[nateman_doo]

I picked up an Abrasive Blast Cabinet over the weekend:
Abrasive Blast Cabinet


Thankfully used a 25% off coupon. My question is what type of media do you guys recommend to get the finest surface finish on copper.

I was thinking glass beads, or aluminum oxide.

[Tallen]

Wish I could have made that sale.

Glass bead is a good all around media.
When I did aluminum I mixed walnut and glass bead, it produced a nice finish.

I have a feeling walnut may be the way to go. Keep in mind it leaves a slight residue from the oils in the walnut. It will not clean dirty parts well (thats why I added glass bead) and it is often tough for a cheaper cabinet to pickup. You will probably have to make a new media pickup tube.

There are also options in plastic media.

[tmbg]

I use 80 grit glass bead for finishing. It removes very little material, and leaves a very nice looking satin finish.

I also have a cabinet with 120 grit aluminum oxide. It's much much harsher, and leaves a "sharper" looking finish, not pleasant looking, but it will remove material much more quickly and leaves a very good surface for paint to adhere to.

[Roccobro]

I use Alum Oxide in 80-120 grit. Love it. I blast to clean and to prep for chemical coloring.

Just be mindful of using silica or "play sand" as it is a huge health hazard.

You'll be covered in media after your first use of that cabinet. I sealed up many spots with foam door weather strips from HD/Lowes. Made a big diff.

Justin

[tmbg]

I have two of those HF cabinets, and I agree they leak terribly. I keep meaning to go through and seal them up, but I have so much other stuff to do that I never get around to it.

[Roccobro]

The bad thing about sealing the leaks is you MUST provide an escape route for the excess air.

I'm looking into an air removing squirrel cage fan or something. It was suggested to me to place a HEPA filter on a canister shop-vac and plumb the inlet and outlets to the cabinet. Still doesn't provide relief from the over pressurization I'm experiencing with a good quality gun I upgraded to recently...

Justin

[nateman_doo]

what gun did you upgrade too?

[Roccobro]

An $80 Dee-Blast gun with carbide nozzle. You can order it from Fastenal or Sears.com.
So far I'm really happy with it. Not sure its CFM rating or if it is taxing my compressor too much yet.

I ate through three HF ceramic nozzles and 5 Craftsman ceramic nozzles in two weekends. (It eats the gun tip when you don't catch the ceramic wear in time).

Justin

[nateman_doo]

link to the gun?

[bjones]

link to the gun?

Have you ever heard of the search button or google?
search google for fastenal, then search Dee-Blast on the fastenal site.
Would take you about 5 seconds if you take just a little bit of initiative.
Bill

[nateman_doo]

Have you ever heard of the search button or google?
search google for fastenal, then search Dee-Blast on the fastenal site.
Would take you about 5 seconds if you take just a little bit of initiative.
Bill

If only I was asking you...:wave:

I only found one gun on Dee-Blast's sight, model 100. Plus this one at sears doesn't match the price he stated. I didn't know if it was an older model, or something else. I am very new at this - not to the internet.

I guess you never heard the expression "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

[bjones]

If only I was asking you...:wave:

I only found one gun on Dee-Blast's sight, model 100. Plus this one at sears doesn't match the price he stated. I didn't know if it was an older model, or something else. I am very new at this - not to the internet.

I guess you never heard the expression "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

I guess you never heard the expression, "give a man a fish, feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
Sorry you are averse to learning how to fish.
if you follow my advise you get this
12CFM Aluminum Gun 3/16" Steel Nozzle and Airjet Universal Siphon Sandblast Gun | Fastenal
Bill

[nateman_doo]

I am all about fishing.

That gun you linked doesn't say anything about carbide tipped, the one I linked to sears does. Are they 2 different types of air guns?

[tmbg]

I think the more appropriate axiom here might be:

Build a man a fire, and he's warm for the rest of the day
Light a man on fire, and he's warm for the rest of his life

[nateman_doo]

HA! i like!