Harbor Freight Benchtop Blaster

srb7f · 05-29-2004, 11:58 AM

Anybody have any experience with these? I'm thinking of buying one of the benchtop varieties.
www.harborfreighttools.com
search "blast"
I've been thinking of the $79, $99, or $119 models. Nothing huge, just something I can use to clean up small-medium sized parts.
If anybody has one of these, please let me know what you think of it.

srb7f · 05-29-2004, 12:04 PM

Oh, and what types of blasting media are best to use?

skline · skline's Garage

I have the top load one they sell for $99.00 and its all plastic and its a POS. I will be getting another one they have there that is the all metal one with the doors on the side. Its easier to get larger parts in and as for media, I would use the silica sand they sell there. It works great, you can tell when its no good anymore as it starts to get all over the place because it is too fine. It does wear out eventually.

srb7f · 05-29-2004, 02:57 PM

Thanks for the input. How much blasting media do these things need? The only quantities I've seen it in are 1lb and 3lb varieties, but that doesn't seem like much to me.

skline · skline's Garage

Its not much, I think I put about 5 pounds in mine, maybe more. I dont remember its been so long. I buy it in 50 pound sacks and it isnt very much. Figure about 3 10 pound bags of flour in volume. The stuff is heavy. I would start with 5 pounds and go from there

srb7f · 05-30-2004, 07:48 AM

Where can you buy it in 50lb bags?

skline · skline's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by 914GT
You can get big bags of silica sand at Home Depot or Ace. Harbor Freight has boxes (I think 15 lbs) of alumimum oxide and glass bead. You won't need anymore than that. I have the steel HF blaster with the side doors and I maybe put in probably 5 lbs.

Oh another thing ... my rubber blast gloves disintegrated and turned to a sticky goo. It was not out in the sun either. Mine is about ready to go to the landfill, had it about 2 years. And the window leaks and can't see through it anymore. It is a POS.

Very well put, I had to replace the gloves on mine after about a year and a half too. Ever since I replaced them they keep coming off while I am blasting and it sucks. The glass has thin plastic sheets you are supposed to put on to protect the glass, if you dont, eventually you will not be able to see through it. Mine has plexiglass on the top and it doesnt last long without the protective sheets. They cost about 20.00 for about 5 or 10 of them.

srb7f · 05-30-2004, 10:07 AM

you know, I'm thinking I should just save my money instead and pay someone to do the sandblasting... nothing frustrates me more than tools that don't work as they should. I really appreciate your input. Steve

no substitute · 02:46 PM

I have the HF side door $69 dollar special, but haven't used it yet. I have had a TP top door for a couple of years and it works fine. It does leak at the assembly seams, however, and I think you have to use silicon seal to seal some areas. While it is more heavy duty, the gloves don't appear to be markedly different, and should be viewed as consumables. Same with the film over the windows. The gloves and window appear to be mounted the same way, and can be sealed with silicon. The sheet metal on the HF is thinner, but acceptable. If I had one concern about the HF, it would be the shallow reservoir, but perhaps it isn't a problem.
Basically you're buying a box and a spray gun with two hoses with any brand. I'm not sure how much better the TP is over the HF, but it is American made, and a good product. TP also makes some smaller models. If you're wondering, I bought the HF for a specific type of decorative media only, and will use the bigger TP for cleaning parts. I think the HF will serve it's intermittent use handily, possibly with minor modifications.

srb7f · 05-30-2004, 11:57 AM

Can you please clarify what TP stands for? Where do you get the window films? I don't believe I saw them for sale on the HF website.

no substitute · 02:44 PM

Here you go:

http://www.tptools.com/default.asp?mscssid=GV8117F36B1R8MA0WVFLP766K2GF5Q WC

I'm not certain if HF sells the peel off film. Their site can be hard to search as you may know, so the peel offs may be there in some obscure location. TP has them, as may Northern Tools.