[azlo]

As some of you know I have the Harbor Freight sandblaster. Everybody has had problems with the cabin sandblasters. But after messing with it all day, i figured it out!! Let me explain.... this is the type of gun I have.



and black Diamond for media from Northern Tool. I was blasting with the gun upside down to see if it would make a diffrence when I realise that the media wouldnt get sucked. I took the hose off and the media would just sit here (see pic) when the trigger aT FULL blast (and gun upside down).



Media was stuck. Of course this very course media, but I also used fine glass beads and it was doing the same. So i took the end of the gun apart.



Took the ceramic end out.



Inside the gun is this insert.



This insert is part of the air feed passage and it meets with the suction passage where vacuum is created. U see where the allen wrench hits the insert in the gun...



Well the media would get clogged there. For some reason course or fine media would get stuck here. So,,, I took the insert & grinded it to give more passage without loosing vacuum.

[azlo]

This is what the insert looks like after grinding it.





Installed the insert back in,,, and now u see the extra space. (allen wrench pointing at the insert.)



Put everything back together. What a diffrence!! I even lowered the psi to 80. And I even took all restrictions from the media feed hose, ( in other forums it is suggested to plug or restrict the media feed hose so you can prevent clogging or the surging effect.). SO now at full throttle I get a constant stream of media!! This is beautiful man!



This would usually take 40mins. It took 15 at most. I am one happy camper. I might even see if i can improove on this but it works just fine.

[matts37chev]

is that the gun that came with the cabinet?

[azlo]

u know I heard people said they had diffrent guns with HF cabinets.

[matts37chev]

i dont have a cabinet, i just use a siphon blaster, out in the middle of the driveway with a bucket of screened sand i get from work
and its tough to use when its raining. plus i have to keep getting more sand
i've always wanted one, but never hear great stuff about them
you may have just changed that

[boatbob2]

Hi,i use a pressure blaster,before i start,i put a large blue tarp,half on the ground,the upper ends of the other half,i tie to 2 seperate trees (i live in the country) then when i run low on sand,i recycle the used sand by running it through a large funnel with a piece of screen stretched over it,to strain out rust or paint particles,i can USUALLY use the same sand 3 times.

[pepi]

Good fix, well done. I love these types of little tricks, cause they will make an almost tool work like a tool.

I have done the same type of thing with a Northern electric ban saw, little refinements make things so much nicer. Keep up the good work over there.

[azlo]

For the some of u thats asking if this sandblast mod works, well heres a vid.
U tell me if it works.



Love the mods.

This is glass beads by the way.

[matts37chev]

looks like it works great
you just need three hands now and it would be even better

[hookedup]

Ill have to remember that with that gun. I had trouble with mine and was givin a differnt gun. The tips wear out sooo fast! I go thru many( I use my cabinet alot!) tips all the time, now i make new ones on my lil lathe out of steel. They dont last long so i make up 10 at a time. If you experiment with pressure and tip hole size, you'll find a happy spot it works best.

[trees]

Thanks for the post!! My son bought the same unit and I do not have very good luck with it. My son does better because he turned the pressure down!! Old dog would never consider that. I will take a look at the nozzle the next time it does not want to work for me and play with your mod.

Trees