Author Topic: Make your own media blasting enclosure for $50 (Read 8318 times)

wohali · « **on:** January 26, 2011, 08:45:11 AM »

Hi there,

I had a couple of requests for plans for my media blasting enclosure, so here they are.

The enclosure is made from 3/4" laminated MDF, and some spare 1/2" plywood I had lying around. You could use either, but I expect the laminated MDF to last a bit longer. The window in the top is made from Lexan, with a piece of sacrificial poly taped over it on the inside to protect it. Other convenient features:

Double-hinged lid to allow open/close easily
Knocks down flat for easy storage
Clean-out in the bottom from 2" PVC pipe adapter and screw-type plug
Cheap $3 wooden shoe rack makes a decent rack for items to be blasted
Dryer vent clean-out connectors make great connections for removeable sandblasting gloves

If requested I can draw up a full Bill of Materials (BOM). The key Lee Valley knockdown bed hardware is part #94K02.30. $6.90 for a set of 4. The project uses 8 total. For wood stock, you need ~1.5 sheets of laminate/plywood and 2 2x2s. The Lexan sheet is cut down from an 18x24 piece.

My site has an online gallery and plans (PDF).

The finished product!

CB750 side cover ready for cleaning, held over the $3 shoe rack

Double-hinged lid with knockdown bed hardware visible

750 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2011, 09:14:45 AM »

I'm considering doing almost the identical thing on a smaller scale. A parts list would be awesome, thanks

wohali · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2011, 09:22:34 AM »

Sure thing. Other than the knockdown hardware, I used a piano hinge and two regular 3" hinges for the top, three bolts and T-nuts to hold the 2x2 on the top to the back, some aluminum tape to seal edges (temporarily and permanently, and some weather stripping between the bottom and the sides. I also used 2 bolts/T-nuts to hold the top to the sides (allowing only the angled part of the lid to hinge) once fully set up. You can add bolts on the angled part and extra 2x2s there to fully lock the top in place, but I found it wasn't necessary.

For the drain it's a 2" pipe-to-threaded-pipe adapter, in PVC, with the matching screw-in plug. I sawed off the part past the knurled portion on the adapter and glued it into place in the bottom so it was flush. Aluminum tape covers the join there. You'll need the right sized hole saw to cut the hole, or drill + jigsaw.

Everything was bought at Homeless Despot or Lee Valley (for the knockdown hardware). I think I got my bolts and T-nuts at HD but you can find them at Lee Valley too. If more people ask I'll put in the time to gather part #s up on my next run to HD.

If anything's unclear or missing don't hesitate to ask.

750 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 26, 2011, 09:33:28 AM »

So how are you reclaiming the sand? Are you just using a pot blaster or is there some reclamation system I'm not seeing from the picks? Thanks For the Help

Thanks

CaféElite · « **Reply #4 on:** January 26, 2011, 09:36:12 AM »

I would also think some cheap tin on the inside would assist in the longevity of the inclosure.

HedNut · « **Reply #5 on:** January 26, 2011, 09:45:08 AM »

Super Slick... and you speak my language! "Frugal"... I'm not cheap...just Frugal...ahah
(it's my word of the day)

For $50...I'm in! Well worth it...Thanks a lot for posting this!

ksmith0034 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 26, 2011, 09:59:27 AM »

Fantastic! I especially like that it can be folded up for storage. Can you post more pictures and the parts list?

wohali · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2011, 04:29:41 PM »

@750: It's a 5gal pressurized tank sort with a screw top and funnel to fill (link), but it doesn't have a built in reclamation system. I use the 2" plug at the back left. First I lift the shoe trays out and any items I'm working on, and remove the gloves. I put a small container under the plug, unscrew the plug, and tilt the enclosure back towards the hole. Reclaims >90% of the media.

@CaféElite: Yup, some aluminum foil might help, but with what I'm using (30-60 mesh Greenblast, walnut shells, etc.) I've not seen any degradation of the laminate yet. I'm not going to be using this daily or I would definitely line the inside with some cheap sheet metal or similar.

@ksmith0034: Next trip to HD I'll pull together a real BOM and post. What pictures would you like to see that aren't in the picture gallery already?

apex_seeking · « **Reply #8 on:** January 27, 2011, 05:14:04 PM »

I know this is a "project" but I'd like to see this in tips and tricks.

ksmith0034 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 27, 2011, 06:05:10 PM »

Oops, sorry - didn't see that you already had the gallery and plans posted. Thanks!

fmctm1sw · « **Reply #10 on:** January 27, 2011, 06:58:38 PM »

very nice!

bradweingartner · « **Reply #11 on:** January 27, 2011, 08:11:17 PM »

I drew up plans for a similar enclosure but much larger. I spec'd hardboard instead of the heavier material. The stuff is dirty cheap and tough as nails, perfectly suited for the occasional use. I really like the knock down hardware though, that's a slick addition but may make dust control a little harder without sealed seams. The media you use really isn't dusty though.

Good time to mention for those of you thinking of doing this that you should NEVER EVER EVER use silica sand as a blast media. That is all.

wohali · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2011, 06:19:06 AM »

@bradweingartner Thanks for the kind words!

After assembly each time, I seal the seams with some aluminum tape. You could use duct or packing tape, i guess, but I find the aluminum tape removes easier than the duct tape will and doesn't leave behind as much gooey residue. I also ended up lining the vertical seams between the sides and the back with some 1/2" closed cell foam weatherstripping. Even without the foam, it sealed quite well, only leaking media when I accidentally pointed the gun right at the seam.

Since the pictures were taken, I took a spare 18" fluorescent bulb enclosure and mounted it to the back part of the hinged top. It hooks in place on two screws (like a smoke detector or wall phone does) so the unit can still fold flat.

I'm also thinking about adding a baffle (hole behind another piece of board with standoffs) on one side to hook up to the dust collection system. I've hesitated because I don't want the system to vacuum up all the media.

bradweingartner · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2011, 09:29:27 AM »

The baffle and a standpipe would both be good ideas. You might also want to look into converting a 5-gal bucket into a shopvac canister. Rather than hooking the vac up to the box, have it hook into a bucket with its own filter. Gives a second defense against getting the fine abrasive into the shopvac.

wohali · « **Reply #14 on:** January 28, 2011, 10:42:57 AM »

My dust collection system is a Cyclone permanent install type with 6" ductwork, not a Shop-Vac, but that's a great idea.

Once that gets set up (probably not for a while, I want to get this machine back on the road first) I'll post details. It's probably going to be a baffle, with a standpipe, going into a bucket with a coarse media filter, before connecting to the main negative static pressure duct.

bradweingartner · « **Reply #15 on:** January 28, 2011, 12:35:57 PM »

Quote from: wohali on January 28, 2011, 10:42:57 AM

My dust collection system is a Cyclone permanent install type with 6" ductwork, not a Shop-Vac, but that's a great idea.

Once that gets set up (probably not for a while, I want to get this machine back on the road first) I'll post details. It's probably going to be a baffle, with a standpipe, going into a bucket with a coarse media filter, before connecting to the main negative static pressure duct.

Clearly you're a serious woodworker

Elan · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2011, 12:45:16 PM »

beats my "ghetto-blaster". I just used some old kitchen cabinets hehe. works though!

750 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2011, 01:15:06 PM »

Quote from: Elan on January 28, 2011, 12:45:16 PM

beats my "ghetto-blaster". I just used some old kitchen cabinets hehe. works though!

Now that's a great idea. Incentive, smart, thrifty, cool, creative, out of the box (pardon the pun), but definitely not ghetto.nice job.

wohali · « **Reply #18 on:** January 28, 2011, 06:05:24 PM »

Very nice! If I had an old kitchen cabinet, I'd totally do this. Well done! What do you use for a rack and for media reclamation?

Elan · « **Reply #19 on:** January 28, 2011, 07:26:58 PM »

Quote from: wohali on January 28, 2011, 06:05:24 PM

Very nice! If I had an old kitchen cabinet, I'd totally do this. Well done! What do you use for a rack and for media reclamation?

Thanks! I stacked two cabinets high and removed the back from the top cabinet, and the door from the bottom, this made one big chamber. I added some angled wood to create a slope inside. The sand just collects at the bottom. I had some chicken wire for a rack in there, but I found sometimes I had to push the sand down the slopes, so I just took it out. I have a dryer vent hose that I just throw out the window when it's in use. The air coming in from the gun is just barely enough to keep it venting. I tried a shop vac and the glass imploded. The only thing I bought was the gun from harbor freight, and aluminum oxide media. I paired this with a harbor fright powder coat system and it's the best project investment so far!

Zaipai · « **Reply #20 on:** February 03, 2011, 06:24:52 AM »

Very nice, well detailed. So easy even I could make it. If you have the chance could you post info on how the air hose is hooked up, type of media used etc..?

.: Scott :.

wohali · « **Reply #21 on:** February 04, 2011, 10:04:59 PM »

Hi Scott! Sure. Right now the output of the blaster I linked to has a ~1" rubber hose; the deadman gun for the end accepts a standard 3/8" NPT fitting. What I did was get a very heavy duty and high end quick connect for the end of the 1" rubber hose, and attached the mating connector through a 90 degree elbow to the gun itself. I went for the higher end quick connect because the inner diameter of the connect is no smaller than 3/8", whereas the usual type of quick connect's inner diameter is usually 1/4" or smaller. Volume's key in this application so I didn't want to "neck" the flow if at all possible. The heavier duty quick connect is also made from some tougher metal, so I'm hoping the media won't damage it either. So far the 90 degree elbow right before output doesn't seem to be retarding the media flow that much, but I may remove the elbow if it turns out to do so.

For media, so far I have what Princess Auto calls "greenblast," made from recycled glass bottles. It's a 30-60 mesh grit. They also sell "real" glass bead for about 5x as much ($50 instead of $10), and that's pure 60 mesh. Right now the greenblast seems to be pretty good, and it hasn't been hard getting the extra media out of things I'm spraying. Haven't tried anything delicate yet like the inside of the ports, though, so I'll let you know on that later.

I've got a pic on the camera waiting to be offloaded that shows before, 1 minute and 2 minute exposures of a piece of old flat steel to the stuff. You can see some difference, but the real proof is in the feel. Lovely smooth texture to the final piece, with what you can tell is just enough texture to "grip" onto paint or powdercoat real nicely.

Zaipai · « **Reply #22 on:** February 05, 2011, 08:20:35 AM »

Thanks wohali, that gives me enough info to go forward. Good call on the HD quick connector, that would have been some thing I probably would have over looked. I will look at the greenblast. I was also thinking of some softer medium for some softer metals I have that I would like to clean up. Say walnut shells or some thing that way it would be less pitting.

Thanks for the help!

.: Scott :.

wohali · « **Reply #23 on:** February 07, 2011, 02:56:26 PM »

I think on the air hose fitting I went with a Milton "G" type. More detail on this catalog page.

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Author Topic: Make your own media blasting enclosure for $50 (Read 8318 times)