Sometimes, life can be such a blast...

[sudsmaster]

Over the years I've wanted to add a piece of equipment to my shop to help in the restoration of old car parts, and now, old appliance parts.

Namely, a bead blasting cabinet. After pricing them out over the past year or two, I finally selected the biggest one I could find at a reasonable price (some parts are big!).

It took the better part of an evening to assemble the beast, actually had to crawl inside the small access door to tighten the fasteners holding the funnel shaped lower part onto the upper part. But I think it will be worth it. One of the projects I have in mind is to blast the old paint and rust off the 1958 KA/Hobart KD2P top loading dishwasher's cast iron spray arm. I also got a powder coating kit to apply a new finish (although I'm still shopping for the correct hue of blue-green powder), and I have an old Tappan electric range/oven in the shop to do the heat cure (400F/10 min).

Anywho, here's the bead blasting cabinet (it will use glass beads, not sand):

 

[tolivac]

Have one of those out here where I work.Right now its clogged.Use it to clean transmitter steam pipe flanges.Works well for that blasts off the corrosion and old gasket rubber.

 

[sudsmaster]

Clogged bead blaster

Just guessing, but perhaps it's clogged from foreign matter/debris getting into bead intake tube, or by wet/clumped beads. Maybe pieces of rubber gasket caught in the tube?

Might be time for a bead change.

 

[tolivac]

The blaster machine here is part of the rigging dept-they use it for cleaning the air cylinders for antenna switching.Yes-bet rubber is stuck in it-not only from the transmitter pipes,but also from the air cylinders too.The machine has been here for many years.

 

[sudsmaster]

The compressed air supply for the machine needs to be dry, as well.

 

[sudsmaster]

Bead blasting procedure

You put the rusty, corroded, or scratched part in the door on the right. You stick your hands into the gloves. You hold the part in one hand, and then there's a blasting gun that combines glass beads with compressed air. It shoots a jet of air and beads at high speed at the part, blasting off the rust, old paint, corrosion. It can even cover up minor scratches. The result is a finely textured matte surface, down to bare metal, that is perfect for applying primer/paint or powder coat. In the case of aluminum, the finish can be left as is, or sent to a plater for an anodized finish.

The cabinet pictured has a pair of flourescent light tubes in the box on the top, which is very helpful as you peer through the window through clouds of dust and beads and try to see the progress of the blasting.

When I restored my '50 Plymouth about 15 years ago, a local auto machine shop let me use their bead blaster to strip the old paint/rust off many of the parts for the car. This was a great help; the parts that got bead blasted took paint very well. The machine shop has since closed down so I've been wanting to get my own blasting cabinet for some time.

I'm still in the process of setting up the cabinet - have to add the compressed air fittings/hose, and fill it with glass beads. Then I may post some before and after photos of objects that get bead blasted.

 

[charbee]

wow...

Now THAT's a fine toy. Have fun using it!

I've always wondered: are the glass beads re-used? or are they trashed after one use?

 

[goatfarmer]

That is nice! What other kind of media can you use in it? I've heard of people using walnut shells for blasting.

kennyGF

 

[bobbyderegis]

Sudz,
great for all kinds of cleaning. We used to use a shell blaster like Kenny mentioned at Boston University for cleaning delicate things. They are awesome. I imagine glass beads will be a bit harsher? (and not as messy as sand)
Bobby in Boston

 

[perc-o-prince]

PLEASE USE CAUTION!!!!

I have a bead blaster and they are great BUT you must wash your hands before you touch your face and or eyes. The glass beads can scratch your eyes very badly. This I know from experience. I was left nearly blinded for a week!

The glass beads can be reused to a certain point then they must be replaced.

Have fun!!!

Rich

 

[sudsmaster]

Charbee,

The glass beads collect in the funnel shaped lower section, and are re-used. there is a port on the upper left hand side of the cabinet (not visible in the photos) where one can connect a standard shop vac to collect the fine dust/debris that is released. The beads will break down over time, at which time one can just replace them.

Bobby,

Yes, the glass beads are harsher than walnut shells, but not as harsh as sand or aluminum oxide. They are good for all sorts of metals, from aluminum to brass to steel.

Perc-o-prince,

Thanks for the advisory. I have used bead blasters in the past, both for hobby work and on-the-job, and not had a problem getting them in my eyes. But I will keep that in mind. My main concern is not inhaling them, or the stuff they blast off old parts (like paint and rust) and for this reason I'm planning on dedicating a good shop vac with both paper bag and hepa final filters to handle the fine dust that will be produced. The shop vac will be sucking the dust out of the upper cabinet.

 

[qsd-dan]

I've been wanting one of those for YEARS. Unfortunately, I have nowhere to put one. Enjoy your new toy!!

 

[sudsmaster]

Well, siting it is a concern. I'm delaying the final hookup until I can install some sort of wheels on the thing to make it semi-portable.

But hey, I can help free up room for you to put one of these bead blasters... just sell me your GM Frigidaire ;-)

 

[mayken4now]

Looks like my kind of "Cleaning Machine"

Very cool.

Steve

 

[tomturbomatic]

With those built in gloves, it reminds me of how they handle babies in the NICU.

 

[sudsmaster]

LOL, any baby caught in this cabinet would be in serious trouble... Glove boxes are also used to handle toxic/infective/radioactive materials, so that's what the gloves remind me of.

The gloves are OK; like most such units, the gloves are one-size fits all, which means they are huge. This can mean it can be very difficult to handle smaller items. I get around this problem by holding smaller parts with non-marring pliers, vice grips, or clamps. You're not supposed to blast the gloves anyway, as they will eventually start to leak if they are blasted too much.

Another key thing to remember is to put a screw or bolt into every threaded hole before putting the part into the blast cabinet. Otherwise the beads tend to collect in the threads and can be nearly impossible to dislodge later on - leading to impaired screw action.

 

[selectomatic]

We're all waiting for before/after pictures!

I don't know if I'm envious or relieved that I don't have the space for something like this. All I know is that I'm glad for web forums like this so we can all share the fun without having to find room for yet another cool toy.

-kevin

 

[rp2813]

Suds, one wouldn't want impaired screw action . . . ever!

 

[tolivac]

yes-the air supply is dry-its run from the House 15hp Worthington air compressor that has a dryer on its main output.