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You
can read our current newsletter here
on-line each month, free of charge. We
hope you will take the opportunity to let
your stained glass artist friends know
about the newsletter and if you have
students, encourage them to read it.
If
you'd like a reminder when a new issue is
published simply send us your e-mail
address.
In
the meantime, we welcome your input and
support. Let us know if you have tips and
techniques or product information you'd
like to share. |
Last
month, on Earth Day, we were invited to
the open house for Provo's Energy
Smart House in the Franklin
Neighborhood. It looked very nice and is a
huge improvement and asset to the
neighborhood.
The Provo
City Mayor, John Curtis, presented
Jeanne with a certificate of appreciation
for the donation of the stained glass we
made to the project. Jeanne designed a
very smart looking mission style window
that we installed in the front door. Visit
our donations page to learn more.
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Here
the mayor is presenting a certificate to
Jeanne.
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And
here we stand in front of the stained
glass.
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| Last
month we showed how a sandblast
cabinet is generally setup. This month
we'll introduce the pressure pot that
holds sand, keeps in under pressure and
conserves compressed air. The system from Harbor
Freight is a very good value at around
$130 especially when compared with similar
units that run over $600 and are virtually
the same.
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Setting
Up A Sandblast System Part 2
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The pressure pot component of a
sandblast system requires some assembly.
I lay it out on a workbench for
easy access as I put air fittings, wheels and hoses on the pressure pot.
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Air will enter the tank from an air hose at the
quick connect on the right. You can see the blue handled on/off valve
that allows the air to be stopped, then air goes through a filter which
gets rid of excess moisture and into the splitter (with a gauge on top).
The splitter lets air go into the top of the tank to pressurize the sand
in the tank or to go down to the bottom of the tank to pull sand and air
to the blast cabinet.
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On the bottom is an on/off valve to let sand into
the air line or not. It's important that when you operate your system
that this valve be entirely on or completely closed. If you only open it
halfway, sand would eat away at the valve and ruin it in short time.
The bottom feed hose isn't yet attached to the
pot.
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I removed the grommet from the front of the cabinet
and pushed the feed hose through. This is only a temporary solution.
I get ready to seal the hose with tape inside and
out.
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On further thought, I'm not happy with poking the
hose through the cabinet. I want something that will be more reliable.
I go to the hardware store and find these
fittings. From left to right, the piece of hose and holding ring I cut
off earlier with the hose fitting, a washer on the fitting to seal the
opening, another washer against a different hose fitting, a smaller more
flexible hose and a hose clamp.
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I add some black silicone to the washers before
putting them on the cabinet.
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The other end of the hose will get a brass fitting
and the blast gun. |
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Here is a view inside the cabinet, threaded
fittings and washers in place with a hose that will allow the sand/air
mixture into the cabinet and up through the blast gun.
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Once the hose is attached from the bottom of the
sand pot to the front of the cabinet, we're ready for abrasive.
I pour a few pounds into the top of the pot.
This is aluminum oxide. I prefer to use it instead of sand, if you accidentally
breath sand, over time it can cause silicosis, a buildup of silica in
the lungs.
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I pull the handle up to seal air in the
pressure pot as I reach to turn the air on to the pot.
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The sealed pot takes some time to fill up with air
and reach the pressure of the system.
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Then I open the sand flow valve on the bottom of
the tank. |
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With my hands in the rubberized cabinet gloves and
the side door sealed shut, I blast the pieces in the cabinet. It takes a
hard grip to open the valve but the amount of sand being blasted is a
considerably larger volume than the last cabinet.
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The finished pieces turned out very well.
When I'm done, I turn off the sand flow valve on
the bottom of the pressure pot, cut off the air inflow valve and blast the
extra sand out of the hose into the cabinet until the pressure in the pot
is released and the pot seal handle drops.
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The difference between suiting up to sandblast and
blasting in a cabinet is great. It's more comfortable, cleaner and
easier to see what you're doing. I still have to suit up when glass
pieces won't fit into the cabinet, but that's rare. |
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The cabinet is finished and I'm
anxious to use it!
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