9 FAQs About Plastic Blasting Cabinets

Plastic Blasting Cabinets can mean either blasting cabinets designed to use plastic abrasive media or cabinets that are designed to blast plastic parts. For the purposes of this blog, we’re going to cover questions about plastic abrasives. This will give you a better understanding of what detailed questions to ask when purchasing a blasting cabinet. 

[9 FAQs for Plastic Blasting Cabinets

Can you blast wood with Media Blast’s Plastic Blasting Cabinets?  

The answer is tentatively yes, but it depends on your specific application so we want to know the size of the part first. We would ask a lot of follow up questions, such as: Is it in construction? Does the wood piece fit inside a cabinet? What type of wood is it? What will be the second step after blasting a part? Do you want to remove a top physical coating and leave a chemical coating remaining on the surface? That is hard to do with a wooden part.

Will plastic etch steel?  

Yes and no, it depends. Abrasive media such as plastic is recycled over and over again to be cost effective. If your plastic blasting cabinets are not removing contamination from the process, you are blasting with not only plastic abrasive, but the coatings coming off the parts. Plastic started as a very expensive abrasive, but actually with its volume half the weight of standard abrasives, you use half as much by weight alone. In theory this cuts the cost in half because you pay by the pound and get double the volume. The equipment used determines the time to process one square foot of surface area.  This is a good reminder that having the right equipment matters – you can paint a house with a one-inch brush, but it would be painful!

Are there different hardness for plastic abrasive?  

The answer is yes and all the different applications determines what type to use. We can help you choose the right plastic media for your specific use. Our depth of knowledge and extensive experience in the abrasive blasting industry make it easy to determine the right abrasive for your application.

Can Plastic Abrasive Explode?  

Almost anything can explode or flash if the particle is fine enough and in the right density per cubic meter exists. Blasting using plastics is generally safe as long as users comply with plastic blasting cabinet rules and safety regulations. 

Can you blast using plastic abrasive in any type of blasting cabinet?  

Technically, plastic abrasive media can be used in any blasting cabinets but the micro handheld tools. However, the best delivery for plastic is Direct Pressure using automatic pot reloading. These cabinets recycle the plastic, remove the dust created during coating removal, and auto load back into the pot. Almost all blasting equipment can exceed the maximum plastic temperatures before plastic abrasive starts to melt, so it’s important to follow best practices when using plastic abrasive media in machines designed for plastic abrasive. 

How many times will plastic blasting cabinets recycle abrasive media?  

This is nearly impossible to answer without more information because it depends on a number of variables. A few factors that impact recycle rate are the part being blasted, pressure used, the size plastic you start with, the plastic hardness, the delivery type used, the efficiency of the cabinet separator reclaimer, and more. Every application is different, and even the shape of a part can affect abrasive recycle rate. One thing is for sure, if you blast without a cabinet your plastic abrasive will be a one-time-use media.

Can plastic abrasive media do the same thing as ground walnut shells, apricot pits, peach pits or other organic abrasives?  

Sort of. The end results might be similar, but the cabinet maintenance is not. Organic abrasives that recycle in a cabinet can rot, smell, and grow mold in the dust collector. This will not happen with plastic abrasive media unless organic material is introduced into the environment, for example, if you blast a jack-o-lantern or Gourds. 

Can Plastic Abrasive leave the surface original?  

Yes, this is possible when blasting is done by a trained professional. But the operator really needs to know what they are doing to avoid contaminating the plastic abrasive. Material being removed from the parts can easily mix with the plastic abrasive. Aircraft Landing Gear uses plastic but blasting using coating chips and road dirt off the part is not good.

What is the most used plastic abrasive type?

Again, the answer to this question is dependent on the application. Originally there was type I, II, III, & IV. Today, plastic media is color related and blended which makes it tougher to know what you should buy.

To Sum It Up

If you’re looking to use plastic abrasive media in a blasting cabinet, we’ve got options for you to choose from. The Media Blast line of plastic blasting cabinets includes our Hailstorm Plastic Striping Cabinet, an industrial model available in many standard cabinet sizes. We have other models used with plastics, but DDC is the deciding factor. To learn more, contact one of our experienced team members for more information.