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HF Red Media Blast Cabinet - Gun

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Aeroman, Apr 28, 2013.

  1. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    Fellas, I tested my HF blast Cabinet over the weekend. It did well but had a couple of issues I need to resolve.

    First, the gun is mediocre. The trigger is already hanging up. I'd like to replace it with a premium one. Any suggestions? Where to get one? Model Number?

    Second, I need to do a better job in filtering moisture. I have two inline traps that aren't cutting it. Maybe need a better one? Could you suggest a better way to get water out of gun? I'm running a 60 gallon compressor and have the garage air plumbed.

    Overall, it did well in sealing the media from coming out. Thanks.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. You are going to need a moisture trap of some sort,,I have a air dryer but they make a tolet paper trap that's better than nothing. HRP
     
  3. Koz
    Joined: May 5, 2008
    Posts: 2,699

    Koz
    Member

    I have the same cabinet. I found the interior lighting to be pathetic. I cut a panel out of the top and use a fluorescent fixture from Lowes set over a piece of safety glass. Much better. I also replaced the hoses that took a dump early on. Other than that a pretty cool box for $200! Works well.
     
  4. Don's Hot Rods
    Joined: Oct 7, 2005
    Posts: 8,319

    Don's Hot Rods
    Member
    from florida

    I have the same cabinet and the spray gun has been ok but the cabinet leaks sand out of every seam. I've plumbed in a 5 gallon bucket half filled with water and then hooked to a shop vac, and that helps somewhat. As for drying the air, try putting a drop down pipe with a valve on the end in your main line. We have that and it does a pretty good job of removing moisture. Occasionally we open the valve and blow out the trapped water.

    Don
     

  5. Pimpin37zephyr
    Joined: Jul 20, 2010
    Posts: 110

    Pimpin37zephyr
    Member

    Aeroman, Thanks for sharing I have a HF bench top and for the money it's ok, but as you said the gun is poor. Hopefully you'll gets some good suggestion for an alternative gun, cus I need to upgrade too.
     
  6. I have the same cabinet.As Don has said-leaked from every seam after a while... Wiped it with silicone after re-checking all screws,nice and tidy now. On a side note-make sure that thing has some sort of filter/catch if your not using a vac system-it will make a mess.I ran a pcv elbow up the left side with a riceburner air cleaner about 8'' up.Breathes well,and media doesn't escape.
     
  7. okiedokie
    Joined: Jul 5, 2005
    Posts: 4,778

    okiedokie
    Member
    from Ok

    I replaced my HF gun with one from Northern Tools. Seems like maybe $30 and works well.
     
  8. Big_John
    Joined: Mar 28, 2006
    Posts: 334

    Big_John
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    I have one also.

    I upgraded using this:

    http://www.tptools.com/USA-Cabinet-Gun-and-Pickup-Tube-Upgrade-Kit,2320.html?b=s*blaster+upgrade

    and this to light it better:

    http://www.tptools.com/Small-Cabinet-Lighting,1475.html?b=s*lighting

    It now performs much better with no where near as much clogging. I really recommend it.

    The light is really just a waterproof flood light base and you can probably find it cheaper. The only issue with the light is the bulb is a little fragile. Bump it too hard and the filament will break and the light will go out. It's better, but I don't know if it's really the best answer or not.

    I also have an old shop vac that's hooked to the cabinet. Cutting down the dust will help you see much better.
     
  9. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    Yes, the light sucks!!! Thanks for the tip
     
  10. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    Thank you thank you for the replies!!! I do have a dust collector to the left of the cabinet and it helps. I'll snap a pic of it soon.

    As for drainage, I do have one at the drop but it wasn't helping. I don't have leaking media via the seams but I like your idea of sealing it better.

    Thanks again fellas
     
  11. Dan Timberlake
    Joined: Apr 28, 2010
    Posts: 1,530

    Dan Timberlake
    Member

    Hot air holds a lot of fully evaporated moisture. Even a 10 degree temp change makes a BIG difference in the amount of water air can hold. When saturated air goes from hi pressure to low pressure(like in the sand blast gun) it cools down a lot, and the evaporated moisture condenses, like when warm breath hits a cool mirror.
    Even the relatively small pressure drop around a wing can make a vapor trail on humid night.
    http://luckyshotphoto.smugmug.com/Other/WG-09-16-2011/i-5cTTCwf/0/XL/WMG091611TRW41058-XL.jpg

    It helps for the cooling to happen BEFORE one of those (liquid, not vapor) water filter deals, so installing a regulator before the water separator to create 90" of the pressure drop can help a lot. The sequence is the opposite of how some of those combo filter regulators usually are built.

    there are some plans for passive dryers on line. Basically copper pipe at the hot compressor discharge to force cooling and condensation to form and flow into a trap.
     
  12. 33sporttruck
    Joined: Jun 5, 2012
    Posts: 530

    33sporttruck
    Member

    The Toilet Paper Trap is called "Motor Gard" I have two of them that I have used for 20-25 years. At one time you could pick one up at the local body shop supply house.
    They have worked good for my blast cabinet and pressure sand blast pot. Jeff
     
  13. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    Any pictures of your lighting? Thanks
     
  14. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    One of these?

    http://www.tptools.com/1and2-Coalescing-Air-Filter,74.html?b=d*8081



    Thanks for all of the replies.
     
  15. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,829

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    as stated TP tools has all sorts of good stuff. I have the HF blaster as well, nice cabinet, but everything else is crap.
     
  16. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    I too have the same cabinet and the TP tools S25 gun with carbide nozzle - carbide nozzle = very good! I have a drop down water tap and pressure regulator attached and it works really well. Lighting is pathetic but then I use mine outdoors because of the leaks and put a black towel over my head to be able to see the contents. Attaching a shop vac helps and remembering to backwash from time to time to shake the media up is helpful. All in all it is a great deal for the money and I use it for small jobs. I have a huge industrial blaster for the bigger stuff but the HF is used more often as I simply wheel it outside - I mounted mine on casters....
     
  17. 31Apickup
    Joined: Nov 8, 2005
    Posts: 3,367

    31Apickup
    Member

    The TP catalogs (it might also be on their website) has a diagram for proper piping and moisture traps. Ever since I ran steel piping to allow the moisture to condense in the pipe I have not had a moisture issue at all.
     
  18. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    I am using RapidAir Products kit for the plumbing. The MaxAir model.
     
  19. oj
    Joined: Jul 27, 2008
    Posts: 6,454

    oj
    Member

    I drain my tank a lot and before media blasting i bring the gun out of the cabinet and just blast air thru it to get past the moisture. I took the 'pills' out of mine and did away with the hose going to the bottom of the cabinet...that is where all the trash goes when you blast it off the work piece and it would just get sucked up into the hose, i just use a short stub of hose on the gun and hold it into the media. I blast with walnut.
    I want to modify a rotisserie from a barbeque grill and rig it up inside with a nozzle pointed at it, add a basket to the rotisserie and stick small parts in it and let it turn while being blasted while i am elsewhere.
    I hate media blasting.
     
  20. I would also replace the pickup tube with a TP Tools one. Makes a big difference
     
  21. rustang
    Joined: Sep 10, 2009
    Posts: 710

    rustang
    Member

    I found a used 30 gallon upright compressor with missing motor and pump. I used this to build my "Paint and Blast" tank assembly.

    Essentially when blasting in the cabinet, I hook this 30 gallon tank to my 60 gallon upright shop tank, and use it for additional air. The tank seems to take much of the moisture out/cool the air down.

    When painting, I plumb it on a seperate line to an "Aquacheck" filter with a dedicated "painting hose"..., this really supplies dry air.....
     
  22. Scrambler1
    Joined: Oct 2, 2012
    Posts: 19

    Scrambler1
    Member

    Yes to all the small things mentioned.....replaced lamp with a better one, have to reseal the cabinet, moisture taken care of.....works for what I need tho.....Kev.
     
  23. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    Thats a pretty cool idea. Luckily you found a 30-gallon tank for that set up :)
     
  24. Dane
    Joined: May 6, 2010
    Posts: 1,351

    Dane
    Member
    from Soquel, CA

    Maybe I got lucky, but mine works great. I do have dry air which helps alot. I use the TP Tools Coalescing Air Filter after 50' of iron pipe to cool the air. Also, hooking a shop vac to the cabinet helps vision a huge amount. I don't need it yet, but the TP Tools replacement gun is hard to beat when the stocker wears out. You can get replacement guts for them as well. I'm running their First Choice abrasive cause it knocks rust off fast without leaving too much of a pattern on the part. Good for primer right out of the cabinet after a wash.
     
  25. seb fontana
    Joined: Sep 1, 2005
    Posts: 8,444

    seb fontana
    Member
    from ct

    I too have a HF Blaster...I bought a HF cheapo electric sander and a electric speed controler..I bolted the sander to the outside of the hopper about half way down and with the speed control adjust the "vibes" to help the sand move down..Yep the light is marginal, sometimes I have to shut the shop lites off to see better..
     
  26. Black Primer
    Joined: Oct 1, 2007
    Posts: 965

    Black Primer
    Member

    Any pics of that sander bolted to the side? I've been thinking about a way to vibrate the hopper for a while now. Your idea sounds cheap and easy. Thanks!
     
  27. Aeroman
    Joined: Apr 19, 2005
    Posts: 707

    Aeroman
    Member

    x2

    I had to pound the trough to make some of it go down.
     
  28. Clevername
    Joined: Feb 18, 2011
    Posts: 318

    Clevername
    Member

    You could probably use just about any electric motor to provide vibration, as long as you attach something to the shaft that is 'out of balance'.
     
  29. 33sporttruck
    Joined: Jun 5, 2012
    Posts: 530

    33sporttruck
    Member

    Aeroman, That looks very much like what I call The Motor Gard. I have owned mine for 25 years or more. Bought the first one new for about $45.00 and found the second at a swap meet for $10.00................. Jeff
     
  30. I have a HF cabinet also, and the light sounds like a excellent idea. The moisture problem is a easy fix. Most folks have a fridge in thier shop so why not take advantage of an old trick....I took a coiled copper 25' roll and inserted in in the freezer compartment, one side comes from the compressor and the other side goes to my pressure regulator/filter drier and I get "ZERO" moisture past my drier as the heated air humidity is returned to a liquid in the coil and drains nicely in to the resivoir and I do drain it often. The paint stores sell a similar setup for big bucks for the paint shops...Not just for cold beverages but also a shop tool! :D

    [​IMG]
     

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