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Small Pot. Improve your blasting game.
  • Small Pot. Improve your blasting game.

    ***IT'S YOU NOT THE POT.***

    Operator error is the most common issue with the new Small Pot Operator.

    Low CFM, improper adjusting, mismatched nozzle to CFM, over or under filling the pot, moisture, damp or unsifted media.

    Clogs are caused by moisture.

    Once clogged YOU must Drain the pot and DRY your media.

    ⚠️ Trouble shooting/ Pot issues.

    Moisture is simply the most common issue encountered by users.

    Symptoms including erratic flow, pulsating, clogs at the bottom manifold, or at the hose and or nozzle.

    ⚠️ Extended periods of blasting will cause moisture, EXAMPLE: You start blasting then after a period of time you experience erratic discharge, pulsating, or no media flow.

    *First check nozzle selection make sure your nozzle is matched to your compressors output of PSI and CFM.

    * CFM and compressor go hand in hand, to low CFM and you will experience RECOVERY time. Your compressor fails to maintain ideal pressure to your pot.

    Always select a nozzle orifice size that is appropriate for your compressor set up.

    ⚠️ Over Powering the nozzle.

    A common issue when the nozzle orifice is to small and the operator opens the media and / or throttle ball valve to much overpowering the small nozzle orifice.

    ⚡ Always sift Media.

    Yes it's a hassle, but always sift media even NEW bagged and packaged media.

    Media selection.

    Always use the proper media for your application.

    Refer to the MOHS scale this will help you understand between hard and soft media, rounded, sub-angular and angular.

    ⚡Hard medias = Coal slag, Aluminum oxide , 10×, crushed glass.

    ⚡Soft medias= Sodium Bicarbonate, walnut shells, glass beads, corn cob.

    ☠️ Safety Gear

    Always use proper safety equipment.

    Blast in a well ventilated space. Use a high velocity fan to push away airborne particles.

    * Use proper eye, hand, ear, and respiratory protective gear.

    * prior to blasting inspection of your blast pot is a must. Check blast hose for deformities, bulges, cracks or soft spots .

    Check fittings, barbs and ball valves. Check for leaks or pin holes. Media blasting wears items, all items from fittings to nozzle holders will wear.

    ⚠️Adjusting the mix.

    Step one.

    Close ALL Ball Valves. Main, air throttle and media mix ball valve.

    Step two.

    Pressurize your pot. Do not exceed manufacturers recommend PSI ratings. Small pots 60 to 120 most pots have a pressure relief valve set at 125 psi.

    Step three.

    Open the main ball valve. ( main ball valve control) hold nozzle point away from you,

    Step Four.

    Slowly open air throttle ball valve at the same time slowly open media ball valve.

    Do this slowly and gradually.

    Step four.

    See the tip of the nozzle, notice the mix is getting blurry. This is sometimes called the FLAME. The mix should be more air then media.

    Adjusting will provide the best results.

    Common issues are overloading the system. This is done when you open either the air throttle or the media mix valve to much.

    ⚡3/8 or 1/2.

    The most asked question. Is the most simple.

    In media blasting bigger is always better. You got to have that CFM ! Most want to open their Harbor Freight pot from 3/8 to 1/2 but most will never take true advantage of this modification.

    Some will open the bottom in order to increase media flow or prevent clogs. Clogs will always occur if you don't have an adequate dryer system, fail to sift media or store you media inside the pot for extended periods.

    A stock 3/8 pot can easily support 30 plus CFM.

    It's you! Yes you not providing clean dry constant air.

    Another question we get is media size. A stock Harbor Freight Pot will work straight out of the box. It can handle and hard media and any commercial size packaged media. Choose the correct size media to properly obtain a correct etching/anchor pattern. Fine, medium, and coarse media will flow out a of a stock Harbor Freight pot.

    Wet/ Vaporized media blasting.

    This type of blasting offers some advantages.

    Removing stubborn Rubberized Plastic coatings including some automotive finishes. Most media blasting is done DRY. Wet/Vaporized media blasting done by a water injected nozzle can help in suppressing airborne contaminants. Cooling the charge will fracture those coatings that melt when dry blasting creates heat as the soft coating absorbs the impact of media.

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