The Do’s and Don'ts to Sandblasting
What is Sandblasting?
Sandblasting is the technique by which abrasive particles such as sand are sprayed under intense pressure to alter the surface area of a particular material such as metal. The high pressured stream of abrasive materials are blasted at the surface with the intention of smoothing a rough surface, removing any contaminants that may reside within. This is done using a Sandblasting Pot with accompanying Sandblasting Gun or a Sandblasting Cabinet powered by an Air Compressor. There are many different types of granular material that can be used to do so, however the most common is sand due to its rough and gritty properties. This works in the same way as sandpaper, found in most workshops, to create a smooth texture on the surface.
Surfaces which can be sandblasted?
- Glass
- Stone
- Metals
- Wood
- Plastics Steel
- Brass
- Aluminium
- Silver
How is Sandblasting carried out correctly?
- Pour sand into the sandblaster. Bags of sand can be purchased from Irish Garage Equipment (IGE.IE). The sandblaster will usually have a chamber at the top of the machine where the sand is input.
- Attach the Sandblasting Gun to the Siphon Hose. The siphon hose is used to bring the sand from the Sandblasting Pot to the Sandblasting Gun. If you are using a sandblasting cabinet you will need to insert the gun and the material to be sandblasted into the cabinet itself and secure it.
- Connect the sandblasting machine to an air compressor. We would recommend a 200 Litre Air Compressor which can be found here; https://ige.ie/pacini-200-litre-10-bar-compressor/
- Turn on the machine and in the case where a sandblasting cabinet is being used, insert hands into accompanying gloves.
- Begin sandblasting with smooth strokes and make sure to blast all edges, including the sides.
- When finished, turn off the machine, disconnect the siphon hose to the sandblaster gun, and disassemble the gun itself.
Advantages of Sandblasting:
- Products look cleaner immediately- Sandblasting removes mill scale, oil, and rust which can form on the surface of fresh steel parts that have recently been manufactured.
- Very fast process- Sandblasting techniques, when done correctly are extremely quick and the set-up of the equipment involved is relatively simple.
- Very little equipment needed- Sandblasting Pots and Sandblasting Cabinets are a worthy investment and require very little servicing or repairs.
- Reduces effort required- The cleaning that is required on the surface of metal can be a very long, strenuous process which requires maximum effort when done by hand. The process of machine sandblasting astronomically reduces that effort on the machine operator.
- Variety of abrasive substances- Believe it or not there are actually many different materials that can be used in the sandblasting process apart from sand. Alternatives such as walnut shells, manufactured steel grit, garnet and glass beads can also be used.
- Removal of harmful contaminants- Such as dirt and oil spots, which are usually hidden in hard to reach places. These blind spots are usually more difficult to reach carrying this process out by hand without the use of a sandblasting gun.
- Effectiveness and Efficiency when re-painting- When removing old chipped or scratched paint from a surface area of a metal before repainting, sandblasting is a fantastic way of removing any hardened dirt particles that may be stuck to the surface.
Precautions when using a Sandblaster:
- Please ensure that when sandblasting a metal surface that the product is stored in a dry environment both during the process and afterwards. This is important as the surface oxidation is removed from the metal leaving it exposed to moisture within the air.
- Make sure the correct safety equipment is used when operating a sandblaster. Avoid getting any abrasive material inside eyes, ears, nose etc.
- DO NOT sandblast already smoothened surfaces.
- DO NOT fire the abrasive spray at or anywhere close to other humans as it is extremely heated and could cause serious bodily harm.
Sandblasting is an extremely simple method of stripping metal and creating smooth surfaces. This can be used in a home garage or a commercial workspace. Depending on the size of the project, one will have to consider which machinery will be used such as Sandblasting Pots or Sandblasting Cabinets. Overall the benefits are endless and the precautions are few but MUST BE ADHERED TO when operating.
All of the equipment listed above can be found on Irish Garage Equipment (IGE.IE) by following the links below.
