Harbor Freight Sandblaster

[PAULYBOY]

Just got a cheapo grinder and the newest catalog. HF has a 25 lb. bag of 12 grit or 24 grit walnut shell media for a buck a pound. They also have a 20 lb. prwessurized abrasive blaster on wheels for 50 bucks. comes with blasting hood, funnel and manual.

[Steve]

I saw that last time I was in the store.

If only had the room and an air compressor to drive it all. 8-[

.

[posplayr]

Do yourself a favor

Send back the 12 grit (course stuff) it will plug whatever you put it into unless you have 1" hose and fittings.

Ask me how I know? Been there done that one of the most miserable and frustrating things I have done on this motorcycle.

The walnut shells are expensive and can be reused as they will go through the blaster very fast. My brothers Harbor Freight blaster was the big one that would hold just over 3 boxes of the crushed shells. Set up a little booth with tarps so that you can catch the shells, sift them through a piece of window screen (I screwed some boards to either side to hold apart the screen on top of the box.

If you use the coarse stuff you will find that it immediately jams inside of the fittings (sorry been they done that) and you have to get rid of every bit of it. I have been stood there shacking the HF sand blaster over my head like a giant pepper Shaker trying to get all of the residuals out from a collar that was holding the last bit in. If you don't get it all out it will plug and you will have to empty the whole thing again.

REPEAT ONLY USE THE FINE GRAIN THE COARSE WILL PLUG UP EVEN ON THE CHEAP HANDHELD UNIT. Ask me how I know

I did my engine with the walnut shells just make sure all of the ports are plugged taped off. I would strongly recommend to NOT SAND BLAST your engine as the dust is finer that cigarette smoke and very abrasive and will probably ruin your motor is short order.

The fine abrasive is not very abrasive and will clean but will not remove all paint but it also doesn't do any damage.

I plan on sand blasting my GS1100ED frame and painting with Por-15 , this will pit the aluminum so I don't recommend unless you plan on painting.


A thread I started a while back and need to update.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=120529

Good Luck

Posplayr

[feelergaugephil]

Nice comment there.....
I bought the HF sand blaster cabinet ($99, on sale)
The sand leaks out of the cheapy seals, but overall it ok, I wish my compressor would keep up though.
Phil.

[Greg O.]

I bought a cheap pressure sand blaster last November on Ebay. It holds a couple bags of sand. I sandblasted a antique John Deere tractor with it. It did pretty well, but by the tiime I was finished the valve at the nozzle was pretty well worn and wouldn't shut off completely. I am sure it can be replaced. But it worked fine right down to clean cast iron. I think I paid just over $100. Need a pretty good air compressor to keep up. I am sure mine would not have kept up, but was able to use the one at work. But would be fine for a motorcycle frame or engine. Just have to stop and let it catch up once in awhile.

Greg O.