Air abrasive system

[Notidanodon]

14 minutes ago, jpc said:

We have a few of these at work.  We bought them from a guy who made them and is now no longer in business, so not from Vaniman  They work OK, but I am afraid they don't last nearly as long as the more expensive machines.  The air pressure regulator was the first to break on all four of our units, and now we use a wrench to adjust pressure.  You will need to buy an oil filter removal wrench to take the cover off.  It is simply inpossible to take it off by hand after it has been pressured up and subsequently unpressured.  There is not enough space to get your fingers around the lid for a good grip, and it seals on there very well.  It works with fine bicarb and dolomite, but not with coarser grain bicarb (which we use in our bigger machines).  I think that the kitchen grade is fine enough, but you will go through a lot of powder so best to find a supply of 25 pound bags, if possible, or whatever is available in the UK.  It also works much better when the powder level is above three quarters full, so we fill them more often that the tank size implies.  It also needs to be clamped to the tabletop, as they do not stay vertical on their own very well.   

 

In short, a good cheaper version, and if it is what you can afford, then go for it, but now you know.  

 

Here is a similar wrench to the one we have

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hopkins-4-5-in-Steel-and-Plastic-Adjustable-Wrench-Individual/1000730082?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-google-_-lia-_-146-_-moweraccessories-_-1000730082-_-0&store_code=1539&placeholder=null&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI58-Wjua96AIVAo9bCh3UiwaZEAQYBSABEgIdX_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

thanks so much, how many years do you think it will last? i will only use it maybe twice a week normally for 2-3 hours unless its holidays in which case i will use it more

[Ptychodus04]

I have that very model and experienced the same thing as @jpc. That’s been my only component failure in a few hundred hours of work. I bought a smaller orifice tip for more control and detail work. It works fine but is definitely not in the league of a Comco and the like.

 

The only problem with baking soda is that it clumps, even when dry, from its own weight. I put mine in the oven and cooked it completely dry and it still clumps. Every now and again, a small clump finds it’s way into the nozzle and work comes to a screeching halt. I modified a dental pick to used as a blockage removal device but it’s still annoying. I’m about to switch to dolomite... whenever this COVID insanity is over and l can afford to buy some.

[hadrosauridae]

2 hours ago, jpc said:

We have a few of these at work.  We bought them from a guy who made them and is now no longer in business, so not from Vaniman  They work OK, but I am afraid they don't last nearly as long as the more expensive machines.  The air pressure regulator was the first to break on all four of our units, and now we use a wrench to adjust pressure.  You will need to buy an oil filter removal wrench to take the cover off.  It is simply inpossible to take it off by hand after it has been pressured up and subsequently unpressured.  There is not enough space to get your fingers around the lid for a good grip, and it seals on there very well.  It works with fine bicarb and dolomite, but not with coarser grain bicarb (which we use in our bigger machines).  I think that the kitchen grade is fine enough, but you will go through a lot of powder so best to find a supply of 25 pound bags, if possible, or whatever is available in the UK.  It also works much better when the powder level is above three quarters full, so we fill them more often that the tank size implies.  It also needs to be clamped to the tabletop, as they do not stay vertical on their own very well.   

 

In short, a good cheaper version, and if it is what you can afford, then go for it, but now you know.  

 

Here is a similar wrench to the one we have

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hopkins-4-5-in-Steel-and-Plastic-Adjustable-Wrench-Individual/1000730082?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-google-_-lia-_-146-_-moweraccessories-_-1000730082-_-0&store_code=1539&placeholder=null&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI58-Wjua96AIVAo9bCh3UiwaZEAQYBSABEgIdX_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have this unit, and my experience is 100% different than yours.  Although mine has only been used for a month now, I have no problem with the air regulator (knock on wood).  I have zero problems removing the lid by hand as long as the system is completely depressurized.  I also have no problem with my unit standing on its own.  It doesnt even feel as if it could fall over.  As for media consumption, at first mine did go through bicarb really quickly, but after I changed to a smaller orifice size tip my media lasts a lot longer.

[Ptychodus04]

I probably should have ready JPC’s post better. I haven’t had issues getting the lid off when there’s no pressure in the tank. Also, no issues with it falling over.

[Notidanodon]

So would a 25 L compressor run this for long enough without having to constantly run?

[Bob Saunders]

I have looked into the unit shown and they did have a coupon for going to their website. May still do, consider import duties and possible sales tax and shipping from the states. When looking at compressors a good one will have a valve on the bottom of the tank to drain the water. if it has an oil type change the oil as recommended. I also have an oilless pump that puts out a lot of moisture. You definitely do not want oil from your tool getting on a fossil or gem stone.  

[Bob Saunders]

for 25 lbs bags of baking soda, check a restaurant or bakery supply company. Some homemade cabinets have a area under a rack to collect the material and reuse it, and catch any little pieces that come off. 

[Ptychodus04]

59 minutes ago, will stevenson said:

So would a 25 L compressor run this for long enough without having to constantly run?

It will run a lot for sure. Your mileage may vary but my small compressor really struggled to keep up. They just aren’t made to run constant flow tools.

[jpc]

6 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I have that very model and experienced the same thing as @jpc. That’s been my only component failure in a few hundred hours of work. I bought a smaller orifice tip for more control and detail work. It works fine but is definitely not in the league of a Comco and the like.

 

The only problem with baking soda is that it clumps, even when dry, from its own weight. I put mine in the oven and cooked it completely dry and it still clumps. Every now and again, a small clump finds it’s way into the nozzle and work comes to a screeching halt. I modified a dental pick to used as a blockage removal device but it’s still annoying. I’m about to switch to dolomite... whenever this COVID insanity is over and l can afford to buy some.

Are you using kitchen grade baking soda?  

 

[jpc]

5 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I probably should have ready JPC’s post better. I haven’t had issues getting the lid off when there’s no pressure in the tank. Also, no issues with it falling over.

Mine were made by The Prep Tent.  They look exactly like this but Mr. Vaniman says he has never heard of them.  It sounds lik e he might have made some improvements to the product since I got mine.  And we were using them prettyfull on... svereal hours a day for  weeks at atime. 

[caterpillar]

12 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

The only problem with baking soda is that it clumps, even when dry, from its own weight. I put mine in the oven and cooked it completely dry and it still clumps. Every now and again, a small clump finds it’s way into the nozzle and work comes to a screeching halt. I modified a dental pick to used as a blockage removal device but it’s still annoying. I’m about to switch to dolomite... whenever this COVID insanity is over and l can afford to buy some.

 

I have the same problem. I tried everything to dry the baking soda but it reacts like flour. It agglomerates in the silo and no longer passes through the nozzle. So I stopped everything and I now use dolomite, plastic sandblasting media or glass marble

[Notidanodon]

So what I’ve learned from this I think is get this unit as it is a fairly cheap and mediocre example and all I have to get now is. Compressor and safety gear

[Ptychodus04]

12 hours ago, jpc said:

Are you using kitchen grade baking soda?  

 

Yes.

 

5 hours ago, will stevenson said:

So what I’ve learned from this I think is get this unit as it is a fairly cheap and mediocre example and all I have to get now is. Compressor and safety gear

I would say it’s better than mediocre. For the price, it is really good.

[Ptychodus04]

6 hours ago, caterpillar said:

 

I have the same problem. I tried everything to dry the baking soda but it reacts like flour. It agglomerates in the silo and no longer passes through the nozzle. So I stopped everything and I now use dolomite, plastic sandblasting media or glass marble

I don’t have the issues in the silo, it’s more in my storage container. I can’t break up all the clumps before it goes into the silo.

[Notidanodon]

8 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

Yes.

 

I would say it’s better than mediocre. For the price, it is really good.

Ok that’s great then thanks 

[caterpillar]

13 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I don’t have the issues in the silo, it’s more in my storage container. I can’t break up all the clumps before it goes into the silo.

 

A friend told me about putting the silo on a vibrating table. But I did not try because the price of this table is high

https://www.proviteq.com/table-vibrante-40-40-cm.html

[caterpillar]

https://outilor.com/autre-materiel-outillage-de-coulee/2144-table-vibrante-pour-platre-et-revetement-grand-modele.html

[hadrosauridae]

29 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

Yes.

 

I would say it’s better than mediocre. For the price, it is really good.

Especially considering that the next step up is 10X the price.

[hadrosauridae]

29 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I don’t have the issues in the silo, it’s more in my storage container. I can’t break up all the clumps before it goes into the silo.

Do you keep desiccant in your storage?

[Ptychodus04]

59 minutes ago, hadrosauridae said:

Do you keep desiccant in your storage?

No, but it is air tight. Moisture isn’t the problem as it clumped immediately after getting baked at 300F for over an hour

[jpc]

I looked into this a long time ago... bicard does not bake well.  It changes some of its physical properties (I can't remember exactly what).  Dolomite, on the other hand is OK to bake.  I bake mine if I am working on humid days (by western desert climate standards).  I also keep a ziplock of dessicant in both my dolomite and bicarb buckets.  The ziplocks have lots of little pinpricks in them so as to be useful.  

 

 

[hadrosauridae]

@jpc Is there a recommendation for where to order dolomite online?  It seems the majority of search results come back for health supplements.  There are no pottery places in my town to buy from.

[Protanisoceras]

@will stevenson What sort of stuff are you looking to prep?

[jpc]

2 hours ago, hadrosauridae said:

@jpc Is there a recommendation for where to order dolomite online?  It seems the majority of search results come back for health supplements.  There are no pottery places in my town to buy from.

None in my town either. I get mine from Stone Leaf Pottery in Denver.  I have to call them a few days in advance if I go downthere.  It is a four hour drive, and I rarely find myself in Denver on a weekday, so when I do go down there I get four of five 25 pound bags.  I have had them ship it to me in the past.  The stuff costs about 17 dollars (I think) and 45 to ship.  

 

I have a much harder time finding bg bags of fine bicarb.  For the museum I can drive four hours the other direction and pick some up at the factory.  They are OK doanting it to the museum.  I have not asked them if I could do that for an indivdual.  I did that once a few years ago and we have not run out yet.  I am  running out at home, though.  

[Notidanodon]

1 hour ago, Protanisoceras said:

@will stevenson What sort of stuff are you looking to prep?

nothing too hardcore, a few jurassic coast ammos, some lower lias stuuf from oxford, sheppey nodules and a few other bits and bobs, trying to refrain from attempting to prep pyrite