I heard the rinse system was mostly useful for metallics. I’m ordering the 5lb powder keg fluidizer tonight, I really thought it was on my first order. I’d like to get a half dozen cups or so together so I can keep a handful of dedicated color cups. Fluidizer will be strictly clear coat.
looks good. Not sure if you know but they make a special wire for thermocouples and a high temp wire to connect to your elements.
I’ve got three of the vortex cups and they work really well. They’ve changed their design to a 3D printed version so I don’t know about it but the old style wirks great.
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Very nice! I have high temp in 10AWG and 14AWG, I’ll be using it for all connections inside the cabinet. I’ll change over to normal wire on the outside of the cabinet, I have some high temp stake on connectors too for the elements. I’m unfamiliar with the special wire for the thermocoupler though, I was just going to use the leads it came with and run that straight to the control box.
If they came with leads maybe that is what they require. Here is some info.
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@Knick I installed the thermocoupler today, it came with a braided metal sheeth on the wires. Anyhow, ran out of 10AWG hi temp and rivets so the project is on hold for a couple of days. I got two of three walls and the ceiling done so far.
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Curious where does your fan blow to? I don’t see any duct work?
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The ducts are built inside the wall and exit through the lettering at the bottom of the wall.
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I’m going to break this off into a new thread on the powder coating oven, I actually forgot this was the sandblasting cabinet upgrade thread…
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A guy came in and overhauled the blast cabinet at work, big industrial size unit with all the bells and whistles. They bought a new 10hp 38cfm at 175psi compressor to run it. I noticed when the guy left the regulator was set to 55psi but no one was complaining about how it worked. I decided to see what was up with that and installed a regulator after the foot pedal on my Skat Blast 960. OMG what a difference! I guess since I’ve been setting the pressure based on what the guy selling the media has recommended, so he can sell more, that I’ve been obliterating the media and thought this cabinet kinda sucked. I can remove rust and mill scale at least 10x faster than at 90psi and my compressor that couldn’t keep up before doesn’t have any trouble. I highly recommend this if you’re having the same problem.
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A guy sold me a sand blaster a few years ago because it didn’t work very good. I switched the gun and hose based on my compressor and it’s amazing. I believe this is why I got such a good deal on it. I do a lot of rusty yard art so really nice to blast the weld spots.
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Dropping your pressure will require less CFM and it will extend the life of your media for sure. I turn my regulator down to 30PSI every time I use my powder coating system so I just crank it up a few turns when I’m done and don’t really know what the pressure is set at. It’s at least 60 though because my plasma cutter won’t strike an ark at 30PSI. I’ve noticed on my cabinet with the media I use it doesn’t cut well below 90, what kind of media are you using?
I converted my harbor freight cabinet to a metering valve setup and use 80 grit glass beads at 50-60psi. It works great for everything I do, but I’m not blasting heavy paint or rust off of anything.
I was running it at 90 psi, but it just pulverized the glass beads into a fine powder pretty quickly.
I keep my shop air at 120 psi and have regulators at each tool to regulate the pressure for that tool.
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Glass beads now, was using coal slag from TSC but it was too dusty and for a while hard to get. I’ve got my main regulator set to 100, plasma at 75-80, primary powder coating regulator set to 50, secondary set to 7, and now the blast cabinet set to 55-60.
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I’m using the Blast X media from Columbia Coatings, it’s only really effective at cutting around 90PSI but I will say it’s long lasting. I have probably north 150 hours on the current batch of media which is about 10 times longer than I got out of coal slag but it doesn’t cut as well as coal slag. Glass beads will definitely powder up on you but they are great for polishing brass or aluminum or a smooth finish in general if you don’t have to cut paint or remove deep scratches.
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Hi Kevin, I have tried something new for paint/powder prep. Super fast and low energy input. I bought two 36 inch kiddy pools. Put about 5 gallons of water in one about three or 4 inches of depth and 1 gallon of low vapor muriatic acid. I keep it outside. And when not in use I keep the second pool inverted over the one with the acid solution and spring clamped in place. This works for removal of a lot of dross on 16 gauge and all mill scale, oil and rust. Place the piece in the solution. Wait a half hour. Use a nylon stiff bristled brush and brush and rinse with clean water. Blow dry off or coat with iron phosphate. I dont know if iron phosphate is compatible with powder coating but it works great with paint to deliver to customer in a rust free condition for a long time. Wear gloves. I notice zero fumes from
The acid solution using the low fume version.
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Out of curiosity, what psi did you run your cabinet at with the coal slag from TSC? I use the black bag, the aggressive stuff, with the same TP Tools USA gun kit mentioned above. Seems to take a lot less time to etch a part at 110psi, than 80psi and feeds better. Never tried it any lower than 80psi, mainly because I felt like while it still “worked”, it took longer. I’m not removing mill scale or rust, 95% of the time I use it is just to etch a part to powder.
I have a 10hp, 35cfm, 120 gallon compressor, so air supply isn’t a problem. Unless using my cheap Chinese foot pedal with 1/4” fittings is what restricts it at 80psi. Wondering if that choking down at the foot pedal is requiring more psi than it “should” need, to make up for the flow rate restriction.
I was running 85-90 psi. My problem with it is the dust. It would cloud up and half of it would be in the vacuum. The glass bead I’m using now is practically dust free and it’s $23 a bag.
Where do you buy your glass beads?