Media blasting in a tent. Yes? No?

A buddy is getting rid of a huge, old junked up tent and it got me wondering...

I have nowhere to keep my car at my house so it's over at a friends driveway and thats where I work on it. I've been waiting to blast it for a while now but the neighbors (who we are in very close quaters to) have asked us not to do anything that would make a mess on their property nor does my buddy want that shit all over his driveway and lawn. Keeping both parties happy is rather important.

Anyways, the tent's huge. I can just about stand up straight in the thing and you could definitely fit something large like a hood inside. Its a thinner summer tent and has "windows" with mosquito netting so I could get fresh air but would also lose some media through it. We can do this away from the houses on his property too, so any mess wouldnt really be an issue. My buddy likes the idea.

SO, what Im wondering is if this is a good or bad idea? I've only blasted in cabinets before so I dont know much about thr risks involved with something like this. I have proper safety gear...hooded coveralls, respirator, eye prot, etc. Any extra measures I should take. Should I not do it at all?

 

No.

 

x 2

 

You could potentially suffocate in there even with the vent windows. Dont do it, just sand it down IMO. Sand blasting is to risky without the right prep and equipment.

 

Thanks. I was figuring there was a reason why I've never heard of something like this being done.

 

I was involved in a turbine rebuild at work a few years back, and that's exactly what they did. The operator was equipped with a fresh-air hood, but it worked well and kept the mess to a minimum, even though the operator was in there for two 12hr days sand-blasting big-ass GE turbine parts for the power plant.

 

just get a da and go to town. I dont think blasting a hood would be any quicker.

 

Zookeeper, Did they pull a vacuum on the tent and have a big dust bag to trap the dust? Did the operator have a fresh air mask?

Just curious. I used to do contained blasting for power companies in the midwestern states.

CrkInsp

 

i built a square steel frame work 10ft by 12ft and about 6ft high and covered it with blue tarps. i blasted a 9" rear and a straight axle and several other parts. i used a full face fresh air system and full hood. didn't due any pressurizing and it worked fine.
i just duct tapped all the edges so there was no loss of sand.
CAUTION!!! : do not try this if you don't have a full fresh air mask. silicosis is a terrible way to destroy your lungs.

 

ditto! i have done it. but with a S.C.B.A. air is a must. that is the down side. you must have a fed air source. the tent will work fine and should hold up as long as tent fabric dosen't take a direct hit. just watch where you aim.

 

I made a small one. The static electricity was a bitch!

 

I couldn't really say if they pressurized the tent or not, but I never saw any sort of forced ventilation system for the tent itself. I do know the operator had a fresh-air hood for certain. It sounds like you've been involved in these turbine rebuilds before, and while these weren't huge turbines (12.5 MW) there must be a million parts that need to be blasted, inspected and refurbished where needed, and done in a minimum amount of time. We all worked 12 hr days x 2 shifts for 7 straight days to get it done ASAP. I hated every minute of being on that turbine deck, it's hot, noisy and monotunous work and lucky me, I had the graveyard shift.

 

Why not soda blast inside of it? less mess and washes away with water.

 

i don't think mess or clean up is an issue with the tent idea. the main topic is tent or no tent. and why. the reason why is to have easy clean up and reduce mess. the why not is any media blasting in an inclosed space is dangerous and possibly fatal if done without a fed air source. this is a respritory hazzard!

 

Had some motorcycle parts soda blasted by a commercial blaster and they did it inside of a tent using a fresh air breathing supply.

 

Might want to check out places like Autobodydepot.com or autobodystore.com, I remember a setup for like $200 that included a full hood, but can't for the life of me remember where I saw it, but the reviews were very good.

 

I work for a equipment rental company. We discontinued renting sand blast pots a few years ago. Reason being the dangers of suffocation. I strongly recommend you use an ambient air pump to supply fresh air to your hood. A respirator is not sufficient. You'll run a high risk of suffocating yourself in the tent (enclosed area). Check local equipment rental companies for availability of a ambient air pump and hood. They're cheap to rent.

 

Here's an idea my Dad use to use. He would blast in a 10ft round horsetank. Caught a lot of sand and media. Lippy