blast cabinet - really a deal?

[WNYPCRepair 1,923]

Is this really a deal? I don't remember what their normal price is

 

 

[JimD 3,345]

Harbor Feight has the same one on sale for 199, Down from 349, so I'd say the one you found is a good deal. The HF one I found is a decent deal in my opinion. I don't know where you found yours but it's the same unit.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/abrasive-blast-cabinet-68893.html

 

[RedRanger 1,469]

I got the same one at Harbor Freight for $150.  Better than not having one, but not great either.  Good for the money I guess.

Gloves wore out after about 10 hours of use.  Bought better ones on Ebay and replaced them.

Material clogs up in suction hose if it gets the slightest dampness to it.

Light inside is worthless-added a 100watt halogen inside.

Make sure you buy a tube of silicone for all the seams as you assemble it.

Also had to replace the crappy rubber door and window seals that came with it with better stuff.

I'm using a shop vac to evacuate dust, works but wasting material.  Added a cover over the inside of the vac hole to help with this.

 

Next I plan to replace the suction feed tube with a pedal feed and bottom tube.

Then it should work pretty good.

http://www.harborfreight.com/abrasive-blast-cabinet-68893.html

[WNYPCRepair 1,923]

Oh, sorry, it is from Harbor Freight. I just wondered if the coupon is really a deal. They always show some made up "compare at" price, which has no bearing on their normal price. It's a decent deal, but probably about their normal sale price. I don't have space for one right now, so I will wait a bit, I think. Maybe.

I was looking at this the other day. $300, same size. Wonder if it is any better?

 

http://www.tptools.com/HOBBY-PRO-HP-75-Top-Load-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet,8208.html?b=d*23498

Edited January 23, 2016 by WNYPCRepair

[RedRanger 1,469]

 

9 minutes ago, WNYPCRepair said:

Oh, sorry, it is from Harbor Freight. I just wondered if the coupon is really a deal. They always show some made up "compare at" price, which has no bearing on their normal price. It's a decent deal, but probably about their normal sale price. I don't have space for one right now, so I will wait a bit, I think. Maybe.

I was looking at this the other day. $300, same size. Wonder if it is any better?

 

http://www.tptools.com/HOBBY-PRO-HP-75-Top-Load-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet,8208.html?b=d*23498

Looks to be about the same price and quality.  A little different design.

Downside on that one to me is the top load.  If you want to blast anything large or heavy you have to lift it over your head to put it in the cabinet.

 

As for HF, they have a 20% off coupon that I used in addition to the sale price to get mine.  They have that 20% off again started today.

The blast cabinets go on sale about once a month or so.  It'll be priced the same or lower next month.

[WNYPCRepair 1,923]

They will let you use the 20% off coupon too? The coupon says no. I would buy one anyway at that price.

 

[RedRanger 1,469]

11 minutes ago, WNYPCRepair said:

They will let you use the 20% off coupon too? The coupon says no. I would buy one anyway at that price.

 

I did last year when I got mine.

 

I've also been buying their black alum oxide media at $45 per 50 pounds.  Also on sale right now.

Just bought two boxes yesterday.

[squonk 42,806]

Compared to a "Pro " Cabinet it's a good deal. I used to get all my blasting stuff from TP Tools. I built a home made cabinet and used their blasting components. But it took up too much room. I just bought the HF bench model. I'm waiting for spring to do all the mods to seal it up ect. You can get gloves,lights, window lenses, guns ect from TP. The media you use and the air delivery system effects clogging also. Use black diamond or glass as sand has moisture built in. Get a TP catalog and find out for yourself!! 

http://www.tptools.com/

[pacer 3,176]

Ive had that cabinet, for some 5-6 yrs now and I'd fight a bear over losing it!!

 

Thats the best price I've seen HF have on it yet, best Ive seen was $189. Combining a 20% off coupon with it is doubtful, the register just wont

recognize combining. (certainly worth a try tho).

 

Yes, you will undoubtedly have to do some 'mods' to it (lot of HF stuff is that way) - light, better gun, sealant, etc, but hey, for a comparable cabinet youre still gonna come out way ahead. As mentioned Black Diamond media is good stuff and with TSC having it for $8 a bag is a great bargain.

 

One other pointer - youre gonna need a pretty large compressor to drive a blaster, probably with 15cfm or more...

Edited January 23, 2016 by pacer

[pfrederi 18,386]

I had one of the HF bench top units...It was terrible.  The hopper sides were not steep enough and the media didn't flow down to teh pick up well.  The gloves crapped out early on and the lights were inadequate.  Got a TIP free standing unit much much better.

[KC9KAS 4,744]

I think it is a good deal, and yes, you get what you pay for....That being said, I read many, many pages of comments about the HF blaster (same as the Central Pneumatic one) and if you watch the YouTube videos, there are a lot of things you can do to your $150 machine to make it a better unit.

[DennisThornton 4,771]

I used to earn a living with tools so I have lots and lots of tools and now that I don't earn a living from tools several are now HF.  I would not want to rely upon HF to be there when I really needed them but they are often great as spares. I have so many little grinders that I don't have to change wheels, brushes or whatever.  Some of the grinders are name brands but some are HF.  My press brake, tire changer, pipe bender and others are HF.  Some needed a little beefing up, finish work and fine tuning but I expected that.  I tend to think that HF sometimes starts a tool, sells it unfinished at a discount and leaves the buyer to finish it then I look at it and say I can't buy it elsewhere or build it for that but I can sure finish it!  If I expect much more than that I'm sometimes disappointed...

[Mr. 856 170]

Have you considered eastwood? For another $200 you can get a far superior setup then anything you'll ever get from harbor freight. Might want to consider the upgrade. You know the old saying.....you get what you pay for.

[JPWH 6,293]

By the time you do all the upgrades to a HF unit you will probably spend almost that 200.00 anyway.

[WNYPCRepair 1,923]

19 minutes ago, Hank01 said:

By the time you do all the upgrades to a HF unit you will probably spend almost that 200.00 anyway.

I was thinking the same thing. But the eastwood and the one I linked both are top loaders. Might be a bit tough lifting a transmission in there. 

Then again, might be easier with a hoist than sliding one in through the side? 

 

[pfrederi 18,386]

12 minutes ago, WNYPCRepair said:

I was thinking the same thing. But the eastwood and the one I linked both are top loaders. Might be a bit tough lifting a transmission in there. 

Then again, might be easier with a hoist than sliding one in through the side? 

 

You would never put a full complete transmission in a blast cabinet (You would wind up with media in the gears no mater how you tried to seal it. Also the screen shelf you work on would probably bend under the load.).  I have put a tranny case half in a top loader no problem. 

[WHX?? 50,898]

Lots of good info here guys as I plan on getting a blast cab in the hopefully not too  distant future. Going to have to rearrange  the whole shop to get it in but junk needs to go  anyway. My bigger investment however is going  to have to get air compressor to run it and space to put that. Right now I just have a puny portable rolair that I've quite overgrown as I have to wait  some times for it to "catch up" to run air tools. I have my shop plumbed in 1/2 black iron pipe that inlcudes hose reels and air outlets  but will probably all have to be redone to accommodate  the  cabinet. 

Question is what's the smallest  AC one would need to run a blaster? What pressure/cfm do these run at?  Very seldom if ever would more than one air tool be run at one time. Also what other  in line fixtures should a guy  have  for an air system. Guessing some sort of moisture separator is a must??

[squonk 42,806]

Get the TPCatalog. All kinds of compressor and plumbing tips. Put a riser on your air line drop and that will help with the moisture. It's all in the book. If you redo air lines, DO NOT USE PLASTIC!! The metal lines will help cool the air and reduce moisture.

 

Edited January 24, 2016 by squonk

[Mr. 856 170]

Great diagram. Someday I will follow suit. I need a new shop first.

[WHX?? 50,898]

Agreed on the plastic Squonk... I have a pipe threaded at work and plenty of pipe/fittings so no problem there.