[59 f100]

hello we got a tractor supply near hear and they have blast cabinets that i could put my transmission in and there like 800 bucks some i think i could put a big block in them but i was wondering if the are worth it or if they are not sealed or something like that

[1939P7]

my opinion... blasting a trans or engine block isn't all that good of an idea, you just need one piece of media on the inside and your going to run into problems later. Better to have it cooked at a good shop .
A friend of mine did a set of heads with glass bead and wound up with a engine that was a boat anchor because he though he had cleaned everything out.

[2000jack]

Originally Posted by 59 f100

hello we got a tractor supply near hear and they have blast cabinets that i could put my transmission in and there like 800 bucks some i think i could put a big block in them but i was wondering if the are worth it or if they are not sealed or something like that

Sounds like a lot of money! I use to work for a guy that when somebody brought in a job he did not want to do he would quote a very high price and hope the person would go away. I think that 1937P7 is probably correct in that it would be very difficult to make sure that it was properly cleaned after blasting. I have used a sandblasting booth (owned by the same guy) before and the stuff goes everywhere. Perhaps some lacquer thinner and a wire brush would be the way to go here.

[cboy]

I can't imagine doing a block or a trans inside a cabinet. Yes it might fit, but how do you get at all the surfaces? When I blast a piece I usually end up holding it in one hand and constantly move it from position to position so I can blast with the gun in the other hand. Moving around a block or a trans inside a cabinet, no matter how roomy it might be, would be a real challenge (aside from the points made above about getting media in places that could wreck and engine or trans). That's not to say that a nice big cabinet wouldn't be good for stuff like wheels, axles, drums etc etc., but I don't think I buy one if my major ambition was blasting a block.

[Henry Highrise]

I would rather have my blocks hot tanked than blasted. You can pay to have a good many blocks hot tanked for what that blast cabinet costs, not to mention that you will have to have a pretty good size air compressor to run it. Blasting media is not cheap anymore either. But you never would get all the media out of oil passages etc. plus one slip and you could ruin a cylinder wall.

[BIG DOG]

Buy yourself a small blast cabinet for your shop to do smaller parts then use your $650 or so dollars to have your block hot tanked . I agree with the others I wouldn't blast my block ....not with sand or glass or a gritty media maybe with
baking soda .And if you still decide to do it take your block for someone else to do probably alot cheaper than buying a $800 cabinet that wil need special compressor possibly and be really big in the shop. Just my 2 pennies .

[roger1]

Originally Posted by cboy

I can't imagine doing a block or a trans inside a cabinet. Yes it might fit, but how do you get at all the surfaces? When I blast a piece I usually end up holding it in one hand and constantly move it from position to position so I can blast with the gun in the other hand. Moving around a block or a trans inside a cabinet, no matter how roomy it might be, would be a real challenge (aside from the points made above about getting media in places that could wreck and engine or trans). That's not to say that a nice big cabinet wouldn't be good for stuff like wheels, axles, drums etc etc., but I don't think I buy one if my major ambition was blasting a block.

I have a big cabinet.
Believe me, cboy is absolutely correct. Forget about it!!!