Great video. We used to knock down the oxide layer with a dry blast of chilled iron, then vapourblast. But we also found that by using coarser glass media and ramping up the pressures somewhat- we could get better results. We reblast a lot of parts done by other places because the quick and dirty method used here in the UK is to salt the glass media mix with aluminium oxide- great at cutting through the oxide and quicker and cheaper for the operator. But it leaves a duller, more porous finish....
Thanks. Good to hear from another vapor blaster who's experienced the same things. I'm familiar with aluminum oxide/glass bead mixes for faster finishing. I've never used that, unless a company specifically called it out on a print. I'm not familiar with chilled iron, but am a fan of crushed glass, because it's so clean, and works fast. Using it in the wet blaster is nice because it doesn't pack into recesses, like fins and case gussets.
Looks amazing. Im running a 170-375 glass mesh from potters and cant come close to that sheen. Id love to know the process on how to clean engine parts prior to assembly. Thank you .
Recently I have seen a blasting box that could flip open and was easy to load even with larger parts. My problem is that I restore stuff (engines) only for myself and a little bit for friends, all non commercial, but I am proud of my work and most people only see that an engine shines or is full of gunk no matter how good they run. The quality of Your parts is a dream come true for me but nobody within several hours driving here offers such a service. Since the size of my parts vary greatly, from just screws up to an engine block, my dilemma is either an affordable small unit but only partially useful or a large unit which leaves my tool wallet empty for a long time. Please show us the important points on how to convert a drybox and what to watch out for. Thanks, Bernhard
What do you use for detergent additive/brightener? Also, how do you prevent the inevitable microbial growth (fungus) in the water and basin? As we vapor blasters know, it causes a blackish scum to form and degrades and spots the surface of work pieces. Wondering how often you change the water basin as well. Your insights and advice are greatly appreciated!
I really haven't found a good way to prevent microbial growth. I just change out the water every so often. My system runs through a filter, so that contaminants are trapped. I am always in search of a good non toxic antimicrobial that won't harm parts, or me.
I was given a suggestion to try a 1/4 cup of regular bleach to try and stop (or delay) fungal growth. I'm going with that and will let you know how it works out. I just want to get more use and life out of my abrasive mix, and not have to drain and clean the cabinet so much. As for detergent/brightener additive , I guess you don't use any in your slurry. I do, and am looking for a replacement that's the correct ph.
I work as a chief technician in a dairy plant and i also i own a vixen cabinet , its a joy to work with, prob. the best money can buy, but i would never put Chlorine in a stainless steel cabinet , in dampy conditions it can form hydrochloric acid , potentially aggressive to stainless steels, over time it will cause pitting corrosion and crack fatigue especially on 304 stainless, the low temps. in a blasting cabinet and low dosing < 2ppm will make this process go slow, nevertheless it is an enemy for stainless . i use to add a handful of (worn out) soda from my sodablast kabinett , this will pull up the ph of the slurry, it also lowers the surface tension of the water and it helps as a degreaser, i have no fungus problems or bad smells , exept from the gloves ;-) ps Arnold your finishes are top
Thanks! A lot of trial and error, mostly error. It took me a quite a while to figure it out. Vapor blasters are simple in concept, but can be a real pain trying to refine, especially when there was hardly any literature available about their design.
WoW ! I can't believe the volume from the new vapor blaster. Wondering if you've experienced and damage to the lead-in thread on the castings you are cleaning with the new blaster and the media you are using? Also curious how long you think the wiper and glass will last? ..seemed like a lot of media on the glass as the wiper passed over it.
That was at 50 psi. It can go a lot higher. I've never had any damage to threads or delicate areas including carbs with this new one with no problems. With very fine media, it's not an issue. Damage might be possible with very course media. The viewing glass lasts much longer than glass in a dry cabinet. Even as it gets frosted over time, the water restores full clarity during use until it dries again. I've never had to replace the glass in my first prototype, and it's been in use for about nine years. This one is showing no sign of frosting with several hours on it now.
I'm building a large wet blast unit in the uk. My guns etc have just arrived. Already have pumps etc . Is the difference in 1st and second op just the pressure? Or the media size too? Il be using glass bead .
Hello, Arnold, I'd like to ask - would you consider it safe to blast over bearing surfaces and valve stems with crushed glass like this? And what is your opinion about aluminum oxide when compared to this media for this purpose? Thank you!
As long as your media is fine and your pressure aren't too high, it should ok. It won't hurt valve stems. Since bearings are made from hardened steel, crushed glass won't affect it. I like crushed glass over Aluminum oxide. It's cleaner, cheaper, won't stick to cabinet glass, and won't shock you.
I've never had an issue with them, but I've always vapor blasted them glass beads afterwards. Otherwise, sharp abrasive media might still remain embedded in the surface. I wouldn't blast a bearing surface with sharp media without some kind of post processing to clean that area afterwards.
I have a question, which I even asked to Mr.John of VHT too. How long does this shining/polish look lasts after vapor blasting? Ex. a month, six months, a year etc. Will these shiny look get faded once these exposed parts hit by rain, or mud or oil spills?? Thanks for you time.
They should be protected if placed in a harsh environment. Otherwise, I have parts on bikes that have lasted many years and still look great. It takes a while for a transparent protective aluminum oxide film to form on freshly blasted parts.
You my friend do amazing work, attention to detail like I do,that's hard to match,I am very impressed with your work, I'll hire you if and when I'm ready to my engine
Watching these videos is getting me pumped to start my next project. Any updates on how the plans to build one of these is coming? Keep up the top notch vids.
Have a look at 44gal drum blaster unit. ebay sells for under $50 gun, suction hose and venturi pipe. You will need a minimum of 3000psi - 4 GPM pressure washer to run system. Total cost this far is $650 AU, so about $450 US. Then shooting media around $65 25kg bag (50lbs)
Hi, may I ask which basic machine are you using? I have seen such from Vapor Honing and from Vixen but all of them are outrageously expensive plus by the time I get one to Germany the price doubles because of all thos fees from transport to import tax. Do you know of a company that sells a kit? Thanks Bernhard
I don't know of any kit, but I want to make plans available at some point. They're all fairly expensive, but Vapor Honing Technologies is probably about the least expensive at this point. I based my prototypes on heavily modified dry cabinets, though I want to build a larger custom cabinet when I build a larger shop, if that ever happens.
Hi Bernhard, I just happened to stumble upon this comment! I'm sorry that our machinery is not in your price range! The reason it is priced as such, is because our machine compared to others on the market promises durable, long lasting components that are of a high quality. Many other machines on the market are manufactured heavily of parts from China, ordered in bulk and at a low cost. These parts are very unreliable, so we always go for the parts that will last and produce the best results. Our cabinets are sturdy, which you can see from pictures alone which stands out compared to other machines. I hope you can take these points into consideration when weighing up which machines really are the best. We also offer worldwide shipping, and loan machines, so please take this into consideration! Don't forget our ex-stock & second hand machines which can be purchased for considerably less than brand new machines. We try to cater to everybodys needs as best as possible, so there are also price plans available. I hope this helps. Payten.
Great, I will keep watching Your videos and maybe I can assembly my own from components available. Even good quality Sandblastingboxes, if useable, can be purchased for very little money here in Germany. Keep those videos coming, I will add the thumbs up.
gud day sir i am starting a small sandblasting service here in my country philippines. can i ask for an advice how do you price every cleaning that you have. i realy appriciate your response thanks. newbie here
Can you provide a link on Amazon for the nozzle above. The nozzle above looks like it does much better than your first blaster setup that used a more conventional sand blast gun. But that worked pretty well too.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E50NUH0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They're saying it's unavailable now. I don't know if it will help or not anyway, because I made a custom tip for this nozzle to increase cleaning efficiency. The nozzle from amazon is pretty shoddy quality, but does work.
Hi Bart, Have you ever considered a boron carbide nozzle? These are really quite durable. If you get in touch, we actually stock them here. Thanks, Vixen.
Hi! If you are looking to purchase a vapor blasting cabinet, do not hesitate to contact us directly as we manufacture standard and bespoke machinery, and ship worldwide! If you want to take a look at some of our customer feedback, visit vaporblastingequipment.com Thanks!
Vixen Surface Treatments I am interested but I just want one for home use and I plan on working on older bikes with my daughter and build at Least 5 bikes. One for each kid so we all can ride. So I'm hoping you guys build some for the DIY guys on a budget. Currently daughter lives in garage so I got time to look for one. I will got to the website and thank you for replying.
That is lovely! I wish you luck with your project! Have you seen our Fox machines? They are dry blasting machines but really good for those on a budget. Thanks!
Buy a 44 gal drum for blaster unit google it!. Ebay sells for $50 a gun, suction hose and venturi pipe. You will need a minimum of 3000psi - 4 GPM pressure washer to run system. Total cost this far is $550 AU, so about $400 US. Then shooting media around $65 25kg bag (50lbs) there maybe a few connections to buy to join the pressre washer to the gun and a few grommets to seal the blaster unit, $20 at most.
Hi mate that is awesome and cleans so well, would you care to share your design with me and bom list? would love one but unsure how much it all will cost here in australia, no drama if you dont want divulge totally understand, cheers Rich
Spectacular video. The music choice adds to the effect. How did you learn about Vapor Blasting? On the job exposure, or curious and learned on your own? Do you offer shop tours? ......seriously I'd like to visit you sometime.
Thanks! I really wish I had a place big enough that would be worth touring. Truth is, I work in an extremely cramped shop the size of a two stall garage, so it's basically just a couple vapor blasters and few other machines stuffed into an over sized closet. If or when I get a larger building, I'd be fine with showing you around. I need to find some property that's not astronomically priced first. A buddy of mine who rebuilds British bikes, said several years ago that I should get into vapor blasting. I couldn't afford a new vapor blaster, and there was no literature that I could find on vapor blaster design at the time, so I just started building by trial and error, and came up with what I have now. I'm still learning.
Video is great but please post in the video info, a link to pdf or just the information on parts,source, build steps if possible. Any media choices , etc, etc. That would be most helpful in reproducing! Thanks in advance
Hello Arnold, have you ever tried Grittal and Chronital. This is the Absolute best for blasting, it is crushed, Heat treated Stainless steel which doesn't degrade under use and very little dust. It really is top stuff. Check out their website www.vulkanshot.com/products/grittal and also for bead you would use chronital www.vulkanshot.com/products/chronital It last a very long time and is a joy to use and you can get different grades. Cheers. Bill.
Great video. We used to knock down the oxide layer with a dry blast of chilled iron, then vapourblast. But we also found that by using coarser glass media and ramping up the pressures somewhat- we could get better results. We reblast a lot of parts done by other places because the quick and dirty method used here in the UK is to salt the glass media mix with aluminium oxide- great at cutting through the oxide and quicker and cheaper for the operator. But it leaves a duller, more porous finish....
Thanks. Good to hear from another vapor blaster who's experienced the same things. I'm familiar with aluminum oxide/glass bead mixes for faster finishing. I've never used that, unless a company specifically called it out on a print. I'm not familiar with chilled iron, but am a fan of crushed glass, because it's so clean, and works fast. Using it in the wet blaster is nice because it doesn't pack into recesses, like fins and case gussets.
Looks amazing. Im running a 170-375 glass mesh from potters and cant come close to that sheen. Id love to know the process on how to clean engine parts prior to assembly. Thank you .
Would be great if we can know what media grades were used and at what pressures. cheers
-120 mesh crushed glass, 100psi, 40-60 mesh bead, 20psi.
Recently I have seen a blasting box that could flip open and was easy to load even with larger parts. My problem is that I restore stuff (engines) only for myself and a little bit for friends, all non commercial, but I am proud of my work and most people only see that an engine shines or is full of gunk no matter how good they run. The quality of Your parts is a dream come true for me but nobody within several hours driving here offers such a service. Since the size of my parts vary greatly, from just screws up to an engine block, my dilemma is either an affordable small unit but only partially useful or a large unit which leaves my tool wallet empty for a long time.
Please show us the important points on how to convert a drybox and what to watch out for.
Thanks, Bernhard
Clean shiny like this. What number is Glass.blad sand used? I want to know what number do you use?
Nice job. They look like new.
Thanks!
What do you use for detergent additive/brightener? Also, how do you prevent the inevitable microbial growth (fungus) in the water and basin? As we vapor blasters know, it causes a blackish scum to form and degrades and spots the surface of work pieces. Wondering how often you change the water basin as well. Your insights and advice are greatly appreciated!
I really haven't found a good way to prevent microbial growth. I just change out the water every so often. My system runs through a filter, so that contaminants are trapped. I am always in search of a good non toxic antimicrobial that won't harm parts, or me.
I was given a suggestion to try a 1/4 cup of regular bleach to try and stop (or delay) fungal growth. I'm going with that and will let you know how it works out. I just want to get more use and life out of my abrasive mix, and not have to drain and clean the cabinet so much. As for detergent/brightener additive , I guess you don't use any in your slurry. I do, and am looking for a replacement that's the correct ph.
y'all must have some strange bacteria floating about, I never noticed anything like that on the parts that Ive VB'ed here in Ireland
Hi Arnold, Chlorine tablets are great to keep the water nice!
I work as a chief technician in a dairy plant and i also i own a vixen cabinet , its a joy to work with, prob. the best money can buy, but i would never put Chlorine in a stainless steel cabinet , in dampy conditions it can form hydrochloric acid , potentially aggressive to stainless steels, over time it will cause pitting corrosion and crack fatigue especially on 304 stainless, the low temps. in a blasting cabinet and low dosing < 2ppm will make this process go slow, nevertheless it is an enemy for stainless . i use to add a handful of (worn out) soda from my sodablast kabinett , this will pull up the ph of the slurry, it also lowers the surface tension of the water and it helps as a degreaser, i have no fungus problems or bad smells , exept
from the gloves ;-) ps Arnold your finishes are top
Nice work! Could you give me some advice on what kind of pump I can use in vapor blast cabinet.
The result is stunning! I wonder how much time was invested to achieve this degree of finishing
Thanks! A lot of trial and error, mostly error. It took me a quite a while to figure it out. Vapor blasters are simple in concept, but can be a real pain trying to refine, especially when there was hardly any literature available about their design.
WoW ! I can't believe the volume from the new vapor blaster. Wondering if you've experienced and damage to the lead-in thread on the castings you are cleaning with the new blaster and the media you are using? Also curious how long you think the wiper and glass will last? ..seemed like a lot of media on the glass as the wiper passed over it.
That was at 50 psi. It can go a lot higher. I've never had any damage to threads or delicate areas including carbs with this new one with no problems. With very fine media, it's not an issue. Damage might be possible with very course media. The viewing glass lasts much longer than glass in a dry cabinet. Even as it gets frosted over time, the water restores full clarity during use until it dries again. I've never had to replace the glass in my first prototype, and it's been in use for about nine years. This one is showing no sign of frosting with several hours on it now.
I'm building a large wet blast unit in the uk. My guns etc have just arrived. Already have pumps etc .
Is the difference in 1st and second op just the pressure? Or the media size too?
Il be using glass bead .
Hello, Arnold, I'd like to ask - would you consider it safe to blast over bearing surfaces and valve stems with crushed glass like this? And what is your opinion about aluminum oxide when compared to this media for this purpose? Thank you!
As long as your media is fine and your pressure aren't too high, it should ok. It won't hurt valve stems. Since bearings are made from hardened steel, crushed glass won't affect it. I like crushed glass over Aluminum oxide. It's cleaner, cheaper, won't stick to cabinet glass, and won't shock you.
Arnold's Design Thank you! By bearing surfaces I meant spaces such as cam journals in a cylinder head.
I've never had an issue with them, but I've always vapor blasted them glass beads afterwards. Otherwise, sharp abrasive media might still remain embedded in the surface. I wouldn't blast a bearing surface with sharp media without some kind of post processing to clean that area afterwards.
I have a question, which I even asked to Mr.John of VHT too. How long does this shining/polish look lasts after vapor blasting? Ex. a month, six months, a year etc. Will these shiny look get faded once these exposed parts hit by rain, or mud or oil spills?? Thanks for you time.
They should be protected if placed in a harsh environment. Otherwise, I have parts on bikes that have lasted many years and still look great. It takes a while for a transparent protective aluminum oxide film to form on freshly blasted parts.
I do LIKE the long video as I get to see more detail. I could always fast forward if needed.
Super video and effect! What size of glass bead use ? Thanks.
Thanks! The beads are a mixture, but the sizes are proprietary.
Arnold's Design a mixer of what buddy?
You my friend do amazing work, attention to detail like I do,that's hard to match,I am very impressed with your work, I'll hire you if and when I'm ready to my engine
Thanks so much for your comments.
Watching these videos is getting me pumped to start my next project.
Any updates on how the plans to build one of these is coming?
Keep up the top notch vids.
Looks awesome.
I've been wanting to get a vapor blaster, but the cost is pretty high for an industrial type one and that's all I seem to find.
Thanks, yes they are expensive. I built my own.
Have a look at 44gal drum blaster unit. ebay sells for under $50 gun, suction hose and venturi pipe. You will need a minimum of 3000psi - 4 GPM pressure washer to run system. Total cost this far is $650 AU, so about $450 US. Then shooting media around $65 25kg bag (50lbs)
How much time does it take you to clean all the parts?
Do you vapour blasting with aluminum oxide then 2nd glass beads. Is it a two step process.
Is it necessary to mask the gasket surfaces when using the crushed glass media?
No
can you recommend a good Norton Mechanic
Jim Challingsworth in Ridgway, PA.
Hi
What is this crush glass size? Coarse?
Thank you
Very fine
Hi, may I ask which basic machine are you using? I have seen such from Vapor Honing and from Vixen but all of them are outrageously expensive plus by the time I get one to Germany the price doubles because of all thos fees from transport to import tax.
Do you know of a company that sells a kit?
Thanks Bernhard
I don't know of any kit, but I want to make plans available at some point. They're all fairly expensive, but Vapor Honing Technologies is probably about the least expensive at this point. I based my prototypes on heavily modified dry cabinets, though I want to build a larger custom cabinet when I build a larger shop, if that ever happens.
I'm very interested in the Plans if/when you do offer them.
Hi Bernhard,
I just happened to stumble upon this comment!
I'm sorry that our machinery is not in your price range! The reason it is priced as such, is because our machine compared to others on the market promises durable, long lasting components that are of a high quality.
Many other machines on the market are manufactured heavily of parts from China, ordered in bulk and at a low cost. These parts are very unreliable, so we always go for the parts that will last and produce the best results. Our cabinets are sturdy, which you can see from pictures alone which stands out compared to other machines. I hope you can take these points into consideration when weighing up which machines really are the best.
We also offer worldwide shipping, and loan machines, so please take this into consideration!
Don't forget our ex-stock & second hand machines which can be purchased for considerably less than brand new machines.
We try to cater to everybodys needs as best as possible, so there are also price plans available.
I hope this helps.
Payten.
What type of media did you use or did you use a ratio of different types?
I use glass beads.
Hi, is it possible to do this to a complete engine? Thanks
The engine should be disassembled to make sure there is no abrasive contamination inside. I've blasted many Triumph engines
I absolutely love the concept of vapor blasting! I am looking to build my own, what slurry pump do you recommend using?
I have plans to build one here: th-cam.com/video/mUfgjK5q_Mc/w-d-xo.html
Wished the website had a price list
I did have one, unfortunately competitors were using the prices and undercutting me, so now people have to email for a quote.
What type of pump do you used?
Great, I will keep watching Your videos and maybe I can assembly my own from components available.
Even good quality Sandblastingboxes, if useable, can be purchased for very little money here in Germany.
Keep those videos coming, I will add the thumbs up.
I have plans to build one here: th-cam.com/video/mUfgjK5q_Mc/w-d-xo.html
gud day sir i am starting a small sandblasting service here in my country philippines. can i ask for an advice how do you price every cleaning that you have. i realy appriciate your response thanks. newbie here
What is the spray nozzle you are using? Is it your own design? Great job on the Triumph parts.
Thanks. It's just a cheap sand blasting nozzle I got off amazon. I am working on a custom design right now that should work better.
Can you provide a link on Amazon for the nozzle above. The nozzle above looks like it does much better than your first blaster setup that used a more conventional sand blast gun. But that worked pretty well too.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E50NUH0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They're saying it's unavailable now. I don't know if it will help or not anyway, because I made a custom tip for this nozzle to increase cleaning efficiency. The nozzle from amazon is pretty shoddy quality, but does work.
Hi Bart,
Have you ever considered a boron carbide nozzle?
These are really quite durable.
If you get in touch, we actually stock them here.
Thanks,
Vixen.
really amazing job, thanks for the vid!
Do you build and sell you vapor blast units
Not at this time.
Hi!
If you are looking to purchase a vapor blasting cabinet, do not hesitate to contact us directly as we manufacture standard and bespoke machinery, and ship worldwide! If you want to take a look at some of our customer feedback, visit vaporblastingequipment.com
Thanks!
Vixen Surface Treatments I am interested but I just want one for home use and I plan on working on older bikes with my daughter and build at Least 5 bikes. One for each kid so we all can ride. So I'm hoping you guys build some for the DIY guys on a budget. Currently daughter lives in garage so I got time to look for one. I will got to the website and thank you for replying.
That is lovely! I wish you luck with your project! Have you seen our Fox machines? They are dry blasting machines but really good for those on a budget. Thanks!
Vixen Surface Treatments is it posted on TH-cam
Very good result!
Thanks!
Buy a 44 gal drum for blaster unit google it!.
Ebay sells for $50 a gun, suction hose and venturi pipe. You will need a minimum of 3000psi - 4 GPM pressure washer to run system. Total cost this far is $550 AU, so about $400 US. Then shooting media around $65 25kg bag (50lbs) there maybe a few connections to buy to join the pressre washer to the gun and a few grommets to seal the blaster unit, $20 at most.
Hi mate that is awesome and cleans so well, would you care to share your design with me and bom list? would love one but unsure how much it all will cost here in australia, no drama if you dont want divulge totally understand, cheers Rich
Thanks. I have been working on plans for a while now to sell to people who want to build their own.
I have plans to build one here: th-cam.com/video/mUfgjK5q_Mc/w-d-xo.html
Spectacular video. The music choice adds to the effect.
How did you learn about Vapor Blasting? On the job exposure, or curious and learned on your own? Do you offer shop tours? ......seriously I'd like to visit you sometime.
Thanks! I really wish I had a place big enough that would be worth touring. Truth is, I work in an extremely cramped shop the size of a two stall garage, so it's basically just a couple vapor blasters and few other machines stuffed into an over sized closet. If or when I get a larger building, I'd be fine with showing you around. I need to find some property that's not astronomically priced first.
A buddy of mine who rebuilds British bikes, said several years ago that I should get into vapor blasting. I couldn't afford a new vapor blaster, and there was no literature that I could find on vapor blaster design at the time, so I just started building by trial and error, and came up with what I have now. I'm still learning.
Thank you for sharing what you have learned!
Video is great but please post in the video info, a link to pdf or just the information on parts,source, build steps if possible. Any media choices , etc, etc. That would be most helpful in reproducing! Thanks in advance
I've been working on a diy vapor blaster manual. It's taking me longer than I though, but I will post in a video when it's done.
É água e óxido de alumínio?
Glass beads
Great finish
Thanks
@@ArnoldsDesign I need to blast large panels...thinking about the possibilities of a kiddy pool :-}
i buy your plans wow so helpful and challenging at the same time🤭🤭🤭💪💪💪
Thank you. The concept is simple, but the details are a challenge.
Fantastic.
Thanks, Paul.
Great machine I want one
Thanks!
That’s amazing!
Thanks!
Hello Arnold, have you ever tried Grittal and Chronital. This is the Absolute best for blasting, it is crushed, Heat treated Stainless steel which doesn't degrade under use and very little dust. It really is top stuff. Check out their website www.vulkanshot.com/products/grittal and also for bead you would use chronital www.vulkanshot.com/products/chronital It last a very long time and is a joy to use and you can get different grades. Cheers. Bill.
I used to get my mine from an outfit in Canada. Nice people.
I need to drop off my 2006 Triumph engine to you!
DM me at b.arnold@arnoldsdesign.com