(Pt. 7) HF Blast Cabinet - Before/After Upgrade Kit (Harbor Freight)

[@ncmedic45]

Great information regarding running the cabinet at a lower pressure. I've been struggling with my HF blast cabinet and it never occurred to me to lower the pressure. Another lesson that more is not always better. I reduced the pressure to around 45-50 and it works much, much better just using the supplied equipment. Thanks!

[@davidgeorge8172]

I believe the problems you are having is the clogging of the blast medium in the blaster due to the moisture in your air system because you don't have a moisture trap or a refrigeration cooling system in you air system. The hot air coming out of your compressor is cooling and condensing water in you 50 ft. air line that is laying on your cold concrete floor and you have no way of removing this moisture (water) from the air BEFORE it enters your blaster and mixes with the blasting medium. The 50 ft. of air hose on the floor is acting like an after-cooler, which is exactly what I usually do when blasting or painting, but after the 50 ft. hose I install a moisture trap at the blaster or as close to the paint gun as possible.

[@kariymchristopher6986]

If you look closely the first gun had a inline filter but for me, I find those works better for paint guns. Need good colscent filters

[@linzenmeyer]

Mike's gear is nice....but very expensive. I found that if your compressor is smaller than 30 gallons, using the metering valve is a TERRIBLE idea. The metering valve really requires that you have a sufficient CFM rating on your compressor. Instead, I did the syphon tube upgrade/mod and it works very well. (Along with the other cabinet mods)

[@kariymchristopher6986]

What size compressor are you using

[@indianatone218]

yeah lot better works great really impressed thanks for showing us .

[@Mr26Huffy]

I like the fact you can lower the air pressure and actually blast faster. Impressive! What size orifice and nozzle are you using in that gun? Thanks for the video series, I have watched them all.

[@AMetalWorks]

Mr26Huffy Honestly I'm not sure. if you call Mike he will be able to answer that for you. There is no marking on the tips for me to reference and I never asked. just went off his recommendation based off my air supply.

[@linzenmeyer]

Lower PSI settings increase CFM output.

[@sparkb5142]

Assuming that wheel is off a HMMWV, not and H1 which is the civilian model of the Humvee. Being military it will be CARC paint. Extremely toxic dust and fumes if welding. High grade respirator required. Google it, stay safe.

[@jerryblankenship9908]

I got a dom question on the lift side of cabinet is that the vac. side or pressor side

[@CajunDoofus]

damn I am frozen just watching this

[@AMetalWorks]

+Fat “Cajun Thibodaux” Cajun lol

[@AMetalWorks]

+Fat “Cajun Thibodaux” Cajun lol

[@diytypeofguy6502]

I finally made up my mind to purchase this blast cabinet over the table top version .. so I've been watching vids on these to get tips on assembly. .the tips to seal up the cabinet is common sense to me ..the upgrade kit u said is $250? the regulator, the bottom feed valve etc ..which is fine ...after looking at the hf $1000 blast cabinet it looks to have the same exact components as this upgrade kit ..are these the same parts??? good vids... about to watch the last 2

[@AMetalWorks]

Diy type of guy They absolutely are not the same parts. We're talking about a night and day difference in parts.

[@diytypeofguy6502]

Alvarez Metal Works can u just buy certain parts from them?

[@DriveBreakFixRepeat70]

Kit isn’t available anymore*

[@AMetalWorks]

Where did you hear that?

[@johntingle455]

I think your airflow is still restricted in this video. The air dryer and the pressure regulator may be where the restriction is taking place.

[@douglasalan7786]

Looks good.50 PSI sure allows for a compressor with less ascz too.Not many machines have a duty cycle for 90PSI all day long. My steel is all cut up and the door is bent but lacking the window hole and glove grommet holes.I may do a monster size window. Dunno yet. Time for the phone call ;-) I also need to find out what to finish(or not---just Ospho it from time to time) the inside of this cabinet with. In a way I'm leaning towards a bedliner coat on the inside and just Imron-Nitram-other poly on the outside.

[@AMetalWorks]

i wouldn't put bedliner on the inside. Use something smooth so the media flows well to the bottom of the cabinet.

[@AMetalWorks]

Also do not go dark on the inside. You want it bright in there.

[@Mad-Duk_Machine_Werkes]

I painted mine inside with White single stage appliance epoxy paint for more light reflection inside

[@davej429]

I'm working my way thru the videos as I'm considering pulling the trigger on buying a HF sandblast cabinet. If its spelled out in one of your videos, I haven't found it but could you share what each upgrade has costed and your total investment into this project? Thanks.

[@AMetalWorks]

Give Mike a call. He can give you all the prices for each part of the upgrade. He's not a pushy sales man. you'll get a lot of useful information out of him. My cost is different from your cost. Either way the cost of his upgrade kit is well worth it given that this cheap cabinet will perform like a cabinet that is sold for a few thousand dollars. However, what you have the money for is always a factor. He has different levels to his upgrade kits. So there are different price points.

[@davej429]

+Alvarez Metal Works Thanks for responding. I already have an idea of what the upgrade kit goes for and will certainly reach out to Mike at the appropriate time. However you have done a lot of cool upgrades bought from sources outside of Tacoma. (ex. Lights, gang boxes, glass, weatherstripping, vacuum hoses, etc etc.) I was more interested in the add on stuff you've done. Some of your videos, you mention cost, others places not.I totally understand my costs will differ but it would still be a data point and give me a point a reference. I think it will help others too. Thanks!!Again, thanks for the detailed video series. Very helpful.

[@AMetalWorks]

+Dave J the only thing i didn't get from Tacoma was the glass (lowes for just under $14 as mentioned in the video), the weather strip was purchased from Amazon. There is a link in the video description, in the video where i install that. The vacume elbow for the vacume setup was pieced together fron plumbing from lowes. Mike does havecan adaptor though. Nnot sure about the cost but i bet it's cheaper than what i built. i will be changing my vacuum setup in a future video. i'm mot finished with the upgrades yet. the lighting kit is sold by Tacoma.

[@davej429]

+Alvarez Metal Works Fair enough. 1 more question, TP Tools is also well known in the sandblast industry. Their TP780-TL cabinet is the same size as the HF cabinet and sells for $399. Gun, lighting, glass upgrades, etc, not needed and you don't have all the sealing issues. Granted you don't get the foot pedal or bottom feed mixing valve, but wondering why you just didn't buy this one? From my own estimates, this seems like a more cost (& time) effective choice. Again, I'm just collecting data to make a decision. Looking forward to the vacuum video. Thanks.

[@AMetalWorks]

+Dave J the cost for what you get is better doing it the way i did. Plus that foot peddle is a must have. It eliminates hand fatigue witch for me is a massive selling point. The gun in the Tacoma kit is much better too. Those are the two major reasons I went thebway i did. The "sealing issues" are not an issue if you vacuume system is working properly. sealing the hopper will always be an issue that needs to be addressed with any cabinet that bolts together. After dealing with Mike, I can tell you that he's a perfectionist. That is a give and take situation but the plus side to that is that you can expect to get a great product.

[@flynfocus]

Hey Rafael, In your part 2 video you installed the reinforcement ring (part #9) under the hopper, You mentioned that you hadn't read the instructions but were installing there to make it stronger so it wouldn't bow, The manual shows it on the other side in between the hopper and cabinet, What do you fill is better, Your way or manual way?. Its basically doing the same thing regardless of side right?

[@AMetalWorks]

Shaun Williams Do it the way I showed in the video. Inside the cabinet the goal is to create a smooth path for the media to flow back to the bottom of the hopper. anything between the hopper and the cabinet would be counter productive. Plus having it the way I did it acts like a large washer for the hopper flange.

[@MichaelJeffers75]

What kind of nozzles does that power head use? Are they only found @ Tacoma Co. or are they a common design found at other suppliers? I want to get the upgrade, though I don't want to be locked into just one outlet for parts, especially since we all know they ware out. I'm surprised Mike doesn't sell these through TP Tools or Eastwood.

[@AMetalWorks]

contact him and ask him who makes the tips. The guns are modified versions of a gun used in very high dollar cabinets.

[@rickystone4137]

whats the cost of the deluxe kit?

[@AMetalWorks]

Call them. These videos are years old.

[@StockVideoFootage]

Is there another siphon gun USA made you recommend at about $50?

[@AMetalWorks]

Honestly no. I'm pretty new to this. If you can't afford the upgrade kit. Make all the mods i showed in part 2 and just go buy really good blast media. It's not going to work great but it will get you by. do some small blast jobs for friends. Use that money to buy this kit. You'll be glad you did.

[@ednesbitt2136]

StockVideoFootage I got a Zero style gun and foot pedal from Eastwood. $65.00. I have just bought the Tacoma Company deluxe metering valve. I think it will make a world of difference but cast more then I spent on the cabinet.

[@richardblanchard2743]

I have searched the internet and can't find anyone who sells the upgrade kit.

[@AMetalWorks]

Richard Blanchard I don't mean to be rude man but I give all the contact information and explain over and over again that you need to call them. Don't understand why people seach for video on youtube if they aren't going to watch and pay attention to them? Hell the comment right before yours was the same question...

[@flynfocus]

Why did you flip the nuts and bolts around holding the cabinet together, In your original videos you have them from the inside out so media wouldn't collect? Did you learn something new and flip back to OEM?

[@AMetalWorks]

Shaun Williams I did it because Mike wanted me to. personally I liked it the other way. However I made these videos for him and that's the way he wanted them to avoid people from catching themselves on them. The ones in the hopper are the only ones that need to have the heads inside the hopper for good media flow.

[@flynfocus]

Oh ok, thanks. Been watching all your videos before I build mine, sweet videos bro!! Hey why can't I find the parts kit online? I've looked everywhere!!! Lol jk with ya

[@AMetalWorks]

Shaun Williams lmao

[@richardyoung641]

Is the kit still available?.Can not find it anywhere on the net.

[@AMetalWorks]

Richard Young As stated in the video, you need to call them. There contact info is in the video description.

[@richardyoung641]

OK thanks ..will call them. I'm in UK thats why I hoped I might be able do it easier via internet....Great informative vids by the way, much appreciated.

[@CajunDoofus]

black magic and it cheap

[@AMetalWorks]

+Fat “Cajun Thibodaux” Cajun That's not a good blast media. It's a coal slag. Size consistency is terrible and it's really only good for 2 or 3 uses before it breaks down and starts to turn to powder. The Stock HF gun wouldn't even work with that stuff. I also found large chunks of crap in the bag that would clog the gun.