Posted: 7/21/2017 7:23:11 AM EDT
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I'm thinking of getting a small blasting setup so I can do small parts and whatnot. I am looking at the $190 blast cabinet from harbor freight and a porter-cable pancake compressor (~$200). Would this setup be sufficient to blast small parts to remove parkerizing?
Thanks. |
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I have been looking to set-up the same thing but still confused about what compressor I need.
However, I do not believe ANY of the small volume pancake type compressor will be sufficient. In for someone who can give good advice on blast-tool/compressor combinations |
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Quoted:
If I use a wire wheel to remove the park, would I be able to re-parkerize on that new surface? Or would I have to blast after I put it on the wheel? |
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I've run down the air pressure on 3 phase industrial compressors bead blasting a lot of parts. A little 110 volt pancake compressor is going to give you a hell of a time. If you go into it knowing that you will spend more time waiting for the compressor to fill than time you spend blasting you can make it work.
If you use the blasting cabinet more than once every year or two you will quickly tire of using such an undersized compressor but you can always upgrade to a larger compressor later. |
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I ran a bench top blast cabinet requiring 7-11CFM on a Coleman compressor that would give me 4.2@90PSI, 5.6@40PSI. I recently upgraded to a Craftsman Professional that runs 9.9@90, 14.2@40 and life is much better.
It's not that the smaller compressor couldn't do it, it's that it was constantly running and I would have to pause often to let the tank refill. I run 100grit Aluminum Oxide around 60PSI most of the time for Cerakote prep and the tank refills while I'm blasting. |
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I have the harbor freight cabinet and one of these:
edit: can't get the link to work right, it's an Ingersoll Rand SS4L5, tractor supply #330133299 I wouldn't want to go any smaller on the compressor. I started with a small 2 or 3 gallon kobalt compressor from Lowes (I already had it for tires & the nail gun). I'd get maybe 10 seconds of blasting before the pressure would drop and the compressor would kick on. I could push it, but pressure would keep dropping and I'd need to stop and let it charge up. It'd take a minute to get back up to pressure. The compressor was basically running 100% trying to blast like that, and it's slow. You can make it happen for small parts, but waiting for your compressor like that gets old fast. I still want to upgrade to a better gun, and the harbor freight cabinet needed a lot of caulk to seal. I need to go back and reseal a couple corners. Also, the harbor freight light broke before I got it assembled, I ended up using an exterior house spotlight from lowes for about $10 in the blasting cabinet, it works good. |
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@bandanabandit1
Build your own cabinet for $40 it's what I'm going to be doing. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_19/412910_DIY-Low-Budget-Sand-Blasting-Cabinet.html Way cheaper, larger cabinet area, and you can pack it up and store it under your bench. 
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