posted
Here is a low tech, but very effective way to build a sandblast booth.
The first pic is my old 15 year old unit, remodeled several times (will handle only about 3x4 feet sizes) It has a funnel collection area at the bottom which has alway been more of a problem than it was worth, because using it effectively required a siphon system which sucks badly. The larger arm holes suck and are much more restrictive in using than the small ones upper and outer. Notice they a dark blue.....they are bluejean legs. They fold down when not used cutting off all dust. They use just a leather glove put on your hand before you put your arm in.
The second photo is of my newer unit which will hold and blast a maximum of 4x7 feet, so it will hold an entrance door or a fairly large sandblasted sign. I have incorporated all the good things from the old booth, now using a pressure system, so I will be able to just open the door and scoop my ALUMINUM OXIDE back into the hopper which will set outside beside me. They sand/air supply can go through any of the armholes or you can add a special orfice for them. Please notice on the left that I have use golf tees pushed into drill holes to hold the door nice and tight from top to bottom. 3 worked well.
The bluejean legs are staples tightly to 6 inch holes which work perfect. The height and width of the hole placing should fit the person using it for their own comfort, or for an average sized user. I can reach about 5 feet by 5 feet plus 30 inches deepin the booth with these which is much more than most systems allow. These armholes also sub for the air inlet for the dust vacuum you will see in the last photo.
The next photo is of an adjustable height platform to hold the item being blasted. It can be removed for large items.
In this photo notice the length of the jeans legs which will cover everything but the leather glove. With the suction of the dust collector, not dust ever comes out of them.Also notice the cheap but effective spotlight.
Last photo and rest of story... I use a Grizzly shop dust collector, but you can use any good suction evacuation that you want, but IT MUST EVACUATE MORE CFM OF AIR THAN THEY NOZZLE PUTS INTO THE CABINET. This is very important for clearing dust from the booth and your saftey. The glass width was cut to tall and thin working much better than my first design. The armholes are set perfect to my body size. The light is a clamp light and is movable back and forth. Keep a brush inside on a hook to clear the dust from the inside of the glass occasionally. The glass can be changed out in about 1 minute (you will be doing this a lot. You can find this size of scraps in nearly any glass supplier dumpster all the time. Have several on hand. One will last about 2 hours of blasting before you lost vision. Consider the size of your blast nozzle before choosing a depth for your cabinet. This cabinet can be made much wider to like 7 x 12 feet if you want. Just add more glass holes and more rows jean legs. They last great. With correct dust evacuation you should never see dust outside the booth. The overall dimentions of this booth are 7x5 feet by 32 inches depth. The total cost is about 100.00 plus the blaster and dust evac. A good squirrelcage fan could work for that.
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
Still questions remain. How does the blast gun get into the box or is it there already? Through the holes? I picture only what I know of blast guns...the big, diesel driven, dangerously powerful nozzles. I imagine you use a smaller (nozzle)gun simliar to the traditional blast cabinets used in machine shops for cleaning parts? Please eloborate some more...maybe show more pictures? And your compressor, again? (A bit lost in these threads).
Thanks.
Fran
-------------------- Fran Maholland Pro Sign NJ Posts: 169 | From: Voorhees, New Jersey | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yes, I'm using a smaller 100# blast pot and a 10 HP compressor with a oversized air tank. It puts out 38 CFM at 120psi. It is not big enough for full time redwood blasting. I use it occasionally on larger signs, but plan on more time there. It really rips into HDU, and glass etching along with doing fine for smaller redwood sign. There's no reason that the design cannot be enlarged for any system accounting for more distance to the rear, and dust evacuation. I'm sure you would want to change out your glass more often because of the bounce back action thus etching it somewhat also. I would want 5 to 6 feet in depth for a larger blaster like you are talking about. I have less than 3000.00 in my entire system. It does ok on smaller and midrange stuff. If I were constantly figuring on the larger stuff, 90 CFM minumum, 300# pressure pot, 5/32 to 3/16 tips probably, and a 3 foot airbooth fan, a full Bullard fresh air supplied suit, and a hell of a lot of sand or Aluminum Oxide. A conservative system could run 10,000 to 20,000.00. I this system I can stand a few hours on the slow side of redwood blasting for those figures, or sub those pieces out. It you are going all out, I would go the big stuff. It works great. If you try it one HDU, it might disappear right in front of your eyes. The airhose was described as going through one of the armholes, even the one that you have your arm in. Jack
-------------------- "Don't change horses in midstream, unless you spot one with longer legs" bronzeo oti Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com jack@imagemakerart.com Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic