Full Size Jeep Network

Yea i know - i should run for congress - just cant make a decision

I want the HF desk mount version - but i have WAY too much stuff in my shop and cant afford the room....I could keep it outside but i think the media would clump up in our wet environment

what are your opinions on the portable units on wheels or the pistol style with the tiny container on top?

My needs are very meager - very small parts - so few that i dont mind if the blast media is lost during use....talking a valve cover or a hinge or an antique that needs restoration..... just wish i had MORE ROOM
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I've got one with the hopper on top. Works pretty well but doesn't last long and you have very limited orientation for it to feed.

I had some rust spots on the cowl and below the door on my CJ. I rigged up a hopper from a gallon jug and a piece of hose to feed it and a vacuum hose instead of the catch bag. Didn't make too much mess and I didn't have to stop every few minutes to refill it.

Tripwire,
We had a table top unit when we first put the shop together so we could do small parts like hinges, strikers, brackets, etc.
I tried sand, crushed garnet, glass and soda in it. What I did not like about it was there was too much dust created in the cabinet to be able to see, I was always etching the plexiglass due to the reflection of media once it hit the part or the cabinet sides, and leaked too much dust out of the unit.
I tried using a shop vac and then bought a small dust collector to solve the problem but would loose more media and need to refill.
Unless you have the room for a large cabinet with dust collector I would not do it.

If you have the room outside and won't upset your neighbors, I would get a 50- 100lb. small blast pot from Harbor Freight, Northern Tool, Tractor Supply, etc.
Some of them come with a "deadman valve" which I would leave off, it's not a true deadman to shut off the sand.
You would need to make sure you have an area of yard or driveway that is free from anything that could be damaged by stray blast.
If your in the yard, throw down a half sheet of plywood to help keep from getting your parts in the dirt and killing your grass.
My current small pot is from Tractor Supply and have been using and rebuilding it for the last 10 years.
I use number 5 sand because it's the finest I can get from one of the hardware stores and, I always strain it with 2 or 3 layers of window screen to keep any stray large grains or rocks from causing a clog in the tip. I have also used soda in it, but it is so fine it doesn't feed very well, soda needs a steep feed angle.

The one thing I don't like about this particular pot, when the tip is finally worn out, you have to buy a 4 pack assortment kit and only can use 1 maybe 2 of the tip sizes, the 2 smaller orifices are useless. When I can't rebuild it any further, I will probably change brands.

Hope that helps you out!
Holler if you need to!
Dan

When I did my axles in the driveway, with a home made pressure blaster and play sand, I used an old canvas tent to contain the mess.

thanks for the info...i think i am going to buy the eastwood 50 pound pot......probably a bit better than harbor freight

If you were considering using play sand or silica sand as media, coal slag is only like $7 / 50 lb bag at Tractor Supply. No need to risk silicosis.

hi all