More Blaster Work...

I think I may need to make a section just for blaster stuff...  

I just got done with a lot of mods and adding the trolley to do engines + transmissions not even a month ago while it was down waiting for a part and here we are again.  This time the popup valve that pressurizes the pot went.  Last go around it quit on a Sat and this time it quit late in the day on a Thursday after everyone else was closed so these pics are from that day (June 11).  Quitting right on or next to a weekend stops everything for an extra 2-3 days when I want to work while everyone else is closed and out enjoying themselves.  What ever happened to a 5-1/2 or 6 day work week plus all the extra and new holidays that peeps are closed that used to work some of them...  

Anyway, I ordered parts from Blast it all last Friday morning.  They shipped UPS and were supposed to be here Tuesday.  They usually deliver pretty early in the day as usual but wrong again.  They came out of Lexington instead of Danville and they didn't show up until a little after 7PM.  Another day down.  

While it was down I thought I would put a union on the metering valve so it wasn't so hard to get to.  It ended up on the inside up against the rack after the blaster was moved for the engine + transmission blasting setup.  With a union in it I could move it now and anytime I wanted to easily if I ever move the blaster again.  I had enough stuff sitting around here to do it so it made sense to go on and get it done.  The only 1-1/2" nipples I had were still put together in old pipe stuff I had.  There's a pic below that shows how I get them out without damaging the threads that may help some peeps, no fancy tools or extractors needed.  Pics below are the start of this little go around.

 

Last Friday things didn't look right in the media metering valve while I was cleaning it so I took it apart and found another problem.  This was actually a blessing because the metering valve has been finicky since I bought it over 10 years ago and getting worse, now I know why and can fix it.  The pieces in the pics are supposed to look like the last pic.  

The fastest I could get a rebuild kit for the media valve believe it or not was from Tractor supply, one of the few that still work on weekends.  I ordered it online last Friday.  It had to be shipped to store but it was $5 less, no freight, and would be in the store some time today, just as fast or faster than anyone else.  It may be late today, overnight, or tomorrow morning when they get it checked in and let me know I can pic it up but it was still the best option.  

 

While I was in blaster mode doing all this stuff I called Transmet (peeps who make the aluminum shot) last Friday and ordered another bag of aluminum shot.  I got to talking with the sales guy and it was the same guy I talked to in early 2016 when I bought the blaster.  I had called then about the aluminum eating up the glass protectors in record time back then and he was the one who told me I didn't even need them at all.  He told me the glass was harder than the indirect media hitting it and he was right.  Over 10 years later and the cost and hassle of replacing them was gone, and the glass on the light window and work widow haven't changed at all.  

I told him about the mod done to take the pipe down from 5"ID to 4"ID helped a lot with drawing the media and asked him if he had any other suggestions.  He told me they have a blaster just like mine, and others they experimented with and while going from 5 to 4" ID helped a lot, 2"ID was the sweet spot on mine to make it really go.  They did a lot of experimenting like I did to make pressure blasters pull up the aluminum that weren't made to do so, just more in depth in order to sell more product.  Smart guys.  

My friend Kevin was here last Sat so we got out some stuff to start making new plates for the suction tube to take it down to 2"ID.  Just some ugly looking 1/4" plate in the back and some 3/16" thick old water pipe that dad prob brought up here many years ago.  I wanted something heavy for the plates that would last forever, not that I think the aluminum would wear it but better to go big since it was already here...

We also replaced the worn down elbow in the pressure pot and got it straight, what a job that was. We put a piece of pipe in the elbow and he had a 10' heavy pipe trying to pry it around to get it loose while the vac was strapped to the small welding bench and me holding it steady.  It took quite awhile but we got it.  

 

Early Monday morning before the rush I welded up the plates and got the cabinet one on.  They are a little ugly to say the least but were free and much heavier than what was needed.  I had ordered 2 2-1/4 "ID silicone elbows to go over the new pipes from Amazon last Friday and they were here on Sunday.  Don't know what I would do without them sometimes...     

 

Yesterday and today was getting the new parts in the pot and finishing up the new 2" top vac plate.  Getting the old seal out of the pot (new red piece replaces it) was a total nightmare.  It's also the reason I started making all these posts now while waiting for all the bleeding to stop.  I am pretty beat up trying to get that thing out sandwiched between 2 metal pieces, being a pretty hard urethane, and working in that little hole.  There were some sharp edges on the metal where the seal was that needed to be deburred as well.  If it weren't for that I would have prob left the old one in it.  I thought that may have been part of the reason the popup failed over time so might as well do it now while in there.  Getting the new one in was no walk in the park either but a lot easier than getting the old one out...  

 

Just got an email a little bit ago from TSC that the rebuild kit for the metering valve is ready to be picked up.  I printed out the email I need to get it and will pick it up first thing in the morning so I can wrap this thing up.   

I was happy when they said to use 2"ID for the suction pipe because I have my pipe bender and plenty of 14GA aluminized pipe and everything needed to do exhaust in the back.  The 2-1/4" pipe is a hair over 2"ID so it worked perfect.  I just got done making the pipe.  It is split in the middle so now it's like being able to use compound bends in 4 places, swiveling the 2 bends in the pipe where it's cut along with swiveling the top and bottom silicone elbows.  I swelled a small piece of 2-1/4" that can be put over the 2 pipe sections so the pipe will be butted together and flow won't get interrupted.  It will just be duct taped to seal it up for the time being.  It's just sitting together now in the pics but after the metering valve is rebuilt I can put the blaster back where it was and get the vac a little closer.   

Tomorrow I should be back to blasting stuff and finally getting back to work on Carson's 121...  

 

Blaster is back in action and better than I ever dreamed it could be.  

The media valve is rebuilt and working great.  The bottom pressure hose wouldn't reach with the media valve turned where I wanted it but an extra elbow took care of that. I should replace the input hoses but that can wait until later.

The smaller suction pipe was really the key.  I've been blasting this morning and trying to stop it up, or even get it to have to catch up but I can't do it.  I can run it heavy on media till the pot is empty then let off the pedal and it instantly refills and goes non stop without a glitch at all.  Things will go at 10 times the speed that it ever has when blasting and it sure feels good and worth all the trouble.     

There are still a few little things I want to change, and an extra bend I want to put in the top piece to get it a little closer to the cabinet but I'll do those things later.  The bottom pipe is set and up against the cabinet and is secured and done.  The little things can wait.  I'm a little behind so I have to get to work now.

I may even have a new title.  Master Blaster.