Yeah blasting makes quick work of cleaning things up doesn't it?
I picked up this up a couple of months ago
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93608It's listed at $249, but if you wait they put it on sale every other month for $199. Harbor freight also has the bench top models.
It does require a larger compressor. I have one that pumps out about 13.2 cfm at 90 psi. It keeps up ok, but if you blast continuosly, you give the compressor a mild workout. And you can connect a shop vac to the dust port. Just get the upgraded filter for the shop vac. There is a device called the cyclone (search for dust cyclone) on ebay, that helps with dust collection even more.
You can use soda in the cabinets as well. You can pick up soda at a pool store. Or Sam's club. The other media I use is coal slag (black beauty, black magnum are it's trade names). The soda is much gentler and is for basic cleaning. The coal etches the metal. Soda get's used on carbs and metal you would polish or don't want to remove any metal from. Coal is used on more damaged material or material that is going to be finished in a another way.
It's a slippery slope though. Once you have the blaster, it's just another trip to harbor freight to pick up a powder coating unit. Next thing you know, you got another $500-$600 on your cc.
Here are some brackets I practiced on.
Battery tray for a 79? mazda. Somewhere I have a middle picture of the tray blasted. I'll try and dig it out.
Got it. And if you live in a humid climated, you gotta either powder coat\paint the part right after blasting or use a phosphate coating or primer. After blasting metal flash rusts extremely quickly. I swear during August, the front side rusting while I was still blasting the other side!!!
After powder coating the tray flat black.
