I went to a local independent plastic supply store and got 4 sheets of 3/64" clear plastic sheets. $35.
I bought this blast cabinet in January 2021 and have used 3 or 4 of the thin plastic shields that came with the kit but right now, the one in there is almost like looking through a shower door. I figure that I'll use these thin plastic sheets with packing tape to hold them in place. The Harbor Freight covers had thin strips of adhesive that didn't stick that good, allowing dust and stuff to get between the window and the cover, making it fuzzy to see through.
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