SANDBLASTER PLANS

1
 The information contained in this material is for
reference only. The author does not assume any
responsibility in regards to the use of this
manual’s content.

In other words you the reader are responsible for

any injury or destruction of property from the use
or mis-use of information contained in this
manual.
Please note that the use of silica based sand can cause a
condition called Silicosis. I do not recommend the use
of silica based abrasives due to this reason. If you are
not familiar with Silicosis, I encourage you to research it.

2
Items required:

A lot of these items will depend on what you have available or on hand. I re-use scrap
materials whenever possible, so some variation may be required. Feel free to substitute.

• Tank or LP gas cylinder (100 pound size shown in pictures)

• ½” I.D. Hose – suitable for pressure (used hydraulic hose works great )
• Miscellaneous pipe & pipe fittings
• Qty 2 ¾” Ball valves
• Qty 2 ½” Ball valve
• Ceramic sandblast nozzle (Available from McMaster Carr www.mcmaster.com)
• Wheels (Harbor Freight)
• Axle for wheels 1” shaft
• Di-Electric union connector (used for water heaters)
• Water Trap (Harbor Freight)

The following steps contain information on how I assembled a pressure assisted

sandblaster. Most of the items that were used for the construction were acquired from
scrap materials. The sandblaster was built at a very low cost. All steel that was used is
what I like to call recycled steel. In other words it comes from machinery that I have
scrapped out or have bought as recycled steel from a local scrap yard. You will notice
throughout the construction steps that some of the items are rusty or different colors.
This is where the sandblaster comes in handy----to clean all that stuff up down to the bare
metal, then it will all look like new after a good coat of paint.

The sandblaster fabrication requires the use of a welder. I personally recommend using a
MIG (wire welder) but an arc welder could also be used if a wire welder is unavailable.
Another useful tool is a plasma cutter. I have had a plasma cutter for several years and
have never regretted buying one. It makes a fast clean cut that does not get very hot so
that you can handle the parts right after you get done with the cut (really helps to speed
up fabrication time). A cutting torch could also be if a plasma cutter is unavailable. A
cutting torch also does a good job, just creates a bit more heat which takes more time to
cool down. If a torch is not available, the use of a sawzall and drill will be sufficient.
Another useful tool is a right angle grinder to clean up cut edges and areas to be welded.

It took me around a day and a half to fabricate the sandblaster. A lot of this time was
spent rummaging through my pipe fitting pails to find the ones that would work best for
what I was trying to accomplish.

As of this writing, I have run at least 2000 lbs. of sand through the blaster without any
problems at all. I still have not yet painted the blaster, but intend to when I get done with
the other projects that I needed the sandblaster for in the first place.

3
Concerning the use of an LP gas cylinder…….The cylinder
must be purged before cutting into it, regardless of the method
used to cut it open. I purged the cylinder by filling them with
water all the way until it overflows. Dump the water out and
refill the tank once again and let it sit idle for a couple of hours
with the water still in it.

Regarding compressor size, I recommend at least a two-cylinder compressor. My

first blaster was run by a Sanborn 2 cylinder that had a 3 HP motor. Output of
that unit was around 7 CFM at 60 PSI and less at higher pressures. It was
pumping up a 25-gallon tank at the compressor. I wouldn't recommend anything
below a 3 HP for the full pressurized version, although some people have used
them and reported that it worked okay, they just had to stop once in a while to let
the compressor build up air pressure. An alternative to this is to utilize an
auxiliary air storage tank to increase the total capacity of air storage. This will
allow you to blast at higher pressures if needed for a longer duration.

If you have a compressor that you do not know the output, most 110-volt
compressors produce approximately 1 to 2 CFM per horsepower. 220-volt units
will produce 2 to 3 CFM per horsepower.

I normally run a 3/32" orfice size on the nozzle for the full pressurized blaster
version, this allows a smaller compressor to be used (this type uses the nozzle
assembly that I sell on Ebay). Once the nozzle wears more CFM output is
required (as seen in lower table below).

The pressurized media system allows you to change from full pressure to a
siphon unit very easily and quickly. I run a siphon unit in the blast cabinet, and
the full pressure version for heavy rust or outside of cabinet blasting

Although it is not shown in the manual, you should install a pressure relief valve
somewhere either on the blaster media tank or on your compressor so that the
air pressure in the tank does not exceed a safe level. I have mine set to 125 PSI
and it is located on the compressor. It is not shown in this manual because
it is not actually part of the blaster. Keep in mind that the welds must be
able to withstand the pressure that you will be putting in the blast media tank.

4
Air requirements for pressure fed siphon blaster

• 8 CFM with 1/8" orfice at 80 PSI

• 4.5 CFM with 5/64" orfice at 80 PSI
• 6 CFM with 1/8" orfice at 60 PSI
• 3 CFM with 5/64" orfice at 60 PSI

Air requirements for Full Pressure Sandblaster (C1 series nozzles)

(This is the style of nozzle that is sold with my nozzle/valve assemblies on ebay)

• 1-6 CFM with 3/32" orfice

• 7-21 CFM with 1/8" orfice
• 22-45 CFM with 3/16" orfice
• 46-80 CFM with 1/4" orfice
• 81-140 CFM with 5/16" orfice
• 141-200 CFM with 3/8" orfice
As you can see, air requirements can be very low, allowing use of virtually any 2-
cylinder compressor or even smaller air compressors.

5
STEP 1

The first step is to locate a tank of some sort that will be suitable to hold a minimum of
150 psi. I chose to use an old 100-pound LP gas cylinder. These are the old silver ones
that are about 15” in diameter and about 40” tall. Make sure the cylinder is empty and
then remove the valve from the top of the cylinder. Be sure not to make any sparks when
removing the valve, as it may cause any gas to ignite.

Figure 1 A good candidate to make a sandblaster

6
Step 2
PURGING & CUTTING THE CYLINDER
Cutting the cylinder open. A strong word of caution here……….Never just cut into
an LP gas cylinder with a torch. The cylinder must be purged completely with
water to remove any and all left over gas from the inside of the cylinder. I filled it
completely with water 2 times and then let it sit idle for a couple hours. Regardless of
whether a torch or a sawzall is used to cut the tank open, it must purged with water before
cutting open.

These cylinders have a rim welded to the bottom of the tank to keep them upright. This
rim is normally flush with the end of the cylinder and must be removed as well. Before
removing the rim, I used the rim to measure about 6” down to mark my cut all the way
around the tank. The following picture shows the tank after the rim has been removed
and the bottom of the tank has been cut off.

Figure 2 Rim and bottom 6 “ cut off cylinder

7
Figure 3 Another view of bottom cut from cylinder and the top end

8
Step 3 - Sandblaster outlet assembly.
This assembly will attach to where the original gas valve has been removed. In other
words, what used to be the top of the tank will become the bottom of the sandblaster.

It is constructed of a ¾” cross, 2 close nipples 1-1/2” long and a brass ball valve. I did
not have a cross available in my assortment of fittings, so I just made one from a T fitting
and a coupler. I burned a hole on the side of the T fitting and welded in the coupler. I cut
the coupler in half so that it was not so long and I will use the other half on the
sandblaster in a later step.

Figure 4 Homemade cross with attached close nipples and ball valve

9
Step 4
After assembling the outlet assembly, it is time to thread it into the cylinder as shown in
Figure 5. It is turned in tight so that there will not be any leaks.

Figure 5 Outlet assembly threaded into original gas port

10
Step 5 - Attaching the legs.

These are simply 1-3/4” X 1-3/4” X 3/16” angle iron 20” in length. Position one leg on
the tank so that the end is about 3” below the sandblaster outlet assembly. The first leg is
tacked in place so that it will not move. Next an angle iron is clamped to the tack welded
leg at a 90-degree angle. This clamped angle serves as a brace to position the other leg.
This keeps the angle irons flat with each other so that the axle for the tires can be
attached. (See Figure 6). The legs are set so the bottom of the blaster tank is 8” to the
end of the legs. This gives a little more room than what will be required for the blaster
outlet assembly.

Figure 6 Both legs tacked and ready for final welding. Note the angle used as a brace to
keep the surfaces flat with each other

11
Figure 7 Rear sandblaster legs after final welding

Figure 8 Another view of the legs after welding

12
Step 6 - Attaching the front leg to the cylinder.
The front leg is positioned on the front of the cylinder so that it is the same height as the
rear legs. This allows the sandblaster to be free-standing or stationary if desired. I
welded another short 3” piece of angle to the bottom of the front leg as well so that when
the blaster is out on the lawn, the front leg does not sink into the ground.

Figure 9 Front leg welded in place. Wheels not yet attached, just getting an idea of how
wide I want them placed.

13
Step 7 - Air pressurizing port
A port hole is cut for the air to pressurize the tank. I placed mine on the right-hand side
of the tank. It is located about 3” below what is currently the top of the sandblaster. This
is where I used the remaining half of the coupler that I used earlier to make the outlet
assembly cross. I cut a hole big enough for the coupler to pass through. I welded on the
inside of the cylinder first and then welded all the way around the coupler on the outside
of the cylinder. This should ensure that it will not leak any air pressure.

Figure 10 Air pressure port welded in place

14
Figure 11 Another view of the air pressure port after welding

15
Step 8 - Air manifold system
I used pipe because it is more durable than hose and will last a very long time. Hose (a
used hydraulic hose is a good choice) could be used and it is also easier to install. The
manifold system is comprised of pipe and fittings that I had on hand. This is where I also
installed the water trap. I used one from Harbor Freight that I had laying around (the
mounting flange had broken off years ago). You could use a different style of trap, but
these are the cheapest traps I have seen. Don’t neglect to use the pipe unions, these really
help with the installation of the manifold, and will also be of help if the manifold needs to
be removed for some unknown reason. Please note that the outlet assembly will need to
be turned slightly to clear the front leg.

See the drawing below for details on what fitting I used for the manifold. Keep in mind
this is what I had on hand and substitions can be made to reduce part count.

I recommend the use of the regulator in the manifold, as this will allow you to use the
pressurized media tank for the pressure fed siphon blaster version. If you feel that you
may never use that option, you can leave it off. The value of installing it right away is
that you can always adjust the regulator to accommodate for full pressure if you want. In
a later figure, you will notice that I have two regulators attached to the media tank. This
is for the pressure fed siphon unit version. You can set up your manifold like that if you
want, but I just use a regulator at the outlet of the compressor in addition to the one on the
media tank.

I strongly advise the use of two regulators for the sandblaster. I will explain this later in
the manual in the Blaster Operation portion.

16
Figure 12 Lower portion of manifold system

17
Figure 13 Another view of the manifold system, water trap & regulator
See following figures for alternative manifold options

18
19
Figure 14 Manifold system arrangement

20
Figure 14a Manifold system arrangement with regulator

21
Step 9 - Constructing the sand tub and filler port.
The portion of the cylinder that was cut off from Step 2 will become the sand tub. A hole
is cut in the tub so that a piece of 5” diameter 3/16” wall pipe about 2” long can be
inserted and welded in place as shown in figure 15. I used a 5” diameter pipe so that if I
ever needed to reach my hand into the sandblaster, the hole would be large enough to do
so. A smaller diameter pipe could be used if a large one is not available. The pipe is
welded in the tub on both sides all the way around. It is best to do a continuous weld
when welding this if possible.

Figure 15 Bottom side of tub with sand filler port welded in place

22
Figure 16 Another view of the tub with sand filler port welded in place

23
Step 10 - Making a plug for the sand fill port
To make a plug for the sand filler port, I used an old disk blade that I had laying in the
scrap pile. I cut the blade so that is about 2” in diameter larger than the pipe used for the
sand filler port that was welded in place in Step 8. A piece of ¼’ plate could also be used
if a disk blade is not available. I would be sure to use at least a ¼” thick plate so that it
does not warp when welding and so that you can get a good weld when welding on the
stem in a later step. The disk blade already had a square hole in the center, which I recut
to make large enough for the 1” diameter stem to pass through. I also cut out a smaller
circle of 3/16” plate about 3” diameter that will be used in a later step.

Figure 17 Plug (RH side) for sand filler port. Smaller 3” circle shown as well.

24
Step 11 - Making the stem for the sand port plug
The stem is made from a piece of 1” outside diameter pipe 3” in length. The inside
diameter is large enough for a piece of 5/8” all-thread to pass through. I made sure one
end of the pipe is good and square as I will be welding a nut to the end and if it is not
square, one may have trouble once the all thread is installed. A good way to ensure that
you don’t have any issues later is to thread a nut on one end and place the long end
through the pipe. Tack the nut on the end of the pipe in about 3 places around the nut and
check to make sure the all-thread turns freely. Next remove the all-thread and weld the
nut onto the pipe all the way around. Figure 18 shows the stem and all-thread that I used.
I made two of these stems, as one will be used in a later step.

Figure 18 Stem with welded nut and all-thread

25
Step 12 - Welding the stem to the plug
Now the stem will be welded to the sand filler port plug. If using a disk blade, the stem
gets welded so that the stem is on the humped side of the blade. Weld the stem in place
on both sides of the blade or flat circle.

Figure 19 Top view of sand port plug with stem welded in place

Figure 20 Bottom view of sand port plug with stem welded in place

26
Step 13 - Capping off the stem
The hole in the bottom of the stem will need to be capped off using the smaller circle that
I cut out in Step 9 (Figure 17). This circle is placed on the underside of the plug and is
welded all the way around to keep the air from escaping through the stem

Figure 21 Bottom view of sand port plug with cap welded in place

27
Step 14 - Making the tightener for the sand port plug
To make a tightened, I used a piece of ¼” X 2” flat, bent as shown in Figure22. It is
made so the insides of the legs are the same distance apart as the diameter of pipe used
for the sand port and 3” in height. An 11/16” hole is drilled in the center of the strap after
it is formed. I also cut a couple of gussets for the corners (Figure 24). The tightener will
be welded in place over the sand port, being sure to center the hole in the tightener with
the center of the sand port.

28
Figure 22 Plug tightener formed with gussets

Figure 23 Top of plug tightener

29
Figure 24 Plug tightener with gussets welded in place

Figure 25 Plug tightener welded in place

30
Step 15 - Gasket for the sand port plug
To make a gasket for the sand filler plug, I used a chunk of old tire tube. I placed the
plug on the tube and traced around the plug and cut the profile out with a scissors. Then
cut a hole in the center of the gasket for the stem to pass through and place on the plug
assembly.

Figure 26 Tracing profile of plug onto rubber

31
Figure 27 Gasket installed onto plug

32
Step 16 - T-Handle for tightener

Now is the time to use the extra stem welded in Step 10. Cut another 10” long piece of
pipe that was used for the stem. This piece will be welded to the non-nut end of the stem
to create a T-handle for the plug tightener (Figure 28). Next thread the 5/8” all thread
into the plug stem. Place the plug stem up through sand port (being sure to have the
gasket placed on the plug) and the all-thread through the tightener hole. Next thread an
extra 5/8” hex nut onto the all thread. The nut will be locked against the T-handle, which
is installed next. Adjust T-handle so that when you turn the T-handle everything is tight
and the gasket seals good. Lock the hex nut against the T-handle.

Figure 28 T-handle arrangement

33
 Figure 29 Plug, gasket and T-handle installed

Figure 30 Bottom view of the sand tub assembly

34
Step 17 - Welding the sand tub in place
The inside of the cylinder should be clean and dry before placing the sand tub in place.
Place the sand tub in place as shown (Figure 31). I placed mine so that the tightener in
the tub was oriented in-line with the front leg of the blaster. Tap it down with a hammer
a bit to get a good tight fit. As seen in the picture, it should fit pretty tight. Measure from
the top of the sand tub to the top of the cylinder and make sure that it is the same distance
all the way around. Next be sure the sand plug is loose and tack the tub well so that it
does not move. Next weld the tub in place all the way around. Try to get a good weld
with no pinholes, as these pinholes will need to be fixed if they leak air.

Figure 31 Sand tub ready for welding

35
Figure 32 Sand tub welded in place

36
Step 18 - Wheels and axles (optional)

The blaster is well on its way to completion. We will now install the axle and the wheels.
I got the wheels from www.harborfreight.com. They are quite inexpensive and work
quite well for many projects. The inside diameter of the bearings is 5/8”. If you have
some other wheels lying around, you could use them as well. As for the axle, I have a
metal lathe in the shop and decided to turn a 1” diameter shaft down to 5/8” on the ends.
The wheels are spaced 17” from each other measured on the inside. This allowed for
pretty good stability of the blaster. Before welding the axle to the legs, I placed a piece
of ¼” flat under each leg to space it off the floor a bit. Then I made sure the tires were
filled with recommended air pressure. Simply roll the axle assembly against the legs,
center from side to side, clamp and weld in place on both sides (top & bottom) of the
axle.

Figure 33 Axle welded in place

37
Step 19 - The hose
For the hose, I used a ½” inside diameter hydraulic hose. I didn’t have one lying around,
so I purchased a new one. This part was the most expensive part of the whole blaster. I
bought a 16-foot long hose so that I had plenty of hose. If you have some short hoses
lying around, you could couple them together as well to get the length that you want.
You will need a reducer at the blaster outlet to attach the hose (Figure 35). I also use a
hydraulic swivel to allow quick disconnecting of the blast hose so that I can switch over
to the siphon unit very quickly without having to keep turning the hose to remove it from
the threads.

Figure 35 Hose attachment

38
Figure 36 Another view of the hose and nozzle assembly

39
Step 21 - Nozzle holder / Blast End

There are several options that you can do in regards to the blaster nozzle and holder.
After looking at the different nozzles that are available, I decided to go with a large
ceramic nozzle. These are available from McMaster Carr or I have them available as well.
Their website is www.mcmaster.com. The nozzle is the same as what is used on
the “deadman” style of holders.

The deadman valve assembly is quite expensive and the rubber blocks on the end do not
last a very long time. There are other nozzles and holders available but they too add a
fair amount of cost to the system. The assembly that I have come up with is a cheaper
alternative.

The holder is comprised of a brass ball valve. The cheapest one that you can find is the
best, as this is the part that will wear out in time. Mine cost about $5 which is cheaper
than a set of the replacement rubber blocks for the deadman valve and will last much
longer. One of these ball valves will last for at least 5000 sand-pounds worth of blasting.

Next is a modified Di-electric connector (about $4). These can be found at most home
improvement centers in the plumbing department. I recommend the ½” outlet with the
¾” pipe threads on the other end. They come with the base part as well as a large nut
along with a brass sleeve and a plastic bushing. The brass and plastic parts will not be
used for this assembly.

The very first one that I made, I just filed out the diameter of the large nut so that when
the nozzle was inserted through the hole in the nut, the nut made sufficient engagement
with the threads on the base. This worked pretty well until I bought another supply of
ceramic nozzles which had a slightly smaller diameter on the large end. In this case, the
nozzle now passed all the way through the hole in the nut.

I recommend using a metal lathe or taking it to someone that has one and having them cut
a .375” deep depression in the nozzle face and modify the nut inside diameter to what is
shown in Figures 37 & 38. I have found this to be the best method and have had no
issues with it when changing nozzles. The nozzle is not supposed to pass through the nut,
but rather the taper is to be engaged in the hole toward the larger end of the nozzle.

Attach the nozzle holder assembly as shown in Figure 36 using a reducer to go from the
½” threads on the hose to the ¾” threads of the ball valve. I have found this setup to
work the best in regards to wear on the ball valve. A ½” ball valve will wear more
quickly due to the hole through the ball valve being smaller than the ¾” valve. Be sure to
assemble the coupler on the correct side of the ball valve so that the lever does not get in
the way in case you need to remove the nozzle.

40
Figure 34 Blast nozzle assembly

41
 Figure 37 Di-Electric connector modifications

Figure 38 Di-Electric connector nut modifications

42
Step 22 - Finished Sandblaster

Now the sandblaster is complete and ready for use. Be sure to use dry sand or media in
your sandblaster. This is very important so that the blaster does not clog.

Also make sure that your media is sifted to remove large chunks of debris that may be
present if you reuse the media. If I am in a bind, I usually go to the local building supply
store and buy sandblast sand, but I normally go to the local creek bottom and load up
some sand from there. I spread it out on a couple sheets of plywood on a nice sunny day
to make sure it dries out completely. Then I sift it through a sifter made from an old
window screen. The window screen works well for a nozzle size of 3/32” which is what I
normally use. I start with the 3/32” nozzle and over time it enlarges to about 3/16” which
is when I normally replace it for sand. If you use another type of media, you may still be
able to use the worn nozzle as it depends on particle size.

Blaster operation
I have a regulator installed on my compressor. I set this regulator to within 10 PSI of
what the kick-in pressure is for the compressor, otherwise you will notice that a large
increase in pressure at the blaster will greatly affect your blaster valve settings. This is
something that a lot of people do not realize and they either don’t use the regulator
coming off the compressor, or they set it at the max presure the compressor will put out.

The big problem that they then encounter is the surging as the pressure varies, and they
then begin to get frustrated as they change the feed settings on the blaster to
accommodate for the pressure changes. They then find that as the pressure increases
again, they encounter the same probem and once again, they are frustrated. Be sure to
use a regulator coming off the compressor and adjust it to within 10 PSI of

If you have never used a sandblaster before, then here are a few pointers… First off,
make sure the ball valve at the blaster outlet (at the bottom of the blaster) is in the off
position before filling with media. Fill the blaster with media and turn the T-handle to
close the sand port…shake the T-handle from side to side to remove any media that may
have collected on the gasket.

I have a ball valve installed before the water trap; this shuts off all air to the entire
system. Hook up the air supply hose to the blaster and then turn on the ball valve to
allow air into the blaster and hose.

Adjust the regulator on the manifold so that not full pressure enters the media tank.
This regulates pressure going into the tank pressure port (not in the whole manifold).

With this configuration, you can set the regulator to control the pressure going into the
tank to be less than what the pressure in the manifold is. Air from the manifold being at a
higher pressure will try to go to where there is lower pressure, which is up through the
blaster outlet and into the tank. The advantage is that the outlet would always have air
43
flowing through it keeping the port open in case that one has put damp sand into the
blaster. Damp sand tends to cake up and restrict sand flow.

The tank pressure needs to be adjusted depending on the media type that you are using.
If you get the pressure set for a media type, you may want to write it down so that you
can set the pressure at that setting the next time you use it.

I normally run this regulator about 5 PSI below the pressure from the compressor and
adjust it from there. Too low of pressure in the media tank will result in a surging effect
of sand exiting the nozzle. This due to the air in the manifold rushing into the media tank
to equalize the pressure differential, instead of the pressure in the tank pushing media into
the manifold.

Next, open the nozzle valve to allow air through the hose. This should either be fully
open, or fully closed (in a quick movement)...never partially open/close, as that will
accelerate wear of the ball valve.

After opening the nozzle valve and air is rushing out, open the ball valve at the blaster
outlet (bottom of media tank) to allow sand into the hose (pressurized air stream). Don’t
open it all the way, as too much sand will also cause the system to surge.

Usually I open it about half way or less. About halfway should do the trick (no set in
stone rule...whatever works, that is the setting to stick w/ or readjust near). Now sand
should be coming out the nozzle…it may take a little time for the hose to fill. If no sand
comes out, give the outlet a slight tap to get the sand moving. Adjust the ball valve until
you get a good steady stream of air and sand coming out.

To get a good blast to remove heavy rust, you want a lot of air pressure at the nozzle and
the right amount of sand. You should just barely be able to see the sand coming out of
the nozzle (similar in appearance to steam coming out of a teakettle). The best setting is
right before the sand starts to surge coming out of the nozzle. If you open the sand outlet
valve until it starts to surge and then back off a little, you will attain the best blast. If you
are just removing paint or light rust, then you can adjust the air pressure down a little. It
will take a little time to get used to adjusting the pressure and valves, but once you find
that “sweet spot” you can set it the same every time you use the blaster and attain great
results.

From here it is pretty simple, just point at what you want cleaned and blast
away…remember to use proper protective gear as the sand can do some serious damage
to exposed flesh! The use of a respirator is also recommended.

44
45
46
47
48
 Pressure Fed Siphon sandblaster
My very first sand blaster was a simple siphon feed unit. It worked okay, but always had
that surging effect as it tried to “PULL” sand through the hose.

To cure that, I made a pressure tank out of an old milking vacuum tank. With this design,
sand is “PUSHED” up to the blast nozzle. That tank had a removable lid, which had a
gasket and a clamp to hold the lid and gasket on. I have since robbed parts off my
original system, as it has been 20 years since I have used it and moved to the large unit
described above.

With this system, I had 2 regulators to adjust the pressure as seen in the accompyaning
diagram below (one of these regulators could be attached to the compressor – like mine
is). The first regulator is set at 50-60 PSI and the second regulator is set to 5-10 PSI. In
between the regulators is a t-fitting and a hose that runs to the siphon feed sandblast head
at what used to be the feed tube. The original feed tube has been replaced with a ¼”
hose nipple (brass) which allowed the sand to go through better.

After the second regulator, there is another T-fitting. From this fitting, there is a hose
that runs down to the bottom of the blast tank and connects to the cross fitting. This
allows 5-10 PSI air to flow through the cross and “PUSH” sand through the hose and up
to the siphon sandblast head where it can be blasted out the nozzle with the 50-60 PSI air
supply.

This type of system has several advantages and would work great for a sandblast cabinet.
This system never really can clog due to large debris in the media, unless the media is
large enough to plug any of the fittings.

With this system, the sand moves through sand feed line all the time, so when you are
not blasting, and set the gun down, sand continues to feed out the nozzle. Not a big
problem inside of a blast cabinet, but will cause the loss of sand if you are blasting
outside of a cabinet. You can cure this by adding an additional valve in the sand feed line
near the blast gun. You would need to shut it off whenever you are not blasting.

You can use pretty much the same steps described earlier to build a pressure feed unit for
your siphon blaster, just set it up like the diagram below and blast away. You don’t have
to use the first regulator (set to 50-60 PSI) if you don’t want, but it will allow more
control of blasting patterns. If you have a blast cabinet, that has a siphon unit, just build
the pressure tank, hook it up to the siphon unit and give it a try…….it does work great!

49
Original sandblaster remnants, this unit is about 22 years old….a lot of parts
have been robbed from it, but the basics are still there. Put a few regulators
back on it, some air in the tires and it would be ready to blast again.

50
51
This is the siphon blasting unit from my original pressure fed blaster

A closer view
52
 Original fitting replaced with ¼” hose nipple. The hose is a clear hose although you can’t tell anymore.
This was so that I could see the sand moving through the hose. It originally came with a rubber hose, but
wasn’t but a year or two and that basically cracked to pieces.
This is where you can use that old air hose that got a hole in it if you would like.

53
Swivel on the cross at the bottom of media tank. This allows for easy switching between the siphon feed
system and the full pressure blast system.

54