Air Abrasive Tool Help?

[Zenmaster6]

Hi, 
I'm looking to purchase an Air Abrasive Tool, preferable online (or in a store that would sell them)
I have been looking online but seem to get offers for tire maintenance and electronic cigarettes with dinosaurs on them when I look for "Air Abrasive Tool" on amazon / online  

So I have a few question for those who are experts to help out someone who has no idea about the tool at all. Any info would be helpful  

 

1. Where can I get my hands on one? Can I go to a hardware store? Or can I buy one online?
2. If I buy one, I will want to use different PSI levels (if I even know what I'm talking about) so I don't damage the fossil when doing minor touch ups. How is the psi level adjusted? 
3. Are there any rocks that it will not work on? Particularly the fossils I find are on mud stone and shale.

4. Can I use other abrasive powders such as baking soda which is less dangerous to breathe than aluminum oxide? (of course this would be outside with a mask on anyways)
5. What is the general price range for one that simply gets the job done (not looking for professional work, just trying to lightly expose my fossils from the matrix better)?
6. My girlfriend thinks fossils are utterly boring but would be very interested in using the air pen to touch them up (not sure why) is it possible you could hurt yourself if you accidently slipped and the tool touched you while on?

7. Will I need to buy compressed air cartridges, If so where should I buy them and what brand will fit? if not, how does it become pressurized? 

8. Are there any things aside from the air tool that I will need to buy that is not included (other than a mask or fume hood) 

Anyone who can help point me in the right direction would be very appreciated. Thanks - John 

 

[Kane]

A search through this subforum may answer all these questions (and more!):

 

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/forum/170-fossil-preparation/

[Zenmaster6]

1 minute ago, Kane said:

A search through this subforum may answer all these questions (and more!):

 

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/forum/170-fossil-preparation/

dang. I should have thought of that first. 

[jpc]

while he is on this topic, does anyone here use compressed air cannisters rather than an actual compressor?  Or has anyone tried to use them? 

 

[daves64]

I don't think using air cannisters would work very well. Seems to me you would need a constant, steady pressure & those don't have it. Like using an airbrush with a compressor or a can of spray paint. The airbrush gives you a nice smooth, even layer of paint, while the spray can surges and either doesn't cover well or leaves you with thick, runny paint in some area's (or both).

[Kane]

And with a compressor, scribe, abrader, blasting media, blast box, safety equipment, quick-connects, teflon tape, associated tools, shop vac, air-line water traps, etc., etc... Costs escalate in a hurry! You can easily drop a thousand dollars on equipment. It's certainly not a beginner-friendly activity, cost-wise. 

 

If you were interested in seeing how you like doing prep first before committing a lot of money, you might find some much more affordable options to try first (pin vise, Dremel engravers, dental picks). Much slower, but it may give you a sense of whether or not you want to commit to this all the way. Since you say, "just trying to lightly expose my fossils from the matrix better," perhaps a full air abrasion unit might be overkill (particularly cost-wise). You can probably achieve that with some hand and electric tools for a tenth of the price. Just a thought!

[Ptychodus04]

39 minutes ago, Kane said:

And with a compressor, scribe, abrader, blasting media, blast box, safety equipment, quick-connects, teflon tape, associated tools, shop vac, air-line water traps, etc., etc... Costs escalate in a hurry! You can easily drop a thousand dollars on equipment. It's certainly not a beginner-friendly activity, cost-wise. 

Then you realize that your single scribe doesn't fulfill your prep needs and you turn around and drop another $2k+ on more scribes.

[daves64]

24 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

Then you realize that your single scribe doesn't fulfill your prep needs and you turn around and drop another $2k+ on more scribes.

And then you build an outdoor shop to use it all in. 

[Kane]

42 minutes ago, daves64 said:

And then you build an outdoor shop to use it all in. 

Don't forget the specially tailored kilts, the potting soil for the hot peppers, and the anvil to forge the swords needed to protect said outdoor shop from intruders.  

[Ptychodus04]

45 minutes ago, daves64 said:

And then you build an outdoor shop to use it all in. 

I still can't believe my wife let me get away with that and then raised no objections to a new abrasive blaster and scribe!

 

 

1 minute ago, Kane said:

Don't forget the specially tailored kilts, the potting soil for the hot peppers, and the anvil to forge the swords needed to protect said outdoor shop from intruders.  

Lots of kilts and it's almost time to start planting peppers again. They will go in the ground in about 3 weeks! I'm having hot pepper DTs. I've eaten through my stock (even my dried peppers) and none of the stores have fresh ones hotter than a habanero right now.