Mini Blast Box

[Ptychodus04]

What do you do if you have a slab that is too big for your abrasive cabinet and you live in Texas where the weather never cooperates? You build a miniature blast cabinet that sits on top of the slab.

 

The box is 8”x10” and is 7.5” tall. This allows my microscope to sit on the slab and come into focus without hitting the top of the glass. It is lit by 4 foot long LED strip lights taped to the outside of the glass. The bottom has a bit of tee shirt stapled tomorrow it to make a bit of a seal and the side where my arm goes in has the sleeve of the shirt stapled on. The other side has a hose connector for the dust collection system. 
 

It’s not a perfect seal so I still have to wear my respirator but on a day like today (30’s and snowing) It lets me work on a slab that needs abrasive and is really big.

 

 

 

[Randyw]

Great idea!. I can’t imagine having something that big that I’d need a box to go on top but that gives me an idea for a future blast box of my own...

[jpc]

Good stuff.  I have done this too using an appliance box for a rather large jacket full of plesiosaur bones.  I has an extra storm window laying around and used that for the glass.  I also spray painted the inside white to reflect light better in there.  It also involved a lot of duct tape.  It lasted long enough to do the job.  I eventually took it discarded it except for the lights and glass.  I am ready to rebuild if I get another big big job.  

 

We've done this at work also with smaller boxes like ptych's that we were able to move all about on the Torosaurus skull I posted in the latest Fossil friday post, or is it Dinosaur Friday? 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Very cunning. 

What a great idea.

[Troodon]

Very creative. Wow another use for duct tape, wonderful. A dallas cowboy shirt no doubt 

 

 

[Ptychodus04]

1 hour ago, Troodon said:

A dallas cowboy shirt no doubt 

 

 

There are none of those in my house. 
 

At least not since Troy was the QB.

[RJB]

10 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

What do you do if you have a slab that is too big for your abrasive cabinet and you live in Texas where the weather never cooperates? You build a miniature blast cabinet that sits on top of the slab.

Gotta love the mind that is always thinking.   Your not the first though.  JPC came up with this idea quite awhile ago.   Now get back to work!!!

 

RB

[Ptychodus04]

3 hours ago, RJB said:

JPC came up with this idea quite awhile ago.   Now get back to work!!!

He already said that, so you’re late as well buddy.  You know me, I’m not going to look back through old posts if I can spend the time re-engineering something someone has already thought through. 

[jpc]

Another thing we did is staple old t shirts or something (any football team will do), to the bottom edge so they make a soft cushion for the box to rest on the fossil.  If you allow the t shirts to protrude out horizontally on the fossil, you can cover them up with sandbags to prevent air abrasive powder to escape along the bottom.  I hear you asking what we did for sandbags... Crown Royal bags available at your local bar.   Fill them up only half way so they are quite flexible.  This works very well on 3d fossils.  It might be over kill on ptych's flat slab fossil.  

 

I wish I could find some photos.   

[Ptychodus04]

I made a gasket of sorts out of rolled up tee shirt for the bottom of my box. This allows me to move it around easier and does an adequate job of contains the stray abrasive on the flat slabs.