Gravity feed spot blaster

[c9zx]

Has anyone used the Harbor Freight gravity feed spot blaster gun. It looks similar to the "Speed Blaster"? If so, what blasting media works in the gun? Is the a screen mesh number (40/60) or grit number that works well with the gun? I want to use it to remove black water proofing that is on adobe brick.

Thanks, Chuck

 

[turtle5353]

I bought one from a local autobody supply shop few years ago, not the harbor freight brand, and I had 0 luck with it. It just did not seem to work very well at all. I tried using it to blast hinges on a jeep and the bottom of the tailgate. Didn't work worth a darn. I thin k I was using black beauty in the blaster and I have an 80 gal. Ingersoll rand compressor with dryer and filter and still couldn't get it to work right. It would shoot OK for a few seconds,15-20, then you would have to shake it and giggle it around to get it to spray more. Any time it wasnt completely flat it wouldn't shoot. You might have better luck with it but the one had failed my expectations miserably. Just my experience with mine. Good luck

 

[helldive]

I used a cheap one that only had a house and gun. Didn't even have replaceable tips. I blasted my whole engine bay. Worked rather well but my draw hose was a tad short. I used corse blasting sand and it worked great. I would stay away from black beauty. It wouldn't cut like the sand. Also if you plan well you can reuse the sand over and over. I put a tarp under the car and used a screen to sift the sand. Good luck!

 

[c9zx]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm still looking for the media this thing will actually feed. Chuck

 

[TommyK]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm still looking for the media this thing will actually feed. Chuck

Chuck,

Unitec says anything smaller than 14 grit will work in their Speedblaster. I think that is probably reasonable guidance for the HF version as well.

 

[c9zx]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm still looking for the media this thing will actually feed. Chuck

Chuck,

Unitec says anything smaller than 14 grit will work in their Speedblaster. I think that is probably reasonable guidance for the HF version as well.

Thanks Tommy. I finally git some brick mortar sand dry enough to try. It sort of works but not really. I tried baking soda also, same result. I'm going to get some glass bead to see what happens. Thanks again, Chuck

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I made a suction type blaster 40 years ago for doing small jobs. The key to any of them especially with the tank is to have very dry media no matter what type. Glass beads will be much less aggressive that sand. You should be able to get bags of blasting sand at an industrial supply that is really cheap. If it is not dry send the wife shopping and put pans of it in the oven to dry. If the feed hose is long it takes a lot of air flow to suck the sand out.

Be sure and wear a blasting hood and be careful with your eyes. One of the throw away paper suits from Home Depot with duct tape around cuff and sleeves and the hood will keep you safe. You should wear a respirator to keep the sand dust out of your lungs also or you will be like me with 40% of your lungs gone to COPD. I machined transite, form of asbestos and ground graphite electrodes in tool & die shop for years without one.

David

 

[T-Tom]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'm still looking for the media this thing will actually feed. Chuck

Chuck,

Unitec says anything smaller than 14 grit will work in their Speedblaster. I think that is probably reasonable guidance for the HF version as well.

Thanks Tommy. I finally git some brick mortar sand dry enough to try. It sort of works but not really. I tried baking soda also, same result. I'm going to get some glass bead to see what happens. Thanks again, Chuck

Chuck,

I inherited an old Sears sandblasting unit quite a few years ago. I have used it for various jobs around the house. I've had good success using playground sand found at places like Lowes and Home Depot. It's course enough to actually do something. You do have to use a screen to filter the larger grains as well as the blasting debris if you reuse the sand as I do. I too put up a tarp to capture my sand and to try to limit the clean-up later. Good Luck. T-Tom

 

[71mach1lady]

We have one but have never used it. Actually we may give it a try on a Riviera we are working on. That might just be the thing we need to get down inside the panels. If so we will use the material from our sandblast cabinet and wear a mask


OK, just gave it a try and it is actually quite impressive. I think we will be putting it to some good use. Now let's see how long it lasts

 

[Gold Rush]

Have the HF gravity feed one and for what it cost it does an acceptanle job. Use ed it with glass beads to refinis a motorcycle engine and was messy but did a good job. Using it now on mustang parts that don't fit in my cabinet using coal slag. Slow but a reall huge nice finish. Clogs once in a while but not as much as my cabinet.

 

[c9zx]

My thanks to everyone who has responded. I will continue to experiment with different media. I tried coal slag from TSC and it would not feed at all. Chuck