The size of your sandblaster and nozzle will determine the necessary size for your compressor. To properly size the compressor for your sandblasting project, it’s important to understand exactly how a sandblaster works. 2 1/8-inch nozzle: 20 CFM. #3 3/16-inch nozzle: 45 CFM. #4 1/4-inch nozzle: 81 CFM. #5 5/16-inch nozzle: 137 CFM. #6 3/8-inch nozzle: 196 CFM. #7 7/16-inch nozzle: 254 CFM. #8 1/2-inch nozzle: 338 CFM. Remember to increase the size of the compressor for projects with a higher PSI. When in doubt, look to the manufacturer’s guidelines for your tools.
If you increase your nozzle orifice size or the PSI at which you wish to blast, you will also be increasing the volume of air required to keep your blast pot pressurized. Low-pressure systems utilize ambient air pumps and therefore don’t affect compressor size. If you’re uncertain whether your compressor is large enough for your sandblasting needs, remember to keep in mind both the PSI at which you’ll be blasting as well as the nozzle size.
Here are the best air compressor for sandblasting that I found best for small and medium-size industries including automotive work. Review Verdict: The 10HP 120-gallon DXCMH9919910 from Dewalt offers a fine balance between output air volume, size and price and is our top pick for the air compressor for sandblasting. While those are good for some jobs such as nailing, for sandblasting you want an air compressor that has a minimum of around 10 CFM. Ideally, you would find one that goes up to 20 CFM. Because sandblasting is such a high-intensity job, having an air compressor with a high CFM is crucial.
The CFM ratings of air compressors tend to be based on the output of the air compressor pump. If you required to use the sandblaster on a 50% duty cycle, the sandblasting gun would require 3 CFM. The air compressor running at it’s recommended 50% duty cycle would not be able to provide the amount of CFM required by the sandblasting gun. Therefore an 14 CFM compressor with a 50% Duty Cycle can be used to run an air sandblaster that’s rated at 14 CFM – if used intermittently with a sufficiently large air tank.
Your air compressor will also be one of the highest cost items as they can easily cost between $8,000 and up depending on the style of compressor. What you need to know to Choose an Air Compressor for Sandblasting. To choose an air compressor for your sandblast process the key is to know the size sandblast nozzle you will use for sandblasting.
Most abrasive blast cabinet operators choose an air compressor based on the horsepower of the air compressor. If the blast operation requires 80 PSI, then a single stage compressor that operates between 95-125 PSI will work, presuming the air compressor generates enough CFM to operate the blast cabinet. The oil-free rotary screw air compressor utilizes specially designed air ends to compress air without oil in the compression chamber, meaning you get true oil-free compressed air.
An air compressor is needed to do any sandblasting, so knowing the right size air compressor to use is very important. If you have get a 100% duty cycle compressor most medium-duty sandblasting jobs can be done with a 5 gallon tank.2.CFM. CFM is air volume or total airflow that a given air compressor is capable of. If you are doing a little more work and need some more power, then you should use a compressor that can do 25 to 35 CFM. Taking it a few steps further, you would need a 50 to 100 CFM air compressor to do industrial-scale sandblasting work.3.PSI. This is the amount of force or air pressure that can be generated by a given air compressor.
how big air compressor for sandblasting Related Question:
What size air compressor do you need for sandblasting?
Compressor Size and Efficiency You should use a tank with a minimum of 100 PSI for optimum efficiency with any abrasive sandblasting project. If you work with a lower PSI, you’ll add a significant amount of time to your project.
How much air pressure do you need to sand blast?
What Sandblasting Air Pressure Is Required? The blast pot requires a minimum of 50 PSI. This measure will allow the pop-up valve to seal and the internal pot to pressurize. While operating, the pressure of the pot will typically in the60-80 PSI range to ensure the most efficient amount of blasting.
How many CFM does a sandblaster need?
At the minimum 50 PSI, a 7/16” orifice nozzle will require 147 CFMs. As you increase the pressure going into the pot, the amount of CFMs needed at the nozzle will increase as well. The same TMP-7 Nozzle blasting at the optimal 90 PSI will require 240 CFMs to keep up with the amount of air being put out at the nozzle.
Can you use regular sand to sandblast?
No, abrasives which contain more than 1% free silica are forbidden. In the past, blast cleaning operations were done with silica sand. The term sandblasting originates from those days.
How do you calculate sandblasting jobs?
Knowing your surface area and your production rate, you can calculate your blasting time: surface area divided by the effective production rate equals blasting time. Note that we’re using effective production rate.
What sand do you use for sandblasting?
Silica sand for sandblasting. The most commonly used type of sandblasting sand is silica sand. Silica sand is used primarily because it is not only of good quality and durability, but is also usually inexpensive and easily found.
Can you use kiln dried sand for sandblasting?
kiln-dried and block paving sand) is illegal to use for blast cleaning. It is banned ( wet or dry blasting) for cleaning so called ‘articles’, (ref : Factories act 1949 & 1961 ) which according to HSE guidelines encompasses a wide variety of metal objects from small castings to ships .
What size compressor Do I need to spray paint?
While some air spray guns have a rating of lower than 10 CFM, we’d recommend your compressor CFM for spray painting is at least 12 CFM. For professionals, this figure may need to be higher – the important thing is you’ve checked your spray gun’s CFM requirements and chosen a compressor that exceeds that figure.
How many CFM compressor do I need?
Air tools made for general use with portable air compressors typically require 0 to 5 cubic feet per minute (cfm) at 70 to 90 pounds per square inch (psi), whereas with larger tools connected to stationary systems, the requirements usually exceed 10 cfm at 100 to 120 psi.
What size blast nozzle is normally used?
For vapor abrasive blasting, the most commonly-used nozzle orifice sizes range from 3/8″ inner diameter to 3/4″, increasing by increments of 1/16″. A 3/8″ nozzle is sufficiently constricted to produce a effective blast pressure with a 185 CFM compressor.
Why is sandblasting banned?
Prohibition of Silica in Abrasive Blasting Because of the high risk for silicosis in sandblasters and the difficulty in controlling exposures, the use of crystalline silica for blast cleaning operations was prohibited in Great Britain in 1950 [Factories Act 1949] and in other European countries in 1966 [ILO 1972].
Can you sandblast yourself?
The amount of media you’ll need depends on several factors – the air compressor horsepower, the nozzle size, media type being used, size of project being blasted, and your own personal speed. Using sand media with a 210 CFM air compressor and 5/16 inch nozzle, you can expect to go through about 400 lbs per hour.
Can you use quikrete sand for sandblasting?
Quikrete sandblast sand is a consistently graded, washed and kiln dried sand used for industrial and construction applications.
Can you use beach sand to sandblast?
Blasting with silica sands, such as beach sand, river sand, and any other crystalline silica sand may cause serious injury or be fatal.
What is an alternative to sandblasting?
LASER CLEANING: AN ALTERNATIVE TO SANDBLASTING Using sandblasting for cleaning applications can be effective, but it’s also dangerous, not environmentally friendly, and difficult to clean up. Laser cleaning, on the other hand, provides a safer, less-damaging alternative to sandblasting.
