Media Blasting

[JimKueneman]

Question for those versed in the fine art. I have a blaster now that that has a 1/16" air jet and 3/16" nozzle that can operate at 10 CFM. It does a very good job with my compressor setup at home. If I buy the 1/4" air jet and 1/2" nozzle, which requires 85 CFM then go rent a 100 CFM diesel compressor for a weekend would I be (pun intended) blown away by how much faster I could get through blasting body and parts? Overall I would have about $500 in the rental and nozzles but if I could easily get all my heavy duty blasting done over a weekend it would be money well spent.

Jim

 

[shine]

you would be money ahead to just hire it done . and more important is the big compressor will blow up your small blasting pot like a bomb .

 

[Pete]

I guess I got really lucky when I did it. I rented one of those tow behind 185cfm machines and hooked it up to my air plumbing with regulators and water traps. Pic of mine it’s made out of a propane tank. It worked but was slow but plenty of air. Just don’t have too many options for this kind of work where am. Biggest problem was the amount of water that the compressor spitted out but worked out fine. Not recommending it would work, I could see problems perhaps. It’s just what I did.

 

[chevman]

Question for those versed in the fine art. I have a blaster now that that has a 1/16" air jet and 3/16" nozzle that can operate at 10 CFM. It does a very good job with my compressor setup at home. If I buy the 1/4" air jet and 1/2" nozzle, which requires 85 CFM then go rent a 100 CFM diesel compressor for a weekend would I be (pun intended) blown away by how much faster I could get through blasting body and parts?

Your numbers show a 10 fold increase in air volumn, and that will allow you to reduce the air pressure considerably, and still get a lot more work done. I rented one a few decades ago, but I also rented their blasting pot and it did a good job.

 

[FarmBoy]

I blasted a truck frame Saturday and Epoxy painted it. The blasting took 5 hrs with a 400 lb pot and 125 cfm compressor. It went through 1800 pounds of sand being careful not to waste sand and was very thorough in my cleaning. . I was working comfortably in a tyvex suit and Apallo 600 blast helmet. Judge your need for speed against this and you may justify the upgrade. This is the equipment I had so it’s what I used. And it worked well.
Dave

 

[Jim C]

the big compressor will speed things up like crazy. way faster for sure but i have to agree with shine on this one. by the time you rent the compressor, pay for the media, what are you really saving? blasting is about the $hittiest job on the planet. have someone do it for the same amount of money or just a couple bucks more then you can focus on other things you need to work on.

 

[dhutton01]

blasting is about the $hittiest job on the planet.

Another pearl of wisdom from Jim…

Don

 

[JimKueneman]

the big compressor will speed things up like crazy. way faster for sure but i have to agree with shine on this one. by the time you rent the compressor, pay for the media, what are you really saving? blasting is about the $hittiest job on the planet. have someone do it for the same amount of money or just a couple bucks more then you can focus on other things you need to work on.

i agree completely but my problem is logistics of having someone else do it are about equal to aggravation doing it myself. I live far away from anyone. Last quote I got was $2500 and 3 months ourt

 

[shine]

the nozzle on my blast rig is a 3/8 on a 1 1/4 hose . using a big compressor on a 3/8 hose is pretty much useless . if your going to rent the compressor rent the blast hopper with it .
when a 3/8 hose pops loose and whips around at warp speed beating the hell out of you things will become clear . ask me how i know . still have the scar .
i wear a blast suit and air fed hood . i solved the heat problem a few years back with my chiller filled with well water and ice