Reputable blast cabinet brands?

[woodchucker]

I have one. You have to caulk the hell out of this thing and blast media still finds a way to get out. The gun is OK, but I think that has more to do with whether or not I'm pushing wet air through the lines and nozzle or not. Agreed on the light. It isn't great, but it is OK.

Every single feature about this cabinet can be nit picked, and they should as far as features go. I don't remember what I paid for it, but it was a fraction of what you will pay for a comparable size and you don't need to pay freight(edit: if a store is near you).

I've used it to sandblast a bunch of parts, probably got about 10-15 hrs on it. But I've easily got 4-6 hrs in between building and screwing around with making it work right.

If you don't mind making a silk purse out of a sow's ear then it is probably worth your interest and effort.

I'm of the belief that if you assemble it with liquid nails during assembly it should be sealed up. But I don't have one, so I don't know for sure.
I also believe it needs closed cell foam everywhere, not open cell.. and like Mike's kit no flat places for material to collect when you open the door, and dump.

 

[pontiac428]

I get confused about statements like this. 2 years ago it was a good cabinet that does all you ask of it... after 20 years you would think you knew.
but 2 years later it's the biggest POS, after 22 years.

It couldn't have been that bad if you stuck with it for 20 years. I know we all reach a point...

I think it's clear that my opinion varies depending on how recently I've used it. It gets the job done and makes a mess at the same time. I run what I brung, but I still make it to the track. I want to replace it, but at 10-20x the cost, it's not bad. See?

 

[woodchucker]

I think it's clear that my opinion varies depending on how recently I've used it. It gets the job done and makes a mess at the same time. I run what I brung, but I still make it to the track. I want to replace it, but at 10-20x the cost, it's not bad. See?

so at 10-20 cheaper it's a good deal. And did you seal it up when you assembled it, or just screw it together?
I get where you are coming from, but I wondered if others mis-read that... IMHO you love the fact that you have a very useable cabinet for cheap.
and it's quite usable with some upgrades and work.

 

[vtcnc]

I'm of the belief that if you assemble it with liquid nails during assembly it should be sealed up. But I don't have one, so I don't know for sure.
I also believe it needs closed cell foam everywhere, not open cell.. and like Mike's kit no flat places for material to collect when you open the door, and dump.

I'm not sure it is guaranteed. The sheetmetal flanges are a bit wavy, mis-formed, and don't line up in the corners perfectly. Even with all of the foam seals and 48,000 screws, its hard to get everything flat and aligned. I suppose if you applied the sealant like you said during assembly and take your time - it is possible. Also agree on the closed cell.

 

[WobblyHand]

Quite a few years ago I bought a Barrel Blaster. As you might guess from the name, the chamber is made from a new, clean 55 gallon steel barrel. While it's not perfect, it is pretty decent. Doesn't leak much at all. Just a minute dusting on a corner that is hard to seal. Has a pretty big loading door on the side. The lighting could be upgraded perhaps, but it is adequate. This blaster occupies a level between the high end units and HF. I bought the carbide nozzles for it. They have lasted quite a while. Made in USA, if that matters. I have no interest in the company, but have had a good experience with the product. If you want to check it out, search for barrel blaster.

 

[Weldingrod1]

A suggestion on light: get a BIG outdoor LED flood light. Put some window screening on it, bulged so it's not touching the glass. That will deflect a large fraction of the beads without having a surface that frosts.
I don't have hours on it yet (work baster), but boy, oh boy, did it light up the box like never before!

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[Weldingrod1]

I used a 150 Watt LED... I couldn't find a photo of the finished product; sorry!

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