Need a blasting cabinet

-
FJ5 said:
I just buy the cheap Walmart shop vac that are 5 gallon when they quit working I just return it. Lol
Click to expand...

Good idea......but for me I would want to have a second one on hand, this way when the first craps out it is not an hour each way to get another one. Nothing more annoying than being elbow deep in a project and having a tool failure...
 
inkjunkie said:
I was using a shop vac hooked up to a case trimmer when I was trimming .223 cases, had about 7500 of them I wanted to trim. Word of advise, don't ever run a shop vac long enough to cook it inside your house, it takes forever and a day to get rid of the smell.....I would be leery of using one with a blaster...
Click to expand...

I actually had my shop vac sitting right outside the window because I couldn't stand the loud obnoxious motor on the thing. When it was time for a break I went to shut it down when I noticed it getting slower and slower and smoking like grandfathers pipe!! I think the neighborhood still smells like that meltdown!!
 
I made mine 25 years ago from plywood. I bought a kit from TP that included gloves, foot switch, gun, suction tube, etc. ($95 back then) I generally followed the plans but made it slightly wider. I was doing flat work development at the time so it was easy to lay out the bigger hopper on the bottom. (simple trig) I made the support frame out of welded angle iron and also made it slightly taller. I'm about 6-1 and generally make my benches and similar stuff a couple inches taller than normal so I'm not always bending over. I use a TP cabinet at work occasionally and it's just too friggin' short. I mounted a 2 ft fluorescent light in the roof, had a hunk of shatterproof glass cut at a local shop, and casters from an old abandoned office chair from work. (I'm a founding member of the CBC, Cheap Bastards Club) One switch box on top turns on the light and shop vac simultaneously. I bought an extra $5 shop vac attachment from Sears, cut it off, and attached the stub to the upper left side for a shop vac hook-up. I scrounged a wire grid from somewhere to support the parts inside. I also made an extension that screws onto the end opposite the door that's held on with removable screws. My garage space is tight so I only put it on if I'm doing long parts like driveshafts. I roll it out of the corner when I need it, and roll it back out of the way other times. I use beads or sand, depending on what I'm doing. Just open the hopper door on the bottom, drain the media, and fill it with whatever.

Does it work? Hell yeah! As good as the real TP blaster because I used their working parts that are still available by the way. I'm careful not to blast the insides directly and use a sheet metal blast shield on the back wall. With the scrounging I did getting free stuff, it was less than $150 total.


SleeperScamp said:
I would like some pics.. Could it be made from plywood?
Click to expand...
 
KosmicKuda said:
I made mine 25 years ago from plywood. I bought a kit from TP that included gloves, foot switch, gun, suction tube, etc. ($95 back then) I generally followed the plans but made it slightly wider. I was doing flat work development at the time so it was easy to lay out the bigger hopper on the bottom. (simple trig) I made the support frame out of welded angle iron and also made it slightly taller. I'm about 6-1 and generally make my benches and similar stuff a couple inches taller than normal so I'm not always bending over. I use a TP cabinet at work occasionally and it's just too friggin' short. I mounted a 2 ft fluorescent light in the roof, had a hunk of shatterproof glass cut at a local shop, and casters from an old abandoned office chair from work. (I'm a founding member of the CBC, Cheap Bastards Club) One switch box on top turns on the light and shop vac simultaneously. I bought an extra $5 shop vac attachment from Sears, cut it off, and attached the stub to the upper left side for a shop vac hook-up. I scrounged a wire grid from somewhere to support the parts inside. I also made an extension that screws onto the end opposite the door that's held on with removable screws. My garage space is tight so I only put it on if I'm doing long parts like driveshafts. I roll it out of the corner when I need it, and roll it back out of the way other times. I use beads or sand, depending on what I'm doing. Just open the hopper door on the bottom, drain the media, and fill it with whatever.

Does it work? Hell yeah! As good as the real TP blaster because I used their working parts that are still available by the way. I'm careful not to blast the insides directly and use a sheet metal blast shield on the back wall. With the scrounging I did getting free stuff, it was less than $150 total.
Click to expand...
Seen that kit of their site and have always wondered about it. It is now $200 + if I remember right....
 
KosmicKuda said:
I made mine 25 years ago from plywood. I bought a kit from TP that included gloves, foot switch, gun, suction tube, etc. ($95 back then) I generally followed the plans but made it slightly wider. I was doing flat work development at the time so it was easy to lay out the bigger hopper on the bottom. (simple trig) I made the support frame out of welded angle iron and also made it slightly taller. I'm about 6-1 and generally make my benches and similar stuff a couple inches taller than normal so I'm not always bending over. I use a TP cabinet at work occasionally and it's just too friggin' short. I mounted a 2 ft fluorescent light in the roof, had a hunk of shatterproof glass cut at a local shop, and casters from an old abandoned office chair from work. (I'm a founding member of the CBC, Cheap Bastards Club) One switch box on top turns on the light and shop vac simultaneously. I bought an extra $5 shop vac attachment from Sears, cut it off, and attached the stub to the upper left side for a shop vac hook-up. I scrounged a wire grid from somewhere to support the parts inside. I also made an extension that screws onto the end opposite the door that's held on with removable screws. My garage space is tight so I only put it on if I'm doing long parts like driveshafts. I roll it out of the corner when I need it, and roll it back out of the way other times. I use beads or sand, depending on what I'm doing. Just open the hopper door on the bottom, drain the media, and fill it with whatever.

Does it work? Hell yeah! As good as the real TP blaster because I used their working parts that are still available by the way. I'm careful not to blast the insides directly and use a sheet metal blast shield on the back wall. With the scrounging I did getting free stuff, it was less than $150 total.
Click to expand...

Pictures please.
 
you can make it or buy it new but look on craiges list they are for sale on there
 
Man I sure thank you guys for all the imput. For once I won't have to be the one doing R & D at my cost. I think so far I'm leaning towards the TP-800.
 
did you guys keep the filter in your shop vacs?,
cause I have the same vac hooked to it since 05 and its fine..
I do clean it out before every use, the only thing that sucked about my HF one is the legs were weak so made new ones and welded them on..
 
I've got a TP 850T. It's a nice cabinet, and the vac stuff came with it. So far, all my big ticket stuff like the blast cabinet, my air compressor, and my 4 post lift have been made in America...by Americans.
 
JDMopar said:
I've got a TP 850T. It's a nice cabinet, and the vac stuff came with it. So far, all my big ticket stuff like the blast cabinet, my air compressor, and my 4 post lift have been made in America...by Americans.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I'm going with a TP. What size comp. are you using to run it?
 
Bad Sport said:
I have been eyeballing one of these. I figure it's cheap but it should work for what I need.

On sale right now for 209.00


http://www.harborfreight.com/40-lb-capacity-floor-blast-cabinet-68893.html
Click to expand...


I got the same cabinet, but in blue. I use a glass media and a 80 gallon 5hp 220 volt compressor.
good for small items only as compressor runs steady.
if you buy one of these make sure you use a sealant/caulking on all panels that bolt together or else it will fill your garage with dust!
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
I'm pretty sure I'm going with a TP. What size comp. are you using to run it?
Click to expand...

I've got a Quincy 5 HP, 2 stage compressor. When you're buying a compressor, look at the CFM rating @ 90-100 PSI. The higher the CFM rating in that range, the better the compressor will perform for blasting, painting,etc. The compressors that TP sells are nice too. I forget the brand, but it's the green ones in the catalog. They run at low RPM, and still have high output. Lower RPM = quieter and last longer! They are USA made compressors too.
 
Even my 32 CFM compressor immediately exhausts the 80 gal tank as soon as I start blasting, that's why CFM is so important. Nearly all compressors will run constatnt, and if they cant move enough air, the experience will be miserable.

Like I said 8.5 CFM at 90 is enough to do brackets, but I wouldn't even want to do an intake with it.

The largest ones at my Lowes are like 11, so that really wouldn't be much better. I'm sure there's a sweet spot somewhere, but my 32 can go as long as I can.

Compressors in this range are kinda hard to find, and can be pricey.

Also, everyone is hung up on tank size and max PSI, and it's kinda hard to get the CFM @ 90 rating.

Most "professional" blasting compressors don't even have a tank!

Unless you have about $2500 to spend, CL is your friend.
 
JDMopar said:
I've got a Quincy 5 HP, 2 stage compressor. When you're buying a compressor, look at the CFM rating @ 90-100 PSI. The higher the CFM rating in that range, the better the compressor will perform for blasting, painting,etc. The compressors that TP sells are nice too. I forget the brand, but it's the green ones in the catalog. They run at low RPM, and still have high output. Lower RPM = quieter and last longer! They are USA made compressors too.
Click to expand...

The compressors that TP Tools sell are Quincy and Champion, which is made by Gardner Denver. Both are quality compressors that parts are available for. I have a 5 HP Champion, 19.1 CFM at 125 psi. I was lucky and found mine used the same day I was going to order the same compressor from TP. But I've never had any regrets paying more for quality because usually you gets what you pays for.
 
I own a Barrel Blaster, made in USA, TX, they are 55 gal drums, excellent manfu, all works great, go the Barrelblaster to see them.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
I don't know if you could save any money by building it yourself?
Click to expand...

It depends on how much stuff you have access to for free or almost free. If I felt good enough to build one I think I have enough materials laying around to create all the metal parts. I think I would double the length if I built one.

I would modify the attaching area of the glass to where there wasn't parts sticking up in my face too.
 
stilliniraq73 said:
did you guys keep the filter in your shop vacs?,
cause I have the same vac hooked to it since 05 and its fine..
I do clean it out before every use, the only thing that sucked about my HF one is the legs were weak so made new ones and welded them on..
Click to expand...

I did....and it still went up in smoke...
 
Tribute SS/A 68 said:
I own a Barrel Blaster, made in USA, TX, they are 55 gal drums, excellent manfu, all works great, go the Barrelblaster to see them.
Click to expand...

$300 + shipping seems like a hell of a deal.....Thanks for the info, might have just found what I will be buying sometime soon.....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top