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I have decided to make my own vapor/ hydro blasting cabinet. I have a bunch of Datsun parts (mikuni carbs, intakes, ac, head etc..) that I want cleaned up and shiny. I really really like the look of hydro blasted or vapor blasted aluminum parts. So I live in a tiny town, that's about 1.5-2 hours from a major city, but even that city doesn't have anyone that hydro/ vapor blasts so I am either shipping parts (expensive, and chances for damage) so it's time to make one. The basics of vapor blasting is a glass slurry mix (ratio unknown as of yet) of water and 170-325 Glass Bead (tiny beads) pumped in circulation through a gun that has compressed air attached to push the slurry at high speeds. Which doesn't damage or pit the aluminum, basically from what I read, it almost picks out the dirt out of the surface. It doesn't even affect zinc, rubber etc... I was just going to get a harbor freight cabinet and ruin it, but decided to look around the web first. I figured someone makes a plastic blasting cabinet. Which turns out they do! Simple, light and pretty cheap. I will probably end up using it not very often, so I would rather it not rust out. I ended up getting one off ebay for 175$ shipped! Retail on it is like $350. So I was pretty stoked. I wanted this size to fit a datsun L6 head. The one I bought: 31" version https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sni-40390 Smaller: 22" version https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200136624_200136624 Pump: Next was a slurry pump, I wanted centrifugal so that the slurry wouldn't ruin it. I decided on this one. According to vapor honing videos you want good psi from the slurry pump, this one is 63 psi. I will be going from 1" down to 1/2 or so for the gun, so that psi will be lower. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TQCSUZK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Lightening: I wanted to be able to see inside and I would rather not get electrocuted. I found some neat LED's on amazon that are meant for fish tanks. They are 12v that use a small ac adapter and are fully waterproof. I got 2 warm white 12" long ones. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OP3P1AM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 False Bottom: The blasting cabinet came with super super shitty screen for the false floor. Which is mild steel, so I threw that in the trash. I have a bunch of stainless grating (I own a brewery and we have lots of scrap) that I was going to use. But I was worried about damaging the aluminum on sharp stainless. Then I had an idea! Plastic grating and I actually had some laying around! It's a fiberglass/ plastic grate meant for standing on. I cut it down into two pieces and she fits perfect and are easy to remove. I also have a small stainless basket for smaller parts. It has very small holes so it should keep anything small from going down to the pump. Through Hull: I needed some way to get the slurry out without leaking. I decided on a cheap through hull for a boat. Which fits perfect. The pump is 1" so I decided to run 1" hoses from the cabinet to the pump and back to the cabinet. I went stainless, which is a giant overkill. But whatever. I will also pump a wide screen on the through hull so it doesn't suck anything large into the pump https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HC0R6W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Water tight Pass through: I will use liquid tight cord Strain Relief Cord Connectors. You can buy them online or at any homedepot. They have a few sizes. I should be able to use them for the compressed air into the cab, slurry and 12v. So it will be water tight. 120v Foot Switch: Since your hands will be in the machine I decided to use a foot switch for the slurry pump. https://www.amazon.com/Power-Maintained-Latching-Foot-Switch/dp/B004LJ6MYE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520527436&sr=8-1&keywords=120v+pedal+switch I will hopefully finish it this weekend, I will use marine 5200 on all the through hulls. Should be a fun project! Videos of vapor blasting honing: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2DdHXu6oFqUWZ-rNNR7Bcg Some of the before and after are amazing.
