Makeshift media blast container

POORSH · 11:40 PM

A friend had built this out of a regular storage bin, lexan glass, some long plumber's gloves and a shop vac. I thought it was pretty neat. [IMG]

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The pics didn't show it, but the key to this contraption is the small shop vac opposite the gloves that helped to suck the dust away. It worked pretty well. I am sure there are others that can make it esthetically more pleasing, but it did the job. The advantage is that it is light enough that you can lift it up and pour out the media. He is also thinking of adding another vac at the bottom of the container for the media just to make recycling easier. I think the total cost on it was around $30 without the vac. You can pick a cheap vac for under $30, but the one he got was $50 at HD. I should also mention that you should get the bins with the locking tops just to secure the dust within.

magnuskgc · 09-20-2010, 10:07 PM

That is a very interesting idea.. bravo

Kroggers · Kroggers's Garage

Very nice - good thinking...

pcar9119 · 09-21-2010, 12:35 AM

I got lucky last weekend. I went to a local city wide yard sale and bought a media blast cabinet for... you ready, 50.00 bucks. I'm happy as hell!!

pksystems · pksystems's Garage

looks sorta like mine... Use toilet flanges instead of duct tape. Couple large hose clamps (I got like 5" ones free from oil rig core pipes) to hold the sandblasting gloves over the lip (from the bottom of the flange)

I took an old wine kit bucket, made a divider and put some water in the bottom, to help filter the air before it goes into the shop vac.

Your lexan probably won't stay clear long. I line mine with some Dollar store clear gift wrapping plastic, and replace it when it starts getting foggy.

Poorgee · 09-22-2010, 10:13 PM

Neat, portable and cheap.

pksystems, I'm interested in finding out what those 5" hose clamps from the oil rig core pipe looks like and where I maybe able to find some. And your filtration system, would you mind sharing a pic?

pcar9119, nothing like a good price for an abrasive blaster. Bravo.

pksystems · pksystems's Garage

They're just huge hose clamps.... you can prolly get them at like harbour freight/princess auto. I put some foam weather stripping around the inside of the lid too. When you turn on the vac it sucks the lid down tight.

Laundry soap bucket.... I cut a piece of mdf to fit the bucket, put some weather stripping on the top of the wood to make a tight seal against the lid. The wood goes down probably 3/4 of the way to the bottom and I put like 1" of water at the bottom, leaving a small air gap above it. I put quick coat of rust paint over the entire piece of mdf to keep it from rotting. I put some strips of rubber on one side to force the dust down to the water before it goes back up the vacuum side.

It worked good with the small shop vac I got free from work. You have to check the water every once in awhile tho... I used it quite a bit one day doing a bunch of suspension/calipers, and didn't check the water. It had filled with grit/dust and turned into cement so there was nothing extra to catch the dust. Some grit/dust got into the motor on that one (I didn't really care, it was old/small/free) and it's done

I might have to play around with the setup as my new shopvac is like twice the power of the old one.

dad911 · 09-25-2010, 11:45 AM

tip tools sells all of the parts, if you want to get rid of the duct tape. I think you would also need an air vent with filter.

Abrasive Blasters - Gloves, Trim - TP Tools & Equipment
Abrasive Blasters - Kits - TP Tools & Equipment

I bought a cheap cabinet from Harbor Freight, and changed the gun/gloves, pickup, etc. to parts from tip tools.