Bead Blasting Questions Options

[TonyAKAVW]

I'd like to do some powder coating, but I first need to get set up to do the preparation work, which means bead blasting. I have a compressor but I'm not sure if its satisfactory for blasting. I've been looking at the cheapo blasting cabinets from Harbor Freight and they seem to require about 5 CFM at 80 PSI. My compressor can put out maybe 4 CFM at 80 PSI, and has a 21 gallon tank.

Does anyone who's done bead blasting know if this will work? My guess is that it would just be slower with lower pressure, but there must be some point at which it becomes painfully slow. Anyone have experience with this?



-Tony

[Qarl]

Yes... something on the order of 60 gallons is preferred.

I have an 80 gallon that does 11.9 cfm and I can make it run constantly if I bead blast constantly.

Sometimes the powdercoaters will also bead blast so, figure out how much you want to blast. If you spend a couple hundred extra having your parts blasted professionally, it may outweigh the cost and aggravation of getting your own cabinet and dealing with an inadequate compressor.

I WILL say that my compressor and cabinet were one of the better investments I made for this restoration. They have been helpful in a multitude of functions.