Posted by Nickatwork on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at 7:45AM :
In Reply to: sandblasting info wanted posted by Steve in B.C. on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 at 0:33AM :
I have the small Sears unit. It works OK but makes a huge mess, and is a pain to refill with the small sifter/opening. Now, if you're like me and don't have alot of money to spend, and require usage only for small jobs, once in a while, I'd say the Sears pot will suffice. As long as you don't mind getting sand all over the place. If however, you plan on using a sandblaster often and indoors, then definitely save your money and buy a cabinet.
Sand does mar metal somewhat, and depending on what kind of outcome you want your job to look like, you may want to consider using something other than sand, such as glass beads, etc. In my case with a 42 year old ex-army vehicle, I'm not too concerned, and besides sand is cheap.
Also, if you do get the cheap one, make sure you wear a full jumpsuit, hood, gloves, eye protection and a decent respirator while using it. There is an ailment called silicosis that you can get from inhaling minute sand particles from the air. This is the best reason for you to use the cheap blasters outside. You minimize the risk, however still wear a good mask, not one of those chinsy white ones with the rubber band around your head. Invest in a good one with replacable cartridges that is acceptable for sandblasting.