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

[TonyAKAVW]

Wow, excellent info, thanks!

I will have to check out building my own cabinet. I had thought of doign this, but was told that unless I lined the inside with metal, I would end up destroying the walls and adding wood matter into the reclaimed media. However lining with metal might not be so tough.

I didn't know that the media went bad at high perssures, but it makes sense. I will look into the pressurized systems and making my own cabinet. Seems like a good way to go to get a reasonably large cabinet cheap.

I just picked up a powder coating gun and some supplise today at Harbor Freight. I'm anxious to see how this turns out.

-Tony