LIDL Sandblast Gun and Tyre pressure gauge

[Badwolf]

I used simple sharp sand when the Spitfire was originally done. Just spread a couple of shovelfuls out in the garage overnight and away we went. The handy thing is that the sand gets drier the more its collected and sieved for reuse. Eventually it turns to powder but mixing in some more fresh sand rejuvinates it.

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Bfg said:

I bought the sandblasting gun today.    I now need to see if I can fix my old upright compressor, whose pressure valve was leaking. 

Question now is ; what's the best grit and where-to-buy for best value medium for blasting 1. a chassis and heavier brackets,  2. body panels. ?

Thanks. Bfg.

I hope the gun works as you want it to - glad you were able to get one.

Go to Tescos and buy Children's Playpit Silver Sand - cleaned and sieved already, and works very well.

I use Aluminium Oxide for a lot of blasting, it's great on suspension components and heavily rusted items. If you can't find it anywhere else Machine Mart has it but it can be pricey from them.

[Badwolf]

Tons of ali oxide grit, various grades on fleabay. Don't know if the price is right though

[Bfg]

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^ Down at the marina / boat yard there's a grit-blasting bay, which is used to get anti-fouling off the bottom of boats. I'm sure I'd be welcome to take some  (+/- 100kg !) of only once-used blasting grit for use at home ..for free,  as the marina scoop it up into a skip and pay to have it taken away.   

Most likely it won't be too abrasive as it would have been spec'd to used on fibreglass hulls, but it's worth experimenting with.   All I need to do then is to dry and sift it.  I also happen to know the friendly chap doing the work (an outside contractor) when he finishes a job often has a part of an open 25kg bag left over.  He never takes it home, so my having those would be a matter of being there at that time. 

 

I went out to the shed this evening and tried the old compressor I have.  After a few slaps and a squirt or three of penetrating oil it worked to a fashion - but kept cutting out again.  There's a reset button on the top which clearly has a bad contact, so bridging a wire across its contacts sorted that out ..at least enough to try it.  The pressure built up to almost 30psi but wouldn't go any more.  I took the crown of the pump off and it has simple flap valve in stainless steel - but the casting it seats on is die-cast aluminium, and that has corroded so the valve cannot possibly seal very well on the piston's downward stroke.  It's too badly gone to re-face, so I guess I'll be shopping for another compressor.  

Mind you.,  after 10 years of not having been used and sitting out in the garden shed it was gratifying to even get it going.  I'm sorry to have to scrap it but with the cost of new ones, it's simply not worth struggling with this small domestic type.  

 

[Bfg]

9 hours ago, JohnD said:

Good advice, which I didn't take (a 'direct drive' compressor, no belt, is MUCH LOUDER!)

Is the only difference the noise, or is a belt drive also better in other ways ?

Thanks.

[JohnD]

The direct drive is cheaper.

John