Anyone have experience w/Harbor Freight sandblasters?
David Nebenzahl
steel & concrete staircase, fairly large area), and I suggested to my
client that we might use either one of these Harbor Freight sandblasters
with a rented compressor:*
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92857
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96972
Does anyone have experience with either of these, or with similar ones
from this or other vendors? One's $15, the other $13, so when my client
asked if these would do the job, I told him that they probably would,
and even if we ended up buying two of these to finish the job, they're
so cheap that they could be practically considered consumables.
(Replies that basically say "Harbor Freight sucks!" will be ingored,
thank you very much.)
*For those who ask "Why not just rent a sandblaster?", an interesting
tale therein: I did call my favorite rental place (Cresco), who told me
that not only do they not rent sandblasters, but that nobody else does
either. Asked why, they said that it's because of liability issues;
apparently, someone renting one damaged nearby parked cars one too many
times.
They do have all kinds of compressors available to rent, though.
--
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute
conversation with the average voter.
- Attributed to Winston Churchill
Dave Bugg
> *For those who ask "Why not just rent a sandblaster?", an interesting
> tale therein: I did call my favorite rental place (Cresco), who told
> me that not only do they not rent sandblasters, but that nobody else
> does either. Asked why, they said that it's because of liability
> issues; apparently, someone renting one damaged nearby parked cars
> one too many times.
Why would the rental company be responsible for the damage? After all,
doesn't the same risk apply to any tool that is rented? A jack hammer
throwing a chip of rock or concrete, a de-thatching machine hurling a
hunk-O-stone, a 30 foot ladder falling. It seems to me that the person
causing the damage would be the responsible party.
--
Dave www.davebbq.com
What is best in life? "To crush your enemies, see them driven before
you, and to hear the lamentation of the women." -- Conan
RBM
"David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
news:482cc6a6$0$11138$8226...@news.adtechcomputers.com...
Some years ago I bought one from HF to take the rust off a WW2 jeep frame.
The one I got came with a tank about the size of a standard gas grill tank,
in fact it probably was, and a hose, mask, etc. Best I can figure, if I used
that rig to do the job, I'd probably still be working on it, twenty years
later. Essentially the things are worthless for anything beyond light hobby
work. I borrowed a rig from a buddy that sandblasts tombstones, and the job
took about an hour. I can see why a rental place wouldn't have one. You can
do a lot of damage in a heartbeat, if you're not careful
RBM
"Dave Bugg" <dave...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:mP3Xj.1103$ll1.445@trndny06...
Having used a professional rig, and being inexperienced at the time, my
guess is they're more concerned with damage to the people using it. Just
flash that thing across your hand and watch the skin disappear
>
>
David Nebenzahl
> "David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
> news:482cc6a6$0$11138$8226...@news.adtechcomputers.com...
>
>> Have a potential sandblasting job (removing peeled paint from below a
>> steel & concrete staircase, fairly large area), and I suggested to my
>> client that we might use either one of these Harbor Freight sandblasters
>> with a rented compressor:*
>>
>> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92857
>> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96972
>>
>> Does anyone have experience with either of these, or with similar ones
>> from this or other vendors? One's $15, the other $13, so when my client
>> asked if these would do the job, I told him that they probably would, and
>> even if we ended up buying two of these to finish the job, they're so
>> cheap that they could be practically considered consumables.
>
> Some years ago I bought one from HF to take the rust off a WW2 jeep frame.
> The one I got came with a tank about the size of a standard gas grill tank,
> in fact it probably was, and a hose, mask, etc. Best I can figure, if I used
> that rig to do the job, I'd probably still be working on it, twenty years
> later. Essentially the things are worthless for anything beyond light hobby
> work. I borrowed a rig from a buddy that sandblasts tombstones, and the job
> took about an hour. I can see why a rental place wouldn't have one. You can
> do a lot of damage in a heartbeat, if you're not careful
Thanks. Any suggestions for sandblasters?
Is the problem that these cheap ones just don't blast hard enough? Not
enough volume?
Dave Bugg
That's a fact :-)
Nate Nagel
gloves? don't people wear gloves when sandblasting?
just seems like a good idea, is all I'm sayin'.
nate
--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel
RBM
"David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
Depending upon the compressor, you can get all the CFM you need, but the
nozzle size and that little bag won't pass enough media to do anything.
Think water pistol vs. fire hose
gpsman
Among other things...
You need a "pot" sandblaster for serious work, and if you're doing
really serious work an air supplied hood with an air dryer.
http://cgi.ebay.com/20-Gallon-Pressure-Tank-Air-Sand-Blaster-Sandblaster_W0QQitemZ260240178899QQihZ016QQcategoryZ43570QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
or http://tinyurl.com/4hnb4d
-----
- gpsman
HeyBub
Sandblasting is a function of air pressure and grit size and, to a lesser
degree, how often you have to fill the reservoir.
HF sells only itty-bitty grit, suitable for jewelry making. You'll have to
get the larger stuff at Graingers.
The sand-blaster itself should be ample. I got one to knock the rust off
some steel garage doors. Tried their material, bah. Tried salt, also bah.
Got some real abrasives and the job went double-quick. 'Course there's a
pile of abrasive to vacuum up...
As for renting a compressor, you can probably buy one from HF for the price
of a rental.
Bob F
"David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
news:482cc6a6$0$11138$8226...@news.adtechcomputers.com...
The grit capacity of those units will limit you significantly. The actual power
will be dependent on the PSI available from the compressor (at the cfm the
blaster needs, or there will be lots of waiting) In my experience with a
handheld blaster, 150psi is about the minimum to do anything significant.
My unit is like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/AIR-SAND-BLASTING-KIT-SANDBLASTER-BLASTER-TOOLS_W0QQitemZ180242740665QQihZ008QQcategoryZ43570QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
tra...@optonline.net
>
> - Show quoted text -
I have a Harbor Freight 20 lb Sandblaster. It's red, stands on 3
legs, comes with a long hose, nozzle, and I think it listed for about
$100, but I got it for less on sale. I used it to take paint off a
section of concrete patio. I am very happy with it. The only
problem I had was I used it with an average portable compressor that I
already had. It does about 8CFM at 50PSI, 6 at 90. So, I had to
let the compressor get up to near max pressure, then go at it for
about a min or so, then stop and let the compressor rebuild. The
nozzle did clog occasionally, which was probably due to the pressure
going to low, or it could have been that the sand was a bit damp.
At that point, I had to remove the tip to get it to clear.
In any case, it wasn't as bad as it sounds. I got the job done
relatively fast. Certainly a lot faster than any other method. If I
had any sizable job to do, I'd rent a bigger compressor, or else hook
up 2 like mine in parallel. The only other thing is the nozzle/hose
they give you is hand held. To do the patio, I taped it to a broom
handle and it worked OK that way.
Overall, I'm very happy with having bought it.
zzyzzx
used. If you don't already have a power washer you can probably
borrow one from someone and avoid the rental fees too.
David Nebenzahl
> On May 16, 1:00 am, "Bob F" <bobnos...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
>> news:482cc6a6$0$11138$8226...@news.adtechcomputers.com...
>>
>> > Have a potential sandblasting job (removing peeled paint from below a steel &
>> > concrete staircase, fairly large area), and I suggested to my client that we
>> > might use either one of these Harbor Freight sandblasters with a rented
>> > compressor:*
>>
>> >http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92857
>> >http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96972
>>
>> > Does anyone have experience with either of these, or with similar ones from
>> > this or other vendors? One's $15, the other $13, so when my client asked if
>> > these would do the job, I told him that they probably would, and even if we
>> > ended up buying two of these to finish the job, they're so cheap that they
>> > could be practically considered consumables.
>>
>> > *For those who ask "Why not just rent a sandblaster?", an interesting tale
>> > therein: I did call my favorite rental place (Cresco), who told me that not
>> > only do they not rent sandblasters, but that nobody else does either. Asked
>> > why, they said that it's because of liability issues; apparently, someone
>> > renting one damaged nearby parked cars one too many times.
>>
>> > They do have all kinds of compressors available to rent, though.
>>
>> The grit capacity of those units will limit you significantly. The actual power
>> will be dependent on the PSI available from the compressor (at the cfm the
>> blaster needs, or there will be lots of waiting) In my experience with a
>> handheld blaster, 150psi is about the minimum to do anything significant.
>
> I have a Harbor Freight 20 lb Sandblaster. It's red, stands on 3
> legs, comes with a long hose, nozzle, and I think it listed for about
> $100, but I got it for less on sale. I used it to take paint off a
> section of concrete patio. I am very happy with it. The only
> problem I had was I used it with an average portable compressor that I
> already had. It does about 8CFM at 50PSI, 6 at 90. So, I had to
> let the compressor get up to near max pressure, then go at it for
> about a min or so, then stop and let the compressor rebuild. The
> nozzle did clog occasionally, which was probably due to the pressure
> going to low, or it could have been that the sand was a bit damp.
> At that point, I had to remove the tip to get it to clear.
Is it this one, or similar? (This one's a 40 lb. unit, same price):
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202
tra...@optonline.net
> On 5/16/2008 6:30 AM trad...@optonline.net spake thus:
Yes, looks very similar, but mine didn't come with the water trap and
was 20lbs.
> The best argument against democracy is a five-minute
> conversation with the average voter.
>
> - Attributed to Winston Churchill- Hide quoted text -
charlie
"David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
this is the one i use on glass and knocking the rust off of metals. you can
also get the grit necessary at HF. use AlO. don't use sand or silica. use a
minimum of a p95 mask, unless you like silicosis and not being able to
breath.
regards,
charlie
cave creek, az
David Nebenzahl
> "David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
> news:482dc211$0$11207$8226...@news.adtechcomputers.com...
>
>> Is it this one, or similar? (This one's a 40 lb. unit, same price):
>> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202
>
> this is the one i use on glass and knocking the rust off of metals. you can
> also get the grit necessary at HF. use AlO. don't use sand or silica. use a
> minimum of a p95 mask, unless you like silicosis and not being able to
> breath.
Your application sounds a lot lighter than mine. We need to get a lot of
old paint and rust off the underside of some metal & concrete stairs.
Would that grit be sufficient for that? Someone else in this thread
didn't seem to think so.
And yes, I intend to wear a mask (I have a respirator).
tra...@optonline.net
> On 5/16/2008 3:01 PM charlie spake thus:
>
>
>
> > "David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
> >news:482dc211$0$11207$8226...@news.adtechcomputers.com...
>
> >> Is it this one, or similar? (This one's a 40 lb. unit, same price):
> >>http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202
>
> > this is the one i use on glass and knocking the rust off of metals. you can
> > also get the grit necessary at HF. use AlO. don't use sand or silica. use a
> > minimum of a p95 mask, unless you like silicosis and not being able to
> > breath.
>
> Your application sounds a lot lighter than mine. We need to get a lot of
> old paint and rust off the underside of some metal & concrete stairs.
> Would that grit be sufficient for that? Someone else in this thread
> didn't seem to think so.
If you buy the abrasive at HF, it's going to get very expensive for
any larger job. My conclusion was those abrasives were good for small
jobs, or if you have a closed sandblasting system.
Smitty Two
David Nebenzahl <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote:
I'll have to go along with most of the other respondents and say that to
do this job adequately, you'll need several thousand dollars worth of
blaster plus compressor. Hire the job out.
charlie
"David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
> On 5/16/2008 3:01 PM charlie spake thus:
>
>> "David Nebenzahl" <nob...@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
>> news:482dc211$0$11207$8226...@news.adtechcomputers.com...
> >
>>> Is it this one, or similar? (This one's a 40 lb. unit, same price):
>>> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202
>>
>> this is the one i use on glass and knocking the rust off of metals. you
>> can also get the grit necessary at HF. use AlO. don't use sand or silica.
>> use a minimum of a p95 mask, unless you like silicosis and not being able
>> to breath.
>
> Your application sounds a lot lighter than mine. We need to get a lot of
> old paint and rust off the underside of some metal & concrete stairs.
> Would that grit be sufficient for that? Someone else in this thread didn't
> seem to think so.
>
> And yes, I intend to wear a mask (I have a respirator).
well, i can blow holes in 1/2" glass pretty easily, especially if i use a
large grit size. paint and rust are a lot softer than that. however i do all
of my work in a blast cabinet, which is not something you're going to be
able to do. you're going to need to recover grit in some fashion.
it would be better to hire this job out to someone who has the tools and
know-how to use them onsite.