Abrasive Blasting 101
Updated January 2022: Almost all problems with any abrasive blasting dust collector attached to an existing blasting cabinet are related to one of a few conditions being listed below. Most people buy these machines based on budget and not the machine’s application. This is a mistake. First, an abrasive blasting cabinet’s use can, and probably will, change over time due to an increase in production or simply finding more uses for the machine. Second, if…
Guest Blog
Nestled in the heart of the Northland, IKONICS has been an international leader of imaging technologies for more than 65 years. Made in America and distributed globally, IKONICS Imaging supplies customers an unmatched line of sandcarvers, automated washout units, photoresist films, crystal products, and training.
Blasting cabinet design are more than an enclosure to contain the blasting operation, a trigger operated paint gun for on and off abrasive delivery and a looped abrasive supply hose down into the abrasive with an entrance hole in the hose.
Media Blast Product Spotlights
It might seem a little strange for an abrasive blast cabinet manufacturer to be writing about how to sandblast outside the box, so to speak. Some people call this “manual blasting” but it is also known as “hand-eye directional blasting” and there are some very real benefits to this technique.
The Space Saver HD abrasive blast cabinet by Media Blast in considered a light duty blast cabinet. It was designed with a small machine footprint to meet small equipment repair needs and allow for residential use in a home garage. This blast cabinet model requires less floorspace because the access door is vertically opened and operates using 120-volt, single-phase power you find on any service outlet.
Media Blast & Abrasive’s line of Tornado downdraft work tables is designed for pollution control from grinding, sanding, and deburring normally using a central dust collector. These machines protect the operator and surrounding equipment from free floating debris. Tornado workstation unlike the Tornado Work Bench do not include an internal dust collector, but they do include the collection hopper, hopper attachment outlet for connection to a central dust collector and other great features like lighting,…
Updated January 2022: The first dry blasting machines relied on siphon abrasive delivery method which uses an abrasive media gun to siphon, or pull, the abrasive to the blasting nozzle where it is then boosted in particle velocity and injected into the cabinet. Think of this like using a cue ball to hit the eight ball into the side pocket. While it gets the job done, some energy is lost when the two balls come in…
It is highly likely the first abrasive blasting “machines” were fast-moving rivers or dry desert windstorms. (If you have ever driven in a sandstorm, you understand first hand the power of a particle to remove paint and or etch glass.) Somewhere in history, someone noticed the results and an idea was born.
The most important thing to remember about choosing the right blast cabinet is focusing on your application and not whether the part fits inside the cabinet. That’s why Media Blast & Abrasive manufactures more than 50 models and 170 different cabinets – so we can make the right machine for any application.
Updated January 2022: Piston air compressors are often used with abrasive blast cabinets because they are efficient and cost effective. Available for purchase at many “Big Box” stores, there are a few tips and tricks that you should know before purchasing any piston air compressor.
