Sandblasting machine: is it possible to do it yourself at home? – Setafi

Sandblasting does things that other processing methods cannot boast of. In just a couple of minutes, with a few hundred grams of abrasive, your parts will shine like new. And costs are kept to a minimum.

In our article, we will analyze an alternative solution for store equipment - how to create a sandblaster with your own hands. Go!

Is it possible to do sandblasting with your own hands

The average price for such a device ranges from 5 to 10 thousand rubles, depending on the store. The rental will cost about five thousand a day. Think about whether you should do sandblasting yourself, or will it be easier to manage with a large budget? If the budget is still small, continue reading the article.

The sandblasting chamber is made with your own hands simply and from improvised means. On the Internet, there are even several ways of such production. We have collected them together in our article. We will learn how to make sandblasting with your own hands, in more detail.

Sandblasting from a gas cylinder - the simplest design in your home

You can personally assemble a primitive sandblast - based on a cylinder for compressed gas. To do this, we need several components:

• Ball valve - 2 pcs.
• Cylinder for compressed gas.
• Cut a pipe to make a funnel for the abrasive.
• Tee - 2 pcs.
• Hose with 14 and 10 mm passage - will be used to transfer air through the system and remove sand to the part.
• Fasteners of the structure in the form of clamps.
• Insulating tape (or FUM tape, as it is also called).

We proceed to the stage of assembling sandblasting with our own hands from a gas cylinder:

• Prepare the future tank. All gas is cleaned out of the cylinder - so that there is not even a minimal smell. Wash with non-abrasive detergents, having previously released the remaining gas in the tank.
• You need to make holes in the balloon. Above - for falling asleep sand through our primitive funnel in the form of a pipe. Below - then we insert a ball valve there.
• Installing faucets. The regulator is welded or twisted through an adapter.
• Behind the ball valve we install a tee and a mixer. Do not forget to seal all connections with FUM tape.
• We put a second tap on the valve, where we also put a tee.
• The final stage - we install fasteners for the possibility of moving the cylinder (wheels, handles, etc.). What is at hand and how convenient it is to carry - then we put it.
• For greater stability of the tank, corners in the form of supports are installed. Pieces of rebar or pipe may come up.
• We connect all the transmission channels of the abrasive substance: on the tee in the lower part, we install the valve along the fitting. A 14 mm tube is placed between the mixer and the tee. One of the last cells of the tee remains under the injection unit. We attach the sleeve under the sand to the lower tee.

So that the tightness of the structure does not suffer at the stage of work, we put a threaded cover on the funnel pipe. The device is ready - we can install the compressor and test sandblasting in practice.

Option 2 - sandblast from a fire extinguisher

The assembly drawing of this device is not much different from a gas cylinder. We make a plug to seal the top of the fire extinguisher. You can ask a familiar turner to cut one for 50 rubles.

We put a rubber seal on this plug and twist the finished structure into the neck of the fire extinguishing device. This hole will become the basis for backfilling the abrasive.

The next step in assembly is to drill holes. One - in the bottom, one - on the body itself, not far from the neck. Before drilling, clean the place of paint so that the drill does not slip on the varnish.

Drives are welded into the resulting holes. Weld legs to the bottom for stability. Any fixture that is at hand will do.

To facilitate twisting / unscrewing the entire system, a handle in the form of a knob should be welded to the plug. After assembling and installing all the tubes, as described in the example with a gas cylinder, the device is ready to perform tasks.

Option 3 - sandblasting from Karcher (or high pressure washers)

Karcher is a good alternative to a power plant for sandblasting. You can take it or another brand - it doesn't make much difference. The car washer quietly creates high pressure, as it is designed to start water under great force, while water consumption is low.

Our task is to modernize the equipment for solving the problems of sandblasting. For a car karcher, you need to mold a special nozzle to remove sand or other abrasive. What we need during work:

• Purchased nozzle made of ceramic material. With your own hands - difficult, but possible.
• Tube with additional reinforced layer.
• Mixer assembly. Fits a tee with the appropriate nozzle.
• Dispenser in the form of a cylinder for sand.
• Sand supply unit through the nozzle.
• Tube-funnel for abrasive with a transfer channel to the pressurized tank.

Sandblasting based on Karcher works according to the so-called "ejector scheme". What it means: High-pressure liquid flows through the mixer at high speed. As part of such energy-intensive work, a vacuum is obtained in the abrasive supply channel. Under high pressure, it enters the treatment site along with water.

Are there any other options on how to make a nozzle or gun at home?

Self-assembly of a gun for sandblasting is a solvable task. To do this, you can take a standard nut inserted on a ball-type valve. What kind of fitting is this? In fact, this is an ordinary nut that clamps the outlet for air and sand.

You can try to make a nozzle in a lathe workshop or on a personal machine in the garage. Or, alternatively, you can take a spark plug. Such a detail is cut by a grinder. The ceramic part is separated from the body and metal elements. Its length is adjusted.

Cutting a candle is not as easy as it seems. Also, be careful: the candle generates a lot of dust when cutting. Wear a respirator!

Our advice is that if you don’t have the time and equipment, then just go to the store and buy yourself the right nozzle. It is inexpensive, and the efficiency of the factory nozzle is several times greater than that of a do-it-yourself one.

What is the plus of home sandblasting is that it saves money. Self-assembly will cost up to 5 times cheaper than a purchased device. And if you also use a homemade compressor, then the design can cost nothing at all. However, assembly pumps often lack the power to effectively spread sand across the surface of the part.

A good "mixture" is to make a sandblast and put a powerful factory compressor on it.

And what did you get? What are the results? Share with our readers in the comments, we are very interested in the practice of using homemade products and their effectiveness against the backdrop of factory equipment.