How to Reduce Sandblast Media Waste while Sandblasting
When it comes to sandblasting your biggest costs are often your blast media and the energy costs that are needed to run your sandblast compressor. This article will provide practical tips to potentially help reduce your sandblast media use if you are using too much sandblast media.
Tip 1 to Reduce Sandblast Media Use – Check and Adjust your Blast Media outlet valve
The valve at the base of your sandblast pot is one of the primary controls you have to change the amount of blast media that is being fed to your sandblast nozzle. Over time blast valves can wear and require proper rebuilding or they can wear out completely and need replaced. Typically you should see that you can alter the amount of blast media in your blast air stream by opening the blast valve slowly. To properly determine how much blast media you should have in your blast air stream you typically start with the sandblast pot’s valve completely closed. You then have someone slowly open the sandblast pot media valve until the color of the air stream turns a slightly darker color if you are unable to control your blast media that leaves your blast pot well, you probably need a new blast media valve or for someone to repair the existing blast media valve.
Tip 2 to Reduce Sandblast Media Use – Match your sandblast nozzle to your blasting work properly
The larger the blast nozzle the wider the pattern and faster you will be able to blast large products. However, if you are not painting large products the wide pattern will simply become wasted blast media. If you have properly set your blast media to air ratio as discussed above and still find excessive sandblast media waste is occurring, you can consider changing the blast nozzle to a smaller nozzle. This will help cut down the amount of blast media that is used in a given period of time.
Tip 3 to Reduce Sandblast Media Use- Check Your Blast Hose
If you have chosen a smaller sandblast nozzle, adjusted the media valve, and or repaired the media valve you should see a reduction in sandblast media use. However, if your still having issues with excessive blast media use you should also check your blast pot couplers as well as your sandblast hose. Specifically, check to see if there is blast media leaking from these areas as their should not be and if there is you may have to replace your couplers or sandblast hose.
Tip 4 – Switch to a blast media recovery room
For higher production needs with steel, aluminum oxide, glass, or plastic medias you can often times incorporate a blast media reclaim system which allows for you to recover blast media and reuse it to continue blasting new product. Sandblast media recovery systems are an investment but will often pay for themselves through sandblast media savings.
Ultimately blast media can be one of your largest expenses in sandblasting. Taking steps to reduce your blast media use will help you remain competitive when bidding sandblast work. By properly setting the amount of blast media you use, reducing your sandblast nozzle size where applicable, and considering switching to a blast media recovery room you can potentially significantly reduce your blast media use giving you more competitive blast projects pricing. You can check out our selection of sandblast nozzles or sandblast hose or contact us today for any questions.