I can get the number for you on Sat, when I see the guy at Jefferson, I think he is from Texas. I bought one from him. It will accomidate a 17" rim, and is basically a 55 gallon drum with a stand. a area to view your work, and a place to hold your work. It was pretty cheap and works great. Basically when you see it you do the old "I could have built that" Tony
Frank--As Jim said HFreight has a $299 model--self standing, not a benchtop that IS ALWAYS ON SALE for $199--Red color, one plastic door on the right side...a decent unit for the $$. However, a few changes are recommended...add a regular spot/floodlight to the ceiling of the inside(cheap outdoor single flood/spotlight dealy from HDepot--$6 or so). Maybe even scuff and paint the inside of the unit with white appliance epoxy (again-cheap--1 can is all it takes to do the back inside wall, one sidewall and the "ceiling"). The red paint just makes it too dark inside and the elcheapo flourescent tube light that comes with the cabinet doesn't put enough light out to see much---what happens is you think you blasted all the little rust pits, etc (using the crappy light), pull the part out where you can clearly see it and it's back to blasting(and guessing where the spots are you missed!)...not worth the hassle. These things don't come with a vacuum----I am looking at buying one of the medium sized Shop Vacs from Lowes and paying up for two new filters for the Shop Vac. You can buy special high filtration filters seperate from the Shop Vac---one is a round car-air cleaner type unit and the other is a bag that is recommended for vacuuming up sheetrock dust. The ShopVac line has a "Quiet Motor" line of vacs so I'm hoping this will keep the noise(and dust down). The HFreight unit is obviously not the Cadillac of units---it will leak and blow some sand out through various bolt holes, etc so it's not a buy and go type deal. The window area has plenty of viewing space and the plastic door seals suprisingly well. Other tips: Make a cheap sheet metal tray and attach it to the body of the unit just below the bottom of the door---this will catch some sand that inevitably drops out as you open the door. Take the large mesh screen out of the unit and nylon tie wrap a layer of metal screen door screen on top or below it---do this--it's much easier to fish small parts and junk off the screen than digging down into the bottom where the sand is, trying to unclog the pickup tube. Get some ceramic blast tips---and get no larger than the Medium sized nozzle (get a selection of small and medium nozzle/air jet pairs)--check your compressor CFM rating and select nozzle/air jets based on that. Err on the side of too small as the nozzles will open up with wear and use(thus requiring more air to work effectively). You can get the ceramic tips from TP Tools (Tip Tools)---the guys that make the fancy cabinets!! If possible (especially if you don't have vacuum system)--put the unit outside--on a porch or other covered area---these things create a lot of dust and it's not the kind of stuff you want floating around the garage. WEAR A RESPIRATOR MASK WHEN USING THE CABINET. I have used a number of cabinets---everything from home-brew units made from adapted University of Texas biology lab surplus fiberglass vacuum chambers to the HFreight grey metal ($89) bench top on up to a nice TP Tools massive unit with a TP vacuum(very nice and about $1000 to your door). The HFreigt $199 unit is a decent compromise---after you put 2-3 hours work into it to "modify" it. Also---go to MPI(Materials Products, Inc--they sell brick, sand etc) over on Kramer Lane (just before it hits N Lamar) and you can buy a decent selection of sand----get the sugar sand (almost white in color) or the next coarsest sand (#4 or #5). 100# bags are pretty cheap there. Messy job...but you will get nice results. The biggest challenge seems to be getting everything to work "in sync" on these things so you can concentrate on blasting. Little things like having to stop because the blast tip is worn out, the flourescent lighting sucking, or running out of sand make it a hassle. That's one of the differences b/n these things and the nice TP Tools type cabinets----those pretty much come "ready to use" and they work smoothly from the start---no leaks, good lighting, vacuum system with the unit. I used on of these again over the weekend---it's inside a guys shop and doesn't seem to create any dust. Nice heavier steel---LOTS OF SPACE, etc, etc--but lots more money. A few more tips on "what to blast" and what is a waste or your time---pretty much all the engine compartment stuff(bolts, brackets, air cleaner assembly, etc). If you are doing things like front lower control arms I would highly recommend paying someone to do this stuff----it can take FOREVER (control arms have a very large surface area and get rusted in some hard-to-get-to spots and you really need to completely degrease any part before putting it in the cabinet anyway) Believe me---I'm talking from experience here. : ou: Once again---I would put the unit outside if possible and wear a respirator. Once you blast a part don't handle it with bare hands--unless you want new rust starting in that spot. Get a blow gun also---one of those blue handle dealies at Home Depot (Campbell Hausfeld) or over at Harbor Freight--very handy. Oh--also--get some type of water trap system/filter. This never ends...... :TU: Patton
TP Tools makes the best quality blasters. Their products are top notch, and customer service is great. However, their prices are higher than HF. If I did a lot of blasting, I would (and did) go with the TP unit. Occasional users would be better off with the HF unit. One caution: regardless of your choice, blasters require a lot of SCFM (air supply). A $400 Sears compressor cannot keep up with the air demands. You will need a good size 2 stage unit with a minimum of 12-15 SCFM at 90 PSI. A compressor with those specs is about $1000 to 1300. Just an FYI
I bought the one below. http://www.tptools.com/product.asp?...No=1&mscssid=LCLUKM9CW5418GS8R5ENQ0N25LD51L58 I think this was the best investment I ever made along with my 80 gal, 2 stage, 15 hp Dresser air compressor. My suggestion is not to buy the same tool twice. Once you use the cabinet you will wonder how you got things done without one before. Also, if you plan on using it often, get the vacuum attachment. I bought mine 20 years ago for $699. Had to replace the vacuum motor once, $80, and the gloves last week for $25. Also, if you are going to use it often, I use the tungsten nozzle, it is expensive, $50-60 but it lasts, the ceramic tips don't last.
Myself I did not like the Harbor freight ones. Its not a bad deal but it was a tad small for the money. I ended up making my own. From an old sideways sliding window from a trailer. Screwed the top to the shed wall and then made a small board for the front for two arm holes and so the window was at a good angle. And then just used good Glad bags for the back n sides. I do not use a siphon feed though. I use my Speedy spot blaster. Which is a gun the has its own holder for a few big scoops of sand. Got a dozen pair of extra long industrial gloves form an army surplus guy on Ebay. I also get my media off Ebay now. Not sure on the name but a guy sell a safer version [health wise] of what most stores sell. I want to say black mangus but not sure. Been using it for over a year. I do have to stop every few mins and refill the gun cup but it was 98% free. I could drill a hole in the bench top and run a hose for a siphon feed but I like my speedy blaster. Though it cost like $30 from Eastwood and HF sell ones just like it for $15. --------- I don't know on the compressor thing. I can blast or paint all day without going below 80-90 psi. I just have a $200 3 1/2hp 6 gallon compressor but but I have added 150 feet of line and about 230+ gallon of air to the system. You need volumes n volumes of air to use a smaller compressor easy. But of course I also got all the extra tanks free. But if you can afford a good 2 stage with a massive tank Id get it. Tank size / volume is really important.
