Best thing to do to your blasting cabinet.

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The older Harbor Freight cabinet had fluorescent lights mounted under glass. The current design looks pretty inadequate to me. They also used to have a siphon tube like the upgrade kit now sold by Skat Blast. Now it's a much cheaper design.

On the leaking media, you really need a dust collector, otherwise the air pressure will force media and dust out of every orifice. I burned up a shop vac pretty quick because I was using Aluminum Oxide media, which I assume conducts electricity and is not good for vacuum cleaner motors. I switched to the green dust collector from HF and the hose kit they sell. That's lasted a while now and works really well. The dust collector bag has way more surface area than the shop vac filter which plugged up way too fast.

So what I'd like to know is where to get that plastic film that protects the glass. Or an alternative that lasts longer. I'm on my last set, and I run them until I can hardly see anything at all. It always shocks me how much better I can see after I change them.
 
What size protector do you need for the glass?
Tractor supply sell ones that are about 12" x 18" in a five pack for $10.
 
Try using a diy cyclone style dust collector before the shop vac. Also, try using glass over the lights, not plastic. I picked a bunch of windows from a house that replaced theirs and cut it myself to size. Those plastic sheets just do not work well.
 
Gotta leaky H/F cabinet also, went to Lowes and picked up an 18" enclosed flourecent fixture. Don't remember the price but it was cheap. As far as dust collection I googled DIY dust collector and found a neat set up that won't ruin your shop vac. Run 1" pvc into a 5 gal bucket with a lid, run the pipe through the lid with fittings to keep air tight about 4" short of the bottom. Add 3" of water and another male adapter in the top that goes to the vac. Basically using the bucket as a liquid filter system. Again also cheap and works great.
 
Here are a couple suggestions, for what they are worth. Keep in mind, sometimes advice is worth what you pay for it...

Regarding lights. I have the H.F. bench top cabinet. Not big, but I have blasted a lot of stuff with it. Total restore of two cars and now I do glass & mirror etching. I do not have a light inside, I hang one of these H.F. fluorescent work lights on it. http://www.harborfreight.com/fluorescent-work-light-92079.html
I just use the hooks to hang it on the glass. Works fine. Also, if you have the ability to turn the outside lighting down or off around you it will help you see into the cabinet.

Regarding the window film. I used to buy packs of overhead projector sheets from office supply stores. The are about 8.5" x 11" and it would take 3 sheets to cover the glass. Then a buddy gave me a big roll of used clear plastic film sheets that he used in a print shop. It was going to be tossed as trash. That stuff works pretty good and the sheet were large enough that I could cut them down and get about 3 sheets per.

From another site that I frequent, I am now experimenting with fiberglass screening - the type you buy at Lowes in a roll for screen door/window replacement. A light gray screen. I have been told that this will protect the glass much longer than the plastic sheets. I have probably an hours worth of use so far and it does seem to be working as claimed. Being a light gray, however, it does reduce the lighting inside the cabinet.

For vacuuming, I use a regular shop vac with a good filter on it. I do try and clean the filter after an hours use or so. I very seldom use the blaster for more than a hour at a time anyhow.
C
 
clhyer said:
Also, if you have the ability to turn the outside lighting down or off around you it will help you see into the cabinet.
Click to expand...

I also blast in a dark garage. The only light is the light inside the cabinet. It makes a huge difference in visibility.
 
65DartGTConv said:
I also blast in a dark garage. The only light is the light inside the cabinet. It makes a huge difference in visibility.
Click to expand...

Indeed it does! It also works great if you're wanting to be invisible yourself ... they never look for ya in a darkened shop and you can get more done. :-D
 
Leanna, nice to see you contributing to this thread! Nice cabinet you have there. When you have a long item that doesn't fit into the cabinet, do you just leave the one door open or do you try to hang something up to keep most of your media in the cabinet?
Just curious,
C
 
clhyer said:
Leanna, nice to see you contributing to this thread! Nice cabinet you have there. When you have a long item that doesn't fit into the cabinet, do you just leave the one door open or do you try to hang something up to keep most of your media in the cabinet?
Just curious,
C
Click to expand...

Cal, my cabinet's five feet long and everything to date has fit in it just fine. I still have a big 50 pound pressure pot blaster I can drag out into the yard if I get something too big for the SkatBlast though.

Billy started to build up an extension box once out of leftover plywood but he never finished it -- I think the pieces are still piled up on top of the cabinet. I try not to pay too much attention to his projects or else I get recruited to help ... and I have plenty to do as it is. :-D
 
65DartGTConv said:
We don't have a Hobby Lobby here, but I found this at Joann Fabric.

http://www.joann.com/clear-vinyl--12-gauge/1151489.html

Going to give it a try.
Click to expand...

This stuff seems to be working well, although I don't have that many hours on it. It's thicker and seems softer than the shields that came with the cabinet. Sort of like the vinyl on a convertible rear window. Perhaps that will allow the media to bounce off without scratching so much?

The tape I bought is holding but not as good as what came with the cabinet. http://www.staples.com/Scotch-Double-Sided-Tape-with-Dispensers-1-2-inch-x-250-inch/product_649280
I had to run two strips around the perimeter, so I recommend something wider or stronger.
 
I hand built my blasting cabinet,with patterns found on the net and leftover wood. I installed an air matress motor to evacuate dust,and a light. I dont recall what ight,some sort of halogen worklight I think.
 
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