The trick is don't use a square reservoir. I used a plastic bucket and set the agitation nozzle so it was right down in the bottom and spun the fluid. Also, washing machine pumps I can get for nothing so I used one pump to agitate and another to supply the nozzle.
How are the seals holding up? I wrecked mine by running a tonne of aluminium oxide through it, but always wondered how long it would last if I had only used glass beads.
@@ArmouryEnterprises I'll have to say my system still doesn't work very well. I started by using one pump but quickly found out if you leave the aluminium oxide in the pump I have to clean it out before I use it as it will clog the pump into a solid mass if left too long. The nozzle supply pump works well because as soon as its switched off it drains back into the reservoir. I looking into compressed air agitation for the reservoir. Not had much issues with the reliability of the pumps as I can get them 10 at a time from a local recycling plant. They recycle a couple of hundred domestic appliances per week.
@@ArmouryEnterprises The agitation pump is 4cms below the upper fluid level, well above the media level. I wouldn't expect it to work at all if it was below the media level. Neither pump is in the reservoir, they are both external. I'm going to try something in the next couple of days and get back to you.
Brilliant video man,thanks very much!, For some reason it's really hard to find decent info on vapour blasting systems,like it's some sort of dark art lol, great to see a simple demo
Hey mate, Sorry, I just saw your comment now. When I started there were no videos whatsoever online. Been a long hard slog to get here, but there are a few good examples coming online now. Cheers for watching!
Great video. Any chance you could do an in depth video on how to plumb and wire a cabinet for vapour blasting? Never attempted anything like this before so have zero knowledge, but would love to give it a try after watching your DIY video. Cheers
Hi Brooklyn. Sure, I had planned on putting together a video on plumbing options. As for the wiring, I am happy to go over the 12v circuits that I use. As for the wiring of the pump, I don't really want to cover that as really, if anyone is not comfortable with mains voltage wiring then I don't want to give a false confidence given the mix of water and electricity and the high chance of electrocution. Any of my builds that are not exclusively for use in my own shop get given to a certified electrician for testing. That said, the set up is really simple and even for anyone with no electrical experience, you have the option of running the pump straight from the wall socket and using that switch to turn the pump on and off. Cheers for watching!
@@TheOriginalLugnuts The new cabinet I am doing will be plumbed shortly so I will do a video of that process. Though there is not really a lot more to it than what you see in this video. Thanks for watching!
Hi love the video, you mention in the video there are something to look for/avoid when choosing a pump for more commercial use. My computer is looking to start vapor blasting and we are trying to figure what components to use/buy. Main components we are struggling to figure out are gun and pump. Any information on how to go about choosing these items would be very helpful
I'm just watching your videos now and I've purchased your ebook. Using a pump like the silver one in this video with a round reservoir, it looks like if the T was completely vertical with a 90 degree hose barb on the bottom, you could put a hose long enough to reach the entire circumference of the reservoir with the discharge under the T where it originates. That would create a whirlpool effect, but I would add small jet holes in the hose directed toward the center of the reservoir as well. Whirlpool plus inward jets to keep the media agitated as much as possible which in turn increases the saturation of media in the water. Thoughts?
Hey John, I have seen people doing similar things, but in my experience, it is unnecessary. The simple tee I use seems to agitate appropriately without dead spots. Thanks for watching!
Anyone doing this should consider a vortex impeller pump (as these may be) there is less contact with the impeller and media. Also try to find a pump that will do high "head" 10m = 1bar max pressure. Ideally a multi stage pump would give you plenty of pressure however much more engagement with the media and pump.
Yes, I agree with the vortex style impeller. IT will definitely prolong the life of the impeller and service length of the media. But it is not crucial. Glass bead with water seems to be relatively soft on impellers. I have a pump in its 3rd year of service with a fibre reinforced plastic impeller showing zero signs of wear. Also, pressure is not overly important. Flow is. The pump is only usually working against a meter or so of head. The air does much of the work and even then, can achieve good results on as low as 40-50PSI. As for multi-stage pumps, they can actually face greater issues where as the pressure increases through the stages. Media can be forced against the seal surfaces causing premature wear. Pressure can become more important in larger setups using high volume air supplies, but a high quality single stage centrifugal pump will suffice. Thanks for watching!
@@ArmouryEnterprises Do you use compressed air as well? Yea glass bead will be quite passive. Fairly new to diy vapour blasting so not sure if other more aggressive media is used like in normal blast cabinets. I take it it's more about velocity than outright pressure? Interesting vid anyways 👍
@@scottpickstock6721 Yes, The pump agitates and feeds the slurry up to the nozzle, and the air accelerates it through the ceramic tip and onto the part. The most commonly used media in wet blasting seems to be Glass beads, Aluminium Oxide, and Sodium Bicarbonate. To a lesser extend, garnet and crushed glass. Velocity is definitely important. The pump only needs to supply the hand piece with enough slurry to carry the media to the nozzle. Too much water can increase nozzle pressure and reduce efficiency. At least thats what seems to be the case going off prior experiments. That seems to be why pressure washers don't seem to work in these type of cabinet set ups.
@@ArmouryEnterprises ah, ok seems I missed a valuable point about the air I had assumed it was just entirely pumped. I did think those smaller pumps wouldn't be enough😂 but if all they have to do is supply the head with media/water then that's a-ok👌. Wondering if a 4 pole motor with 1450 (UK 50hz) would be good. I think one of these is going on the project list.
Merci de nous avoir montrer cette démonstration d'exprience. Bravo et félicitations. On peut s'avoir le nom du produit on poudre dans le verre mélanger avec l'eau.
HI. Nice system! I don't know if you still use it after so many years. Perhaps such a pump resists less than an open one for dirty water. Do you have this experience or have you seen no difference?
I'm curious where you would purchase a dirty water pump? Who would supply that, and what are they normally used for? Is that the same as a sump pump that would be used in a flooded basement or to drain your pool? Thank you for the great info, and keep up the great videos 😉
Hi Patrick, Sorry, I didn't see your comment. The one on the far left is called a sewerage pump and the stainless is just called a submersible pump. They look like a coolant pump but are different. I haven't seen anyone using cooling fluid pumps but in theory they would work. Cheers.
Good evening friend, I made my cabin with a steam jet, I'm having a problem, I can't give a clear and clean finish, I've already used a 6mm and 8mm nozzle, I don't know what could be wrong thank you friend
Hi Charles, Send me an email to: josh@armouryenterprises.com with some more info on your setup and I will see if I can help you to get the results you are after. J.
Hi Jay, Do you mean the one in the square bucket? This is an old video and I no longer have the equipment I used. But I could potentially explain if you can be more specific with the information you require. Cheers Josh
Yes you can. I tend to use a funnel shaped reservoir with the jet centered. That way gravity helps too as well as being easier to build into the cabinet
Just learned about vapor blasting 30 minutes ago... I imagine this takes paint right off so parts must be immediately dried and painted in a dry environment. As well as the inside of the cabinet, my sand blasting cabinets have bare spots all over the inside, IDK how I would keep the inside rust free?? I'll have to do some research into this because moving water is certainly easier than moving sand or other medias...
Hi Steve. The water suspended media loses velocity much quicker. I coated the inside of my cabinets with a 2 pot epoxy paint. So far I have had no issues with the older cabinets. The newer design uses a dedicated stainless steel cabinet. As for parts. Ferrous components need to be treated immediately. Vapor blaster are more popular with those cleaning alloy parts. Thanks for watching.
What volume of pump should I use for a cabinet , the size of the red one , behind you. My budget and need i think is closer to an old dish washer pump, someone is throwing out lol.
Depends on whether you plan to run it in the cabinet or in a reservoir underneath. If you are only able to get a small pump, you don't want to have it lift too high. I usually aim at around 9000 - 18000l/h. I would recommend looking for a second hand submersible pump. You can get them pretty cheaply. You can make dishwasher pumps work, but there are a couple of restraints. The flow rate is relatively low, and they are not submersible so plumbing can be a bit more complicated.
It depends. Most closed loop systems for cabinets have multiple stages of separation. Usually through settling tanks outside of the cabinet. Some commercial cabinets use a pinch valve and a timer that drain off the excess water in the reservoir after the agitator stops working and the media falls out of suspension
I've just bought a stainless steel and cast iron pump for my setup, I didn't want to mess about with one's that were too small for the job so I went big from the start, it's the same configuration as the orange pump you have which could be tricky with pipework but I think I have it sorted. The pump itself is a 3/4 HP 5020 GPH 23000 L/H 550W only draw back is that it is quite heavy at 16 kg comes with 2yrs warranty and cost £84.00 Question - Can I remove the float all together? Also is it too powerful? Non related question - what media do I use for cleaning carburettors?
I remove all the floats in my builds, unless I am just testing a setup. Pumps are rarely too big. If you feel like you are getting too much flow, you can always divert more flow into agitation. As for media, it depends on the finish you want and the condition of the carbs you are cleaning. If they are corroded, you should run a mix of glass bead and aluminium oxide. If they are just a bit grubby, you will be fine with just a glass bead slurry. Or if they are in pretty good condition and you want something a little softer, you can use sodium bicarbonate.
Thanks for your comments, is it just a case of removing the float cable and sealing the hole with silicon? Apologies for the random questions but I also need a good pair of gloves? Do you by any chance have an email I can get you on to discuss a few ideas?
@@justinmacadam3924 There is some limited wiring modifications to be made, but yes. I wouldn't use silicone to seal it. I usually use the rubber grommet with a stainless steel or galve bolt to crush/expand it. Email can be found in the description (of this or other videos) Cheers
@@ArmouryEnterprises Your answer was exactly what I was wondering about to. I'll be self building a sysem and I've got 2 dirty water pumps bookmarked that are 15.000 and 18.000 liters per hour and I wasn't sure if they'd be to big or not. BIG tumbs up from me.
Hey sorry mate, I only just saw your comment. Yes round buckets work great. I tend to use round buckets if the reservoir is to sit on the floor, and square bins if it is to be mounted in the frame. Thanks for watching!
Yes I have done a little experimenting with this idea. The difference in specific weights of the glass and the water causes a fighting of the suspension of the media. The centrifugal forces also cause the water to ride up the sides of the container and can cause pump cavitation problems. A downward directed agitation jet and appropriately sized reservoir seems to be the simplest solution in my opinion. Thanks for watching
Where can you buy the media from ? Or is it just the same media when dry blasting ? Would it also work from a dry blasting style, Air powered opposed to pump powered, it perhaps had something to mix / stir the slurry where the trigger pipe, picks up from ? Cheers.
Hi Dominic, Sorry for the late response. Where are you based? You can use a pump to agitate the slurry, and then have a venturi style pick up like a dry blast cabinet. However, it takes a bit to get it to work, and I still haven't worked out how to get it to work as well as the pump fed set up. I cover this a little in this video - th-cam.com/video/r9ZQboi5YyY/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching!
G'day Amoury, sorry if this has been asked and answered before but if I'm buying a submersible pump, how many 'litres per hour' pumping capacity should I be looking for? Thanks in advance. Great videos on a great topic. Really helpful. Cheers from Oz.
Hey thanks for watching! I thinkI have answered this question before but always happy to revisit. I usually aim for the 14,000 to 18,000L/h. However, I have successfully built systems using as low as 8,000l/h. It really depends on how large a nozzle you wish to run and what your air supply is like. less than 17cfm from the air supply and I would recommend 2.5mm air jet and 8mm ceramic tip then 8000-12000l/h is fine. If you are looking to run over 24cfm then you really need to be aiming for 14000l/h or higher. Hope this helps. Josh
What gph do you recommend for a vapor blaster slurry pump, and what’s the minimum gallons per hour recommended? There’s tons of options out there which definitely makes selecting the correct size pump a bit difficult for me as a beginner vapor blaster…
Hi Nick, There is a pretty wide range the will do the job. I have build reliable cabinets with pumps ranging from 1700Gph right up to over 5000gph. The higher cfm you will be running, the larger the pump you will need. Another factor is the size of your reservoir. Large reservoirs will need large pumps to ensure you have the flow to agitate the media properly. Another factor to consider which is less important, is the pressure required to overcome head. That is - the distance in height from the pump impeller to the nozzle. The more the pump has to lift, the larger it needs to be. I usually aim at around the 3700gpm mark. Thanks for watching!
Hey mate great videos, very helpful, just wondering if I could get any more info on the silver pump? Like wattage, type and where you got it from? Cheers
Hey Taylor, Sorry I thought I had replied from my phone but I guess not. This silver one was an oldish one out of my garage. ITs an 1100w model from memory, but unsure where it came from. I have seen these advertised in NZ on TradeMe (Like Ebay for any readers outside of NZ). I have had success from all sorts from 400 to 1200w. Any submersible pump over 400w can work. I try to get 900w or over and dirty water versions.
What gloves have you found to be the best? I’ve found plenty of sand blasting cabinet gloves on eBay, but unsure on how water proof they would be. Can get some out of the states through VHT but are pricey with the holders. Cheers
I have tried a few different types. Most sandblasting gloves are fake leather that are sewn and have a coating on them. Every set like this I have tried leak pretty bad. You can get rubber ones too which work well and you can get out of China if you can't find them locally. They dont leak but cause you to sweat and it builds up in the fingers. My favourite ones actually come with some of the cheap sand blast cabinets. They are a hard pressed rubber with cotton reinforcement. The seems are sealed with a heated roller. These don't sweat up as badly but also do not leak. I will try to show the difference in my next video. Cheers
hi I'm a plumper but can you tell if you have water plus water mix going though the gun piece, could do with a drawing or video on the pipe work install cheers
Hi Mark, the hose going straight in the back is the air supply - and connects to your air control valve, the hose on the angle has a mixture of water and glass beads - and comes from the slurry pump. thanks for watching!
Hi Craig. It really depends on your setup. But I usually look for a minimum of 750w. Or as a general rule of thumb, over 14000LP/H. You can get away with less, but if you go by these rules of thumb you should be just fine. Thanks for watching!
Just got one of them dish washer pumps but they dont pump direct from a pipe in a bucket so iv adapted a reducer fitting in the side of the bucket but can't test it until the silicon dries but didn't seem like it was doing anything just with the pipe in a bucket so i gess it must ofto be like how you got yours also salvaged the little pump and the water in let solenoid
@@ArmouryEnterprises yes gunner wait for silicon to dry to test it how you got yours pal ive seen one on ebay for about £60 its called a viper or something its a dirty sewage water one with metal impeller
Hey mate. Another question. What ratio of media to water should I be looking for when I run just the pump without air and catch it in a clear container. I seem to only be getting about 10% media in a litre container of water.
Hi Craig. 10% is about the minimum. I try to be running 20-30% on setups with the cheap pumps. Higher quality pumps such as the Tsurumi I will run as high as 50%.
Yeah anywhere between 900w and 1200w is where I would be aiming. You can go smaller where you have a small setup and a short lift distance between the pump and the hand piece. Thanks for watching!
Hi Wayne, To be honest I never tried it. I know there are some parts cleaning cabinets that use a heated fluid, but the only vapour blasting cabinets that I have seen heated are from the guys in the US and Europe, and thats because the water gets too cold. Cheers!
@@ArmouryEnterprises thanks for getting back am from the uk bit cold over here. that wat I have made my one from part washer work Good for me Have watched most of your videos well all of them top work mate
Yes, you can as long as it is not a weak flowing pump. I have seen some set ups that use 2 washing machine pumps. The first to agitate, the second to feed the nozzle.
Hi Ive to replace the pump on my big old Abrasive Developments VaquaBlast ( like the Vixen ) and Im not stumping up for new. Should I get something kind of similar to fit where the original pump sits on the outside of the machine or should I get a submersible like the Tsurumi ? Any views?
Hi Colin, Whats wrong with your pump? I am unfamiliar with your particular model but often if its just bearings or seals, its easy enough to replace. Failing that, you can retrofit something else. Essentially, you would just remove the old pump and install an aftermarket one as you can find on my channel, or check out the vid Venom Chris did. I don't know about the Tsurumi pumps but most submersibles can be made to work. I would recommend fitting something in the original position, but if its not possible to find something suitable, the submersible option can work. If you do retrofit another pump I would be interested to know how it performs in comparison to the original.
cheers, the old pump is a brutal looking thing, all polyurethane lined, the shaft / coupling are the size of a german stick grenade and its badly worn along with the poly lined guide in the pump that the shaft turns in. Do you want to see a picture?
Hi David, I got the solenoid off a seller in Chch, but they haven't had stock for a while. I have ordered in an alternative, but not received them yet so I am unsure how well they will work. Any 2 port air or water solenoid of the correct voltage will work. I use a minimum of 3/8" Cheers, Josh
How long do your dirty water pumps last ? I have just had my first one fail due to filling up with water , not sure if the seal failed or how the water got in, would the media wear the seal fast? Using 1800w 2400L/m pump
Hi Stephen, What sort of pump, and what media are you using? I have a cheap 900w plastic pump that has been in use for nearly 3 years now that still runs without issue. Cheers, Josh
@@ArmouryEnterprises looks the same as your stainless steel body pump in the video , I am wondering if I have to higher flow pump and it is too restricted and forcing water back pass the seal ? Using glass bead media ,mixed at approx 25ml in 250ml of water when run into a measuring cup
@@stephenrussack8877 I would be surprised if that were the case, centrifugal pumps don't usually build up pressure around the seal. Some of the stainless submersibles have an air bleed grommet in the top. If the pump was poorly manufactured, the water can get into the pump through there.
Ok thanks ,there is a small rubber nut shaped peice on the top of the pump that i thought might be a bleeder ,didnt realise went into the motor i will seal it up on the new pump
@@stephenrussack3084 I wouldn't seal it. It is still needed to prevent air lock in the impeller cavity but I have heard of two failures where the channel between the pump cavity and the bleed nipple had a leak into the motor compartment. Its a manufacturing fault rather than a design fault.
Hey Justin, Theoretically, yes. What size is it? Any thing 1/2" or above should be fine as long as they are for a high pressure setup. 3/8" could work at a pinch.
Armoury Enterprises awesome mate thanks heaps, i was planning on getting 20 or 25mm , do you think 20-25mm will both me good? watched your videos last night and bought your program today, building tomorrow haha
@@justinsilvestro1940 Yeah mate, that will be heaps. I use 15mm on most of my stuff so over 20mm will be all good. My email should be on the first inner page of the kit plans you got. Feel free to ask your questions there as I don't always get notifications for TH-cam comments Cheers!
@@ArmouryEnterprises 3300 for a 1/2hp and 4000 for 3/4hp . What should i get . Prive is like 75$ diffrence . I will like to know also. If a 4,5hp compressor with 10.5cfm is enougt or should i go a bit bigger
Yes round tanks do have advantages in regard to not having dead spots in agitation. It is a matter of preference really, square reservoirs can be just as effective.
@@ArmouryEnterprises a little advice to add a powder video coating or automotive painting ... surely your audience more and more ... thank you hopefully you are more successful
@@H.K_project-015 Thank you. I have been looking at expanding the type of content on the channel, and coatings are likely to be part of that. Thanks for watching!
Hi mate been following your videos for a while and have built one using your methods, out of a dishwasher I am having trouble with getting good results, I've got a submersible dirty water pump I'm using 106-300 mesh glass bead , and I've got a compressor running about 45psi constant and even when I get my big compressor out which runs 100psi constantly the lower pressure goes better just very slow blasting & struggling getting corrosion and stains off ect. Have you got any ideas what could help me get better results? Cheers
Hey Mate, Could you upload a video? I would be aiming to run at the 80 to 100psi range if you can. Next thing to check is that you are getting a good water to bead ratio. I find the best way to check it just pump some onto the window without the air running. You get a good visual idea of how many beads are in your slurry. When you say stains, are you talking about the black tarnish you get on alloys? Oxides are incredibly tough and need harsher material than glass bead to strip it.
@@ArmouryEnterprises ahhh that may be it, yes it's like oxidization like a black stain where the corrosion was sitting, has been driving me crazy the parts looks great apart from that, do you have a ratio of how much cutting agent I should mix in with the glass bead to get it off? Other than that I was thinking I may need 2 cabinets one with a harsher media for initial clean then glass bead for finishing. I will upload a video tomorrow of my setup ect. I forgot to say thankyou for all your videos without it I would never be where I am now.
I'm still yet to spend the time to work out the best ratio. But I use approx a 5 to 1 ratio glass bead to garnet or Aluminum Oxide. I just started out with a small amount of Garnet and kept adding until it cut fast enough. Aluminum will cut faster with less. I use two cabinets for exactly this purpose. Thanks for watching. And glad you enjoy the vids!
@@ArmouryEnterprises th-cam.com/video/PGNiwgSWGzo/w-d-xo.html just uploaded a video sorry not much of a youtuber i just watch the vids haha. hope this will give you some insight i have mixed a little bit of the etching media to the slurry but still wont get it off not sure if i need more or something else is going on.
I think this was your best video yet, it will save me a ton of grief when I build my cabinet, thanks for sharing this info
The first vapor blasting cabinet I built back in '09 used a dishwasher pump for the slurry jet. It never wore out.
Thanks for the info Arnold. Love your vids by the way. Always so informative!
@@ArmouryEnterprises Thanks. I'm glad you find them helpful.
Great Video!
Cheers for the video mate. always interesting. i hope your channel grows the content is great.
Thanks for watching. Glad you are enjoying it!
The trick is don't use a square reservoir. I used a plastic bucket and set the agitation nozzle so it was right down in the bottom and spun the fluid.
Also, washing machine pumps I can get for nothing so I used one pump to agitate and another to supply the nozzle.
How are the seals holding up? I wrecked mine by running a tonne of aluminium oxide through it, but always wondered how long it would last if I had only used glass beads.
@@ArmouryEnterprises I'll have to say my system still doesn't work very well.
I started by using one pump but quickly found out if you leave the aluminium oxide in the pump I have to clean it out before I use it as it will clog the pump into a solid mass if left too long.
The nozzle supply pump works well because as soon as its switched off it drains back into the reservoir. I looking into compressed air agitation for the reservoir. Not had much issues with the reliability of the pumps as I can get them 10 at a time from a local recycling plant. They recycle a couple of hundred domestic appliances per week.
@@hugostiglitz6914 Is the pump that gets clogged up above the media in the reservoir? or below?
@@ArmouryEnterprises The agitation pump is 4cms below the upper fluid level, well above the media level. I wouldn't expect it to work at all if it was below the media level. Neither pump is in the reservoir, they are both external.
I'm going to try something in the next couple of days and get back to you.
I am stoked to start building a cab for myself. Great work and Thank you!
Thanks for watching Mike,
Best of luck!
Brilliant video man,thanks very much!, For some reason it's really hard to find decent info on vapour blasting systems,like it's some sort of dark art lol, great to see a simple demo
Hey mate, Sorry, I just saw your comment now. When I started there were no videos whatsoever online. Been a long hard slog to get here, but there are a few good examples coming online now.
Cheers for watching!
Awesome videos , thank you ! I start buy parts to build one :)
Thanks for watching!
Great video. Any chance you could do an in depth video on how to plumb and wire a cabinet for vapour blasting? Never attempted anything like this before so have zero knowledge, but would love to give it a try after watching your DIY video. Cheers
Hi Brooklyn.
Sure, I had planned on putting together a video on plumbing options. As for the wiring, I am happy to go over the 12v circuits that I use. As for the wiring of the pump, I don't really want to cover that as really, if anyone is not comfortable with mains voltage wiring then I don't want to give a false confidence given the mix of water and electricity and the high chance of electrocution. Any of my builds that are not exclusively for use in my own shop get given to a certified electrician for testing.
That said, the set up is really simple and even for anyone with no electrical experience, you have the option of running the pump straight from the wall socket and using that switch to turn the pump on and off.
Cheers for watching!
@@ArmouryEnterprises I was about to ask the same question regarding plumbing the unit.
@@TheOriginalLugnuts
The new cabinet I am doing will be plumbed shortly so I will do a video of that process. Though there is not really a lot more to it than what you see in this video.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing!
Hi love the video, you mention in the video there are something to look for/avoid when choosing a pump for more commercial use. My computer is looking to start vapor blasting and we are trying to figure what components to use/buy. Main components we are struggling to figure out are gun and pump. Any information on how to go about choosing these items would be very helpful
great video quite smart.
Thanks!
Great video. I'm working on a new set up right now. I haven't posted in awhile I've been busy. Cheers
Cheers! Keen to see where you are at with the detail gun you were prototyping too!
I'm just watching your videos now and I've purchased your ebook. Using a pump like the silver one in this video with a round reservoir, it looks like if the T was completely vertical with a 90 degree hose barb on the bottom, you could put a hose long enough to reach the entire circumference of the reservoir with the discharge under the T where it originates. That would create a whirlpool effect, but I would add small jet holes in the hose directed toward the center of the reservoir as well. Whirlpool plus inward jets to keep the media agitated as much as possible which in turn increases the saturation of media in the water. Thoughts?
Hey John,
I have seen people doing similar things, but in my experience, it is unnecessary. The simple tee I use seems to agitate appropriately without dead spots.
Thanks for watching!
Anyone doing this should consider a vortex impeller pump (as these may be) there is less contact with the impeller and media. Also try to find a pump that will do high "head" 10m = 1bar max pressure. Ideally a multi stage pump would give you plenty of pressure however much more engagement with the media and pump.
Yes, I agree with the vortex style impeller. IT will definitely prolong the life of the impeller and service length of the media. But it is not crucial. Glass bead with water seems to be relatively soft on impellers. I have a pump in its 3rd year of service with a fibre reinforced plastic impeller showing zero signs of wear.
Also, pressure is not overly important. Flow is. The pump is only usually working against a meter or so of head. The air does much of the work and even then, can achieve good results on as low as 40-50PSI.
As for multi-stage pumps, they can actually face greater issues where as the pressure increases through the stages. Media can be forced against the seal surfaces causing premature wear.
Pressure can become more important in larger setups using high volume air supplies, but a high quality single stage centrifugal pump will suffice.
Thanks for watching!
@@ArmouryEnterprises Do you use compressed air as well? Yea glass bead will be quite passive. Fairly new to diy vapour blasting so not sure if other more aggressive media is used like in normal blast cabinets. I take it it's more about velocity than outright pressure? Interesting vid anyways 👍
@@scottpickstock6721
Yes, The pump agitates and feeds the slurry up to the nozzle, and the air accelerates it through the ceramic tip and onto the part.
The most commonly used media in wet blasting seems to be Glass beads, Aluminium Oxide, and Sodium Bicarbonate. To a lesser extend, garnet and crushed glass.
Velocity is definitely important. The pump only needs to supply the hand piece with enough slurry to carry the media to the nozzle. Too much water can increase nozzle pressure and reduce efficiency. At least thats what seems to be the case going off prior experiments.
That seems to be why pressure washers don't seem to work in these type of cabinet set ups.
@@ArmouryEnterprises ah, ok seems I missed a valuable point about the air I had assumed it was just entirely pumped. I did think those smaller pumps wouldn't be enough😂 but if all they have to do is supply the head with media/water then that's a-ok👌. Wondering if a 4 pole motor with 1450 (UK 50hz) would be good. I think one of these is going on the project list.
20cfm air compressor strong enough should I full full pressure or some psi
Thank you!
Merci de nous avoir montrer cette démonstration d'exprience. Bravo et félicitations. On peut s'avoir le nom du produit on poudre dans le verre mélanger avec l'eau.
HI. Nice system! I don't know if you still use it after so many years. Perhaps such a pump resists less than an open one for dirty water. Do you have this experience or have you seen no difference?
..generally how many hours can standard pumps work while pushing abrasives?
I'm curious where you would purchase a dirty water pump? Who would supply that, and what are they normally used for? Is that the same as a sump pump that would be used in a flooded basement or to drain your pool? Thank you for the great info, and keep up the great videos 😉
Yes, some countries refer to them as sump pumps. Most hardware stores will stock them.
Thanks for watching!
Very informative! What are the larger pumps on the left called? Are they coolant pumps of a lathe or similar?
Hi Patrick,
Sorry, I didn't see your comment.
The one on the far left is called a sewerage pump and the stainless is just called a submersible pump.
They look like a coolant pump but are different. I haven't seen anyone using cooling fluid pumps but in theory they would work.
Cheers.
Good evening friend, I made my cabin with a steam jet, I'm having a problem, I can't give a clear and clean finish, I've already used a 6mm and 8mm nozzle, I don't know what could be wrong thank you friend
Hi Charles,
Send me an email to: josh@armouryenterprises.com with some more info on your setup and I will see if I can help you to get the results you are after.
J.
Hello friend, cordial greetings, do you have the pump available?
Hi, Which pump are you looking for?
Can you show the connection of pump to gun the that you used in the bucket please.
Hi Jay,
Do you mean the one in the square bucket? This is an old video and I no longer have the equipment I used. But I could potentially explain if you can be more specific with the information you require.
Cheers
Josh
Would a cylinder be better than a square reservoir as you have no corners for the media to get trapped in?
Yes you can. I tend to use a funnel shaped reservoir with the jet centered. That way gravity helps too as well as being easier to build into the cabinet
Just learned about vapor blasting 30 minutes ago... I imagine this takes paint right off so parts must be immediately dried and painted in a dry environment. As well as the inside of the cabinet, my sand blasting cabinets have bare spots all over the inside, IDK how I would keep the inside rust free?? I'll have to do some research into this because moving water is certainly easier than moving sand or other medias...
Hi Steve.
The water suspended media loses velocity much quicker. I coated the inside of my cabinets with a 2 pot epoxy paint. So far I have had no issues with the older cabinets. The newer design uses a dedicated stainless steel cabinet.
As for parts. Ferrous components need to be treated immediately. Vapor blaster are more popular with those cleaning alloy parts.
Thanks for watching.
What volume of pump should I use for a cabinet , the size of the red one , behind you. My budget and need i think is closer to an old dish washer pump, someone is throwing out lol.
Depends on whether you plan to run it in the cabinet or in a reservoir underneath. If you are only able to get a small pump, you don't want to have it lift too high. I usually aim at around 9000 - 18000l/h. I would recommend looking for a second hand submersible pump. You can get them pretty cheaply. You can make dishwasher pumps work, but there are a couple of restraints. The flow rate is relatively low, and they are not submersible so plumbing can be a bit more complicated.
@@joshhubbard5026That was really kind of you to take the time to share your knowledge with me. Very Happy to subscribe. Have an awesome day.
How do you filter out old water and retrieve media
It depends. Most closed loop systems for cabinets have multiple stages of separation. Usually through settling tanks outside of the cabinet. Some commercial cabinets use a pinch valve and a timer that drain off the excess water in the reservoir after the agitator stops working and the media falls out of suspension
I've just bought a stainless steel and cast iron pump for my setup, I didn't want to mess about with one's that were too small for the job so I went big from the start, it's the same configuration as the orange pump you have which could be tricky with pipework but I think I have it sorted. The pump itself is a 3/4 HP 5020 GPH 23000 L/H 550W only draw back is that it is quite heavy at 16 kg comes with 2yrs warranty and cost £84.00 Question - Can I remove the float all together? Also is it too powerful? Non related question - what media do I use for cleaning carburettors?
I remove all the floats in my builds, unless I am just testing a setup. Pumps are rarely too big. If you feel like you are getting too much flow, you can always divert more flow into agitation.
As for media, it depends on the finish you want and the condition of the carbs you are cleaning. If they are corroded, you should run a mix of glass bead and aluminium oxide. If they are just a bit grubby, you will be fine with just a glass bead slurry. Or if they are in pretty good condition and you want something a little softer, you can use sodium bicarbonate.
Thanks for your comments, is it just a case of removing the float cable and sealing the hole with silicon? Apologies for the random questions but I also need a good pair of gloves? Do you by any chance have an email I can get you on to discuss a few ideas?
@@justinmacadam3924
There is some limited wiring modifications to be made, but yes. I wouldn't use silicone to seal it. I usually use the rubber grommet with a stainless steel or galve bolt to crush/expand it.
Email can be found in the description (of this or other videos)
Cheers
@@ArmouryEnterprises Your answer was exactly what I was wondering about to.
I'll be self building a sysem and I've got 2 dirty water pumps bookmarked that are 15.000 and 18.000 liters per hour and I wasn't sure if they'd be to big or not.
BIG tumbs up from me.
@@Gerrit-Max Glad this video and comments have helped. Best of luck with your build and thanks for watching!
round bucket = no corners = no dead areas ?
Hey sorry mate, I only just saw your comment. Yes round buckets work great. I tend to use round buckets if the reservoir is to sit on the floor, and square bins if it is to be mounted in the frame.
Thanks for watching!
Circular tank with hose laying on bottom to swirl water in a clockwise motion? Have you experimented this way?
Yes I have done a little experimenting with this idea. The difference in specific weights of the glass and the water causes a fighting of the suspension of the media. The centrifugal forces also cause the water to ride up the sides of the container and can cause pump cavitation problems.
A downward directed agitation jet and appropriately sized reservoir seems to be the simplest solution in my opinion.
Thanks for watching
Where can you buy the media from ? Or is it just the same media when dry blasting ?
Would it also work from a dry blasting style, Air powered opposed to pump powered, it perhaps had something to mix / stir the slurry where the trigger pipe, picks up from ?
Cheers.
Hi Dominic,
Sorry for the late response.
Where are you based?
You can use a pump to agitate the slurry, and then have a venturi style pick up like a dry blast cabinet. However, it takes a bit to get it to work, and I still haven't worked out how to get it to work as well as the pump fed set up.
I cover this a little in this video - th-cam.com/video/r9ZQboi5YyY/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching!
can you kind of get away with using a clean water pump because the fine glass bead abrasive is so fine and rounded in profile?
G'day Amoury, sorry if this has been asked and answered before but if I'm buying a submersible pump, how many 'litres per hour' pumping capacity should I be looking for? Thanks in advance. Great videos on a great topic. Really helpful. Cheers from Oz.
Hey thanks for watching!
I thinkI have answered this question before but always happy to revisit. I usually aim for the 14,000 to 18,000L/h. However, I have successfully built systems using as low as 8,000l/h.
It really depends on how large a nozzle you wish to run and what your air supply is like. less than 17cfm from the air supply and I would recommend 2.5mm air jet and 8mm ceramic tip then 8000-12000l/h is fine. If you are looking to run over 24cfm then you really need to be aiming for 14000l/h or higher.
Hope this helps.
Josh
What gph do you recommend for a vapor blaster slurry pump, and what’s the minimum gallons per hour recommended? There’s tons of options out there which definitely makes selecting the correct size pump a bit difficult for me as a beginner vapor blaster…
Hi Nick,
There is a pretty wide range the will do the job. I have build reliable cabinets with pumps ranging from 1700Gph right up to over 5000gph. The higher cfm you will be running, the larger the pump you will need. Another factor is the size of your reservoir. Large reservoirs will need large pumps to ensure you have the flow to agitate the media properly. Another factor to consider which is less important, is the pressure required to overcome head. That is - the distance in height from the pump impeller to the nozzle. The more the pump has to lift, the larger it needs to be.
I usually aim at around the 3700gpm mark.
Thanks for watching!
Hey mate great videos, very helpful, just wondering if I could get any more info on the silver pump? Like wattage, type and where you got it from? Cheers
Hey Taylor,
Sorry I thought I had replied from my phone but I guess not. This silver one was an oldish one out of my garage. ITs an 1100w model from memory, but unsure where it came from. I have seen these advertised in NZ on TradeMe (Like Ebay for any readers outside of NZ). I have had success from all sorts from 400 to 1200w. Any submersible pump over 400w can work. I try to get 900w or over and dirty water versions.
Armoury Enterprises cheers thanks heaps
What gloves have you found to be the best? I’ve found plenty of sand blasting cabinet gloves on eBay, but unsure on how water proof they would be. Can get some out of the states through VHT but are pricey with the holders.
Cheers
I have tried a few different types. Most sandblasting gloves are fake leather that are sewn and have a coating on them. Every set like this I have tried leak pretty bad.
You can get rubber ones too which work well and you can get out of China if you can't find them locally. They dont leak but cause you to sweat and it builds up in the fingers.
My favourite ones actually come with some of the cheap sand blast cabinets. They are a hard pressed rubber with cotton reinforcement. The seems are sealed with a heated roller. These don't sweat up as badly but also do not leak.
I will try to show the difference in my next video.
Cheers
@@ArmouryEnterprises your videos are top notch. Im just getting into this and and every question I have, you have already answered in the videos
hi
I'm a plumper but can you tell if you have water plus water mix going though the gun piece, could do with a drawing or video on the pipe work install
cheers
Hi Mark,
the hose going straight in the back is the air supply - and connects to your air control valve, the hose on the angle has a mixture of water and glass beads - and comes from the slurry pump.
thanks for watching!
Hey mate. Is there a Wattage pump I should be looking for that suits better. Or a certain Litres per minute. Thanks
Hi Craig. It really depends on your setup. But I usually look for a minimum of 750w. Or as a general rule of thumb, over 14000LP/H. You can get away with less, but if you go by these rules of thumb you should be just fine.
Thanks for watching!
Just got one of them dish washer pumps but they dont pump direct from a pipe in a bucket so iv adapted a reducer fitting in the side of the bucket but can't test it until the silicon dries but didn't seem like it was doing anything just with the pipe in a bucket so i gess it must ofto be like how you got yours also salvaged the little pump and the water in let solenoid
Yes, centrifugal pumps will not draft water to self prime. The pump chamber needs to have plenty of water in it for it to work.
@@ArmouryEnterprises yes gunner wait for silicon to dry to test it how you got yours pal ive seen one on ebay for about £60 its called a viper or something its a dirty sewage water one with metal impeller
Hey mate. Another question. What ratio of media to water should I be looking for when I run just the pump without air and catch it in a clear container. I seem to only be getting about 10% media in a litre container of water.
Hi Craig.
10% is about the minimum. I try to be running 20-30% on setups with the cheap pumps. Higher quality pumps such as the Tsurumi I will run as high as 50%.
@@ArmouryEnterprises Yea ok sure. How do I get the media count up to about that 30% ? Do I just keep adding it the the bottom bucket? Thanks
Hi, good videos. I see that your preferred pump is a 1150w rated. Is that the size you would recommend for a hobby type set-up?
Yeah anywhere between 900w and 1200w is where I would be aiming. You can go smaller where you have a small setup and a short lift distance between the pump and the hand piece.
Thanks for watching!
@@ArmouryEnterprises Thanks for your answer and recomendation.
Hi just seen a video of guy using hot water in his blaster @ around 160 it’s the first time I’ve herd of this wat do you think 🤔
Hi Wayne,
To be honest I never tried it. I know there are some parts cleaning cabinets that use a heated fluid, but the only vapour blasting cabinets that I have seen heated are from the guys in the US and Europe, and thats because the water gets too cold.
Cheers!
@@ArmouryEnterprises thanks for getting back am from the uk bit cold over here. that wat I have made my one from part washer work Good for me
Have watched most of your videos well all of them top work mate
Sir would you like to tell me vapor honing only you water or you mix with sand or soda
Hello,
I use water and glass beads for media.
What motor do you use
Would a wacher maschine with a wacher maschine Pump work ???
Yes, you can as long as it is not a weak flowing pump. I have seen some set ups that use 2 washing machine pumps. The first to agitate, the second to feed the nozzle.
Hi Ive to replace the pump on my big old Abrasive Developments VaquaBlast ( like the Vixen )
and Im not stumping up for new. Should I get something kind of similar to fit where the original pump sits on the outside of the machine or should I get a submersible like the Tsurumi ? Any views?
Hi Colin,
Whats wrong with your pump? I am unfamiliar with your particular model but often if its just bearings or seals, its easy enough to replace. Failing that, you can retrofit something else. Essentially, you would just remove the old pump and install an aftermarket one as you can find on my channel, or check out the vid Venom Chris did. I don't know about the Tsurumi pumps but most submersibles can be made to work. I would recommend fitting something in the original position, but if its not possible to find something suitable, the submersible option can work.
If you do retrofit another pump I would be interested to know how it performs in comparison to the original.
cheers, the old pump is a brutal looking thing, all polyurethane lined, the shaft / coupling are the size of a german stick grenade and its badly worn along with the poly lined guide in the pump that the shaft turns in. Do you want to see a picture?
@@bittainment5995 Thanks colinmcglinchey7@gmail.com
Hi thought id ask where did you get your air solenoid model etc and how much did it cost ? starting to put things together to build thanks David chch
Hi David, I got the solenoid off a seller in Chch, but they haven't had stock for a while. I have ordered in an alternative, but not received them yet so I am unsure how well they will work.
Any 2 port air or water solenoid of the correct voltage will work. I use a minimum of 3/8"
Cheers,
Josh
@@ArmouryEnterprises hi have managed to order a 1/2 off ebay under $40
Ah great. That is a pretty good price. Have you managed to find all the other bits you need?
@@ArmouryEnterprises yes got the junction box some of the other bits will wait till solenoid arrives to fit it out and going to use a Tacoma gun
@@davidbutcher6637 yes the Tacoma is a great gun. Lots of great reviews!
How long do your dirty water pumps last ? I have just had my first one fail due to filling up with water , not sure if the seal failed or how the water got in, would the media wear the seal fast?
Using 1800w 2400L/m pump
Hi Stephen,
What sort of pump, and what media are you using? I have a cheap 900w plastic pump that has been in use for nearly 3 years now that still runs without issue.
Cheers,
Josh
@@ArmouryEnterprises looks the same as your stainless steel body pump in the video , I am wondering if I have to higher flow pump and it is too restricted and forcing water back pass the seal ?
Using glass bead media ,mixed at approx 25ml in 250ml of water when run into a measuring cup
@@stephenrussack8877 I would be surprised if that were the case, centrifugal pumps don't usually build up pressure around the seal.
Some of the stainless submersibles have an air bleed grommet in the top. If the pump was poorly manufactured, the water can get into the pump through there.
Ok thanks ,there is a small rubber nut shaped peice on the top of the pump that i thought might be a bleeder ,didnt realise went into the motor i will seal it up on the new pump
@@stephenrussack3084 I wouldn't seal it. It is still needed to prevent air lock in the impeller cavity but I have heard of two failures where the channel between the pump cavity and the bleed nipple had a leak into the motor compartment. Its a manufacturing fault rather than a design fault.
Where can I buy this pump ? Can you give me a model number? A link? Thanks! Cheers mate 😉
Hey man. Just answered on the AE facebook message you sent. Let me know where you are based and I will see what I can find for you.
Cheers
What’s the specs of the air compressor for this?
Set up is discussed here.
Thanks for watching!
Hey mate
For the air solenoid can a retic (sprinkler) solenoid be used?
Hey Justin,
Theoretically, yes. What size is it? Any thing 1/2" or above should be fine as long as they are for a high pressure setup. 3/8" could work at a pinch.
Armoury Enterprises awesome mate thanks heaps, i was planning on getting 20 or 25mm , do you think 20-25mm will both me good? watched your videos last night and bought your program today, building tomorrow haha
There about $20 for a 25mm retic solenoid rated to 1000kpa
@@justinsilvestro1940 Yeah mate, that will be heaps. I use 15mm on most of my stuff so over 20mm will be all good.
My email should be on the first inner page of the kit plans you got. Feel free to ask your questions there as I don't always get notifications for TH-cam comments
Cheers!
Armoury Enterprises thanks mate I’ll email you instead one more question I’ll send you on email
1/2 hp pump, is it enough power for vapor blaster
Hi Pierre,
What is the stated flow rate?
Josh
@@ArmouryEnterprises 3300 for a 1/2hp and 4000 for 3/4hp . What should i get . Prive is like 75$ diffrence . I will like to know also. If a 4,5hp compressor with 10.5cfm is enougt or should i go a bit bigger
😀
Is that 3300 lph or gph?
Gph
Would a round tank help?
Yes round tanks do have advantages in regard to not having dead spots in agitation. It is a matter of preference really, square reservoirs can be just as effective.
@@ArmouryEnterprises ,Round tank with an air nozzle for a mixer ?
Great video thanks mate and most of my questions you have already answered below, just wondering what you use for the blast gun arrangement?
Thanks,
Thanks mate!
Have a flick through my other videos, there are a few that discuss the different guns and even a couple on how to make your own.
What is the name of the pump to suck sand in water?
It depends on where in the world you are. Some places call it a pond pump, others call it submersible. Some places call it a dirty water pump.
@@ArmouryEnterprises good luck ... thank you very much ... I'm from Indonesia
@@ArmouryEnterprises a little advice to add a powder video coating or automotive painting ... surely your audience more and more ... thank you hopefully you are more successful
@@H.K_project-015 Thank you. I have been looking at expanding the type of content on the channel, and coatings are likely to be part of that.
Thanks for watching!
Hi mate been following your videos for a while and have built one using your methods, out of a dishwasher I am having trouble with getting good results, I've got a submersible dirty water pump I'm using 106-300 mesh glass bead , and I've got a compressor running about 45psi constant and even when I get my big compressor out which runs 100psi constantly the lower pressure goes better just very slow blasting & struggling getting corrosion and stains off ect. Have you got any ideas what could help me get better results? Cheers
Hey Mate,
Could you upload a video? I would be aiming to run at the 80 to 100psi range if you can.
Next thing to check is that you are getting a good water to bead ratio. I find the best way to check it just pump some onto the window without the air running. You get a good visual idea of how many beads are in your slurry.
When you say stains, are you talking about the black tarnish you get on alloys? Oxides are incredibly tough and need harsher material than glass bead to strip it.
@@ArmouryEnterprises ahhh that may be it, yes it's like oxidization like a black stain where the corrosion was sitting, has been driving me crazy the parts looks great apart from that, do you have a ratio of how much cutting agent I should mix in with the glass bead to get it off? Other than that I was thinking I may need 2 cabinets one with a harsher media for initial clean then glass bead for finishing. I will upload a video tomorrow of my setup ect. I forgot to say thankyou for all your videos without it I would never be where I am now.
I'm still yet to spend the time to work out the best ratio. But I use approx a 5 to 1 ratio glass bead to garnet or Aluminum Oxide. I just started out with a small amount of Garnet and kept adding until it cut fast enough. Aluminum will cut faster with less.
I use two cabinets for exactly this purpose.
Thanks for watching. And glad you enjoy the vids!
@@ArmouryEnterprises th-cam.com/video/PGNiwgSWGzo/w-d-xo.html just uploaded a video sorry not much of a youtuber i just watch the vids haha. hope this will give you some insight i have mixed a little bit of the etching media to the slurry but still wont get it off not sure if i need more or something else is going on.
for sale?
Yes. Complete units for those in NZ. Smaller Components and ebook for the rest of the world.
I think you're using too much media slurry