Sandblaster Dust Collector

[mopar_nut_440_6]

Hello,

I have a mid size sandblast cabinet and am having issues with dust building up in the cabinet and causing visibility problems as well as lots of dust in the shop. I have looked around and commercial dust collection systems are available but are very expensive.

Has anybody made a unit to extract dust from their blasters? If so and pictures and ideas? I have a shop vac but the dust would draw through the motor and likely take out the bearings as well as suck out lots of the blast media. I could also add filters before the motor but would rather build something which works rather than trial and error.

Thanks,

James

[36 Dodge Brothers]

I use one from TP tools, the link is attached. It also can be that your media has broken down to small particles and that will also cause visibility issues.

http://www.tptools.com/p/2322,52_Vac-35-Vacuum-System.html

Marco

[John_Kunkel]

Many cheaper blast cabinets just use a shop vacuum for dust extraction, be sure there is a baffle over the hole that the vac hose plugs into and make the hole high in the cabinet. The filter in the vacuum will keep the dust from the motor.

[Chatt69chgr]

I mounted a small shop vac under the cabinet.  My cabinet is from Harbor Freight and has the legs.  I'm still having some visibility problems so I have purchased two outdoor floodlights to mount in each end of the cabinet.  I'm hoping this will improve visibility.  But the nice dust collector from TP tools mentioned is probably the best way to go if you have the $$.  No matter what, the vacuum cleaner motor will go before too long due to the abrasive dust getting into the motor.  For those that have not found it yet, TP Tools has a page in their catalog that shows how to install a shop air system to minimize water in the compressed air.  I found this to be very useful when installing my air system.

[Silver R/T]

I use one from TP tools, the link is attached. It also can be that your media has broken down to small particles and that will also cause visibility issues.

http://www.tptools.com/p/2322,52_Vac-35-Vacuum-System.html

Marco

that's what we have at my work. Works great. Once in a while we'll empty the bag

[mopar_nut_440_6]

That looks like a great unit, similar to one I used in a shop I worked at unfortunately shipping is a killer for me. Likely more than the cost of the blaster. I have requested a quote anyway.

Anybody have any links to a similar unit in Western Canada/Canada?

If not any other ideas? Would a dust collector for woodwork work as I have seen these around but they do not advertise a micron rating.

Thanks guys.

[mopar_nut_440_6]

Ok, I resolved all of my sandblast cabinet issues this weekend so I thought I would share.

First of all the light that came with the blaster was very poor and I was turning the lights off in my garage just so I could barely see what I was doing. Poor lighting coupled with the dust led to almost zero visibility.

First I purchased a small sealed 150 watt halogen outdoor light and installed it which solved the light issue.
I also purchased a hose kit and high end filter for my shop vac and hooked it up to my blaster. When I fired the vacuum up the first time the suction sucked one of the gloves right off of the blaster as I had sealed the whole blaster with silicone a couple of weeks ago to deal with the excess dust. I guess it is over sealed! I then cut a 2-1/2 inch hole in the back where there is a baffle and this helped a bit but there was still too much suction so I then cut a 4 x 10 hole in the back and installed a scotch brite filter to stop debris from getting sucked in.

Voila, good light and no dust problem now

Thanks for the responses and assistance. 

Cheers,