soda blasting and compressor size - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

ausisoda · 05-09-2009, 10:07 PM

Hi

Ive just purchased a SB100 LV multi media blaster from sodablast and the airman compressor i have ordered has the following specs.

Model PDS100S-6B4-T
COMPRESSOR
Free Air Delivery cfm 100
Working Pressure psi 100
Comp. Oil Capacity L 14
ENGINE
Make & Model SHIBAURA S773L-C
Type
4 cycle, water cooled,
pre-chamber type
No. of Cylinders 3
Displacement cc 1,131
Output KW 20.2
Speed at Max Power rpm 3,425
Fuel Diesel
Fuel Tank Capacity L 70
Lubricating Oil Capacity L 4.9
Coolant Capacity L 4.5
Battery V 80D26RMF
DIMENSIONS
Length mm 2,680
Width mm 1,450
Height mm 1,395
Net Dry Weight kg 790
Operating Weight kg 865
Air Outlets 2 x 3/4"
NOISE LEVEL Level at 7m dB(A) 68

I am hoping that this would be big enough to get reasonable performance fror stripping automotive paint with soda and for blasting other medias like crushed glass.
What size nozzel can i run with this compressor before running low on air?
the pot came with a 3 and a 4 sized nozzel.
Can i go any bigger?
I have a seporator tank conected to the blast pot will this help with maintaining preasure?

sorry for all the noob questions but im just starting out a new biz in my area as no body does mobile abbrasive blasting around here and im hoping to make a dollar or two.

My first job ive got lined up is some 1.5 tone bins used on a truck to cart grapes so the owner wants to blast the paint and minor rust off of them for a repaint what disposable media would you use?

painter213 · 05-10-2009, 09:48 AM

Before buying equipment to start a buisness, I would suggest to first learn everything about the equipment and how it works. Have you ever done abrasive blasting before? It does not make sense to go out and buy equipment and then start asking questions to see if you bought the right stuff. If your going to be blasting paint off a car then 100 CFM would work. Not good, but it will do it. Keep that #3 nozzle on there though. Now going to a large truck and start removing a lot of paint and rust, you will not do it with a 100 CFM. You will be there for days. If your serious about getting into the buisness, then hire me to come to your place and I will give you a good training session in field. That is what I do. I work by the day, week or month. That is where your money is best spent "Training". Keeps you from loosing everything out in the field on your first job. Give me a call anytime.

ERAD_DIB · 05-10-2009, 11:08 AM

I'll just second what Benny said, and elaborate a little:
That size compressor isn't "bad," but I don't think its Free Air Delivery rating (100 CFM) will be all that efficient. With the smaller nozzles like you have, you might not run out of air, but you won't be stripping as much surface area in a given amount of time.

According to the various charts I've accumulated since getting into this, a #5 (5/16") nozzle wants 113-125 CFM at 80 PSI, or around 137 CFM at 100 PSI. The 20.2 KW rating on yours equals just over 27 horsepower. To get closer to the 137 CFM, you'd need around a 30.5 HP compressor. For pushing soda (I haven't "gotten into" other media yet) through a #5 nozzle, I'd want a compressor that will give at least 140 CFM, so probably a 40 HP machine, just so it wouldn't have to work as hard to keep up. Most of the companies leasing/selling blasting packages list 185 CFM or bigger machines.

Figuring around 4 CFM per (true) HP, you're probably fine with the #3 (around 38 CFM at 80 PSI, 45 CFM @ 100) or #4 (68 @ 80, 81 @ 100) nozzles. I don't have any figures right handy for those sizes as far as media usage (lbs./hr.) or the area you can complete (sq. in.) per hour.

Dry air is a good thing; otherwise, your media ends up "steam powered."

Hope this helps. Good luck with your new venture.

ausisoda · 05-12-2009, 02:12 AM

I did a bit of reaserch on air man compressors and spoke to the sales rep today and found out the airman 100s compressor is actually a 130s relabled so aparently they push 130cfm any ways thats probably why the guy who sold me the package got that compressor i allso bought a external air tank that is a forbes unit so that should help things as well

Blastman · 05-15-2009, 08:26 PM

I have a cfm consumption chart on my web site. www.thepaintpro.com

ERAD_DIB · 05-16-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blastman

I have a cfm consumption chart on my web site.

Good stuff, with more PSI/CFM figures per nozzle size than I've seen on other charts.
I appreciate the link to General Pumps, too. (Re their extension wands.) Way easier to dig out and set up one of those than setting up/climbing up a ladder.

jkcole18 · 05-16-2009, 08:51 PM

a size 3 nozel should be about right/ with only 100 cfm I would not go any larger than a 4 and a 5 would be too much, me personaly I would never blast below 185 cfm I use 210 cfm as my main blaster. as far as the job you have lined up soda will leave the best finish and is food grade, glass would work well also and also give you a possible 2nd and maybe 3rd pass

ausisoda · 05-17-2009, 12:25 AM

From what ive found out the airman compressors are a bit under rated on there spec sheet.So at 27.9hp actually equals closer to 125CFM so it should do just fine for what i want it to do for now. soda is only a small part of my blasting medias that i will be using im going to be using plastic as well as crushed glass i have blasted a few of my own cars in the past using fine crushed glass and had realy good results i slightly put a bonnet out by 2mm but that had heavy rust and i was expecting a bit of movement from the metal anyway.

Does any body have any pointers for blasting automotive metal?

I checked out the paintpro web site and there is some great info there if some body could explain the way auto metal moves when being blasted and allso the best spot to start from on the panel and any other usefull info you could throw in there would be great

CO2Solutions · 05-17-2009, 11:17 AM

Hey aussi...what is a 'SB100 LV multi media blaster' - I attempted to locate that company online but couldn't find any information on the unit???

CO2Solutions · 05-17-2009, 02:41 PM

sorry, found it...aussi company, looks like pretty cool equipment.

http://www.sodablast.com.au/main.php...dc7a19d5dfa500

ausisoda · 05-25-2009, 04:10 AM

Got the system today and after some fine tuning of the adbrasive flow it is working awsome with this system i did my first job today and there was another operator with a different pot and 185 cfm and i could blast as much as he could at the same PSI and i even over took him at the end because he had moisture problems and his cutting action was all over the place the system is very reliable and powerful works a treat the sodablast brand of gear is top quality and i would recomend them to any body i could hold 110 psi with the number 4 nozzel with out loosing preasure hell might get the number 5 on there one bad thing was i lost my ear plugs and my ears wont stop ringing thanks for every bodys help im looking ford to work tomorrow and i havent felt like that in years there is nothing like being your own boss and i made $500 australian today and have another 6 hour job tomorrow should clear a grand

:thumbsup :

:laughing :

painter213 · 05-25-2009, 09:59 AM

Was you holding 110 PSI at the Nozzle or at the compressor? If you check pressure at the nozzle, I will bet you were more like around 85 to 90 PSI. Place a number 5 on and your pressure will drop like a rock. To know your pressure at the nozzle you need a Needle Pressure Gauge. This goes into the blast hose just behind the nozzle and gives you the pressure reading at the nozzle. This will be your true preesure reading. It is good to be able to out do the other guy standing beside you while blasting.

ERAD_DIB · 05-25-2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ausisoda

im looking ford to work tomorrow and i havent felt like that in years there is nothing like being your own boss and i made $500 australian today and have another 6 hour job tomorrow should clear a grand

Yessssss!!!

And here's wishing ya many more days like that one.

ausisoda · 06-02-2009, 04:23 AM

Did a bedford truck today took 7 bags and done it in 4 hours.
Used the no5 nozzle today worked very well had about 10 on loolers everybody was very impresed how it took the paint off
also blasted some rust today on flat auto body steel i used fine garnet and didnt warp a thing got another 4 jobs lined up just from doing todays job had another exelent day
the day before sucked had to do some powder coat on a grape harvester and the guy wanted it done in soda talk about a waist of time im down 8 bags of soda and hardly got anything done switched to garnet and everything worked out great but im not sure if i should charge him the full hourly rate for the 8 hours unproductive work what would you guys do.

blastserv · 06-02-2009, 06:16 AM

maybe your first big eye opener to being a business owner but if it were me...i would call it a learning experience.this is where you have to gain some knowledge of what you are doing and not have your customers steer you.if every customer i did a job for i let them tell me what to do i would be broke.you are suppose to be the pro and when they bring you a job it is up to you to decide how and when to do it.my 2 cents...