Blast Cabinets

[Jimy Bilmo]

The light only does so much. You need a more powerful vacuum to clear the unit.

 

[v6buicks]

The light only does so much. You need a more powerful vacuum to clear the unit.

I have a good shop vac. I'm going to replace the plastic liner with a pane of sacrificial glass too. I just need to find a place that will cut me a few pieces for cheap.

 

[Jimy Bilmo]

I have a good shop vac. I'm going to replace the plastic liner with a pane of sacrificial glass too. I just need to find a place that will cut me a few pieces for cheap.

We throw a clear vinyl cover on ours and replace it frequently.

 

[v6buicks]

We throw a clear vinyl cover on ours and replace it frequently.

I am going to look into this now. Maybe I need just one piece of glass to take up the thickness and then the vinyl can be sacrificed. Do you just buy the ones specifically made for cabinets?

Like these?

https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200392044_200392044?cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Air%20Tools%20%2B%20Compressors%20%3E%20Abrasive%20%2B%20Sand%20Blasters%20%3E%20Abrasive%20Blasting%20Parts%20%2B%20Accessories&utm_campaign=AllSource&utm_content=527352&gclid=CjwKCAjwtp2bBhAGEiwAOZZTuBy_LFAM1QQgb65o0FYpCQJczeu9wU2Ib9SGik6h7bYajuvt5I4eXRoCvrEQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[v6buicks]

The corners that didn't fit before only get worse when the legs are bolted on. The shims are not thick enough. Whoda thunk?

I still have no idea wtf that trim ring? Gasket? Flange? Is supposed to do except cause a massive leak! Even if you didn't caulk anything, I think omitting it is a much better solution. It doesn't align with any of the holes anyway.

Woohoo! It's starting to look like something.

This is what the plastic window under the glass lamp oka like right out of the friggin package. No thank you.

I'm probably not going to put this on wheels like a lot of folks do. I just don't see the point. However, it does need to be raised. Will have to hunch over just to get my hands in the holes and that's not going to fly for more than a couple minutes.

 

[Jimy Bilmo]

We do buy the premade ones, as usually it’s in bulk when ordering other supplies.

 

[01bluesnake]

The corners that didn't fit before only get worse when the legs are bolted on. The shims are not thick enough. Whoda thunk?View attachment 138277



I still have no idea wtf that trim ring? Gasket? Flange? Is supposed to do except cause a massive leak! Even if you didn't caulk anything, I think omitting it is a much better solution. It doesn't align with any of the holes anyway.
View attachment 138278
Woohoo! It's starting to look like something.

This is what the plastic window under the glass lamp oka like right out of the friggin package. No thank you.
View attachment 138279
I'm probably not going to put this on wheels like a lot of folks do. I just don't see the point. However, it does need to be raised. Will have to hunch over just to get my hands in the holes and that's not going to fly for more than a couple minutes.

I can take a picture of what mine uses. I have glass windows, but very thin sheets of plastic with sticky tape shield them from damage. Once the sheet gets cloudy, or used enough, it peels off and install a new sheet.


Found these at eastwood, pretty much what mine uses. Not sure if this size will work for yours

Eastwood Abrasive Blast Cabinet Window Liners 5 Pack

Eastwood Window Liners 5 Pack

www.eastwood.com

 

[v6buicks]

Perhaps I don't understand how destructive the media is or why the HF cabinet is designed the way it is.

Mine comes with a nice glass pane for the top, a plastic sheet to go under that (the one I held in the picture), AND a few replaceable sticky liners. You cannot see through the plastic window. I don't understand the purpose of the foggy plastic window when you already have liners.

So Im not sure how bad the liners are yet because I haven't opened them. Do you just put yours directly on the glass?

 

[Jimy Bilmo]

Perhaps I don't understand how destructive the media is or why the HF cabinet is designed the way it is.

Mine comes with a nice glass pane for the top, a plastic sheet to go under that (the one I held in the picture), AND a few replaceable sticky liners. You cannot see through the plastic window. I don't understand the purpose of the foggy plastic window when you already have liners.

So Im not sure how bad the liners are yet because I haven't opened them. Do you just put yours directly on the glass?

Yup, directly on the glass

 

[01bluesnake]

Perhaps I don't understand how destructive the media is or why the HF cabinet is designed the way it is.

Mine comes with a nice glass pane for the top, a plastic sheet to go under that (the one I held in the picture), AND a few replaceable sticky liners. You cannot see through the plastic window. I don't understand the purpose of the foggy plastic window when you already have liners.

So Im not sure how bad the liners are yet because I haven't opened them. Do you just put yours directly on the glass?

Yes, directly to the glass. I have liners for the outside and inside, although have changed the outside ones maybe once in a few years.

 

[v6buicks]

Okay. In this case I should just need one pane of glass or a piece of acrylic to take up the space that would normally be taken up by the provided plastic.

 

[v6buicks]

I was very insistent on using a real bulkhead fitting on the door, but I quickly got over it. I didn't have one and buying would have been costly. The other option was RTVing a pipe flange on there but the screws would have landed right on the seal. I gave in and made one using a bushing on the pipe and sandwiching the door between it and a spacer. It was a bitch to get together and I hope that it never needs to come apart.

The rest turned out pretty elegantly which is by dumb luck. I actually made the hole for the suction hose bulkhead too big and freaked out a bit. I thought I was going to have to weld it on because the fitting I had required a bigger wall thickness than I had anyway. Then I had a brilliant idea and some luck. There was a grommet in my toolbox that was the perfect fit around the fitting and inside the hole. It also made for a tight seal. "That's not going anywhere."

The air line got a normal bulkhead, but it fits nice and tight to the wall. I went a bit overkill with the sizing but it's better than too small.

I'm already finding all kinds of leaks when light shines on them just right. I think I just need to expect a mess the first time I use it.

 

[01bluesnake]

I'd be curious to see how that pick up works. What collects at the bottom is usually the junk and media that has more or less become unusable, at least thats what I see on mine. I do have a vibratory motor that runs whenever the cabinet is on, to keep blast media where I need it. Not sure if that helps bring the bad stuff down range by the flap door.

 

[v6buicks]

I'd be curious to see how that pick up works. What collects at the bottom is usually the junk and media that has more or less become unusable, at least thats what I see on mine. I do have a vibratory motor that runs whenever the cabinet is on, to keep blast media where I need it. Not sure if that helps bring the bad stuff down range by the flap door.

Jeez, that vibe motor sounds nice. This pick-up method is considered an absolute must by all the videos and threads I've seen. The provided siphon tube is complete trash. This may still not be ideal, but I assume it's much better than what the $200 initial investment. ?

 

[cap42]

For the glass and the plastic piece, I just went to the local hardware store and bought glass close to the same size and then cut the rest to fit. Think it was the right height but a few inches longer. They carry real clear plastic at the same spot at least in Home Depot and Menards. You need either 2 pieces of glass or the glass/plastic to get the right thickness or else the window area won't seal. The cabinet isn't very big and if you get enough pressure going the media bounces off the glass and etches it very quickly.

I tried multiple different options for the pickup tube including a TPtools version and a modded version I found on some forum plus a few others. The problem is the media collecting at the bottom stops the siphon effect or creates a pulse because there isn't enough airflow. I did away with all that crap, I just used a piece of 1" electrical conduit with a piece of hose and dropped it strait through the grate to the bottom, if you leave it rest on top of the media it shouldn't clog or pulse and if it does you just pull up on the tube for a second to clear it.

Those LED lights look bright but just like the glass the media will etch the housing so be mindful of that.

Not sure how tall you are but I welded large Castors on the bottom legs to raise the cabinet up a few inches plus allowing me to move the damn thing around when it was loaded with media.

 

[Jimy Bilmo]

Get a nice fine strainer too. Go through your old media and you can salvage quite a bit.

 

[v6buicks]

For the glass and the plastic piece, I just went to the local hardware store and bought glass close to the same size and then cut the rest to fit. Think it was the right height but a few inches longer. They carry real clear plastic at the same spot at least in Home Depot and Menards. You need either 2 pieces of glass or the glass/plastic to get the right thickness or else the window area won't seal. The cabinet isn't very big and if you get enough pressure going the media bounces off the glass and etches it very quickly.

I tried multiple different options for the pickup tube including a TPtools version and a modded version I found on some forum plus a few others. The problem is the media collecting at the bottom stops the siphon effect or creates a pulse because there isn't enough airflow. I did away with all that crap, I just used a piece of 1" electrical conduit with a piece of hose and dropped it strait through the grate to the bottom, if you leave it rest on top of the media it shouldn't clog or pulse and if it does you just pull up on the tube for a second to clear it.

Those LED lights look bright but just like the glass the media will etch the housing so be mindful of that.

Not sure how tall you are but I welded large Castors on the bottom legs to raise the cabinet up a few inches plus allowing me to move the damn thing around when it was loaded with media.

I'm leaning toward just cutting some acrylic and sticking liners to it. Even with the provided parts they aren't going to seal, because the factory put the foam strip on the wrong side. I will get some foam weather stripping from Lowes to fix that. Do you just use the lower window as the sacrificial piece? Do you not use the sticky liners?

I'm not super confident in my pick-up system, but I figured this was easy to do while there was no media in the hopper. I'm betting the crappy gun won't do it any favors either.

I think the LED strips will be okay because the housing is more of a rubbery gel that's meant to flex. I figure the media will bounce off of that a bit better, but it was cheap enough that I won't care either way. I may want to fill the electrical passage with a nice bulkhead though. Not only would it make light changes either but help seal the cabinet.

I'm 6'0" and it's too short for me. I will be making a wood platform for casters. There's no way I could hunch into that thing for more than 10 minutes. lol

Get a nice fine strainer too. Go through your old media and you can salvage quite a bit.

Good idea. I could see myself loosing smaller parts like bolts too.

 

[Jimy Bilmo]

Blasting is so mundane, yet so satisfying. Then when you pull it out and realize that you only got like 70% of it because the lights suck and the glass is fucked, FUCKKKKKKK

 

[01bluesnake]

Blasting is so mundane, yet so satisfying. Then when you pull it out and realize that you only got like 70% of it because the lights suck and the glass is fucked, FUCKKKKKKK

This is true ^ kick, right to the balls lol

 

[v6buicks]

Blasting is so mundane, yet so satisfying. Then when you pull it out and realize that you only got like 70% of it because the lights suck and the glass is fucked, FUCKKKKKKK

yuuuuup! I figured if I fix most of the issues now I'll be more inclined to fix the rest of them later. If it's too much a chore to do any blasting, I'll just never use the damn thing and let it take up space. lol

 

[Jimy Bilmo]

 

[cap42]

I'm leaning toward just cutting some acrylic and sticking liners to it. Even with the provided parts they aren't going to seal, because the factory put the foam strip on the wrong side. I will get some foam weather stripping from Lowes to fix that. Do you just use the lower window as the sacrificial piece? Do you not use the sticky liners?

I'm not super confident in my pick-up system, but I figured this was easy to do while there was no media in the hopper. I'm betting the crappy gun won't do it any favors either.

I think the LED strips will be okay because the housing is more of a rubbery gel that's meant to flex. I figure the media will bounce off of that a bit better, but it was cheap enough that I won't care either way. I may want to fill the electrical passage with a nice bulkhead though. Not only would it make light changes either but help seal the cabinet.

I'm 6'0" and it's too short for me. I will be making a wood platform for casters. There's no way I could hunch into that thing for more than 10 minutes. lol

Good idea. I could see myself loosing smaller parts like bolts too.

I did use the sticky liners, don't remember where I bought them from, the crappy ones they supply you allow media and dust to get in between the liner and the lower glass/acrylic. So the supplied ones got trashed quickly even before they got etched to the point you couldn't see through it.

If your pickup system doesn't work for you, just do what I described above. And remember to buy a replacement gun, nozzle, tip from TPtools. I think the factory gun lasted a few months before it blew through the side but the tip died within two weeks (pretty much used it every day for 3-4 hours). This also helped the surging/siphon problems before I ditched the fixed pickup tube.

I'm 6'1" and without lifting the cabinet up about 5- 6" inches my back and neck were killing me.

 

[v6buicks]

This little platform sucks, but it works.

I have no intentions of moving this thing once it's in its home, but I wanted the whole thing at a more comfortable height. This casters made it perfect. What sucks is that the wood isn't letting anything sit flat. It rocks now. ? Hopefully, I can just shove some cardboard under one of the wheels and call it good.

Another sucks but (should) works. The hoses get pretty stiff when you start moving the gun around. It might not be pleasant to use, but swivel fittings don't seem to be made in 1/2" or 3/8". The unused fitting will be used for a blow gun.

This project is snowballing. It's turning into a rearrangement of the basement, addition to my air plumbing, and probably a second air compressor. I'm going to need more CFM to run this thing efficiently.

 

[Ron Vogel]

We throw a clear vinyl cover on ours and replace it frequently.

I used Saran Wrap.

I bought a $20 garage sale special. You can never have enough air compressor, and expect to use a ton of tips. I got sick of buying them, so I started making my own

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

I've waterjet lexan replacements for the work blast cabinet out of both abrasion resistant lexan and non abrasion resistant lexan and both get eaten about the same speed.

We cover the inside with a piece of shipping shrink wrap and bolt the cover on.
You can buy cheap window tint in the clearance area and peel off the clear plastic and use it