DIY Cast Sandblast Gun - All the machining

[@opendstudio7141]

Interesting content, evaluation based problem solving, concise explanations - followed by a summery of related thoughts and a forward plan. Add to that, well planned camera work, good audio, well executed video editing and a professional narrator with a pleasant accent. What else does this channel need other that an audience. The perk: Being a machinist is akin to a surgeon, the learning never stops and opportunities for discovery never ends.

[@Preso58]

Thanks for that. I am all for lifelong learning. It's a pity KZbin wasn't around when I was much younger. I have always belonged to a library and when I was at primary school I would seek shelter from bullies in the school library. Technical books were my favourite and by the time I was 12 I had read every book on metalwork and metal lathes that I could get my hands on. Now, I find that books cannot keep pace with the changing technology. Blogs, KZbin and Instagram are the new source of information for me! Regards, Preso

[@pacman10182]

screwing up in the shop doesn't doesn't net you criminal charges and a corpse on the bench (well, except for that one time)

[@hankus253]

Mark I'll probably repeat a lot before me, but having a problem in a project and then bringing us along in finding a solution is an enjoyable part of your projects. Not that I'm hoping that all your projects have problems but you don't fear them when they occur and include them as part of the doings. Thanks bunches from Seattle.

[@Preso58]

Thanks, I embrace the failures! We were in Seattle last year for the fall colours. It was the standout destination of our trip to the USA and Canada. We went up to Mt Rainier for the day and the weather was absolutely stunning. We were blown away with how clean and unspoiled the area was. All the visitors we came across were respectful and courteous and absolutely no sign of litter. We also got across to Port Townsend and the Olympic Mountains. We decided that we could drive around that area in a day but we came unstuck when we realised all the distances were in miles which instantly added about 40% to our travel times. We did make it but it was a late trip home to our accommodation. You are fortunate to live in such a lovely place.

[@SuperHeritic]

Working my way through your videos and I am enjoying them immensely. I see you have a new idea for core box design. My idea is opposing offset ears as a pry point to open them. Much like the latch on the little sewing needle box.

[@Preso58]

That would certainly work. I just finished a new core box for the latest project and the core came out really easily. However I will keep your idea to try out for next time. Regards, Mark

[@kiwiingenuity1677]

Hi Preso I reckon your getting all these newbs, because your content is f ING interesting! Right up there with Mr Pete. I think I learn something new nearly every time like drilling the sand pickup in lathe, very interesting content how you work thru all the issues.

[@garyskowbo3564]

Hi Mark and that is why its also handy to have more than 1 lathe. If a person is fortunate enough to have two. Looks like it has turned out quite nicely. Looking forward to the next phase. It must be your great personality,and interesting content 😁👍 thanks again for sharing your videos.

[@Kevin-gx8lc]

Hi Mark... I know why people are subcribing in ever increasing numbers... it's because you are a great teacher! I've learned so much from you! I'm 62, desperate to retire and want to build and create my own workshop and... well... make and restore things. I love your 'have a go' attitude and the way you overcome problems. If I may, could I suggest a topic for another 'Presser' video...? How about a workshop tour, showing your viewers and subscribers what equipment you have and what it does etc. It's admirable that you are clearly 'of a certain, older age' (no offense!) but you seem to have mastered very modern production concepts... CAD, 3D printing etc., but how did you do that? What was your learning curve...? Maybe a bit a bout your background...? Great stuff, keep it up! Greetings from Southport UK (it's not in the South and it's not a Port - go figure!).

[@Preso58]

Kevin, I have been asked before to do a workshop tour but I would have to spend days cleaning it up to make it presentable. I watched one recently by Stefan Gotteswinter and being German, his shop is impeccable and precisely ordered. I guess my background in teaching had a lot to do with my learning trajectory. I started off teaching metalwork, woodwork and geometrical drawing back in the late 70's. Towards the end of my career I got involved in a competition called F1 in Schools. (google it). It was a technology competition which challenged students to design, build, test and race a model Formula One car from a CNC machined balsa wood blank. It had to be designed in CAD to a strict set of rules and raced on a 20 metre track using compressed CO2 gas as a power source. The cars were tethered to a nylon line and the track was elevated with two cars being raced simultaneously like a drag race. The races were over in one second and they were timed electronically to 1/1000th of a second. In 2009 my team were selected to represent Australia and Canada (it was a collaboration team) in London at the World Championships. We came third outright and first in our class. We got to meet Lewis Hamilton and were invited to tour the Red Bull technology centre and the McLaren factory. The work load was huge and the learning curve was almost vertical but I don't regret a second of it. The kids loved it and you didn't have to beat them with a stick to make them learn. So, I had to learn about rapid prototyping, CAD, CAM, aerodynamics, fluid dynamics and a hundred other things. Now that I have the time and the disposable income I am happy to spend my time in the shop trying new things, and, learning from others which is the thing I love about KZbin. Mind you, I still watch funny cat videos at times. Interestingly, my wife and I are travelling to the UK in September and we are heading up the west coast to Liverpool so we might get to check out your neck of the woods! Regards, Mark

[@markfryer9880]

Are you South of a Port? The UK is known for its funny place names and Australia copped its fair share of them plus the names of certain notable people during early settlement combined with place names from Aboriginal culture and we have a real muddle Such is Life in Australia 🇦🇺.

[@yvesdesrosiers2396]

G'day Mr P. Your in the big times now almost 3300 subs now. Way to Go!!! Very happy for you. Hope you don't get a big head now that your famous and forget the little people. Lol. I'm blown away ( hum )by that gun you are building. Nice work. Thanks for sharing.

[@jimintaos]

I am a glass artist and have been sandblasting for years and have been considering doing something similar for quite a while. A few years ago I was introduced to the Port-a-Blast sandblast gun. With a couple of modifications it works great, but the nozzles cost a fortune. But, all of that said, I find that using a siphon gun is really great for some projects but when it comes to doing some serious blasting, especially with small compressors, I always go to using a pressure pot. It moves a lot more sand with less air. Right now I have a 5 and a 3 hp compressors hooked up and can easily use an 1/8 inch nozzle with the pressure pot. To do the same job with a siphon gun would take about four times as long and I would have to wait for the compressors to catch up. However, your project might just get me to return my thoughts to building the siphon gun I've always wanted.

[@Preso58]

Jim, I find these "real world" comments helpful and interesting. I did a lot of research prior to buying the sandblast cabinet and watched endless videos on upgrades including fitting metering valves and aftermarket guns. Now I am wondering if there was a lot of hype around these reviews and "independent" videos. My own experiments have shown that you can get some improvement in performance but nothing like the claims that were made for some of the aftermarket upgrades. Still, it is rewarding to make something that works even if it doesn't deliver quite what you were expecting. As you will see in my next video, I can now get almost continuous cleaning action even though the delivery hose is not always full. I also feel like I need to upgrade my compressor now as my current machine is over 30 years old. I must try etching glass at some point. I recall a house near where I lived as a child with the most beautiful windows with etched marine themed (sailing ships etc.) murals on the picture windows. Thanks for the feedback. Regards, Mark

[@jimintaos]

@@Preso58 Slow by creepingly slow steps I am closing in on getting my own KZbin channels up. In one of them I will show how I go about sandblasting and carving glass. But in the meantime please feel free to ask any thing about it or compressors that you would like to know. When I learned how to blast I was using a 20 hp Quincy. Then I opened my own shop and had two 15 hp Quincy compressors. I thought that was the very minimum-and for some things I was right. Blasting with a 1/4 inch venturi nozzle at 60 psi keeps even a big compressor running full out. For smaller work, though, I find I can get away with much less air if I am using a pressure pot. I have an old Sears 5 hp and then a really old Sears 3 hp that I bought and replace the compressor head with one I found on ebay for 100.00 . Even for carving the two compressors ganged together are as much as I need, though I have to use a small nozzle. If you look around for a 100 pound pressure pot-maybe from harbor freight I think you will be well pleased with the change in blasting ability. The siphon moves a little sand with a lot of air. The pressure pot drives the sand with the air and depending on the mix valve setting it can be a lot or a little. The less sand moves much faster. The more sand setting is a softer finish and less aggressive. Generally I think 5 hp is about as small as I would like to go but I've worked with some really good glass artists who did wonderful work with 3 hp. Just a lot slower. I like using a cabinet because I can control the sand and the sand pollution, but for most of my work I have a walk in booth with a helmet air feed. I am getting long winded when all I intended to do was let you know I am more than willing to answer any questions I can.

[@Preso58]

Jim, good on you for demonstrating your skills on KZbin. I would be keen to see how you do what you do. Here in OZ we don't have any Harbor Freight suppliers. We have one or two major re-sellers of import tools so there is not much to choose from. You tend to see the same generic machines rebranded depending on who is selling them. Some of the makers you mention like Sears and Quincy would be very rare here. I find it interesting that you would run two compressors in tandem. Also, I did consider buying a pressure pot system, or making one, but space in my shop is at a premium and I did want to have a cabinet to recycle the grit. I used to do it outside and try to catch the glass beads in a wheelbarrow but I would finish the day trying to get it out of my hair, ears and clothes. Plus it would frost over my face shield in seconds. I am now finding that the siphon is still only delivering an intermittent supply of grit but with the improved gun and the metering valve I can get an almost continual blast of grit at the workpiece. I don't know how it does this but I have a video coming out shortly which shows the results. As you will see I have already considered upgrading my compressor.... Stay tuned. Regards, Mark

[@lv_woodturner3899]

Looking good. You have a lot more toys, sorry tools, than I have, so I was surprised you did not have a live centre with diameter large enough for the gun. I am smiling because I have one, or two. Prototypes are valuable in the process. So much to be learned. I hope the second casting will have thicker ends so you have enough wall thickness to round off to desired dimensions. I am eager to see the next episode showing the gun in operation. Dave.

[@Preso58]

Yes, I keep looking at those sets of live centre extensions and I do need to get a #3 live centre. Can you tell my wife that you said it was OK? 😁

[@lv_woodturner3899]

Happy to help. Let your wife read this, you need a #3 live centre or a #3 live centre with replaceable bits, just so you can keep up with me. I did smile at the new cores which were printed with flexible filament. Well done. Dave.

[@Preso58]

Ahh, but it wasn't flexible filament. I printed in a 0.2mm gap in the piece which almost cuts the part in two. I think the technical name for it is a flexure. I'll show it in an upcoming video.

[@bclare2544]

Congrats on the 3k plus Mark,you have very interesting content in your videos.

[@pgs8597]

G’day Mark well done , I’ll be waiting with bated breath for the next exciting episode. Keep it up, cheers Peter

[@Preso58]

Well, it should be out in the next couple of days. The new gun is an improvement but not the stellar, quantum leap I was hoping for. Regards, Mark

[@pgs8597]

G’day Mark I’ll be watching. I don’t have the cabinet but just the gun so I understand your frustration. Not being restrained by having spent $ on the cabinet which I must say is relatively cheap today, I hang my media in a funnel above the gun, it’s the only way to get it to work all the time. Hey if all else fails you could make an elevator to transfer media from a hopper below the unit to a raised hopper above the gun:) Cheers Peter

[@mclem4u]

Very ambitious Mark. I find this project challenging and interesting. Keep up the good work.👍

[@crazyfeller5704]

Congrats on the subscribers, and thanks again for sharing the great content.

[@WrenagadeWorkshop]

Lovely job Mark, that was some very creative workholding and machining solutions, kudos 👏👏

[@Watchyn_Yarwood]

Be sure to allow for shrinkage! Great machine work and looking forward to the new casting!

[@Preso58]

William, I forgot to scale the 3D prints to account for the shrinkage of the PLA and also the aluminium. I normally allow about 2%. I printed the pattern first and then realised too late that it was going to shrink. I thought I would make it with the small machining allowance I had included in the pattern model but it was not the case. I then had to print the core box also without any scaling otherwise it would not have fitted the core prints on the end of the pattern. I am going to make another casting but I am too lazy to make another pattern so I will just glue some cardboard around the end of the nozzle area to make up the difference. I also need to add the LIGHTNING BOLTS to the handle! 😁

[@Watchyn_Yarwood]

@@Preso58 Sounds great! Looking forward to the next one!

[@TomMakeHere]

Looks great Mark Congrats on the 3k Subs! Looking forward to the new fancy lightning bolt gun :)

[@Preso58]

I was just doing the art work for the lightning bolt this morning and I image searched "ray gun" and about the third hit was a picture of a die cast metal toy gun almost identical to the design of the casting. It just had a few rings around the forward end which mine doesn't - yet!

[@TomMakeHere]

@@Preso58 You had better add the 'ray gun rings' as a finishing touch! Just say it is guarding to prevent accidental blow back damaging the viewing window

[@dvdspndl]

You have a great content and great film quality, your videos are pleasure to watch. I'm expecting your channel to grow much more.

[@garagemonkeysan]

Nice video. Always wanted a phaser. : ) Really great work. That drill set up was fancy. Thanks for sharing! Cheers. : )

[@hooper82aus]

Congrats on 3k subscribers mate!

[@iTeerRex]

Ok I take it back :) It looks and well functions much better then plumbing parts thrown together. Cheers!

[@deemstyle]

I am really enjoying following this build! Thanks for sharing!

[@34k5]

Have enjoyed this project, I wish I could post a pic, I have a gun from an old cabinet from the 40's that looks just like your concept.

[@Balsamancnc]

You will have 30 K subscribers by 2020. Great content.

[@CraigLYoung]

Hey Mark, ask your wife if she has any used emery boards. One of the problems that I face with core boxes is sanding smooth the inside radius or along small edges that tend to hold onto your core. You can easily cut the emery board to fit your needs and they gives a nice finish. Here in the States you can buy them very cheaply in packs of ten any where they sell health and beauty products. I like the foam core ones because they're more flexible. Something to try.

[@Preso58]

Craig, I have some of those emery boards in my bench drawer. Totally embarrassing going to buy them at the Chemist shop! I also bought some little flexible sanding sticks and some band sanders. When I was teaching I was coaching a team of students who were making model F1 cars from CNC machined balsa wood blanks. They had to be finished to a very high standard and the balsa came out of the router with quite a lot of fuzz on it. We would have to spend hours sanding back the blanks with whatever we could get our hands on. I was always on the lookout for sanding tools to get into tight spaces. I am now experimenting with core boxes that are split into several parts so that it is easier to remove the fragile cores. If it is done right, you don't need to spend so much time cleaning up the 3D printed core box. I'll be doing a follow up video soon.

[@blfstk1]

Good show, mate. You do good stuff that's fun. You do that and good people will come and subscribe. Simple equation, but it works. I appreciate your efforts.

[@TheUlrikkaul]

I'm a bit envy. Your Colchester is not as noisy as mine MKII. Anyway congrats on the 3K subs.

[@Preso58]

Ulrik, My Colchester is very noisy. I got criticised a while ago for not turning down the volume during some machining footage. So now I mute the sound of the machine. I intend to fit a bigger 3 phase motor soon. My lathe is currently powered by a 1.5hp single phase motor and I think that contributes a lot to the noise. Single phase motors tend to be a bit "coggy" which creates a lot of noise due to backlash in the gears. I believe it also creates a poorer surface finish on parts. I don't have three phase power in my shop but now that VFD's are common and affordable I can fit one fairly easily.

[@aytonbob]

Hi Mark better luck with your next one.

[@spragga1988]

Will you be selling these if u modify more of these gun types or by request

[@Preso58]

I am not planning to make these to order. This one was definitely a one off. Regards, Mark

[@SharkyMoto]

now you surpassed me in subscribers :D congratulations, lets hope there are at least 10 times more until next year!

[@thisnicklldo]

Great stuff. Ambitious project, as usual, which is what makes it so interesting to watch. Do you think there is TIG weld on the inside of the bore where it was filled, disrupting the air flow on the inside? Not much you can do about it now. Probably makes little difference, even if there is, and a new casting won't have that problem anyway, though it might throw off your tests of needle bore diameter a bit? You might need to readjust the needle diameter and position for the new casting all over again (especially as you plan on changing the inner chamber profile), but at least you will have a benchmark to work against.

[@Preso58]

I had a look inside the casting but I can't see any weld protrusion. I will have to tune the new gun all over again so I haven't completely dismantled my test rig. You will see how I tested in the next video.

[@brazideccyrille572]

please have you make plan mape your gun im intresting make one frenche have lathe

[@Preso58]

I do have drawings for the gun. www.dropbox.com/s/kaqqxbsk2hkjpuh/Blast%20gun%20latest.zip?dl=0 You can download the PDF drawing, the STL files and the design data from here. Regards, Mark

[@dirtyknuclesde]

So - are you using a parting tool upside down, and running the lathe in reverse? Or is it just that Aussie down under counterclockwise bathtub drain thing?

[@Preso58]

Yes, the lathe runs in reverse. I find that I break less blades with that style of parting tool holder. They were sold by Eccentric Engineering here in Australia but I think they have upgraded to a T type blade profile now. I thought that everyone knew about them but many people have asked where they come from. www.eccentricengineering.com.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=category&virtuemart_category_id=9&Itemid=110

[@mrdr9534]

@Mark Presling Thanks for another interesting and enjoyable video. And a "possible idea" struck me as You described Your problems with "gripping irregular parts". When You make the "Pattern" for Your casting moulds using a 3D-Printed "model", wouldn't it be possible for You to 3D-print specifically tailored "inserts" that exactly followed the "curvature" while presenting flat "gripping surfaces" for Your vice. I was thinking that since You already have the "3D model" of Your part, it should be pretty easy to make a "negative" to use for the "grip inserts" ? (though "casting and machining" aren't accounted for in the 3-model) Not that it necessarily would have made Your present "drilling conundrum" any easier, but possibly a solution for other projects when You need to grip "irregular objects" ?? Just a thought from an uneducated but interested viewer. Best regards.

[@Preso58]

Yes, that can be done. In my CAD software (Autodesk Inventor) there is a tool called "sculpt" that subtracts one volume from another. In fact that is how I make the impression for the coreboxes. I model the core and then subtract it from the core box. I am also now splitting the core box into more than two halves so that it is easier to remove the fragile core. I saw a recent video by Myfordboy where he did exactly what you are describing. The only thing is that you would need to print the gripping pads at almost 100% infill to make them strong enough to resist crushing. As you have pointed out, the casting does shrink after it cools which would mean that the gripping pads would not be a perfect fit. Afterwards I realised I could have set the whole thing up on a large angle plate with clamps and packing pieces but it was a lot more work. If the casting was just a little bigger it would not have worked as I set it up in the lathe. Regards, Mark

[@axisvaporhoningindustries4312]

Have you checked out Keith Rucker he installed an upgrade from the Tacoma Company I have installed the newest system from Mike could send pics of the new style guns and metering valve

[@Preso58]

Jeff, yes, I did watch Keith's video quite early on and that's what gave me the idea for my own upgrade. I just watched it again and it seems he is getting almost the same flow through the pickup tube that I am getting although the media he uses seems much finer than what I have. I am happy with how my setup is working now so I think it was worth the struggle. Regards, Mark

[@davidfe47]

Mark, When will your The Renaissance DIYer T-Shirts be available? Logo on Pocket T & your wild bird on reverse.

[@Preso58]

Are you acting as my marketing manager now? 😁

[@millie19301]

Mark, enjoyed the video, clearly a labor of love making this item. I'm surprised you don't have a TIG welder yet but I suspect one will be coming. Looking forward to the next installation. How did you determine the increase in suction?

[@Preso58]

Steve, My mate Macca has tried to teach me to TIG weld but I cannot get the hang of it. I find it really hard to feed the wire. My fingers are too stiff to do it smoothly although I can oxy weld quite well. I watch This Old Tony doing TIG and it makes me sick🙄 I envy any and all that can do a neat TIG weld. I have video coming out in the next day or two showing the device I used to measure the suction. It's just a crude manometer made from plastic tubing.

[@millie19301]

@@Preso58 I am looking forward to your manometer discussion. I built one last month to measure the suction on my dust collection systems and to see the difference between ports. It showed me the cut off valves in my system need work. I also watched Old Tony and his recent TIG adventures. I have a Mig and it seems to work well. Thanks for the prompt reply. Cheers!

[@ClaytonwFirth]

Mate, so glad that you popped up as a recommendation today. Great content and well presented. What part of Oz are you in?

[@Preso58]

Clayton, we are living on acreage at Tinbeerwah, halfway between Tewantin and Cooroy, top part of the Sunshine Coast, Qld. Regards, Mark

[@ClaytonwFirth]

Nice, I’m just a bit south on the northern end of the Gold Coast. Nice to see more great local makers.

[@Preso58]

Clayton, I'm not sure if you have already found his channel but check out Scott Turner kzbin.info/door/AVSzq_Tk0B-9uTKzIpkBqg He lives in Townsville and he does the most awesome industrial style furniture with fairly simple tools.

[@davidfe47]

Bravo! Mark ~ The Renaissance DIYer Don't forget to put your initials & MMXIX for the future, Think about using a broken carbide mill for the gun nozzle when you maximize your flow tests. Also, best view glass is used POS [Point of Sale] barcode scanners [from Dan Gelbart] on KZbin Next project, see dividehead on KZbin

[@iTeerRex]

Yes, diamond coded glass and tungsten carbide nozzles are both great idea. btw I wish Mr Gelbart would do more videos. Those 18 videos probably just scratched the surface of his knowledge on the topic.

[@CarlAlban]

Awesome work Sir :)

[@REINERO15486372]

te felicito muy buen trabajo..

[@ruperthartop7202]

Great work

[@chrischapel9165]

Mr pete has tommy the spite mower ...mark has Spite parrots ? LOL

[@eleventeenmachine5991]

Excellent work. Apparently a 3d printer is the way to go for molds and cores. Guess I'll be looking for one.

[@ianbertenshaw4350]

Chris Chapel I have gnarls barkley the dog that never stops barking - ever !

[@yeagerxp]

Excellent !!! 👍👍👍

[@billbaggins]

Bugger.. was hoping to be sub 3000 😁... 3270 will do tho . Good interesting content in the relaxed Aussie way 👍 Cheers from way down south 🍺, my other head says hi too 🍺

[@Preso58]

Bill, thanks for that. I just checked This Old Tony's channel. He has over 500,000 subscribers! No wonder though, he cracks me up every time I watch his videos.

[@billbaggins]

That man is a genius on so many levels.. kinda scary to think what skills his young un will end up with

[@LukePettit3dArtist]

Your 3d printer needs its jerk settings lowered to around 10 and acceleration to around 500 to get rid of the ringing ;-D

[@Preso58]

Luke, I just recently started using Cura and I must say I am very impressed with the range of setting that can be customised. Probably too many. I just about had my old printer dialled in to good settings but I now have a Creality Ender 3 and it is a lot more reliable than my old home built machine. I will take a look at my jerk settings.

[@zband9016]

If you were using duct tape to hold the drill in place I would call it sketchy. I call this being adaptable to your situation

[@jonnafry]

Very flash!

[@sierraspecialtyauto7049]

Mark, if jet wear does become an issue, consider using hardened drill bushings such as this: www.mscdirect.com/product/details/82107350 Available in a wide variety of sizes and easily swapped out.

[@Preso58]

Thanks. I have some CrMo bar stock that my son gave me. He worked in a factory that made hydraulic cylinders. He said they would often machine parts from it and harden it fully for making cutting tools. I would like to give it a try for making a custom nozzle with a convergent/divergent jet. I checked out the link and got all excited when I saw what MSC were selling but sadly, they have no Australian location. Nearest one is China. We do have several industrial suppliers here in Oz that would probably have the bushes though.

[@gh778jk]

Prezza, mate ...pall...dude...WTF? Using Milfucky to drill holes down in OZ? Next you see him putting a vise-grip on the shank of a hardened tap! That stuff is dangerous man.....probably illegal too Pull yourself together man ! Hugs Paddy

[@Preso58]

I said "don't judge me!" 😁 Milwaukee = good, Ryobi = bad.

[@homemadetools]

Clever! If you want more subs, feel free to embed your video on our homemade tools forum; looks like you're one of us :-)

[@Preso58]

Thanks, I just posted one of my older, short videos. I have another coming up that might be interesting to DIYers so I'll put that one up as well. Cheers, Mark

[@tantrinh4754]

talk to much