I was searching for any plans for a homemade sandblasting pressure pot made out of an old propane tank (thoroughly washed out of course!). Couldn't find what I needed. The bottom of the tank would be drilled and tapped for the outlet but how would I go about making the top cap? I currently have a small 5gal and I thought a bigger one would be better. I want to use my soda blasting converter from Eastwood to blast some aluminum rims. Any ideas/plans? Thanks to all who respond.
I used a black iron plumbing flange and a big pipe cap on mine. The hard part was making a rubber gasket that wouldn't blow out. I tried an old inner tube but it wasn't strong enough. I forget what I ended up using but I have had it for 10 years and it hasn't blown out.
Mine is pressure assist sandblaster...I used a aluminum propane tank. Sorry i do not have the plans anymore(cant find them)
I've got a detailed how to web book on PDF, not sure if I can throw them up on here with out some sort of copyright BS....any body?
I welded a 2" nipple, and use a pipe cap to seal. Built it like that 25 years ago(now I feel old), and it's still going. I use a large plastic funnel to fill through the nipple. Threads are on the outside, so sand doesn't get in them to screw them up.
Hoping to finally weld the front cross member back into my heap today, I got the bright idea about 4pm yesterday that I ought to sandblast it first. Called the only local blaster, no dice, blaster at construction job site. Normally I'd make one but I really need to keep going on the car so caved in and HF was open 'till 9pm. $45 for the 20lb. pot China blaster with 20% off coupon. If it makes it through this one job it'll pay for itself. We'll see today.
We've used cam-loc hose fittings before......quick and seals up nicely. They might be a little costly, tho' See McMaster Carr items starting on page 317
Just weld a 1" or 1 1/2" nipple on the top, screw a pipe plug in when you want to seal it. It doesn't need to be 100% air tight.
I think I would use a nipple and cap rather then a plug. Media tends to lodge in the threads and a plug can be a little pain to get started. I have a plug on my cabinet blaster I built, but of coarse it is on the bottom. Pipe fittings are tapered. Why would you need a rubber gasket??
I would think twice about using a propane tank if you plan on welding, even washed out. I'm sure there are guy's that have done it but not for me. There was a guy here about 20 years ago that thought he would weld a leak in an LP tank he had repurposed and they only found pieces of him. Just sayin'.
That makes two of us. I longed in just to check whats going on and this was the first thread I opened, then I went to that link and finally got back to the Hamb almost 2 hours later. Now all kinds of ideas are brewing up in my head!!
The rubber gasket goes between the flange and the tank. It was hard to seal because of the curve of the tank, and the pressure. The flange takes a short nipple and then a pipe cap.
I took the valve out of the tank and left it outside in the sun for a couple of weeks then blew it out good with air. To cut the hole I drilled a series of holes close together and chiselled out the middle part. Drilled other holes for hose fittings etc. then welded the fittings in place. 3 old jack handles made legs. 2 lawn mower wheels allow it to roll around. And a handle made of round rod bent to shape. Plus a gauge, hose, etc. It would be easier and cheaper to buy one today but back then they were expensive and you could not buy them everywhere.
Well I set up my $45 HF blaster this morning and it worked a treat except I went through a 50lb. bag in no time, getting about 3/4 of my Corvair front crossmember done (I used the biggest nozzle, comes with 4). Don't mean to hijack the thread, but wanted to mention the HF tank, which is the size of propane tank, is MUCH heavier. I've used propane tanks for air tanks, don't know why the blast tank would have to be heavier duty, but this one is. Off to buy another bag of sand...anyone ever reclaim it?
I always spread out a tarp or plastic sheet and reuse it. You can reuse it 2 or 3 times before it gets worn down. The tarp also makes cleanup easier.
Wait until that P.O.S. rubber cutoff valve on the H.F unit blows thru. I"m still trying to figure out what I am going to do to make that better. My back yard is now referred to as the beach! Oldmics
Use a pressure certified welder to do the welding and have it hydro tested 2X maxium compressor output pressure. Can get very exciting if weld fails under pressure.
Hmm, no rubber cutoff valve on this one, 4 brass ball valves, and the trigger one (at the nozzle) is already stuck open. But, I got the job done, the only thing it wouldn't do was get the caked on grease around the ball joints. And this time I used a tarp and recovered probably at least half of the sand. Ran it through a screen and back in the pail. Anyway, if you're making a blaster, don't use a ball valve at the trigger.
Thanks for all the replies. I may just run a reducer from the soda blast attatchment (1") to the bottom of the tank (1/1") for now just to ge tmy wheels done. But allthese suggestions are welcomed. The soda should only take off clear coat and not do ANY damage to the aluminum, right?
When I built mine I cut the opposite end off and flipped it upside down and welded it back on to the tank. It acts as a funnel then when I pour the sand in it. Before I welded it on though, I drilled a 2 inch hole in the center and put a T handle in the hole with a 3 inch flat plate on the end of the T handle and put a piece of tire tube on it. When I start to put air into the vessel, I lift up on the T handle and the air pressure tries to push it out (but can't due to it being bigger than the hole), and the rubber tire tube then seals the hole. Ready to blast.
Just buy one, the chance of one blowing is not worth it. My friends brother in law made one and sent himself and a buddy to the hospital, he was copying one we had made about 40 years ago. The one we made has a very heavy walled tank. You can reuse sand just sift it thru a screen.
"Anyway, if you're making a blaster, don't use a ball valve at the trigger. " Not the best idea but it will work. Remember to snap the valve open and snap it shut quickly. Don't try to throttle the blast pressure, the sand will wear out the valve in a couple of days maybe less.
I used an old portable air compressor tank, just stood it om end and screwed a 2" pipe nipple in to the bung on one end and teed of that for the air inlet and pressure relief valve. It will easily hold a 100 Lb. sack of media and works well.
The instructions were adamant about that, and I tried to but it still got sticky, then stuck. Maybe just the cheap HF valve. This thing has 4 of them, I guess you can regulate air, sand and mixture for smaller intricate work. And on second thought it may be no thicker gauge than a propane tank, I was thinking of a freon tank I had that was much lighter.
Yep, those chinese valves suck. I put a good quality ball valve on mine, been working fine for years. The hose failed quickly too, replaced it with air brake hose. After all of the "fixes" to my HF blaster, it would have been cheaper and better to get a good one to start with.
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