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Blast Gun - Secret

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Nomad 67

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Can someone enlighten a 1st time restorer regarding the secret in not stopping up a sand blast gun? I've tried two different ones at varying pressures... still can't go more than 10 - 20 seconds without stopping up. I have the water traps, etc. in place, media (sand and / or black diamond) is new and / or filtered. Is one brand of gun better than another?


Tips?

HELP!:hurray:
 
#6 ·
Alex, It is an absolute requirement to have dry air when blasting. Many people
install a water trap at the compressor outlet followed by rubber hose. Not a
good idea. The air coming out of the compressor is quite hot. The air must
travel at least 20' through steel pipe to have a chance to cool down reducing
condensation. Then you need a filtration system. Other than dry air, tip size is
quite important in a siphon system. Also, just as with a pressure system, don't
hold back the trigger. It's full blast or nothing. CFM is also important. Give us
the complete run down on your system please.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
THNX everyone. Running a 5.9 CFM, 30 gallon (small'ish I know) with two 20' sections of hose and a water trap on the gun end.

In reading around I'm wondering if I've recycled my media one too many times (used it twice, mixture of black diamond and sand). Everything worked fairly well until the last week or so.

Prio, the gun would stop up on me here and there... but now, about every time I pull the trigger the gun stops up.

So close to having the undercarriage ready to refinish..... yet so far!

THNX
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
I do sift through a screen purchased from one of the suppliers who specialize in such things. PSI runs at ~85 at it's lowest. I'm going to try new media this weekend. Hoping I've just exceeded the recycle limit on my media.
 
#11 ·
Nomad 67 said:
Is one brand of gun better than another?
Click to expand...
YES!! I have a Harbor Freight bench top blast cabinet - the supplied gun clogged constantly. Swapped that out for one I had laying around (unknown brand) and it only occasionally clogs.

Harbor Freight pressure blasters will test your patience also.
 
#12 ·
When pressure blasting and the media exceeds it's lifespan it gets real fine and dusty. It also seems like it doesn't work as well or fast. In the cabinet it seems like it stays in there forever and still works. I had a screw become lodged in my pick up tube in the cabinet once, reeked havoc on the operation and tough to figure out.
I use a gun from TP tools in the cabinet with the small orifice nozzles with a 3 horse 60 gal compressor (about 12CFM).

Jeff
 
#13 ·
Does it have different size tips ? maybe go to the next size up. I had to do this on a pot blaster. On my friends snap-on blast cabinet ,never have a prob, but the tips do wear out over time.
 
#15 ·
Alex, My blast cabinet is a siphon style. It's a cheap HF type and the original gun was pretty much junk. I replaced it with a Campbell Hausfeld I picked up at my local Tractor Supply Store for about $25. Had to buy the kit to get the gun. I use 3/16 tips, Black Diamond 30/60 media, high flow air connectors, air dryer (steel piping) and filtered air system. I also have about 10 scfm. (and that's marginal). I have no problems with it clogging up.
 
#16 ·
Nomad 67 said:
THNX everyone. Running a 5.9 CFM, 30 gallon (small'ish I know) with two 20' sections of hose and a water trap on the gun end.
THNX
Click to expand...
Sounds like that explains the issue.
No CFM
No capacity
Hose, no air system (no cooling of the air)

The air the around us has a certain amount of water vapor at any given time. Compressing the air just means the same amount of water is in a smaller volume of air.

Compress the air, and the water wants to be vapor even more because the compression makes heat--lots.

So, remove the heat, then the water.

Air is another utility. Compressor, air lines (not hoses), and toys all add up. Cheaping out on a compressor is a waste.

of course if there's no money, deal w/ the clogs...
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
Thnx to everyone for your input /help

Appears I had recycled the media a couple of times too many. Granted, would be nice to have the proper tools some have, but we do what we can do with the means afforded us, cheap as they are.

Back in business, slowly but steadily.
 
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allanjs
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