Compressors and Blasting Cabinets

[pklin1297]

Hello all,

Am thinking about setting up my own blasting operation so I can refinish parts (Firearms and tools) whenever I want without having to spend money and wait to get it done.

For those of you who have the capability of bead or aluminum oxide blasting, what is your setup?

1. Compressor - What CFM rating @ PSI? What level do you run when you are bead blasting gun parts for example?

2. Cabinet - What blasting cabinet do you have? And why did you choose it?

Thanks.

[proraptor]

look at harbor freight....They have cheap blasting cabinets

[ar15barrels]

What's your budget?

Blasting takes a LOT of air volume.
Don't under-buy the compressor.
Ideally, you want one of those $700 stand-up cabinets and a 15+ CFM compressor.
That's going to take up some decent real-estate in the garage, but you will not find yourself wanting anything more.

[AraiGuma]

Compressor: Minimum 25 gal, 240V is better than 120V
Blast Cabinet: As big as possible

Harbor Freight's blast cabinets are just fine, but don't buy the small one. You want to rotate the job in the cabinet without opening the lid, so ideally chamber should be twice bigger than the job.

My setup is Sears Professional 33 gal 240V and Harbor Freight #42202-3VGA. I'm happy with the air compressor, but not happy (too small) with the cabinet when I work on motorcycle parts. Working on guns are still OK, but I only work on handguns and not rifles, though. Good luck.

[pklin1297]

Thanks all!

A friend of mine has one of the larger bench top blasting cabinets from HF and it works well, but I do understand about needing much air and he has to wait often for recharge.

For smaller handgun parts, as that's probably the majority of the work I'll be doing for myself, would a pencil blasting cabinet work? It does not require as much air to operate and it can still use bead or aluminum oxide... What do you guys think? Not looking to use this as side job, but just for hobby use.

[sanddragon2004]

i concur on the 240v compressor, I have not yet owned a 110v aircompressor that could fill the job of high volume yet. I currently run a twin cylinder an240v and love it to death quiet and plenty of volume.

btw, for running a blasting cabinet, id highly recommend not skimping on either, do not bother wtih the cheap stuff, spend the $$ and get the good stuff.