[Blastzone]

I am new here but I have been blasting for about a year now. I was a construction super and when the market went but so did I, then I came into a very old 185cfm very ugly compressor but she runs like a top. So I decided to try my hand with the sand blasting I picked up an old pot fixed it up and and got a bullard hood and away I went it has been has been slowly growing ever since. This has been been life saving event as it has enabled me to pay my bills and put a small bit of cash in my pocket. I have a great reputation and I love being under the hood. I see so much potential but I need more work I blast outside so I can not reclaim my sand I will soon be building a covered area. I actually might have my own business that will work out. So my question to all of you I guess is where to now how can I market this, how can I make it better and grow grow grow.
Thanks for any input:thumbsup:

 

[BulldogMedia]

Get a website up, we get most of our work from our website. Word of mouth is next.

 

[killzoneq2]

I was in the same boat but had never blasted before. Got some equipment and off I went. Most of my marketing has been business cards. I put them in every hardware store, auto parts store, liquor store, farm store, basically any place that would let me put some cards. Did a few jobs and word of mouth spread and there you go. I cater mostly to my locals as I don't advertise anywhere else. I got a 185cfm and a 1.5cf Clemco pot and blasted frames trailers and concrete. After loading that small pot over and over I bought a 6.5cf Clemco and another 6.5cf Schmidt. I liked the Schmidt better so I sold the Clemco. I built a mobile rig and a building to blast in. I am small time...........Not a big money making blaster but it puts money in my pocket and I love doing it. I am sure if I wanted to pursue this as a full time gig I could generate some GOOD business. I have been a member of this forum almost from the start and love it. Go back through some of the archives and most of your questions will be answered. Your question has been asked several times. Good luck!!

 

[Blastzone]

Thank you guys for the input I put my cards out any chance I get and hope to get a web site up soon I would like to get mobile but I am worried about the EPA I do not know where the restrictions fall. Since I live in central FL I was thinking about talking to some pool companies I was a pool cleaner once upon a time so I have a few contacts. I have two powder coating shops I work with one give me about 75% of my work the other about 2% and about 10% from an antique dealer wood items believe it or not. The rest is word of mouth

 

[killzoneq2]

Central Florida... I lived in Winter Haven and worked in Haines City in 1993. I know the area well, but never even thought about blasting when I was there. Are you in Orlando?

 

[Betterblast]

Blastzone, I'd love to see what you've been able to do with wood. Do you have any pics?

As far as restrictions I don't think you can reall worry too much about it. You can never really get a strait answer. You pretty much just blast until somone says stop. Mostly if you are doing things at a local business or home no one knows or cares. I guess on a city street you could get questioned who knows. I'm pretty sure we all opporate the same way just hoping no one asks or tells. I say just go for it.

 

[BLASTPRO]

i love your website bulldog, my blows in comparison, i wish i had the time and knowledge to build something comparable to yours.

 

[BulldogMedia]

I wish I could have done it, but I paid a company to create it.

 

[Blastzone]

Better Blast,
I have pictures of just about everything I blast I would glad to put some up. I am not at my laptop right now but when I get to it I will show you I have done. This guy never wants all of the paint off some things more than others I have to stand about ten feet away and it goes reel quick so what I do is when I have taken the item down where I think he wants it I take pics and email him and he tells me to stop or go a little more. This work always makes me nervous because it seems like everything he gives me has a price somewhere between $2000 and $5000 on it but so far so good.

 

[Betterblast]

I never tried it from so far away but I think I'll experiment with that. As far as the price you might want to consider a diclaimer like the one I posted. They all seem friendly to you get served. They can claim any loss they want and from their own apraiser and they will claim you are the professional and that you claimed you could do it with out damage.

 

[Blastzone]

I put some pictures up in an album on this site I don't know how to tell you to find them.
Good Luck

 

[Betterblast]

Blast, they look real good. What did you use on them. the butcher block looks very clean and not chewed up at all.

 

[Blastzone]

If you are talking about the table I used playground sand the table is from Europe price tag $5000 so I was a little nervous that was the first thing I did. The pictures I put up are finished the that is how the customer wanted them almost all of them he only wants some of the paint removed.