I've been looking into the sandblasters from the parts warehouses lately and I was wondering what your opinons were. Does the siphon style really suck that bad and if so what size should I really need with the "closed" type? The biggest project I'll ever do with it will be to sandblast frames and subframes. Thanks!


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I need GM style rear 1/4's for 70-72!! e-mail me.

I have the $20 special from the local hardware store. It is a Craftsman gun and ceramic nozzle insert with a 4 foot hose. You have to provide the bucket and the sand. It will run your Air Compressor to death!!

If you can not find the sand at a local store, try a grave-yard.. That's where I got mine and it was cheap. They use it to ingrave the lettering.

Soon I may build an 'enclosure' to use it with. That sand get's every where!

Siphon guns work ok but the sand has to be bone dry. I spread out the sand on the sidewalk in the sun to dry it. Sand blast over concrete, sweep it up and reuse. Good for small stuff, hate to try a frame or something big with the smaller outfits.

Nothing is simple anymore. Now they tell us that using sand for sandblasting causes silicosis. They recommend using "Black Beauty" instead. Of course it costs much more.

I've used both types of blasters. I have the pressurized system at home now, but the performance difference between it, and a good old siphon feed isn't worth the price difference - IMHO

Silicosis is nasty, so do like the prez and don't inhale. Seriously, doesn't an ordinary dust mask cover that risk? (We all DO use our safety gear, right?)

Reid

I bought a "build it yourself" kit from a company named Skat Blast out of Canfield, Ohio (1-800-321-9260). They will sell you a kit that includes gloves, glove rings, glass, and cabinet drawings, for around $75 if I remember correctly. Cost me approx. $100 to build the cabinet (4 ft x 2 ft). They also sell the guns and safety equipment. Works very well using sand or any other media.

TC#413

I've got a little hand held gravity feed sand blaster that I bought off the Mac truck. Actually works pretty good, that is, after I removed the nozzle and turned the metal insert the right way (see my post in Body Shop). I'm also planning to buy the 40 lb pressure pot from Harbor Freight. That and a good air compressor and I'm all set.

I have found that the air pressure makes the biggest difference. Personally, I have mostly given up on sandblasting stuff myself. I just take the pieces to a local body shop and get them to do it when they are doing other stuff. The big 2 stage compressor they have works better than my single stage ever could.

I have also had a person with a gas compressor (probably about 40+hp) and a pressure sandblaster come to my place to sandblast a frame. Took him only about an hour to clean it completely. He had some real power. The sandblaster was cutting trenches in the gravel driveway 6+ feet from the nozzle. Cost about $220 I think. He usually sandblasts outside metal structure that need cleaning before repainting. I think you could find someone like this in their area.

A siphon gun will work for small parts. I would not even attempt to sandblast a frame Unless I had a big 2-stage compressor.

Peter

72SSAbody baby,

I use a Sears sandblaster. Comes with a 50lb hopper/carrier. Works ok, but it does run the compressor constanly. I also use a Niosh air breather, head cover and full face shield. I made the large cardboard box that the compressor came in as a blaster cabinate, with a glass window. I have attached a small fan to exhaust the massive dust that is created. Sand blasted my frame with a tarp to collect the sand, but always lose some. That was a nasty job under the '68.



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Joe G.
ChicagoChevelle68
Any car past 1972 is just simply transportation, really!

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Don't even waste your money on a siphon blaster (if you can afford a pressure blaster). The pressure blaster will hands down blow it away. BUT....you need a good compressor either way. The pressure blaster is MUCH more efficient at what it does.
I have a 6HP Craftsman that would not do a very good job of keeping up with my 80 LB TIP blaster, so last week I invested in a big 80 gallon 5HP Quincy dual stage compressor. I'm sure it will keep up.

Hint for anyone with a blasting cabinet and a pressure blaster...I combined mine so that my cabinet is now a pressurized unit. The blasting is 5-10 times faster.

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1970 Chevelle "SS502"
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I have a 35HP SCHRAMM gas powered air compressor. I use my Brother's Lindsay pressure blaster with a 3/16" ceramic nozzle. I can't post a picture of it, but the blaster stands about 5 feet tall. It took me about 2 hours to totally strip my frame last summer. This is the only way to go. I also own a pressure blaster, but it is too small for my compressor. I'm currently sodablasting my 66 body with this setup. Doing the entire body inside & out will take me a few weekends. A large CFM compressor and blaster is the only way to do big jobs. Blasting your frame with a syphon unit will take forever and be very frustrating if you live in a high humidity area.