Air compressors

[Andy W]

Hey folks,


Who amongst you knowledgeable bunch can advise me please...


I want to clean up a load of metal parts'n'stuff (not bike) & a shot blast cabinet seems the way to go; & cheap enough being from £65 on Fleabay!


I have no compressor tho' & it seems a rather confuddling world of air compressors & related info out there...anyone care to advise on what to look for, what a shot blast box requires, etc......?
I'm on a limited DIY budget btw! 


Thanks in advance, 
Andy.

[NorthWestern]

I've run a shotblast cabinet off a small compressor with no problems really.  Your limited by the cabinets size so small capacity compressors (25ltr) are not too bad.  You obviously can't hold them on too long but between repositioning the piece and giving the hopper a shake it is fine.

Most of the cheap compressors around £100 are fine and mostly the same unit bar some detail changes to the wheels and handle.  The one I have at the moment I got for £ 50 on sale at JTF.  It's exactly the same as the rebranded Clarke, sealey and Wolf ones.  Aldi do them too.  I've had mine a few years and it's been very good, hvlp spraying, air ratchets, tyre inflating, bouncy Castle inflating...  Bit noisy though

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[NorthWestern]

Just to add, the only thing it doesn't like is air tools like sanders and saws.   They need lots of air and my 25ltr tank runs out too quick making it tedious

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[Andy W]

Oops...got a tad carried away!
Still, it will do everything I need & then some! 

[red98]

Hi andy.......nice buy  ......thats the sort of size I would buy for my next compressor, I have , I think , the same size as northwestern but mine struggles with the blast gun.....let us know how you get on

I guess the blast cabinet is from machine mart , where did you find the compressor ?

one other thing, blast medium dosn't like damp.......store it in a dry warm place it clogs the gun otherwise   

[Andy W]

Hi andy.......nice buy  ......thats the sort of size I would buy for my next compressor, I have , I think , the same size as northwestern but mine struggles with the blast gun.....let us know how you get on

I guess the blast cabinet is from machine mart , where did you find the compressor ?

one other thing, blast medium dosn't like damp.......store it in a dry warm place it clogs the gun otherwise   

Hi Red,
I indeed bought the cabinet from the dreaded, ubiquitous Machine Fart..! 
Horrible, overpriced shops BUT I did lots of research & their cabinet actually seemed the best for price vs. cfm handling, combined with reviews.
It came with 10 x screen protectors which I thought was useful.


The compressor is via the web, their own manufacture in UK, it is claimed.
Again, research for price & reviews led me there.


http://www.sgs-engineering.com/air-compressors


I opted for a tool kit package & some extra connectors - glad I did as I needed one of the connectors for the blast cabinet.
Hard not to get carried away with all the lovely stuff on the SGS website........somehow I felt I really needed an impact wrench & sockets....


Some SGS sales staff a bit of a PITA but some more sympathetic to a novice!


The free next day delivery ended up being 2 days - also being not redirected as instructed & THEN LEFT ON MY FREAKING DRIVE BY THE COURIER DESPITE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CONTRARY...FORTUNATELY IT WAS STILL THERE WHEN MY WIFE RETURNED HOME BEFORE ME! 


To be fair, that was the couriers' (DX btw) fault, not SGS's - the only decent contract courier is actually DPD but not all businesses seem to get that!
(Rant over!  )


I bodged up my garage vacuum cleaner to the cabinet filtered outlet & had a test go with the set-up today & it's great..!
A good job I'm a deaf old drummer tho"! 


Andy.