homemade sandblaster

[getabiggerhammer]

has anyone tried to make a sandblaster? i have a 20" long piece of 10" dia pipe 1/4" wall. i've posted a link to a u-tube video where a guy has made one. my question is, do i need to make the air bypass or can i just run an airline into the top of the tank then bring a hose out of the bottom? what is the purpose of the air bypass?



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Q06euHcVI

[jessehornberger]

You will need the air bypass. If you do not use on you will get lots of media with little velocity. The pressure in the tank just gets the blasting media moving, and then the bypassed air accelerates it out the nozzle. For the amount of time and money you spend to make one, you can buy one for $100.00 at the local TSC.

[getabiggerhammer]

that makes sense. thank you.

[Sberry]

I made my blaster, I was cash poor at the time and it made $ sense since they wanted 800$ for one similar. I bought XXH 1/8 pipe nipples, cut them in half for nozzles. Used old pressure washer hose as the abrasive line.
I didn't use a dead man system to save parts, the tank is 100# LP tank with the top inverted and the fill plug is a rubber grommet from Ford pickup radius arm, fit perfect to plug off a 2 inch pipe.
Not in the pictures but used an old 1 inch steam valve on the bottom to regulate the sand.

[m.k.swelding]

good deal looks real good.