Karl wrote:
I've decided to take the space-eating plunge and buy a sandblast cabinet. For
decades I've seen the TIP ads in Hemmings, and assumed they were fine. Upon
investigating, I find that most of their competitors advertise much
heavier-gauge construction, and after re-reading TIP's ads, it does sound like
theirs is a little thin and maybe not as sturdy as I'd like, particularly the
interior rack. They do seem to have a comprehensive line of accessories. What
experiences do the listers have?
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Karl - My neighbor has one of the big Skat Blast units (made by TIP) and it
works just fine. I mean, you're not planning on dropping bowling balls on the
thing are you? We use the cabinet all the time, and we've both blasted some
big, heavy, cumbersome pieces without any problems. The grate doesn't sag -
very important - and the unit works terrific.
Some recommendations - (1) buy the biggest unit you can afford/fit in your
workshop - like Godzilla, size matters; (2) Make sure you have a big enough
compressor - we use a big industrial size, 240 volt, two stage 12 horsepower
monster with a 60 gallon tank - again, size matters, also mount it outside in a
shed if you have room, as it can get noisy if it has to run constantly; (2a)
Install in-line water collectors and filters to ensure a steady supply of clean
DRY air; (3) Get a model with a foot pedal - your hand will get real sore, real
fast, squeezing a trigger; (4) For a larger cabinet you'll want two spotlights
to eliminate shadows - it makes it easier to see what you are blasting; (5)
Don't skimp when it comes to the blasting media - buy high quality beads and
don't buy that cheap crappy sand, it creates so much dust and is only good for
about 10 minutes of work; (6) Make sure you get the best dust collection system
you can afford - it makes it so much easier to see what you are doing, and a lot
cleaner in the shop if you mount the collection system outside, with suitable
tubing running through the wall. That's about it for suggestions. Good luck.
Ross Vincenti
64 C coupe
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