Harbor Freight Blast Cabinet Upgrade

[KevinP73]

One of my biggest complaints about my Harbor Freight blast cabinet is that the media delivery was poor at best. The cabinet comes with a tube that you're supposed to fix to the bottom of the cabinet so it was buried in the blast media. The problem was the gun would not create enough vacuum to pull the media up the hose so it could enter the airstream and blast your work piece.
I searched YouTube and found a bunch of videos showing how to improve the media delivery. It was very easy to do and took about an hour using materials I already had around the shop.



At the lowest point in the media tray I drilled a 5/16 hole and brazed in a short length of tubing. About an inch down stream I drilled a 1/4 inch hole and brazed a short length of tubing onto it. I ran a 1/4 inch hose up the side of the cabinet and run it thru the body of the cabinet. This vents the 5/16 tubing.
I then ran a new length of 5/16 hose up thru the floor of the cabinet and re-attached it to the spray gun handle where it is supposed to attach.


Venting the media feed tube this way allows the pick up hose to flows a ton more air thus delivering the media to the gun. It works great now.
I've noticed that this new set up increased the static electricity charge and I'm experiencing more static shocks than before. I added a ground wire with an alligator clip on one end to attach to my work piece and ran it thru the cabinet wall and attached it to the conduit on the shop wall. No more shocks as long as I remember to attach the alligator clip to the work piece.

[Nickshu]

Cool. Next time just buy a Barrel Blaster. The Barrel Blaster and The Blast Master - Affordable Bead Blasting Cabinets and Sandblasters

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Nickshu

Cool. Next time just buy a Barrel Blaster. The Barrel Blaster and The Blast Master - Affordable Bead Blasting Cabinets and Sandblasters

$299 , looks like a good deal.

[Nickshu]

I had a junk Harbor Freight blaster before I trashed it and got the Barrel Blaster, it is light years better. It just works, all the time. Peel off window is essential. Also build a water trap for your shop vac with a 5 gal bucket and some PVC pipe. With that setup I get NO dust in my garage.

[Rot 911]

Wow, that Barrel Blaster does look good for the price. Nickshu, what type of compressor are you running with it?

[Don Ro]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

Wow, that Barrel Blaster does look good for the price. Nickshu, what type of compressor are you running with it?

My question, too.
I've always wanted a blast cabinet but dreaded the expense of buying more lung.

[Nickshu]

80 gallon 3 cylinder single phase 18CFM Husky from Home Depot. Runs great. 220v, pulls about 22 amps.

I started w/ a 30 gallon and could only blast about 2 minutes before I dropped pressure. With the 80 gallon I can blast all day long!

For a drier I have a basic water trap then a point of use filter/absorbant at the cabinet called MotorGuard. It's the cheapest on out there and works great. A lot of those dessicant driers are expensive! I am not painting cars, if I was then I would spend the $$ for a dessicant setup. Never had a problem w/ any moisture in the media w/ the Motorguard.

I run 100 grit glass beads at 80-90psi for most blasting. I use 80 grit garnet for cast iron. I have used walnut shells for plastic parts, but the glass beads work great all around including soft aluminum no problem, I just turn the pressure down to 60 psi.

[Nickshu]

Here's a pic of my setup:

[bpu699]

Originally Posted by KevinP73

One of my biggest complaints about my Harbor Freight blast cabinet is that the media delivery was poor at best. The cabinet comes with a tube that you're supposed to fix to the bottom of the cabinet so it was buried in the blast media. The problem was the gun would not create enough vacuum to pull the media up the hose so it could enter the airstream and blast your work piece.
I searched YouTube and found a bunch of videos showing how to improve the media delivery. It was very easy to do and took about an hour using materials I already had around the shop.



At the lowest point in the media tray I drilled a 5/16 hole and brazed in a short length of tubing. About an inch down stream I drilled a 1/4 inch hole and brazed a short length of tubing onto it. I ran a 1/4 inch hose up the side of the cabinet and run it thru the body of the cabinet. This vents the 5/16 tubing.
I then ran a new length of 5/16 hose up thru the floor of the cabinet and re-attached it to the spray gun handle where it is supposed to attach.


Venting the media feed tube this way allows the pick up hose to flows a ton more air thus delivering the media to the gun. It works great now.
I've noticed that this new set up increased the static electricity charge and I'm experiencing more static shocks than before. I added a ground wire with an alligator clip on one end to attach to my work piece and ran it thru the cabinet wall and attached it to the conduit on the shop wall. No more shocks as long as I remember to attach the alligator clip to the work piece.

Confused...

So the black hose just vents to the atmosphere? Is that the key change : adding a vent? If thats all, I may do it too...

I modified my HF blast cabinet to have the glass swing open from the outsire using a hinge, so that the plastic glass covers could be changed. Its still a pain...

[rick-l]

When using those how do you keep from blowing water and clogging it up?

[dad911]

Originally Posted by rick-l

When using those how do you keep from blowing water and clogging it up?

water separator on the air line.

I use a Gun, siphon tube and foot pedal from TP tools with my HF cabinet. Sandblast Cabinet Parts & Supplies for Abrasive Blasting Cabinets - TP Tools & Equipment

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by Nickshu

Cool. Next time just buy a Barrel Blaster. The Barrel Blaster and The Blast Master - Affordable Bead Blasting Cabinets and Sandblasters

Hijack often?

I was offering a fix to what I perceived as a common problem. If I was looking for an alternative to inexpensive shop eguipment I'm sure I would have mentioned the barrel blaster albeit three times the cost of a new blaster from HF.
I had also planned on sharing how I've upgraded my parts washer for less than twenty five bucks but I guess you'll have an alternate recommendation for that too.

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by bpu699

Confused...

So the black hose just vents to the atmosphere? Is that the key change : adding a vent? If thats all, I may do it too...

I modified my HF blast cabinet to have the glass swing open from the outsire using a hinge, so that the plastic glass covers could be changed. Its still a pain...

Yes. It just vents to atmosphere.

[dad911]

Originally Posted by KevinP73

Yes. It just vents to atmosphere.

That's interesting. The replacement tube I bought appears to vent from the cabinet, but above the glass bead.

Is there noticeable suction on your vent?

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by dad911

Is there noticeable suction on your vent?

Most of the videos I watched had a valve in the end of this tube to meter the incoming air in order to control the blast media being delivered to the gun. I didn't bother to do this only because I was working with materials I had immediately at hand.
I haven't tested what kind of vacuum or pressure is present at that point of the set up.

[Daves911L]

Hijack or not, +++1 on the Barrel Blaster.















=

[KevinP73]

Originally Posted by Daves911L

Hijack or not, +++1 on the Barrel Blaster.
=

No chit right ?!?! common courtesy takes so much effort !

[Don Ro]

KevinP73,
Relax. We're all friends here...willing to help each other.

[Nickshu]

Sorry, I get excited about showing off my setup. Good luck w/ your HF cabinet.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by KevinP73

No chit right ?!?! common courtesy takes so much effort !

I think everybody here on this thread is trying to offer helpful advice about blast cabinets. We all appreciate your efforts.