14-01-2014, 07:56 PM
Hi,
After a poor start to the day I finally stopped moaning and got off my backside determined to spend some quality time in the garage. First job was to find the benches so I had a good clear out of junk and then tidied up.
I've never been as undecided as I am about whether to sell the blaster or not? The blaster does a top job at cleaning metal but during my short use I found the blaster to be both friend and enemy; What a mess it made in the garage with grit everywhere even though I was blasting on the driveway; the blasting media gained access into my dust mask and worryingly into my safety goggles; these goggles are the standard plastic type with tiny vent holes along the top and the blasting media obviously was finding its way in but fortunately not into my eyes or the blaster would already be history. I don't really deep down want to part with this blaster but then I can't put up with the dirt it creates whilst using the hard blasting medium. I am also concerned about inhaling the blasting media even if only in small doses. I could prevent most of the dirt entering the garage simply by closing the doors onto the pipes whilst I blast in the driveway; sweeping the driveway isn't a major issue as long as it is dry. Last night I was very concerned about the air/water separation problem knowing the blaster tank inner cap and inner filler neck to be wet; I assumed this water was also invading the blasting media?
Intending to get the blaster ready to sell I swept the garage floor then tipped the blaster up to empty the blasting medium from its tank; I was extremely surprised to watch the medium form a large pile on the floor and it looked bone dry? Whilst blasting the nozzle kept issuing a jet of water and then I had to either tap the valves with a spanner or open the blow-off valve to get it blasting again and it is this nuisance of blockages which is annoying me the most. I feel very tempted to hook up the second air/water separator but this time couple it correctly then try the blaster using soda? If soda gets onto the machinery in the garage it won't do any harm and also soda is of little danger to me unlike the hard blasting medium I've been using. Decisions; decisions?
I've had a most enjoyable day in the garage and made progress with paint removal; I didn't want to get everything and myself covered in blasting medium again so I resorted to hand scraping. The two band-wheels were like the rest of the bandsaw covered in very thick hammered enamel and to be honest I wasn't looking forward to removing this paint at all; knowing how long I had already spent using the blaster I thought I would at least try using a scraper. I use an old worn engineers hand file fitted with handle (never ever use a file without handle) this I sharpen across its end taking seconds on my double ended bench grinder.
It was wonderful to have so much room on the bench and I was amazed just how easily this scraper popped the thick paint off the aluminium band wheels. To get right into tight corners I used a craft knife and the job turned out much better than ever I thought it would all in the comfort of my newly refurbished garage/workshop.
The garage/workshop is coming on a treat and what a pleasure it was to work on benches with plenty of space; well lit and to be warm for a change in fact I felt hot whilst scraping even without heat on. I'll need to install the new bearing housings before painting the bandsaw and this involves aligning both band wheels so should be fun but once the bearings are sorted I can remove the wheels without difficulty knowing they will align once re-installed. If more days go like today I might even stop moaning?
Kind regards, Col.
After a poor start to the day I finally stopped moaning and got off my backside determined to spend some quality time in the garage. First job was to find the benches so I had a good clear out of junk and then tidied up.
I've never been as undecided as I am about whether to sell the blaster or not? The blaster does a top job at cleaning metal but during my short use I found the blaster to be both friend and enemy; What a mess it made in the garage with grit everywhere even though I was blasting on the driveway; the blasting media gained access into my dust mask and worryingly into my safety goggles; these goggles are the standard plastic type with tiny vent holes along the top and the blasting media obviously was finding its way in but fortunately not into my eyes or the blaster would already be history. I don't really deep down want to part with this blaster but then I can't put up with the dirt it creates whilst using the hard blasting medium. I am also concerned about inhaling the blasting media even if only in small doses. I could prevent most of the dirt entering the garage simply by closing the doors onto the pipes whilst I blast in the driveway; sweeping the driveway isn't a major issue as long as it is dry. Last night I was very concerned about the air/water separation problem knowing the blaster tank inner cap and inner filler neck to be wet; I assumed this water was also invading the blasting media?
Intending to get the blaster ready to sell I swept the garage floor then tipped the blaster up to empty the blasting medium from its tank; I was extremely surprised to watch the medium form a large pile on the floor and it looked bone dry? Whilst blasting the nozzle kept issuing a jet of water and then I had to either tap the valves with a spanner or open the blow-off valve to get it blasting again and it is this nuisance of blockages which is annoying me the most. I feel very tempted to hook up the second air/water separator but this time couple it correctly then try the blaster using soda? If soda gets onto the machinery in the garage it won't do any harm and also soda is of little danger to me unlike the hard blasting medium I've been using. Decisions; decisions?
I've had a most enjoyable day in the garage and made progress with paint removal; I didn't want to get everything and myself covered in blasting medium again so I resorted to hand scraping. The two band-wheels were like the rest of the bandsaw covered in very thick hammered enamel and to be honest I wasn't looking forward to removing this paint at all; knowing how long I had already spent using the blaster I thought I would at least try using a scraper. I use an old worn engineers hand file fitted with handle (never ever use a file without handle) this I sharpen across its end taking seconds on my double ended bench grinder.
It was wonderful to have so much room on the bench and I was amazed just how easily this scraper popped the thick paint off the aluminium band wheels. To get right into tight corners I used a craft knife and the job turned out much better than ever I thought it would all in the comfort of my newly refurbished garage/workshop.
The garage/workshop is coming on a treat and what a pleasure it was to work on benches with plenty of space; well lit and to be warm for a change in fact I felt hot whilst scraping even without heat on. I'll need to install the new bearing housings before painting the bandsaw and this involves aligning both band wheels so should be fun but once the bearings are sorted I can remove the wheels without difficulty knowing they will align once re-installed. If more days go like today I might even stop moaning?
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
