Sandblasting 101: What You Need to Know

The world of construction and refurbishment is vast and innovative. With so many ways to repair old appliances and build new pieces, you’re guaranteed nowadays to have stunning items and reliable machinery around your home and business. One innovative way to help with any unique problems is the process of sandblasting. Also known as abrasive blasting, sandblasting is useful in a number of ways, and an abrasive blasting cabinet may be just what you need to fix individual or unusual problems with your car, home, or appliance.  

What is Sandblasting? 

Now, the entire process of sandblasting may seem confusing to someone new to the repair business. So what exactly is the process? Based on the principle of how sandpaper wears down other objects, a sandblaster uses air to shoot abrasive material at affected areas. Never use actual sand because it will cause severe damage to the operator’s lungs and therefore should not be used. The entire process takes place in a sand blast cabinet that keeps the mess contained. Glass beads or other abrasive substances are loaded into the machine, and you have control of the nozzle for where you’d like the blast stream to go. Sandblasters come in a few different forms, such as a siphon feed system versus a direct pressure system. The main difference here is how the abrasive blast media is delivered to the work piece.  

How Can Sandblasting Help You? 

The abrasive blasting industry is actually growing in many areas, the main ones being automotive and aerospace as well as some growth in construction. While these fields use sandblasting on an industrial scale, you can use this technology in many ways within your home. Abrasive blasting helps rid your work of small imperfections from leftover metal after you complete a project. Sandblasting also helps you prepare surfaces for a number of new purposes. Perhaps you’re looking to engrave stone or paint over some old wood — these surfaces can easily be prepped after running the wood through an abrasive blaster. Or, in contrast, removing paint is easy with one of these products. A sandblaster can even be used to engrave stone or glass. 

In automotive or aerospace manufacturing, sandblasting helps prep all surfaces for crisp paint and excellent aerodynamic performance. You can also refurbish small pieces within the larger machine. Say you have an old piece that has completely rusted over and is no longer usable?  Well, one run through your sandblaster will make it bright as new. This product is guaranteed to keep your products top of the market and superb quality.    

Safety

Because sandblasting involves extreme pressure and small particles, safety is of the utmost importance when using one of these machines. In fact, every abrasive blasting cabinet should come with several safety features. First, there should always be a safety valve installed in the top of the machine to prevent any of the air inside from escaping. While these cabinets have glass on top so you can see what you’re working with, reinforcements should prevent debris from escaping and striking you. You must also never expose your hands directly during your work. Gloves are built-in, so you have strong protection in place and never have skin exposed within the abrasive blasting cabinet. 

If the name “abrasive blasting” wasn’t enough of a giveaway, this process can be dangerous. Remember that you’re responsible for your safety and to read and follow instructions carefully to prevent injuries.