Tips to Make Your Cheap Sandblaster Perform BETTER // Harbor Freight Blast Cabinet

[@daubendiek]

Some things I have learned in owing my HF cabinet. First, the pickup tube is useless, make yourself a metering valve (look on KZbin on how. The gun itself is in need of work. Bore out the air passage to 5/16", remove the air fitting and the on/ off valve inside the gun and open the hole from the bottom where the air fitting was. Next the orifice needs to be opened to 1/8". Next, put a thin O ring on the ceramic nozzle where it meets the gun body and put 1 layer of Teflon tape on the threads where the nozzle ring screws on, media WILL get in those threads and you won't be able to unscrew it. On your vacuum, get the filter bags for inside of it and use a HEPA filter on it to. The dust from blasting rust is so fine that it will get past your dust deputy and through the plain paper filter on the vac and into the motor. Look arou7nd on You Tube for other mods, you'll be glad you did them

[@JayDee-xj9lu]

I like the tip about the pickup tube. Mine was always clogging up and i used to put my finger on the nozzle and squeeze the trigger to blast it back out. I'll be putting a pipe on the bottom of the cabinet with a air bleed on my new cabinet.

[@MrSupernova111]

That's amazing bro! I love the content you bring us and the extra care you always put into your vehicles. Cheers!

[@milanmastracci]

I appreciate that brother! 👊

[@diggingeverydaydean8080]

I'm a fused glass artist.... you killed it on this and I'm sold...

[@lukeculin2010]

Hey I always get so much good info out of your videos. I’ve used a lot of the how to videos for my 370. Keep up the amazing videos 👍

[@Dicer328]

Great tips! I would even suggest even more water separation than just one tiny inline.

[@milanmastracci]

I couldn't agree with you more! I will be making a rig with copper tubing and drain valves. I'll make a video about it in the future 👍

[@coreygreenwell1056]

Even a good separator and desiccant setup works...ive got three inline systems like that and the run time on a compressor to keep feeding a blaster is crazy...a dryer would help a huge amount but they are time consuming and can be complex to build or expensive to buy...moisture is the death of blasting if you cant keep it super under control or eliminate it fully...

[@jeffreylonigro1382]

As a dust collection and dust mitigation consultant, I can guarantee that elbow right before the cyclone is killing its effectiveness. You want straight, laminar flow entering a cyclone. I’d mount the cyclone inlet the same height as the cabinet outlet and connect them with at least one foot of straight pipe.

[@kfranklin308]

Do you mean turn the bucket on its side so the pipe can go straight from the cabinet to the bucket?

[@Brokegarage]

This will help so much just got my new sandblaster to redo everything on my 9th gen si, can't wait to be on track!

[@milanmastracci]

You're going to love it when you get all of the smaller upgrades done to the cabinet! 💪

[@dominiklackner6334]

At 11:10, what i did was taping the holes in the door insulation where sand can collect. also I always give a good punch on the door before opening so the dust falls down. At 17:28 you tell dangerous half knowledge. you are saying that sandbalsting doesn't damage the substrate/the part itself. that's not true because when you blast a metal piece and use glass beads or corundum there is always an abrasion. So you should have mentioned, that people should be careful when blasting high precision areas like sealing surfaces on pump casings or parts which have to maintain their tolerance after that like centerings on machine parts. Also that black color looks like you have sprayed it on just for the video. Its easy to remove, but try this with 20 year old primed and painted parts. its not that fast anymore. Anyway, this video is a great source of Information. Thanks a lot!

[@milanmastracci]

💡ADDITIONAL BLASTING VARIABLES 💡 ✅ Humid vs. dry compressed air ✅ Hazy vs. new window film ✅ Large vs. small blasting gun tip sizes ✅ Different blasting media for different substrates ✅ Medium (60psi) vs. High (100psi) pressure air WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

[@matejcermak]

Different suction system ("metering valve") did not make so much difference for me yet but it allowed me to put filtering mesh over the intake inside the box, so it's not CONSTANTLY clogged by pieces of paint. I had to block the gun opening and blow it to blow air back to the sand so it cleaned but it always worked few seconds and got clogged again because the paint was falling back to the intake. Also the original intake is too high and lot of sand rests on the sides of the bottom or all around the box on the frame and it looks like you have a lot but it doesn't work because it's hardly sucking anything. From all the DIY metering valves, I reccomend using only 1" knee right underneath the trapdoor (no extension down, there is lot of space for the rest to fit and you would only lose space under the box), connect directly (no middle piece) to the 1x1x1/2" T (the one with 1/2" side where you mount the valve) and the rest is up to you - reduce to hose connection and hose. To mount it to the trapdoor, I found very short 1" insert that was threaded from both sides but both threads were meeting in the middle. It was enough to put it in the knee and mount a reduction from 1" to 1&1/2" and the trapdoor got clamped between this reduction and the knee, when tightened. Excellent. I have to take at least outside picture of it, when I get back to work, I haven't done that yet

[@laurentianvmx1692]

Great tips ! CanaBlast make solid industrial machines that are made in Canada. They sometimes come up for sale at auctions or online, worth considering when in the market for a machine. Best guns are the Binks type or copies of.

[@Will_JJHP]

Love these tips! I'm a big fan of these 80/20 type videos where you can buy a tool for 20% of the price of a top tier one and get 80% (or more) of the performance with a few inexpensive upgrades. I wonder if ceramic coating the inside of the cabinet would help with preventing the media from sticking to the side door and glass?

[@ricardonarvaez1628]

Excellent video 📹 👏

[@phil7791]

The best upgrade for these is an external pressure pot. The cheap harbour freight one is perfect. It uses far less air and is about four times as quick as the siphon setup. Also you can get a tungsten carbide tip, the ceramic nozzles wear out very quickly but I've been in the same tungsten tip now for 8 months doing about 4hrs blasting a week.

[@FloroBeggins]

Do tell…

[@phil7791]

@@FloroBeggins An external pressure pot. Sod the siphon.

[@FloroBeggins]

Can you explain it further, or link something? Thanks. I noticed last night as I was using my blaster that it seemed to sputter. The hose kept moving like it was burping. Was blasting 80 grit glass bead, 60 gal compressor set to 90psi. Have an air drier at the cabinet.

[@TunerwithKids]

Should add an Aftercooler to the IR compressor. I added one to my 60 gallon T30 (got a detailed vid on my channel) and it’s a game changer for dry air. Also add a drain extension and ball valve ($15) to the bottom of the tank and relocate to one of the legs to easily dump the water everyday. That moisture will destroy the bottom of the tank over time.

[@michaelreincastle2690]

Great info mate . Keep up the awesome work

[@milanmastracci]

Thanks Michael! I appreciate it brother 👊

[@natewarner359]

Good video thanks for the info

[@charlesm7589]

Im wondering. If I just removed the filter from the shop vac, do I really need the dust deputy? Will running the vac without the filter hurt it somehow? BTW, great video.

[@Krspy2]

Great video. Nice tips! 👍

[@milanmastracci]

Thanks Krispy! 🤘

[@WiSeNhEiMeR-1369]

Thanks COOP ...

[@Caradonia]

Good insight. 👌

[@adamchanre]

Thanks for the tips 🔥🔥🔥

[@milanmastracci]

You bet Adam!

[@AXNJXN1]

While you certainly deserve a KUDOS for your commentary, the reality is that you have a UNICORN for a HF Gun!! The single fact your particular gun A) Works, B) doesn't leak C) syphons correctly is simply a UNICORN!!! LOL. Good job though.

[@johnb7566]

very solid. thx

[@tarek3702]

Milan I fkn miss you brah 😭so glad your back

[@angelgomez7917]

Nice!

[@ryangalloway5357]

Definitely glad he reminds us a few times he has the money/space for all of this.... 😆 🤣

[@BULLETENVY]

Very nice video.

[@milanmastracci]

Thank you very much!

[@franco12954]

On the harbor freight light remove the end cap and pull out the white sheet that's in there and the light will works great

[@davidrambarranable]

Hey champ. Great video.

[@milanmastracci]

Glad you enjoyed Davey 👊

[@arbyarby3259]

Nice!! When should you change out the blasting media when it looks excessively contaminated with rust particles and does not strip as it should??

[@milanmastracci]

You don't even have to, since the metal 'flakes' that come off any steel part will just get smaller and smaller the more you blast them. They will occasionally gum up the gun, however it isn't really a concern otherwise.

[@steffie.morris]

Hi, just a question.. shouldn't the shopvac be connected to the backside, instead of the side? Now the air that is taken in, is blowing down into the media creating additional dust? The bigger sandblasting cabinets that have the big dust extraction connected to it, are also all connected to the back, to the hole where there is a cover on the inside, point downward. I have the similar tabletop blasting cabinet and i am going to try connecting a shopvac to the back, see if that works.

[@angeltellezjr9727]

I viewed a video where the dust collector system was connected to the Exhaust port in the back of the cabinet. You and several others have the dust collection system connected to the dust port on the side of the cabinet. What is the correct method?

[@BrotherTay]

You should have that sand blaster bolted to the dolly if you're going to have it setting on it and moving. Videos 6 months old so I'm sure its changed by now

[@outdoorhobbiesfarmmachiner5218]

I have that same compressor great unit ! It runs to die grinders no problems , best $1300 I ever spent I use it daily to change tires and run all my air tools only thing that I see wrong with the unit it should’ve came with a magnetic starter as the pressure switch isn’t the greatest . But all in all I have no complaints I am going to do some upgrades to make it better ! Hope yours is doing well also .

[@alessandrocomisso700]

Big power blasting

[@garagedad103]

Hi do you think that glass media is better than other ones? also the pick tube is working great?

[@elilitansangualan5948]

Hi Milan …..please help me where did you get muffler I have honda accord v6 2009 😢

[@TheRealDannydos]

How many pounds of media should I buy to start? 40lbs?

[@Goldrangersent]

How did you get that original air coupler off your air gun to upgrade to a quick connect?

[@Sharefoon]

Dude, we miss your videos! Feels like an old friend we saw long ago! Let us know what you up to.. LOL

[@p.melvinshyturtle3722]

Lately when i lokk for a used one, people are asking the price of a new Snap Off (HF) unit.

[@josephsamsor1698]

I might’ve missed it in the video, but have you done any powder coating? I’ve seen KZbinrs like Cameron niemela get really good results using a normal oven. Seems like the next step after sandblasting something so well.

[@milanmastracci]

I have no done it, however with a blasting unit like this, doing some powder coating would be the next step 👍

[@luismarty1685]

Sir can you please send me the valve lash specs for a 2014 Honda Accord EXL Coupe 3.5l V6 .

[@omarmalullah561]

I’m going to rebuild my n14 mini is it worth cylinder sleeves and camshafts in addition of what you did?

[@milanmastracci]

I wouldn't say so. It makes more sense to do thicker sleeves or closed deck block if you're making a shit ton of power, and for camshafts, it is only very beneficial when you're needing that little bit of extra power, or if you're staying naturally aspirated.

[@torvarrisevans7846]

Hey bro nice , I watch your channels a lot especially when u had the z . Do really think that the invidia cat back exhaust is really restrictive for power

[@milanmastracci]

Hey Torvarris, the Invidia exhaust is a decent upgrade over stock as it sounds nice, it isn't obnoxious, and you do get a bit less restriction from the exhaust, however it is still a bit on the restrictive side of things. A GReddy Evo, a Motordyne Shockwave, or even a Tomei TI-C will give you the most power from an aftermarket exhaust system. Hope this helps!

[@torvarrisevans7846]

@@milanmastracci thank you , was it a night and day difference in power . Am thinking about selling my invidia for an upgraded exhaust

[@Tierone1337]

Build a curtain in front of the door of thick rubber liner

[@dull_boy_274]

Does anyone have issues with the internal air hose popping off? I've tried different clamps and reduced pressure and it still pops off

[@harleydavidson4254]

How many times can you say "you guys"?

[@BigMike86]

Where you at bro? Its been over a month since you have uploaded....

[@AdamSantorelli]

Hey buddy, great video! Where is the harbour freight in Ontario I’m from Montreal! thanks

[@CJdriftZ]

hmmmmm kind of want one lol

[@milanmastracci]

It's crazy how useful they are!!

[@Sally-nd5pc]

Hello, how can i contact you about the business cooperation?

[@FR11]

#MILMODZ

[@billn8555]

Really tired of you tubers more interested in showing their face that what they are doing. I'm done with this video.

[@ono147]

The best tip is to buy quality, Econoline, not this junk