Hf Sand Blaster Probs With Moisture

[CODEMAN]

I recently got a small blasting cabinet from HF. It works great but I'm having moisture problems. I'm using a small pancake compressor and it gets pretty warm cuz it never stops running while I'm blasting. I know I should get a bigger compressor but is there a practical way too keep the medium dry, like a 100w light bulb or something like that?

Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk

 

[BGHansen]

I have the $200 HF sand blaster cabinet too, use a 4 HP 20 gallon Campbell Hausfeld compressor at around 9 cfm at 100 psi. I had a moisture problem too, solved by putting a water filter in line right at the sand blaster. The one in the attached photo is about $20 from Sears.

Good luck! Bruce

 

[RJSakowski]

The problem with moisture in compressed air which can be dealt with using dryers. Hot compressed air can hold a fair amount of water as vapor. As the pressure drops and the temperature along with it, the water vapor condenses. You can partially deal with the issue by using a ballast tank which will partially condense the water vapor in the tank before the air is passed on to your sandblaster. The water filer recommended by Bruce will remove droplets and mist but water vapor. A desiccant type filter will do a better job but needs to be recharged as the desiccant becomes saturated. This can be done by drying the desiccant in an oven. Refrigerated dryers do a good job of removing moisture by condensing it out by lowering the air temperature (Think condensation on a cold drink on warm summer day). However, they are quite expensive. There are some low cost desiccant dryer listed on eBay.

Bob

 

[Billh50]

I have a 40 gallon 17cfm compressor. The one BG is showing is what I used and it took care of the problem. I leave it on the compressor just before my line shut-off.

 

[David VanNorman]

A larger tank a bigger compressor iron pipe taking your air off the top of the line and pitching the line to a drop and a drain with a valve. sand blasting takes a lot of air. You need to let the air cool so the water can drop out. Have a place to drain it when it drops out.

 

[BGHansen]

My father-in-law uses a piece of 4" galvanized pipe about 12' long as a tank, elevated the output per David's suggestion. He has a ball valve on the bottom for the drain. Works well for him, he has an 80 gallon 2-stage IR compressor. In your case a pancake compressor it might take a half-hour to pressurize the vessel. Not a big deal as David's idea does work, you'll just need to consider the time to raise the line pressure. It's very frustrating to think you're blasting away only to find you've got caked up bead in the gun.

Bruce

 

[Tozguy]

Mine is a water filter like BGs but with a tire type valve on the bottom so it can be emptied with a touch on the valve.
It is mounted at the compressor where the hose connects. For extended sand blasting sessions there is a coil of copper tube around the pipe between compressor and tank that has water running through it to increase the condensation rate into the main tank ahead of the water filter. Humidity levels can be very high around here in the summer.
A certain amount of pressure has to be maintained at the blaster nozzle so that it doesn't clog. If your compressor is not keeping up with the blaster you will have problems even with dried air. To test your supply rate, stop blasting when the compressor comes on and wait until it stops. Then blast until it comes on again. The relative time between using and catching up the pressure will give you an idea of how much more compressed air you need.

 

[kingmt01]

I have one of those little pancake compressors. I use it it the house for small blast of air or when I need lie pressure for testing. It won't run tools or do I expect it to. Biggest tool if consider hooking to it would be a air brush.

They cost almost as much as a small compressor just big enough for that task. HF sales a small compressor for ~$140 that would suit your needs. No need in abusing the little pancake one.

You'll still need to set the air like others have suggested.

 

[ultrapan]

On small compressors coil a 50 ft hose before the water separator this will cool the hot air and condense it .