DIY Blasting Cabinet

[H. L. Chauvin]

Eastwood has one, item #22009A -- $29.99. Mine is from TIP; however, they may have gone out of business.

This may also help someone building a DIY blasting blasting cabinet. I posted this about 10 years ago -- January 12, 2000 20:43:5 -- on the other forum, after building one.

Hi John,

Blasting cabinets can be expensive -- then there is size to consider -- for wheels? fenders? doors?-- for one or two cars?
TIP adverised in Hemmings Motor News has a catalog where one can get plans to build a blasting cabinet using their plans and their parts to use with the cabinet.
Instead of building a blasting cabinet, I built a three (3) sided contraption similar to a 32" wide, one seat truck cab out of scrap plywood -- no floor, no back of cab -- no vacuum pipe, no blasting media collector, no sealed cabinet doors, no lights -- no limit on sizes of parts!
Start by making a comfortable simple, sturdy wood bench out of 1 x 12's, about 18" wide, 18" high, and 11" minimum front to back. Sit on this bench to verify the following dimensions cut out of 1/4" or thicker plywood, or wood paneling.
Cut the first panel for the vertical, bottom front, (set out vertically in front of your toes, similar to a truck firewall), 32" wide x about 27" high, so the top of this panel is above and clears your knees and thighs.
Cut the second panel 32" wide x about 22" front to back, for a horizontal table surface above the first panel, (above your knees and thighs), allowing enough clearance for your body from your toes to your chest.
Cut the third panel 32" wide x 33" high which will rest vertically on top of the second panel, next to your chest. Out of this piece cut out about a 9" wide x 16" high opening, centered from side to side for a wood framed 1/8" thick plexiglass view panel, similar to a windshield. Bottom of the view panel should be about 34" above ground. Next cut two (2) round holes, approximately 18" center to center, centered in the 32" width, and about 35" above the ground for "TIP'S" plastic inserts for their long arm blasting rubber gloves.

Cut the fourth horizontal panel 32" wide x 24" front to back for the top of the cab extending from the vertical windshield panel to the open rear of the cab.
Cut the fifth and sixth two (2) vertical side panels identical, (similar to the shape of a thick letter L); i. e., from ground, 27" high vertical cut at front for firewall, then a 22" horizontal cut, next a 33" high vertical cut for view panel piece, and a 24" horizontal cut for the top. Overall height at open rear is about 59" tall and overall depth front to back resting on ground is about 46"; however, dimensions may vary depending on size of person.
Fit all pieces together at all joints with 3/4" x 1-1/2" wood chines and secure with wood screws.
When in this cab, you can sit comfortably and you do not need a mask or filter if your back facing the wind. The sand falls to the ground before it comes around the rear opening of the cab.
You can sand blast small parts on the table, or set your fenders, doors, and entire chasis on saw horses or whatever, and even move this light weight cab around items to be blasted. You can use inexpensive polyetnelene film, "visqueen" to capture blasting sand, filter same with TIP'S screen and re-use it. Many lumber yards have inexpensive blasting sand and visqueen.
You can solder two pieces of electrical conduit together, attach the plastic tube, and draw sand out of a 5 gallon plastic pail as indicated in TIP'S catalog.
My son's use it often to blast paint off of old wrought iron door locks and hardware. H. L. Chauvin