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Homemade Shot/Grit Blasting Cabinet
by kington99 on August 19, 2008
Table of Contents
Homemade Shot/Grit Blasting Cabinet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Intro: Homemade Shot/Grit Blasting Cabinet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 2: Tools and supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 3: The Method - Lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 4: The Method - Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Step 5: Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/
Intro: Homemade Shot/Grit Blasting Cabinet
A cabinet for shotblasting small to medium sized components without the mess of open blasting, built entirely from stuff I had around the house and workshop.
Step 1:Introduction
I recently bought a small compressor with tools for my father's car workshop. I also got a shotblasting gun that that uses the venturi effect to draw grit from a bag and
blasts it out with the aid of the compressed air.
While effective at removing rust and old paint, it is incredibly messy. I resorted to wearing a motorcycle helmet, balaclava, overalls, gloves and boot and would still find it
the grit in my ears and inside my clothes after a blasting session. Also it went all over the workshop. With blasting cabinets costing more than the compressor did, I
decided to build my own.
Step 2:Tools and supplies
You will need:
a large plastic container,
I used a recycling bin which is now defunct as the council have just switched to wheelie bins.
some clear plastic,
perspex (plexiglass) will do, i actually used polystyrene as it was what i had lying around
some strong adhesive,
no more nails or similar is perfect
some wire mesh,
mine was from the grill of a truck, and old grill tray would work even better
2 small blocks of wood and some screws,
these are to hold the tray off the floor, virtually anything could be used
Tools:
jigsaw or fret saw
tenon saw
hacksaw
drill (hand or power) with bit big enough to get your jigsaw or fretsaw blade in
files for finishing
screwdriver
Step 3:The Method - Lid
1. Mark the window hole in the lid, leaving atleast an inch of room all the way round.
2. Drill a hole in the centre to get the blade in.
3. Cut out the hole using the jigsaw or fretsaw
4. Round off the edges with a file.
5. Cut a piece of clear plastic to size, atleast an inch bigger all round than the hole, with a jigsaw or tenon saw.
6. Glue the clear plastic to the underside of the lid with no more nails or similar adhesive and allow to set for 24 hours.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/
Step 4:The Method - Body
1. Cut the mesh to a size it will fit in the bottom of the tub, about 3 inches from the floor.
2. Cut two blocks of wood to a suitable size that they will support the mesh 3 inches off the floor, this is to hold the blasting piece out of the grit collecting on the floor.
3. Screw the mesh to the wooden blocks using wood screws and washers to form a solid base that stands freely in the bottom of the tub.
4. Using the drill and jig/fret saw as before, cut a hole approximately 4 inches in diametre in the centre of one side, reasonably near to the top. I suggest using a round
object such as a grease tin to mark this out most easily. If you are unsure, start with a smaller hole, I have big hands and wear thick gloves so you might be able to get
away with a smaller hole. The smaller the hole, the less grit will leak out. Round the edges of the hole with the file.
Step 5:Conclusion
Put your blast gun in the cabinet, put the grit and air hoses through the hole, clip the lid on and you are ready to go. The cabinet will need to be periodically emptied of
grit, to do this simply take the lid off, take the grid out and pour the grit back in to its storage container.
I hope this has been of help to some of you, if you have any questions please feel free to ask in comments or message me with them. This is my first Instructable so
constructive criticism will be gratefully received.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 63 comments
Kevanf1 says: Jan 7, 2011. 8:36 AM REPLY
How about an improvement for this? Fix a large plastic funnel in the base of the box. The blasting medium could fall into the funnel and this in turn be
collected in a pot. Obviously you'd need to have the cabinet raised up but this would eliminate the problem of the grit layer being too shallow to be reused
straight out of the box.
Good 'ible', well done.
Kevan
Basta says: Jul 12, 2010. 9:58 PM REPLY
This looks great, way simpler than I thought possible. One thing I was wondering--what sandpaper grit do you finish your work to before blasting? I make
knives and I'd like to try doing this in preparation for parkerizing. I just hate mirror-finishing metal.
kington99 says: Jul 13, 2010. 4:53 AM REPLY
I don't, I use it for cleaning heavily dirty/corroded components off cars, I'm afraid i can't help you with your question.
Basta says: Jul 13, 2010. 7:02 AM REPLY
That's okay, thanks for responding. I still might do this when I get a chance.
Phil B says: Aug 19, 2008. 3:05 PM REPLY
Will the plastic window need to be replaced after a while because the sand or shot roughed up the inside surface?
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/
pcbeachrat says: Sep 25, 2009. 12:08 AM REPLY
What you do in this case for yes, the plastic will get pitted..but you can go to any major art store and buy clear graffix acetate sheets they sell to protect
artwork and tape them over the window..when it gets pitted ,simply peel the sheet off and put another one on.This keeps you from having to replace the
actual window itself.It seems I have gotten into a site that is overseas from me, but I like the forum and would like to share my knowledge.Here is A link
to what I am talking about.These stores may not be available in your area, but the products will be at your local stores.Any art store has these.Available
in rolls as well
http://www.dickblick.com/products/grafix-clear-acetate-sheets/
Hoopajoo says: Aug 19, 2008. 3:35 PM REPLY
I use a professional cabinet to glass-bead the bushcrafting knives I make. to keep the lexan window from getting marred, I place a clear film over the
inside of the lexan and replace it when it gets difficult to see inside. I guess you could use a couple of layers of clear packing tape the same way, just be
careful not to point the blaster up.
kington99 says: Aug 19, 2008. 3:31 PM REPLY
Not sure yet, professional versions use polycarbonate, i suspect for this exact reason. With the relatively low power blasting I'm doing the window should
have a good life, and periodical polishing with a good paint cutter (have experience of doing this from perspex windscreen in car) should remove the
damage and thus prolong the life.
Linksep says: Aug 21, 2008. 4:16 PM REPLY
Save yourself the time and just go find some clear plastic film at an art, craft, or hobby store. I just did a google search for it and found 20 inch by 50
foot roll of .003" thick optically clear film for $15... Trust me: no matter what media you use, and no matter how careful you are, your screen is going
to be wrecked in a hurry without a protective film. When the plastic film gets wrecked just tear it off and tape a new one on. As for the leakage, have
you considered making the glove a permanent part of the cabinet? Just cut it enough to flare it out and tape it to the outside of the cabinet. Would
help to have felt lined glove so your hands slide in and out easily even when they're sweaty. If you're using a dusty media (glass bead for example)
you could improvise a dust collection system with a vacuum. You could even do it in reverse where you force clean air in (blow port on shop-vac) and
just have an exhaust routed to a filter bag.
}{itch says: Aug 22, 2008. 4:30 AM REPLY
A slightly cheaper way could just be to use some cling film, my dad uses it on the perspex window of his cabinet, you have to stretch it quite
tightly to stop wrinkles, but it seems to work fine. @kington99 cool instructable :)
scale21 says: Aug 20, 2008. 5:30 AM REPLY
so how does the top not blow off or the sides buldge when you apply the air? is there a vent somewhere? I have a project im doing where i need to blast a
few things but cant figure out how to make the cabinet.
kington99 says: Aug 20, 2008. 6:38 AM REPLY
the lid is by no means airtight, nor is the fit around the glove, and the airflow rate I am using is not high, so it can easily leak away fast enough. A filtered
vent might be a good idea if you're using a much larger compressor.
scale21 says: Aug 20, 2008. 8:33 AM REPLY
id like to build somthing like this for temporary blasting of small parts. I need to run about 90psi for it to be effective. I wonder how you could vent this
properly. Ive tried just using the gun in the open air and what a mess!!
pcbeachrat says: Sep 24, 2009. 11:52 PM REPLY
Here is a link that you can make a water filter system that works similar to A bong..You can hook up a common shop vac to it without the grit
frying the motor..I found this today and going to modify mine tommorow with this system..I been running a shop vac with the filter bags they sell
for them, but thats 10.00 for 3 of them..with this system, I won't have to buy the bags no more.
http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/197304/pid/1508054/
Open the page and scroll down a little ..it is quite easy and cheap to do
kington99 says: Aug 20, 2008. 8:41 AM REPLY
I am running similar pressure and about 8 cfm, to vent it cut a hole in the tub and cover it with a thick piece of foam, such as car air filter material.
This will let the air out and keep the grit in.
thermoelectric says: Aug 21, 2008. 10:04 PM REPLY
My dad has a sandblaster that he borrowed off a mate and he just uses a vairable speed vacuum cleaner to filter out the dust and keep it from
exploding
tmjones says: Aug 21, 2008. 4:19 PM REPLY
wondering what you use for grit, standard sand or metal?
pcbeachrat says: Sep 24, 2009. 11:48 PM REPLY
Depending on what you are blasting..for metal parts that you do not want to change the structure of or pit it, I suggest walnut shell for it will not damage
the metal, you can even blast internal engine parts such as pistons, cranks etcetera..Heres another clue..Instead of paying high prices for it, any major
pet store that sells pet supplies sell ground walnut shell for lizard bedding.The grit is too large for smaller spot blasters, but A food processor will grind it
on down further for you.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/
kington99 says: Aug 22, 2008. 2:52 AM REPLY
I'm using iron sil, which is sold as a fine blasting powder on ebay.
coolionoolio says: Jan 14, 2009. 12:21 PM REPLY
This is a cool idea. I have a rifle and a few other small pieces to do. I have no idea what kind of compressor I need. Actually, there is not a thorough A-Z list
of what one needs to do to make a decent setup. Can anyone help out? I don't care about how long it would take, just a basic setup to remove paint from
steel is all I need.
pcbeachrat says: Sep 24, 2009. 11:43 PM REPLY
May I add be sure to order additional ceramic tips for they average about 6 hours use per tip..this unit uses harbour freight number 38479 tips..7.99 for 5
of them I think..the shipping rates are on here, so might as well order tips with it and only cost an additional 1.00 other than paying 7.99 later on for
shipping
pcbeachrat says: Sep 24, 2009. 11:39 PM REPLY
Coolio, my little set up cost me 29.99 total delivered (us dollars) from harbour freight..They have a cheap starter set up...this includes the hopper,the
hose, and the gun to.This spot blaster only requires a 1 horsepower compressor..go to harbourfreight.com and in the search box type in "sandblaster"
and it will take you to the page..the actual product number is 37025-0VGA and if this site allows links here is the link to the actual page.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37025
I am just A beginner and this is a great cheap learning blaster..make sure to take note(it dont tell you here but thier tech support told me) that you don';t
use too large a grit..this unit takes from 60 to 300 grit abrasive..the larger the number the smaller the grit of course..for low dust I suggest glass beads or
walnut shell..I do not know where you are located, but this will give you an idea there is alot of cheap beginner tools out there..make sure to take note of
the cfm's before you purchase one and that your compressor will take it..This one is one of the lowest cfm's they have
kington99 says: Jan 14, 2009. 2:03 PM REPLY
you need a compressor, prefferably atleast 1.5 hp and 25 litre collector, an air hose, a shot blast gun and a bucket of blasting grit. If it's only a few small
bits it would be cheaper, quicker and give a better finish to pay to have it done rather than buying alll the kit.
mrruger says: Mar 6, 2009. 8:45 PM REPLY
great idea. i plan to make one soon. just wondering, how do you vent the air pressure that builds up?
pcbeachrat says: Sep 24, 2009. 10:52 PM REPLY
The little shop vacs that are 12 volt dc would be great for this small blaster
pcbeachrat says: Sep 24, 2009. 10:51 PM REPLY
I just joined the site and just now getting into blasting. I read many articles and just made my own blaster from an old refridgerator with the freezer on top. I
turned it upside down so the freezer was actually A place to put A container to recycle your media.I bore A hole between the freezer and fridge and put A
funnel in it so the media would drop into it.I attached a ligght up top with a homemade shield to protect the socket, then for dust problem got A pvc coupler
that was a compression fitting in the top that a shop vac tube fits right into it, tighten it up and snug as a rug..They sell shop vac filters that are actually a fine
meshed bag like a vacuam cleaners(9.95 for 3) at walmart..This keeps the grit from getting in the shop vac motor and frying it..Nice to join the site.Later I will
add links to the pictures and further detail.But..does anyone know A good way to make thier own blasting media from pecan shells? Would A common food
processor work? We don't have many walnuts here, but tons of pecans and I can get the shells by the ton free. As I say later I will add pictures of mine in
detail for anyone wanting A larger blaster. It works well, but I learned alot, a few mistakes, but now I have them tweaked out..Nice to be here..
Beest921 says: Jun 6, 2009. 3:59 AM REPLY
Beautiful! A work of art! I've been in the auto body/restoration business for over 30 years and countless times I've needed something for blasting smaller
parts, but couldn't come up with something that I was happy with. I will build one TODAY! Great job! Thank you!
X01X01X01X01 says: Apr 9, 2009. 11:03 AM REPLY
Could you have the source of your grit be the bottom of the container so it continuously uses it? Then just change that periodically. Would it get too
contaminated that way? Obviously this idea would work better with a different kind of container.
kington99 says: Apr 10, 2009. 8:26 AM REPLY
Hi, if you read through previous comments that idea was explored in depth. basic answer is in this case no, the layer would be too shallow, you'd have to
move the pickup hose around all the time. In a taller box, yes good idea.
djpaone says: Apr 6, 2009. 2:37 AM REPLY
I like it. You could use a leg from an old pair of jeans and duct tape it to a glove and the box to keep dust low.
mrruger says: Mar 6, 2009. 8:43 PM REPLY
great idea. going to make one soon. just wondering, how do you vent the the air pressure that builds up?
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/
kington99 says: Mar 7, 2009. 5:12 AM REPLY
Ah yes, the seal around your arm is sufficiently poor that the air pressure can bleed out. If you had a built in glove then you'd need a vent somewhere
else the lid would blow off.
mrruger says: Mar 7, 2009. 7:48 AM REPLY
i see. many thanks.
chalky says: Oct 6, 2008. 5:47 AM REPLY
Great idea mate! i too have bought a compressor with 'free' grit blast gun and using it is a nightmare,its like been stuck in a sand storm lol as soon as i
find/source/beg/borrow:) a suitable box i will be knocking one of these up for sure! 10/10 from me on this one
doyle 37 says: Oct 6, 2008. 3:35 AM REPLY
if any one is thinking of making one, make the window easily removable as even glass in a small low powered grit blaster gets blaseded indirectly and fogs
up, all that said, nice build well done
tornadoboy says: Sep 8, 2008. 12:14 PM REPLY
Great project! You don't want to breath sand either, if you get too much of it in your lungs over a period of time it can be fatal.
handydave937 says: Sep 7, 2008. 2:03 PM REPLY
What a great idea. You can make a cabinet almost any size to fit your shop or needs.
nibbler125 says: Aug 26, 2008. 8:31 PM REPLY
iv sandblasted before without nothin but a pair of safty glasses...no tent...no gloves....yeah it hurts
tibet says: Aug 24, 2008. 10:36 PM REPLY
hi kington99,
its wonderful idea!
good job!
by the way, havent you heard about sanblasting tent ? (or bag:-)
it amazing how interesting and practical idea can be found...
good luck
profpat says: Aug 23, 2008. 3:30 AM REPLY
very good idea and concept!
boognishmofo says: Aug 22, 2008. 5:45 PM REPLY
Brilliant!! I two always wanted to play around with one, but they are 1 so expensive and 2 they are huge. Thnx
scartino says: Aug 22, 2008. 11:58 AM REPLY
i always wanted one of these but could not afford one .I never even thought of making one .Thanks for the idea.
cokebottle tuque says: Aug 19, 2008. 11:37 AM REPLY
Can you run the black tube carrying the grit to the bottom of the box and have a recycling supply?
Silvester10528 says: Aug 22, 2008. 6:22 AM REPLY
As kington99 points out, the professional models are bigger because of the way they drain the grit down a funnelled bottom. You would only double your
size if you used two bins - one on top of the other. - Your upper bin could be up-side down with the window cut in what used to be the bottom of the bin. -
You could put the oven/grill "mesh" in between the two bins and your grit feed tube could rest on the bottom of the lower bin. - 25 or 50 pounds of grit
should give you sufficient coverage to keep the feed tube covered - This should also make the window high enough that you could sit in a chair with the
bin between your knees and work comfortably. I wish I had room in my apartment to store one of these! Not that I have any need for one, but it would be
cool to build and have!
kington99 says: Aug 19, 2008. 12:26 PM REPLY
good question, the grit tube needs to be set in a good depth of grit to work as it uses it up quite quickly, this means it wouldn't work terribly well unless
you used an awful lot of grit and lifted the metal grate higher up. Professional models taper to a point at the bottom so the grit flows to the bottom and out
in to a bucket for this reason, but makes them much larger and requires them to be mounted in a frame. My 25kg bag of grit will let me blast for over half
an hour before having to pour it back form the cabinet to the bucket, as I have to constantly wait for the compressor to catch up it doesn't actually waste
any time.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Homemade-ShotGrit-Blasting-Cabinet/
fin saunders says: Aug 21, 2008. 9:17 PM REPLY
I heartily agree with lordvellos. Use a tire innertube as gasketing material and most effectively as the wrist 'seal' for the gloves. Or as the transition
material from the gloves to the holes in the tub. Innertubes are unbeatable for cobbling things together in a hurry. The rubber will take up the
variations in parts to gain compliance. And it won't be damaged to any great extent by the blasting going on is the blasting cabinet. Nice and simple
instructible.
martynbiker says: Aug 22, 2008. 5:05 AM REPLY
this may sound REALLY STUPID, but I have had great results with small stuff usinf a pair of womens pantyhose, 1 leg inside the other, and that in a cloth
bag........(to contain grit if it splits) i use a hand held siphon gun and add a 2lbs or so of grit or dry sand to the 'foot' of the panty hose, then i just blast the hell
out of the object till somethin gives............. cheap n cheerfull, works for me
laernmoer says: Aug 20, 2008. 10:15 AM REPLY
We did something like this for one of our research projects. One of the techs used arm length rubber gloves for sealing the housing. He lined the lid with
neoprene to reduce leakage and put screws in the lid. Our application was different since we wanted to maintain pressure, but it's still cool to see other
people with similar ideas.
mostkillingest says: Aug 20, 2008. 5:29 AM REPLY
What if you used a paint tray as the grit collector on the bottom of the blaster, or two trays if it is large enough >< like that so they collect the grit in the
middle, you could remove parts of the walls and connect them to collect it. I really have no idea how a blaster works though, just thought of this as a possible
solution
Pseudonym says: Aug 20, 2008. 1:57 AM REPLY
That's a great idea for those that don't have a reason/space for a larger blasting cabinet. It's also pretty well thought out. I would probably try to attach
something to help close that hole off a bit more. Maybe rubber like lord vellos said, or maybe something like the elasticated leg of an old pair of waterproofs.
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