A sandblasting machine is a device that allows you to clean and degrease finished parts, as well as frost and engrave glass. A fully assembled device is quite expensive, and therefore there is a good alternative: you can make such a device yourself. The device will be of very high quality and will not be at all inferior to expensive equipment, moreover, it is quite easy to assemble from scrap materials.
The principle of operation is to push the abrasive material out of the gun under significant pressure. Do-it-yourself ready-made sandblasting will treat any surface, and it can also frost glass or remove rust from metal.
The principle of operation of the sandblasting machine and its design
Physical principle of operation
A stream of sand is applied to the surface to be treated using a stream of compressed air. Grains of sand, colliding with surface irregularities, remove dirt, rust flakes, paint residues and soil. It is important that the sand is dry; wet sand significantly impairs the quality of cleaning and can clog the sandblaster.
Design
Sandblasting consists of a gas cylinder, a compressed air supply hose and a spray gun attached to it. In the cylinder, air is mixed with sand and supplied through a reinforced hose to the sprayer. A nozzle is installed at the end of the sprayer, forming an abrasive cone. A bypass hose goes from the inlet fitting to the outlet through tees and a ball valve. It is useful for blowing out sand that has accumulated in the sandblasting cylinder.
Types of structures
Types of sandblasting units vary depending on the task at hand. If you need to decoratively process glass, it is advisable to use a sandblasting chamber. To clean parts, an open type device is used. An open type sandblasting machine (depending on how the abrasive is supplied) is divided into several types:
- pressure;
- injection.
The pressure apparatus supplies air inside the unit, as well as into the dispenser of the sand container. The air flow will move, and then the compressed gas will enter the hose with a nozzle. The nozzle will determine the shape, as well as the pressure of the jet. This type of machine is usually used to process large surfaces and can be used for many hours.
The injection apparatus differs in that sand and air will move through different hoses. As a result, a small pressure will be created, which is suitable for short-term work.
Materials and equipment necessary for making sandblasting from a cylinder
Materials you will need:
- Steel gas cylinder 50 liters. The housing must be intact; the valve may be faulty - it must be removed.
- Corners 30x30 for legs - 3 pieces, height of legs - from 30 cm.
- Ball valves - 2 pieces.
- A piece of two-inch pipe.
- Threaded plug.
- Air supply hose.
- Reinforced hose.
Materials required for making sandblasting from a cylinder
- Nozzle.
- Fittings and tees.
- Plumbing tape or thread for sealing joints.
- Necessary tools.
- Welding machine.
- Drill or drilling machine.
- Workbench with a vice.
- Gas wrench or adjustable pliers.
- Dies for thread cutting.
- Bulgarian.
- Files.
Afterwards you may want to paint your sandblaster or mount it on the same wheeled chassis as the compressor.
Accessories for a homemade sandblasting installation
To assemble a sandblasting machine with your own hands, as mentioned above, you need to prepare all the components of such a device. Some of them can be found in your garage or home workshop, and some can be purchased at any construction market.
One of the important elements of a sandblasting installation is the container from which the abrasive will be supplied to the system. To make such a container, an old gas cylinder is suitable, which is made of high-quality metal and can withstand even significant mechanical loads (from a gas cylinder, by the way, you can also make a receiver for a compressor, if the latter is not equipped with one).
You can use a lid from an old fire extinguisher for the filling hole.
In order to fill a container for abrasive material, it is necessary to weld a piece of pipe to a metal container, in the upper part of which, for ease of filling, a special neck is fixed, used as a funnel.
There is always some gas remaining in an old gas cylinder: watch the video on how to safely disassemble the cylinder.
When making a sandblasting machine on your own, special attention should be paid to the choice of compressor. High-quality and reliable compressor units, which can be suitable for completing such a device, are quite expensive, so if you want to save money on their purchase, you can make a compressor yourself, using inexpensive components.
In particular, to manufacture a mini-compressor, the power of which will be quite sufficient for sandblasting at home, you can use ready-made compressor heads from the pneumatic brake drive of ZIL (130-157) and MAZ cars. Such heads must be equipped with a receiver (it can be made from an old gas cylinder), a drive electric motor, and a frame on which all structural elements will be attached.
Homemade compressor based on the brake compressor from the ZIL-130 car
To equip a homemade sandblasting unit, the assembly process of which is well demonstrated by numerous videos on the Internet, you will also need:
- ball valves, which must be highly reliable and durable (which is why it is better to choose such products from trusted manufacturers);
- reinforced rubber hose (at least 14 mm in diameter) capable of withstanding high pressure and constant exposure to abrasive material;
- a gas hose through which compressed air will be supplied, not yet mixed with abrasive material (the diameter of such a hose must be at least 10 mm);
- fittings, which will be used to connect hoses to system elements, as well as collet-type clamps;
- FUM tape, which is needed to ensure the tightness of the connection of all structural elements of a homemade sandblasting installation operating under high pressure.
A complete set of parts for assembling the system: from squeegees to the dehumidifier
Do-it-yourself sandblasting technology
To make sandblasting with your own hands from a gas cylinder, you do not need to have the highest qualifications. Before starting production, you need to make sure that there is no gas residue in the gas cylinder. The easiest way is to fill the container with water and detergent, and then dry it with compressed air.
Do-it-yourself sandblasting scheme from a gas cylinder
In the upper part of the gas cylinder, it is necessary to drill a hole with a diameter of 50 mm and weld a piece of threaded pipe into it and screw a threaded plug onto it. It will serve to fill the sand. A hole is drilled in the side of the gas cylinder to supply compressed air, a fitting is welded into it at the bottom of the gas cylinder, and a third hole is made to supply sand to the nozzle. A fitting is also welded into it. The legs are welded to the bottom of the gas cylinder.
An important stage is the manufacture of the nozzle. In professional installations they are made from expensive alloys. In a workshop setting, you can make do with ceramic housings of used spark plugs. A through hole is drilled in it along the longitudinal axis. Injectors will be a consumable item, so you should take care of their supply.
The final assembly of the sandblasting machine consists of attaching hoses, fittings and tees to each other.
Important! For efficient operation of the device, a compressor with a capacity of at least 400 liters per minute is required.
Sandblasting can be done by any home craftsman who has basic skills and experience in welding and plumbing.
How does a sandblasting machine work?
Having taken up the manufacture of a sandblasting machine, you must carefully study the principle of its operation, prepare all the necessary tools and elements of its design. A homemade sandblaster, if assembled correctly, is practically in no way inferior to serial equipment in its capabilities. At the same time, it is possible to manufacture a device that allows you to effectively carry out work on cleaning surfaces made of various materials with minimal financial costs.
Sandblasting machine diagram
A homemade sandblasting machine, like a serial one, works on a principle somewhat reminiscent of the operating principle of a conventional device for spraying paints and varnishes - a spray gun. Meanwhile, there are still differences in the operation of such devices, which does not make it possible to replace them with each other.
The main element of any device for sandblasting is a compressor, which is necessary in order to create an air flow with the required pressure in the installation lines. Passing through the main hose past the hose for collecting abrasive material, the air flow creates a vacuum, which causes the abrasive to begin to be sucked into the main line and mixed with the air stream. The already formed flow of working material, consisting of air and abrasive, enters the nozzle, through the hole of which it is supplied under high pressure to the surface being treated.
The air inlet is made near the place where the condensate is drained, so that the flow loses most of the moisture, hitting the wall of the receiver
Thus, for normal operation of a sandblasting machine, its design must include not only a compressor, but also hoses of the required diameter, electrical cables to provide power to the working unit, connecting fittings, taps and dispensers.
In addition to the compressor, the most important element of a sandblasting installation, which largely affects the efficiency of its operation, is the nozzle, which ensures the formation of an abrasive jet with the required characteristics. At home, you can only make a ceramic nozzle by using old spark plugs from which the metal electrode is removed. Serial nozzles, characterized by increased wear resistance, are made of steel coated with boron carbide or tungsten carbide, less often - of ordinary steel, cast iron and ceramics (such products quickly lose their characteristics under constant exposure to abrasive material).
Homemade metal nozzles turned on a lathe do not last long, but they cost practically nothing
Alternative manufacturing methods
The many options for homemade sandblasting are determined by the needs of the owners and the different materials available. You can make your own effective installation using products intended for other work. For example, a high-pressure washer unit will help you assemble a dust-free sandblasting machine with your own hands. Below are several working and effective options for homemade installations.
From a pressure washer
You can assemble a sandblaster from Karcher. This car wash creates high water pressure with low water flow. To obtain an efficiently operating dust-free installation, you just need to assemble a special nozzle for the outlet tube. Required:
- a self-made or store-bought ceramic nozzle;
- reinforced hose;
- mixing block, a tee with a suitable fit diameter is suitable;
- feed adjustment unit, cylindrical type dispenser;
- a tube for collecting abrasive, equipped with an air supply path into a closed container with sand or other material.
Water sandblasting from Karcher operates on an ejector circuit. High-pressure water passing through the mixing unit at high speed creates a vacuum in the abrasive supply path. Sand flows in and out with high pressure fluid.
The water sandblaster of this design has some features.
- The flow intensity is high with low water flow. This allows the installation to be used for glass, frosting or other processing.
- For stable feeding, an abrasive of uniform dispersion and small fraction must be used. For domestic use, fine, sifted river sand is suitable.
From a blow gun
Small and efficient - this is how sandblasting from a blow gun can be described. This device will allow you to carry out, for example, body work with fairly high efficiency. However, the performance depends entirely on the compressor used. To assemble the device you will need:
- ready-made pneumatic blow gun;
- plumbing tee;
- ball valve for adjusting the abrasive supply;
- outlet nozzle with clamping nut.
The design is not complicated. How to assemble it can be seen in the next photo.
Either a lightweight powder fire extinguisher bottle or a plastic bottle can be used as a container for abrasive.
Using a spray gun
You can create a homemade sandblast using a spray gun. For this you will need:
- mixing valve from a conventional spray gun;
- handle with air supply mechanism for the spray gun;
- bottle for abrasive mixture:
- tee;
- ball valve regulator.
The operation diagram of the finished device is as follows:
To assemble the structure you will need:
- sharpen the spray gun to use a nozzle of the required dimensions;
- attach the mixing tee to the gun;
- install and secure the supply and circulation hoses.
Important! The supply of sand or other abrasive from the container is started by simply pressing the trigger. The volume of the bottle is enough to treat small parts or surfaces for 20-30 minutes.
What tools and materials will be needed
Sandblasting from a propane cylinder is assembled according to specific instructions. The exact list of materials and tools may vary slightly. But usually you need to prepare the following elements:
- gas cylinder of the required size;
- high pressure rubber hoses;
- tees and fittings;
- round and profile pipes;
- special gun for sandblasting machine;
- compressor.
You also need to purchase a pressure gauge and filters, since with these components the sandblasting machine will be more functional and convenient to use. Tools for work you will need:
- grinder with a metal disc;
- vice;
- drill;
- welding machine;
- adjustable wrench.
It is recommended to prepare a tape measure and a pencil or marker for taking measurements and markings.
The most popular sandblasters of 2022
Sandblasting machine AE&T T06505 19 l.
Sandblasting machine 17 l GARWIN 8866101
N33235 Sandblasting chamber 90 l. AE&T T06301 tabletop
JTC-5324 Sandblaster, 1/2″ hose, max. pressure 250PSI, volume 38l.
Sandblasting gun Fubag Sbg142/3
