Harbor Freight Blast Cabinet Assembly, Upgrades, and Lessons Learned Part 1

BUY THIS CABINET! Seriously this thing is a hidden gem at Harbor Freight. I Discussing Lessons Learned with the Harbor Freight Free-Standing Blast Cabinet. I made some mistakes and they were annoying. Maybe this can help you avoid them.
I discuss the assembly, upgrades, and mistakes I made while building and using the cabinet. Ultimately this cabinet is a great deal. I highly recommend it!
Specialty Parts:
amzn.to/2GyHRoK Knurled nuts
amzn.to/36v6RI4 Metering Valve MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. Watch my 2nd video!!!!
amzn.to/2VVShan High flow air fittings make every air tool dramatically better.
I made a 2nd video here where the cabinet goes from good to GREAT! • Part 2: My Blasting Ca...
I get a small $$ referral if you purchase from these links. Regardless, these are the products I bought myself so I stand behind the recommendations.

[@xeniabucs91]

This is the best video of this cabinet by far. Thanks

[@bloop6812]

You complain about harbour freight so much why do you buy anything from them? Go out and buy one of those $3000 sandblasters!?

[@xeniabucs91]

@@bloop6812 did you fucking read my comment. You fuck face. Did it say I was complaining about it.

[@chrisarneson8644]

@@bloop6812 It's very reasonable to complain about Harbor Freight. While they are certainly cheap, there are tons of their products that have to be significantly modified in order to work well. That shouldn't be necessary from a quality company. I will continue to buy their products because they are so cheap but I will grumble every time I have to completely fix something that shouldn't be necessary on a new tool.

[@bloop6812]

@@xeniabucs91 say what?

[@bloop6812]

@@xeniabucs91 no one is talking to you! Was talking to the person who posted the review. Stay in your lane bro.

[@Kingenuity]

This guy is the Bob Ross of harbor Freight assembly... great video!

[@joncrowninshield4953]

Great video, I put the silicone on while bolting it together and wiped the inside clean

[@philliphall5198]

They work well for most people at home shops and all a nice thing to have around

[@mattferrigno9750]

The instructions look pretty good and clear to me. You should see the manuals I get to assemble home gym equipment, lol

[@09vrodz]

i just got the same cabinet, works like a hero except the bit of surging , figured i was getting moisture or the gun was not performing well, i paid the $179 shelf price and id say its well worth it , i skipped all the lolly gagging with silicone and sealing, i bought a new 5 gallon shop vac with a dust deputy and it does its job well, i did see a bit of material under the trap door but it aint nothin to write home about , i used the factory light and it was ok for about an hour till it got dusty and etched , tossed a few sticky lights between the gloves on the front and that worked good till they etched and the batteries got low, all in all its just fine for the price , i noticed the window seemed a bit foggy after a bit so that will need a little further inspection and ill be making a dolly to put under it , everything went well during installation but i didn't see where the 4 rectangle shims went so i used 2 to shim the door lock straight and the thin trim ring i ended up putting inside the cabinet as per what i thought the instructions said , i didnt opt to use it on the outside of the hopper , in closing its well worth it , needs sufficient lighting - attention to the surge effect , and id recommend putting a furniture dolly under it , nuff said

[@thesteelace2434]

picked one of these up for $75 off a guy near me, hardly used. awesome buy even at the regular price and you have some good upgrade ideas. thanks.

[@sunshine-iv5ff]

Thank you so much for this video. I can't imagine assembling this without you taking the time to share your experience.

[@jimhartley491]

You added the baffle over the air out port for the shop vac. Do you feel this added to the performance of the cabinet? Was it worth doing ?

[@chrisarneson8644]

The reason for the baffle is so that sand doesn't get easily sucked up by the vacuum directly. You want to suck the dust out of the air but not the larger sand which is bouncing around the cabinet. When you are blasting there is sand deflecting in every direction. You want that sand to hit the baffle and drop down into the bin instead of getting sucked up. Yes I think it's worth it. It can be made out of anything. A plastic milk jug would probably work.

[@jimhartley491]

@@chrisarneson8644 excellent…thanx for the quick response, I will add the baffle to my cabinet . I have applied your mods to my recently purchases blast cabinet…great videos.

[@ImTHATguy...]

I had the same problem with the hinge holes for the door. That stupid metal square washer deal was shown to go on top of the foam for the grate system. I thought that was dumb and pointless because it took away from the foam seal, so I put it under the hopper like you did. Mine lined up perfect though 🤷🏻‍♂️. Mine came with clear silicone. I'm also concerned about the sand not flowing off of it very well so I may have to go over it with something else in the hopper later? I see you put tape on those small holes on the door. Love that idea! I didn't see that in the other videos I watched. My wife even asked why those were there and that they seemed like they would make a mess opening the door.

[@munchiesNcrunchies]

You could defiantly upgrade that air-vent you made and make a nice bell shaped curve and throw in an AC vent coil because we ask for nothing, but perfection. I appreciate the recommendation on sealant and gun sprayer

[@davano538]

So do you have to add your own air quick connection to hook to your compressor? I am only seeing the 2 screw-in hose slip fittings. Am I missing something, I'm not seeing how to hook to air hose... Thank you! Great video by the way!

[@ronlafitte6864]

Very informative video! I don’t own one yet but was seriously considering getting one. The way you explain things and the upgrades you described are very good ideas and would make projects a lot easier and less messy! Thank you!!!

[@ericmesi1764]

Got to have a pretty big volume air compressor I was told. I’m ready to try blasting media for the first time

[@maxhammontree3169]

I love how you mounted the glass frame. Brilliant!!

[@jasonurwin5752]

I just bought the same HF cabinet a few weeks ago. After watching several hours of assembly and upgrade videos I was surprised by the upgraded quality HF has put into their cabinets now. Most of the upgrades really are not needed.

[@chrisarneson8644]

Interesting. Since I already have the cabinet I haven't checked them out recently. Thanks for the tip.

[@carljohnson5592]

your screws and nuts correct size for the hinge door are located on the hardware card....

[@watahyahknow]

one thing ive seen done that helps with the chucking in the flow is a pillow vibrator (aliexpress) or a cheap sander mounted to the side of the funnel , it helps getting the grit flow down to the pickup tube , does need a 12 volt adapter

[@simplemitch]

Great video. The caulking info is priceless. When i built mine I followed the instructions and when I finished, I realized the instructions never mentioned the caulk that came with it. I was like, “Sh*t!! Was it supposed to go on between the panels or can I just hit the seams?” I couldn’t find a definitive answer until now. Thanks!! Also a tip: a lot of people add a Dust Deputy before the vacuum to keep it cleaner.

[@chrisarneson8644]

Thanks! I actually did add a knock-off dust deputy and it definitely does help.

[@joeygabagool3066]

Used your video to assemble my cabinet made mods as I went along. Good job on this video. Made life easier. Next I’ll do the metering valve mod to eliminate the pickup tube altogether. One thing I thought about after I was done. Flex seal tape could have avoided all the caulking.

[@67cudaksa34]

i use a large popsicle stick the get a nice radius when using silocone

[@joejones2847]

67 Cuda K/SA they always work great but like everything else in my house you can’t find one when needed so I use a caulk tool now

[@1972Russianwolf]

Just bought one a week ago. Wanted the preassembled bench top model, but was out of stock at my location. It did not come with the silicon so I grabbed a tube a caulk and fixed it up quickly.

[@1D10CRACY]

The newest model has LED lights, but they still seem dim to me. They did away with the tube of culking as well. The pickup tube is similar, stainless, but still "chugs".

[@chrisarneson8644]

Interesting. The extra lights are critical in my mind. I made a 2nd video a month ago on this unit. Ultimately I replaced my pickup tube entirely with a metering valve and the difference was pretty dramatic. I also discovered that airflow to the gun was probably the thing that most affected flow. Once I did all of those no chugging at all.

[@matthewtE]

How does it collect used sand at the bottom? With a collection bag or does it cycle back into the sand container?

[@chrisarneson8644]

Neither. The sand you suck into the gun and spray at your part falls back to the bottom of the unit and then gets sucked back into the gun eventually. There is no separate sand container. It's just gravity collected at the bottom of the inverted pyramid.

[@dertrommler2112]

Just put in a rain check on one of these Sunday. It was in one of their Red Tag sales for $139.99. My HF was out of stock so when the next one comes in it is mine at the sale price! Plus I am going to use a 20% off coupon. So after discounts plus tax I am only going to spend $119 for this thing! Great vid thanks for the tips!

[@chrisarneson8644]

Awesome! Congrats!

[@joejones2847]

This is the best video so far. You do sound like Pat Sajak. The trap door you caulked around the seams you do realize they are upside down and sand would have to flow upward to get through that gap. I did find it easier to put the gloves and glass in last and connecting the hopper to the cabinet was the hardest thing to do. It weighs a ton and was hard to line up

[@chrisarneson8644]

I think you’re saying I didn’t need to call that joint. Maybe you’re right but sand can actually flow like water and there’s a lot of weight/pressure above it. It’s always better to slightly overdo things just to avoid mistakes. Ive had no leaks and I have emptied the sand several times and it works well.

[@VmanJeff]

Good stuff! I could say a lot on the weak instructions for assembly but!! Your video and others are giving me many ideas. I mounted the top piece on top so o can hinge it in the future. And I’m thinking the aluminized HVAC tape would be much better for sealing the corners. It sticks to anything pretty well. We shall see. Thanks for the tips

[@ScroatBagGarage]

Nicely done, I've had one of these for years and did a lot of your mods. Very informative. for some reason it appears your sound when speaking raises and lowers in volume, difficult to hear. I think your moving your head and not talking toward the mic? checking out more vids of yours.

[@daveevans2376]

Hello I've found I get a static shock from time or time .put a earth wire to ground and all's good now ,thanks for the vidio 😁😁😁

[@matamus7423]

Thanks for the video. I JUST bought one new, unopened on Craigslist for $60. It's an older model (no silicone caulk included, impossible hardware packaging). I set it up per the instructions, factory out-of-the-box and I've used it for about 4 hours with glass bead. It works okay, but leaks something awful. My biggest complaint is the hose used for the pick-up tube. It kinks at both ends and you're constantly fussing with it. Lighting isn't too bad - magnetic based rechargeable LED lights make for a quick fix. I agree that it's a steal (especially at $60!), but as you found, it's a lesson in frustration unless you take some extra time to fix the shortfalls. And yes, I think an upgrade to the gun is worth it.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I actually made a 2nd video on the cabinet a year later. I changed the pickup to the bottom of the hopper and it made a world of difference. This is that video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnrccmmoiql2nZo

[@pdiz]

OMG, I came to youtube for help with the hinge bolts (AKA was it a mistake, or is there a different set of screws/washers/nuts I use?) and you answered my question. It doesn't help that the instructions that came with mine are for the OLD model (the model without the foam already installed and without ziplock baggies for the bolts) and so none of the bolt numbers referenced match anything in the documentation. Anyway, thank you, and Subscribed!

[@5212joker]

Do you have a video on how you wired up the light

[@chrisarneson8644]

Sorry but no.

[@5212joker]

@@chrisarneson8644 maybe a few photos to my email. I like your upgrades and want to do the same.

[@perspectivex]

Can you get a SKAT blast gun and take it to a water jet shop and cut it and one of the cheapo Chinese blast gun that came with the cabinet in half so we can see what the real difference is in terms of the internal cavities? :)

[@chrisarneson8644]

perspectivex That’s a great idea. I’d love to see that to be honest. You supply the SKAT gun and I’ll supply the Chinese gun!

[@perspectivex]

​@@chrisarneson8644 hm...let's see if I have one in my R&D box...old boards...nope...old pieces of metal...nope. But this guy made a couple versions of cast aluminum sandblast guns and you can see the geometry he used, which is also interesting: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGqkiamwir1jaJY, kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKS4qqltfdmKsLs. I suspect there's a design aspect you can play around with, the angle you mention at 21:00...either making it more obtuse like in the SKAT gun or like in the sand casting video above, make a bigger internal chamber which gives the grit and air more space to mix and probably lowers the overall air resistance of the gun component of the whole system. Also, you say to "throw the gun away" about the cheap one that comes with...why? I mean, in what specific ways during use does that gun differ from the Clark one you mention? Is the stream more defined? Or does it seem like more air is getting through? Or does the grit come out more evenly? Or does the lever part to turn on/off the air more control of how much air goes through? Or....? I just got the smallest (90liter) Chinese cabinet, the one you see being resold all over the Internet by different brands, and it has the cheapo gun and it seems to work, but, I have nothing to compare it to. So, would I have some kind of revelation if I got a better gun? Cosmic heralds riding unicorns would descend upon my shop and blow their trumpets just before I pull the trigger to announce that something great is about to happen?

[@MattsRageFitGarage]

I bought one of these, the light it comes with is worthless. I bought a cheap $5 plastic body corded work light and hung it from the brackets that hold the factory light, with it still in place. 75 watt bulb lights the inside up very nicely. Ran the cord out the back exhaust vent hole. Happy with the cabinet overall, the stock gun works pretty well with the black aluminum oxide media. Clogs every so often, quick finger purge and it's going again.

[@BigNicky77]

Did you mention what are the specs of your air compressor? Thank you

[@chrisarneson8644]

30 gallon oil lubed Husky from Home Depot. Only barely big enough.

[@timbotimbo4476]

Chris, thanks a bunch for this video, it came in VERY handy while building mine!

[@chrisarneson8644]

I made a 2nd video last week and now the cabinet cleans parts twice as fast. Check it out.

[@timbotimbo4476]

Larger supply line to the gun looks like that's the ticket! Thanks for the info! Regards.

[@scorpk8]

Use talc to remove tack from silicone

[@rondail9757]

I have the same cabinet. And of course I have seen the upgrade videos way after putting mine together. But, I tried that pick up tube mod and noticed a small difference. I think drilling a a couple of additional holes on the pick up tube might help more. I’m gonna try it with mine and see what happens.

[@chrisarneson8644]

Actually I ended up throwing away my pickup tube entirely. I replaced it with a pickup at the bottom hatch. I made a 2nd video on the cabinet. Search my channel for it.

[@jerryquigg3497]

You must also seal - all - all - all - screw penetrations and there’s lots of them! If not done, microscopic & quite dangerous nearly invisible dust/debris particles will escape and this will become obvious to you eventually in time. Should never use silicon sand as media. Also, iPad screen protectors work really well on the inside of the glass window to keep it clear & clean.

[@MarkThomas123]

That's why you have a vacuum.. To create negative pressure, where those problems don't exist.. Think about it.. Doesn't take much of a vacuum to suck up what comes out of the pressure nozzle.. Flow vs pressure.. Think before you speak.. BTW.. We use sand all of the time.. Have you ever spent the day at the beach?? I would much rather sand blast all day with a cabinet like this, than go to the beach and have grit everywhere at the end of the day.. Hey,, there are beaches everywhere. Get your signs and fog horn and get out there tomorrow and tell everyone why they should not be there.. And, take a video of the whole ordeal and post it, so we can see them run your ass off of the beach.. That would be a video worth posting..

[@joejones2847]

That’s why the dust collector with 5 gallon bucket and shop vac come in to play. The atmosphere plug isn’t in most times the particles you speak of won’t be slipping through the holes you speak of because the foam tape seals against that so does the washer and screw head there isn’t space left when it’s tightened. If light can’t get through nothing can

[@classicstangbrn8964]

You didn't mention taping up the holes on the door.

[@richwahneEXPERTSmadeEasy]

Question: How much air do you have available at the blaster? The hose that you attached on the right side looks WAY too small to allow any CFM to flow to the gun. And question 2) what kind of media were you using on your wheels and manifold? Thanks

[@chrisarneson8644]

I am sorry I missed this comment. I made a 2nd video on this cabinet where I actually improve the CFM at the gun and it made a massive difference.

[@andrewfrantz6109]

Great Video. HF owes you a commission, you sold me on this cabinet. Thanks for a great video. Subscribed.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I keep waiting for my commission check. I'll even take HF store credit!

[@markfields8578]

Hey Chris, I know this video has been up for a while, but I was wondering how the led lights you were going to mount in the front are working. Also, instead of cutting the grate, could you build a frame out of 2x4, 2x6, etc to act as a spacer between the cabinet and the hopper? You could assemble that part with wood screws and have a much taller work space. I don't know how fast the blasting would eat into the wood, but it could be painted with enamel paint to give it more protection and it's replaceable if wears out. Just a thought.

[@chrisarneson8644]

The lights up front definitely help but I don't know that they are perfect. It would probably have been better if I mounted them on either side of the window so that they were pointed the exact same direction as you are viewing. Mine might be pointed a tad too low. it's certainly ok though. The spacer idea could definitely be made to work. I don't know that you could ever really replace it simply because it would be impossible to remove the screws. I would also have concerns about how high it might make the cabinet. Ergonomics matter if you're going to be spending a few hours standing in front of it. I have mine on wheels so if you removed the wheels then the added height could be helpful though. I think I am still happy with the idea of cutting down the grate. It gives me quite a bit of flexibility which I like.

[@Whatsthenextstep2]

Chris Arneson Hi Chris thanks for the great video! What size compressor are you using with this cabinet?

[@chrisarneson8644]

@@Whatsthenextstep2 It's a 30gallon Husky Belt-Drive unit from Home Depot. It keeps up just fine.

[@Whatsthenextstep2]

Chris Arneson thanks for the quick reply!

[@OBrodergGaming]

I used this video to put my unit together just last week so THANK YOU. Just wondering what type those nuts are you used to hold the plastic around the glass on? And where can I find em to do this to mine. About 5 of my holes didn’t line up getting it together.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I think I got the knurled nuts at home depot but any good hardware store should have them. Wing nuts would work too.

[@OBrodergGaming]

Chris Arneson thank you! I couldn’t find what they were called

[@markman63]

What air pressure are you using?

[@johngallo448]

I bought the smaller blaster and used the parts in a cabinet made from a clothes dryer.

[@chrisarneson8644]

Wow. That's some serious creativity.

[@joejones2847]

Whatever works. What did you use for a hopper? Or to collect your media so it can be reused?

[@lavernavirden5784]

Killer job on the build and updates keep them coming man. Have you tried putting a small hose down through the pickup tube for more air supply?

[@surfearth1]

Does HF have a better gun?

[@joejones2847]

As for the top flexing I put the end on last since it acts as a cap that and I only put corner bolts in so I could have wiggle room and only barely finger tightened them.

[@davidkramp6901]

How long are your Pick up copper tubes? Did yiu just JB Weld them? I was thinking of doing similar and just solder them together, and maybe add a small cooper through tube for the 5/16 hole

[@kevinhayden8558]

I would also like to know.. thx!

[@sandman70131]

Eastwood makes a nice gun upgrade kit with pedal for $65

[@joejones2847]

I ziptie my trapdoor closed on the hopper. The glass I’ve seen people say they did lots of mods to the glass but wing nuts and run the bolts backward outside in works great and the film helps a lot. I may never remove the glass so I didn’t do the glass mod The nuts are 7, 8mm and 10mm on mine depending on location. I was surprised the nuts were grooved locking On the trap door my buddy used an attachment and put a 2” ball valve and small piping section to fix the trap door issue. If you get a cup of water you don’t have to lick your filthy finger

[@joejones2847]

I meant to add I will be doing your window mod. I loved that. The weather stripping you replaced they now send two extra rolls. The funnel was not easy at all to attach I used clamps and hands and everything I had. The baffle May be an issue with media landing up there on it and it will make dust stay dusty inside longer. Wait until you use the gun before you say you love it

[@chrisarneson8644]

I'm not a fan of the clear films. They seem to get dirty really fast and obstruct the view. There's nothing better than a fresh piece of clear glass and they seem to last me a really, really long time. I have several spares that I haven't had to break into yet.

[@kcdub04]

What size compressor do you have to run this? I'm getting a blasting area set up now and am looking to get a larger compressor but not entirely sure what specs will be best. Thank you

[@chrisarneson8644]

I have a Husky 30 gallon belt-drive oil-lubed compressor. It's ok but really it's only barely big enough. It cycles a lot while I am blasting a bunch of stuff. If you can afford it don't go any smaller than that is my recommendation.

[@joejones2847]

Dude GREAT idea for the flood light placement I’ve seen people screw new holes and stuff I didn’t want to in a brand new cabinet. Instead of drilling the holes I used an awl only. There’s a company called Tacoma company that makes a kit to do all of the most needed mods especially get rid of the lip on the inside.

[@outdoorzone]

Good job!!! Thanks for the tips!

[@johnmarino6444]

Thank you for your help great video

[@chrisarneson8644]

Glad it helped

[@davidrogers5219]

Where Did You Get The Touch Up Paint For The Wire Mesh Screen After You Welded It?

[@chrisarneson8644]

standard Rustoleum red spray paint.

[@diytypeofguy6502]

I plan on getting this cabinet. .but I plan on using the 110lb. pressurized blaster in it ..like that window bolt mod

[@chrisarneson8644]

I'm not sure why you would use a pressurized tank too. The beauty of a cabinet is that you never have to refill the sand. It's just always there.

[@dougsholly9323]

Just bought one about a week ago. So.... many.... screws. Free up an afternoon. Great cabinet, but just go ahead and trash the supplied pickup tube and either get a metering valve or a better pickup tube. The rest of the mods you'll find on KZbin are nice enhancements, but the pickup tube is a necessity.

[@joejones2847]

Tacoma’s kit also covers the holes in the door that are made as a result of the forming process

[@joejones2847]

Tacoma sells a kit that’s sheetmetal to cover that lip so media flows off it it’s angled to 45° to connect the top to bottom

[@ToadsTho]

The knurling idea for the windows is A+, but you did use the phrase "It'll be painless," when "It'll be paneless," was still on the table. Good review, poor puns.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I'm not a terribly punny guy but that's definitely funny

[@ToadsTho]

You don't need to be, you're good at reviewing!

[@topgun182]

+ Soggy Stump Farm and Workshop I hope you realize the distinction between the two is useless when the words are SPOKEN...

[@CraftwerksMC]

I'm just curious what the finished height is with the wheeled base on it? I have the smaller cabinet but I am either going to build a larger one or if I decide I need to I'll upgrade to the larger one if I find the right deal.

[@chrisarneson8644]

Robert Craft The only height that matters is the bottom of the arm holes. Mine is 42 1/2 inches and feels perfect to me. If you are taller or shorter you might want to adjust it for comfort. Mine is a big cabinet but I am constantly wishing it was bigger. I don’t want to store a larger unit though!

[@riverandme3217]

I am wondering if this might be a suitable setup for me. I make resin jewellery but have become sensitised to the resin. I am trying to work out if this option is better than a fume hood/cupboard as it does give me the option to sand and sandblast. I also like that this is totally sealed. I have small hands, so can I cut off the gloves say at the wrists and insert my hands already wearing nitrile gloves and use the provided gloves as a sleeve?

[@chrisarneson8644]

I think using it as a hood could work if you have enough airflow out of it. If you are sensitive to the smells then you might need to attach a blower and exhaust the air outside. Could work. I don't know about your glove idea. I am sceptical. I don't think you could get a tight seal around your wrists unless you found some different type of gloves.

[@riverandme3217]

Thanks for taking the time to answer. Yes, I seem to be sensitive to the fumes. I bought one yesterday that is handy to me in Australia. When you say blower, do mean to orientate it so it extracts air? That is where I am up to. It has a shop vac outlet, so I may have to hunt about to fit the blower/extractor to it and duct it out a window.

[@chrisarneson8644]

Yes that's what I meant by a blower. To try things out you can pretty easily make air transitions with just duct tape. Initially they don't need to be pretty as long as they seal. I've made some really dramatic transitions from 4" pipe to 2" pipe with just duct tape. I really do recommend that method initially until you figure out whether you have the airflow you need so that you aren't reacting to the fumes. Long term you should keep a lookout for a fume hood. In the states they are pretty easy to find used if you can find an old school that is being torn down. Chemistry labs typically have them and at least on this side of the pond that stuff just gets thrown away. I've seen several over the years selling for very cheap because few people have a use for something like that. The key is that generate a lot of airflow out of the room and keep the fumes away from your lungs. Just keep that thought in mind.

[@riverandme3217]

Thanks Chris. I have plenty of duct tape. I am planning to use this unit in my dining space so I can work when I get home from my day job. So I want it totally sealed. I do lease a commercial space that I have an art gallery in as well as a studio where I have been doing large resin artworks up to 1.5 m square for which I am wondering about a fume hood or getting a portable blower and again duct it.

[@jimhartley491]

What PSI are you running to your cabinet…especially after adding the metering valve to the trap door?

[@chrisarneson8644]

100psi. I've never messed with that setting.

[@jimhartley491]

@@chrisarneson8644 thanx…

[@russaanderson]

Great video - many thanks!

[@aperahamlincoln6168]

Add a metering valve at the bottom of the funnel door with steel plumbing Ts and a valve. For cheap and you can use very little media 👍🏼

[@chrisarneson8644]

Actually I did that and have a 2nd video on the cabinet. It made a huge difference.

[@2nd2nobody]

What power is your compressor?

[@chrisarneson8644]

Not sure. It’s a 30 gallon husky oil lubed unit and is only barely enough.

[@plusdaddyyt]

Do u regret not silicone the gloves?

[@LunarOutlawsGarage]

Nicely done sir. Thank you

[@rocketsurgeon1746]

Great job

[@1CraigE1]

Awesome video! I'm still researching sand blasting and this was very informative. I have 2 questions... 1) what is the pick up tube? 2) what abrasive do u use on the wheels?

[@chrisarneson8644]

The pick up tube is the metal tube that extends to the bottom of the blaster and sucks up the sand which travels up to the gun. I used fine Black Beauty from Tractor Supply. It's really cheap and does a nice job.

[@markfields8578]

One other comment,... you and Eric The Car Guy sound just alike!!! You could both do voice overs for each other!

[@Void-gn9zm]

No, they really don’t..

[@pagz1237]

I'm looking into buying one of these for doing alloy wheels. What size is the cabinet in liters? I'm in the UK so can't get one from hf

[@dadams19111]

I have an Eastwood one.. Same cabinet with the same issues... You got off cheaper than I did.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I really like Eastwood and like supporting them. Sometimes the shipping is a killer though.

[@mikegutierrez4655]

This was the hardest shit I had to put together. Glad to hear u took 5 on half hours. I did about the same I thought I was just slow lol. Literally a few hundred nuts n bolts. The gun sucks forsure

[@chrisarneson8644]

I made a 2nd video. Go look it up. While the gun sucks, the biggest problem is with poor airflow and sand flow..

[@pdiz]

Okay, so I'm confused. Why is there a barbed fitting on BOTH sides of the fitting going into the cabinet? I see that one side (inside of cabinet) connects to the small hose, that's fine and dandy, but how do I connect my compressor's hose (which has a quick connect) to the barbed fitting on the outside? Do I just swap the outside fitting out for one a standard NPT fitting like the one I use on my air gun and all other tools for that matter?

[@chrisarneson8644]

There’s a barbed fitting on the inside going to the gun. There’s a second barbed fitting on the base of the gun itself. On the outside of the cabinet you should put a 1/4” male quick-connect fitting.

[@pdiz]

@@chrisarneson8644 Thank you for the reply. Looks like they gave me three barbed fittings (gun, inside cabinet, and an extra). I swapped the "extra" for a standard NPT industrial fitting that I had laying around, and now my air compressor hose which has a quick connect on it attaches fine. So was this just a mistake, or just a spare, or why did I receive three?

[@chrisarneson8644]

Patrick Vaden Probably just a mistake. Mine came with the quick-connect end I think. They sell these things so cheap that there’s bound to be some small mistakes.

[@richardnelson581]

Hi Chris have you considered gravity feed or pressurized vessel ?

[@chrisarneson8644]

I made a 2nd video where I am actually using gravity feed and it definitely helps. I have no experience with pressurized vessel.

[@ELEV8EDNH8ED]

What have you tried and use for blast media with this cabinet?

[@chrisarneson8644]

I'ved used nothing but fine black beauty from my local Tractor Supply. Works great and cheap.

[@MarkSouthy]

What size wheels are those? I've a pair of 17x8 I wanted to blast and I think the cabinet may be too small.

[@chrisarneson8644]

They are 15s

[@Pappylaz]

Nice upgrade, have you considered painting the inside with white paint, epoxy maybe? Might lessen the need for all the extra lighting.

[@chrisarneson8644]

That's a really interesting idea. It might work really well. My only concern about the idea is that it might end up really ugly inside as the white gets dirty. Red tends to not show the grit and filth.

[@lh1678]

mg wheel looks like..cool we have one too.

[@chrisarneson8644]

Austin Healey!

[@tajvwss]

Been toying with the idea of purchasing this unit. Thanks for the review and mods

[@vasylmagura3280]

Good video and on point. The original cabinet directions are horrible. I agree about cabinet quality, good quality for the dollar amount.

[@Trackhoe075]

Hey Chris thanks for videos I’m curious are you still happy with this cabinet? Is it still working ok? I am probably gonna get one tomorrow and just thought I’d ask you if you still happy with it

[@chrisarneson8644]

I actually made a 2nd video where I made some more mods and now I’m thrilled with it. I use it a lot.

[@Trackhoe075]

Chris Arneson thanks Chris for getting back to me so fast! Yes I actually saw both videos at the time I wrote that to you! I am sold on the unit thanks to you and I just upgraded my compressor to a 2stage with 15.8 cfm @90 so that should work well. I am also probably gonna do most of your mods as well starting with that dust collection on the 5 gallon pail set up! I like how that purifys the dust better for shop Vac! I also like the circulation you added too! Yeah I’ll be busy setting this puppy up! I’m sure though masking up probably won’t be nessasary if sealed up good either!

[@tomsdreamshopworx]

Good info! Sorry about the caulk color. How long are the 8-32 screws you used to hold the glass trim ring?

[@chrisarneson8644]

They were just 1 inch long I think.

[@silverfiste]

I was putting mine together whishing I had a welder for at least the hopper.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I don't know that a welder would be a great idea. The steel is pretty thin and it's powdercoated so you'd have to grind down to a very thin metal. Unless you are an expert welder I suspect you'd blow through the metal trying to weld it and just create a mess. I think it's fine the way they have designed it.

[@silverfiste]

was thinking gas or tig for welding but alas no welding equipment.

[@westendinventor364]

You talk about HF like they build these products or have some kind of input into the development process. These are just generic made in China products which can be found on Ebay or Amazon. Some are good, some are not. I think $40 per wheel is a good price tbh, those spoked wheels are really hard to clean up, and If being chromed then they really need to be perfect. Even with a decent high output blaster its not easy! Fair enough for having a go yourself though, might take a while but you will get there.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I'm so glad I purchased the cabinet. I have used it a ton. It worked great on the wheels but I've gotten my money's worth several times over on all the other rusty brackets and bits. Your comment about HF not having input on the product is interesting. Honestly I hope you are wrong because I do see the HF products evolve and improve over time.

[@westendinventor364]

@@chrisarneson8644 I've got the smaller worktop version and its very useful. If you go to Ebay and amazon and search sandblast cabinet you will see what I mean. They are all the same.

[@chrisarneson8644]

@@westendinventor364 I've always understood that to be that chinese factories continue to mass produce products even after their contract with the company runs out. For example, assume HF contracts them to make 10000 blast cabinets. Once that contract is done they keep making the cabinets (often with less quality control) and then sell them to other exporters with other labels. Lots of products are knocked off from the exact same factories that produced the name brands. That's always been the way I understood it worked but I don't know for a fact.

[@quickcalsgarage4782]

Does the top come with foam installed for the glass. Or did you add that. Mine doesn't have any.

[@chrisarneson8644]

I think it came with it but I don't remember for sure.

[@SouthernSpeedVideos]

Anybody else get the impression that Ryan Reynolds is narrating this from time to time?

[@chrisarneson8644]

Ha! You caught me! I was just changing my name for the Internet to keep away the riff-raff.

[@SouthernSpeedVideos]

@@chrisarneson8644 😂😂😂 can't wait for Deadpool 3

[@autoworldcorporation6192]

Chris, You were too kind. Harbor Freight NEEDS to lead in their tool lines and not bring disgrace to China. If China is going to flood our market with tools then make them well not fill up our landfills. That is a disgrace to their country and shows that they do not care about the American worker. Making the bad taste in out mouths instead of praises. You did a very informative video. Done well. There were a few things I would have done differently in your construction. I do like the fact that you made the 1/2" screen smaller to fit down in the funnel. You need the insert to hold the heavy parts from damaging the 1/2" grid screen. I would suggest that you purchase a piece of 3/16" hardware screen found at your farm stores for chicken cages. This will stop debris from falling into your sand below clogging up your gun. IT DOES happen. I lay the 3?16 screen on top of the 1/2" screen. You can lift out the bar grid support first then remove the 3/16" grid screen to remove larger debris. Leaving the 1/2" screen alone. Which will support the lighter filter screen.

[@Alexfirestone1]

China makes the best phones in the world and they also can make the cheapest product it only depends on what the company orders and yes I am an American , just get tired of the bashing. So I personally would put the blame on our Ivy League Schools since those are mostly the decision makers on how cheap and crappy the products should be.

[@MarkThomas123]

AutoWorld Corp. I buy American when buying American makes sense.. But, when the EXACT same product that says "Made in the USA, that actually comes from China via a Free Trade Zone, and it costs double, I hate to think the bastard I am giving the money to should be working in a factory in China.. Fair is fair and stupid is stupid.. I have lots and lots of stuff that I would not have if I only bought "Made in the USA".. It's horse crap.. If they are paying $2.50 an hour for wage and we have to pay $15,, guess who's product gets purchased?? It's actually quite simple.. I personally would always have a bunch of extra hands,, (from young kids wanting to get some experience to lazy shits who only want a little pay, but, I have to pay them way more than they are worth, so, I fire any of them that don't tow the line.. Who wins? But, then again. I run a Mom and Pop shop and I don't gouge the public, so, margins are small and I can't pay $15.00/hour.. Thank God for China, and Taiwan, and Vietnam, India, and the list goes on and on and on.. Doesn't it seem strange that you only harped on China??? It's called Economics..

[@customprc]

Chris why do you cut the screen mesh grate?

[@chrisarneson8644]

To drop it lower in the cabinet. The allows you to put larger parts in.

[@AdventuresinFabrication]

what type of gun would you recommend?

[@chrisarneson8644]

I'm not an expert on these but I'd probably buy a gun from SkatBlast or Tacoma if I needed a new one.

[@carlosh11934]

At about 20 minutes into your video, you added a baffle on the inside so that the air can be picked up from the lower area. Why not add another hole a little lower instead and cap the upper one?

[@chrisarneson8644]

The baffle is there to make the airflow less direct. You don't want the vacuum sucking up sand. Forcing the air to bend upwards drops a lot of the airborne sand out and keeps your shop vac filter cleaner.

[@carlosh11934]

Thank you so much for responding so quickly and explaining the function of that baffle! Good video! Carlos in North Padre Island

[@rustyridenour2136]

Why did you put the bolts in backwards

[@chrisarneson8644]

I’m not sure which bolts you are referring to but you typically want the smoothest surface on the inside. You want less to catch dust and grit and keep it from falling back to the bin.

[@MrAJDavis83]

Great video man!! after I seen this, I went to see if anyone was selling one on craigslist and found one for $15. Only thing is it has no glass for the front window. Could you give me an idea or recommendation where to get a replacement window?

[@chrisarneson8644]

Lowes will cut glass for you very cheaply. Get one double-strength piece and then several single strength pieces. Sandwich the double-strength piece and a single strength piece and install with the single-strength on the inside. It will be sacrificial and you can change it out once it gets too frosted to see. Good luck.

[@outlawflyer7868]

I don't know were the hell you got your cabinet from but mine didn't come with a tube of anything nor did the hardware come in ziploc lock bags. I didn't even have enough weather stripping to finish the job so i used caulking that I bought from lowes. the hardware came in this ridiculous paper backed crap. Anyway, I plan on making a few mods since watching some of these videos on here. Like your video...

[@Arouth249]

Same here. I bought mine just a year ago from HF and it has all of the old packaging. I’m watching this now thinking wtf did they give me

[@blackbird1234100]

If you dont want the old gun, I'll take it :P I will try fabricating an angle piece to replace that 90

[@britishreds]

Granted the cabinet is cheap BUT the coated over rust, several bolts were shorted in the packages, very frustrating when your assembling with wet silicon. Pitiful!

[@anythinggoesgarage5943]

the replacement gloves are junk! always rip at seam and if there is any amount of solvent ot reside on your hands the gloves melt! I now make my own tips on my lathe using all thread nuts with one end turned down to 1/2 od and use a set bolt to install it in the gun. They last ok but cheap and I can make a bunch. I made a new siphon tube and hose for more volume. As for ft glass i use plexiglass cut to original glass size and use blue painters' tape to hold it down to the cabinet. I get it from work the pieces they throw away. As for media I use black diamond 000 coal- works great. A shop vac is my dust remover. My cabinet is over 20 years old and still works great! Make different size gun tips to accommodate the best flow at 120 psi

[@joejones2847]

Putting the lights behind your hands will create more shadows