Dry air requirements for a bead blast cabinet?

[gunsmither]

Can anyone enlighten me on what type of air filter, and or dryer to use with a small, light duty bead blast cabinet from Horrible Freight?

I realize the need for dry air, but what type of filter to use escapes my searches so far.

Any ideas will be most appreciated! Thanks. Joe

[aboard_epsilon]

Depends how much money you want to spend

i think, what you are after is an "air filter regulator separator"

i think that's what they are called ..

They use a vortex to chuck the air against the side of a glass bowl ..so that it condenses on the glass ..every so often you drain the bowl by opening a valve on the bottom

Next step up from this is an automatic version of above that drains the water when a float in the bowl reaches a pre determined height..........not ideal for the DIYer ..as they waste a lot of air and rarely work to their best.....spit and hiss all day ,causing comp to loose air when you're not using it .....ideal in industry when the tools are in constant use though.

after that, its money ...refridgerated driers etc

don't use the version with a lubricator attached to it for blasting .

all the best.markj

[Video Man]

I have a similar cabinet from Northern Tools, I use an airline filter very much like the one HF lists: http://www.harborfreight.com/mini-ai...ter-68225.html

Seems to work OK, but I don't use the cabinet for long sessions of blasting, so I don't know for sure this is adequate for your needs. Price is right, however.

[jkilroy]

Motorguard filters rock, for all sorts of applications. I use one on my plasma cutter, works great.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WZYKAE/...hvptwo=&hvqmt=

[PTSideshow]

http://www.motorguard.com/air_2_2.html Use one for my final filter for everything plasma, media blasters, cabinet and hand held guns and air brush sized eraser and spray guns from air brush on up. Can't do better for the price. They now have an activated charcoal version also.

[BudB]

I wouldn't worry so much about filtration but dry air is important. Any air dryer is better than none. If your use is limited a small dessicant filled dryer (Grainger 5VC89) might work but for more substantial usage a refrigerated dryer is the ticket.

[MichaelP]

I use HF Dessicant Air Drier http://images.harborfreight.com/manu...7999/97686.pdf

I have cooling loops and a regular regulator/filter near my compressor, and the copper pipe runs are pitched toward draining legs. So my air is quite dry when it reaches the entrance of the dessicant drier. This helps keeping the filter filler functional for a very long time.

[metalmagpie]

First of all, a little eighth grade science reminder. Hot air holds a lot more moisture than cold air. Air coming out of your compressor is hot and wet. The water is vapor mixed into the air. A water trap will catch a lot of the water but it has to have come out of the vapor phase or it will pass right through.

Thus you have to cool your air, *then* trap the water. So the first problem is how to cool the air. This is best done with a proper air piping system or refrigerated air dryer. Both of which are massive overkill for a small bead blaster box.

metalmagpie

[aboard_epsilon]

what i have .

is a pipe rising up from the comp..about 6 feet...........it then goes through the wall to the outside..........it travels along the whole side of the building rising about 3 inches in 26 feet...it then drops down 4 feet re-enters the building...the filter regulator separator unit is mounted on it there .

i don't really get any condensate in my air tools or spray gun ..and only a drop in my regulator unit ....most of it condenses in the pipe work ..and runs back to the compressor..in-between the time when not using the tools.


all the best.markj

[Frank46]

WE used to call them cyclone separators. Water would hit the sides and collect in the bowl and and open up the drain valve to blow it out. Same principle. Frank

[oldtiffie]

Everything in an air line will have a pressure drop (loss) as air passes through it - cyclones/driers included - as is the regulator and the piping/hose/reticulation system. All those pressure drops are additive (they add up).

http://www.google.com.au/#hl=en&gs_n...w=1920&bih=785

Here is a range of 3-phase compressors - check out their maximum operating pressures and free air delivery (FAD) and size the compressor to suit your cabinet (allow for losses) as the cabinet specs are those required under load at the cabinet.


Here are some compressors and driers:
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/In...ir-Compressors

and a sample specification:
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/C521

Here are some small cabinets:

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Sandblaster

and a sample specification of the smallestg cabiner (note theFAD and air pressure at the cabinet:

https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/S288

[EVguru]

I don't have anything for actively removing moisture from the air supply for my cabinet. I do make sure the main compresor regulator moisture trap is drained down before use.

Adding an Eductor will give you a much more consistent flow of grit and may well lower your CFM requirements.

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=49010

[Forestgnome]

I use a trap and a small dessicant drier. I think they were both from HF. A drier definitely helps keep the nozzle from clogging. Whatever you use it helps to mount it at the cabinet as you can build quite a bit of moisture between the compressor and cabinet.

[914Wilhelm]

I live in the land of seemingly terminal rain, ie Oregon. I don't use a dryer with my HF blast cabinet and have no problems with sand sticking together.

[Tilaran]

I live in the land of seemingly terminal rain, ie Oregon. I don't use a dryer with my HF blast cabinet and have no problems with sand sticking together.

In the land of the free(Nicaragua) we use an inline AC condenser in the breeze. As dry as a popcorn fart.