Has anyone built there own sandblasting cabinet?

[243]

They look so simple but I wonder if I am missing something. I would rather build it out of plywood and would think it would save me about 60% over a store bought rig.

[dharmabum]

I built my own after reading an article in Circle Track or something like that about 8 or 9 years ago and it still works great. I used high density waferboard; the stuff that looks like compressed sawdust, and a cheap sandblasting kit for the gun and hose. I use a shop vac to clear the dust during use, its a must! The only thing I had to buy were the gloves that mount through the cabinet wall. I got them from TIP, not sure if they have a website but they advertise in racing and street rod mags alot. I didnt build a hopper to catch the sand, I just drilled a hole in the bottom and push it down into the bucket when I need to. I also put a steel grate in the bottom so that the sand passes through but the piece you are blasting stays open. Make sure you get fine play sand and you still may have to screen out the bigger chunks, they clog the hose and gun. I love mine and am still amazed how well it works to clean up those junkyard parts, etc...best of all it cost about $75 to build.
Good luck

[porkchop]

I would love to buile one. I have a 35 gallon barrel of glass bead in the garage. I have one of the cheap shoulder carried sand blasters but it doesn't work worth a ****. I don't want to waste it.

[Agent Orange]

Are you going to take that drum of beads with you on your move?

[Jeeptruck]

I was at the Charlotte Auto Fair Saturday and saw neat and cheap way to build a cabinet. It was a 55 gallon drum on its side with 2 holes with the standard gloves mounted to the drum and about a 12" x 12" hole with 1/4" plexi-glass caulked and bolted to the drum some cheapo legs and crude funnel system to catch the sand it looked super simple and very easy to build, the guy was selling them for $299.99 and it looked to be about $30-$40 in materials

[porkchop]

Originally posted by Agent Orange:
Are you going to take that drum of beads with you on your move?Yes I am :D . It is a heavy son of a gun.

[Thomas DeBusk]

I'm in the middle of building one. I'm using 1.5 x 1.5 inch angle iron for a frame and I got sheetmetal for the body. The trickiest part was cutting and bending the sheetmetal for a pyramid chute below, but it turned out very nicely. The main part is all welded together, but I have to do the little things like cut holes for the hoses and mount some doors.

My abrasive will just drop out the bottom into a 5-gallon bucket to be drawn back in for re-use. I'll probably put a removable screen at the bottom to clean it as it falls.

Thomas

[Rogue]

i did like dharma, i use a running shop vac to suck out sand only i built mine for like $20 <--- now you're all gonna laugh but it works fine i used 1 x 2 lumber and tarps!!! all it is meant to do is contain the sand i already had the blaster and gloves and hood and stuff eventually you will wear holes in the tarp but i blasted all the stuff i wanted to blast without making a big mess to clean up and then tore it back down because space is limited oh i made it 4' square or big enough to hold a door

[Torque]

Check out this site

http://www.geocities.com/chipmaker36043/

then click on bead blast cabinet

[River Beast]

I found this on the web... pretty staright fwd for the setup... then just build a box

http://www.gothos.com/btw/tech1.html#sand

[Damage, Inc.]

The propane tank thing is a cool idea; I want something to blast my frame. Thanks RB.

However, I'll have to say that building your own cabinet probably won't be worth it in the end, especially if you consider the time and materials invested. I paid $200 for mine from HF and am VERY pleased with it. Extremely pleased, actually.
If you're making one out of wood, the time it takes to get the double-mitre cuts just right for the hopper is worth the $200 alone!!
But that's just me. smile.gif

[porkchop]

So how much air pressure is needed to run a box?

[River Beast]

Damage Inc.

hehe.... I just went to HF's site and look what I found....LMAO!!!

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=44762

$60

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/44700-44799/44762.gif

and this:

for $119

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42790

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/42700-42799/42790.gif

[ September 19, 2002, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: River Beast ]

[Damage, Inc.]

Yeah, but this is the one I got.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/39100-39199/39170.gif

Plus, if I spend $20 on parts for the propane tank one, Momma doesn't notice. If I spend $60 for the one from HF, she REALLY notices, i.e. I don't get my TeraLow kit or Ox lockers or any of the other goodies.

[porkchop]

Plus, if I spend $20 on parts for the propane tank one, Momma doesn't notice. If I spend $60 for the one from HF, she REALLY notices I heard that!

[Damage, Inc.]

LOL...you have an 'Appropriations Committee', too? :D

[2j20's]

i did one up just like the one JEEPTRUCK is talking about and i have 20 bucks in it !!! but i did ad a window-light-fan that add 55 more bucks.works great

[Rogue]

Originally posted by River Beast:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/44700-44799/44762.gif

thats the sandblaster i bought works great! it would take a while to do a whole frame but how many times you gonna do a whole frame? works great for small - medium size projects

[SCscoutguy]

I see to remember last year someone on the board made their own blast cabinet using plywood. I searched with a bunch of different terms but I can not find the thread. Anyone remember who did this?

[supercopjason]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94978

This ones rather cheap.

[SCscoutguy]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94978

This ones rather cheap.
I have that exact model. I am wanting to make my own larger model.