sand grinder

Hello , I'm Chuck My wife an I Own A Five Bay Automotive Repair Shop In Georgia. We Work on Anything So As You Know Every Type Of Vehicle Has It's on Special tools. There Many tools that we had made around here I'm not sure what to post for y'all to see . I will dig around an find something to post. What I'm looking for is a way to grind sand down to make it smaller for a sand blaster , I thought i could go to our local hardware store and buy some pool filter sand that will work in a Blaster ( I was wrong ) There is too many big pieces that stops it up . I can filter it out by using a screen to take out the bigger pieces and then take a hammer then hit the smaller pieces it's just taking to long. So I was hoping that someone on here had came up with a way to grind sand down Thanks for any help

Hi chucks - welcome to HomemadeTools.net :welcome:

Interesting, I don't know if I've heard of such a solution before. I'm going to move this discussion into our Tools in Progress subforum, so that more people can take a look.

I think the only way is too filter/sieve the large chunks out or find better sand. Perhaps fish tank sand?. I don't use sand in the cabinet I built but I live at the beach and if I did I would just filter out the large stuff as its pretty fine sand. I use aluminum oxide and my cabinet just collects it in a closed reservoir inside so I don't really have to sieve it much yet as I use a handheld blaster that has a fairly big opening. Now and then I get a chunk at the turn in the gun and have to manually remove it.

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Originally Posted by chucks

Hello , I'm Chuck My wife an I Own A Five Bay Automotive Repair Shop In Georgia. We Work on Anything So As You Know Every Type Of Vehicle Has It's on Special tools. There Many tools that we had made around here I'm not sure what to post for y'all to see . I will dig around an find something to post. What I'm looking for is a way to grind sand down to make it smaller for a sand blaster , I thought i could go to our local hardware store and buy some pool filter sand that will work in a Blaster ( I was wrong ) There is too many big pieces that stops it up . I can filter it out by using a screen to take out the bigger pieces and then take a hammer then hit the smaller pieces it's just taking to long. So I was hoping that someone on here had came up with a way to grind sand down Thanks for any help

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To be honest normal sand is bad stuff to use as it contains free silica, that coats the the inside of your lungs gives you silicosis. Much like asbestos, proper blast media, such garner, Alox don't do this plus really the stuff is so cheap when you buy in bulk. I use expendable media that's some kind of furnace slag. I tend to scoop up what I can as I'm blasting outside and sift it for reuse but it does break down. I'd only use normal sand in a wetblaster where the dust is contained in the water.

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Originally Posted by BenH

To be honest normal sand is bad stuff to use as it contains free silica, that coats the the inside of your lungs gives you silicosis. Much like asbestos, proper blast media, such garner, Alox don't do this plus really the stuff is so cheap when you buy in bulk. I use expendable media that's some kind of furnace slag. I tend to scoop up what I can as I'm blasting outside and sift it for reuse but it does break down. I'd only use normal sand in a wetblaster where the dust is contained in the water.

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I do minimal (once every 2 years) sandblasting with play sand using high end respirator mask. To break down sand clumps you might make a cone in cone with center cone oscillating like a rock crusher. Think many use walnut media or soda to blast these days to avoid health probems.

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Originally Posted by John Foley

I do minimal (once every 2 years) sandblasting with play sand using high end respirator mask. To break down sand clumps you might make a cone in cone with center cone oscillating like a rock crusher. Think many use walnut media or soda to blast these days to avoid health probems.

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Silicosis is what you can get from sand. I use silicone carbide it lasts about 5 times longer and you can get it in many different grits ( size) I buy mine from a place in Kansas city Mo. Hope this helps

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Originally Posted by John Foley

I do minimal (once every 2 years) sandblasting with play sand using high end respirator mask. To break down sand clumps you might make a cone in cone with center cone oscillating like a rock crusher. Think many use walnut media or soda to blast these days to avoid health probems.

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Don't do it! Buy quality glass bead or slag at Northern Tool!

Don't EVEN think about it.....find yourself a company that deals in glass bead sand and sandblasting EQUIPMENT in your area....they will tell what is best to use for your specific usage, such as glass beading auto parts....that way you don't damage the part your working on....there are different grades of glass bead sand...there is also walnut shells, alum oxide etc. etc....you can recycle your sand with the cabinet and re-use it till it gets too overloaded with junk, then you replace with new sand.....the sand is cheap and you can get it in 100 lb. bags.

Hi Chuck, We use a sand called Black Magic and it works well. Not sure of the cost because my employer purchases it. Pool sand or play sand won't cut it. Good luck, Joe

Chuck: Posts number 7, 8, 9 are your most reliable. I have used the "sugar" or fine grit glass beads on aluminum (VW) parts, for many years with excellent results. For outside work, my brother has been dealing with beach sand in an ancient wet blaster (0 dust, no mask, large projects, boat trailer and automotive frames).

Can't help with the sand, as already mentioned it probably isn't ideal from a health standpoint. In any event post some of those homemade tools you have hanging around. It is always interesting to see how somebody solved a problem.

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Originally Posted by chucks

Hello , I'm Chuck My wife an I Own A Five Bay Automotive Repair Shop In Georgia. We Work on Anything So As You Know Every Type Of Vehicle Has It's on Special tools. There Many tools that we had made around here I'm not sure what to post for y'all to see . I will dig around an find something to post. What I'm looking for is a way to grind sand down to make it smaller for a sand blaster , I thought i could go to our local hardware store and buy some pool filter sand that will work in a Blaster ( I was wrong ) There is too many big pieces that stops it up . I can filter it out by using a screen to take out the bigger pieces and then take a hammer then hit the smaller pieces it's just taking to long. So I was hoping that someone on here had came up with a way to grind sand down Thanks for any help

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The pool sand i have used does not have lumps. You Yanks can keep your lumpy pool sand.
Seriously, as others have posted, check with a local supplier of blasting media.
John

There are many grades of sand for use in a sandblaster, the manufacture of your machine will have a list of grades that will be suitable for use. Your blockages may be a result of moisture forming in you holding tank. What is the name and model of your blasting machine.Some of the machines i've seen have an agitator that stirs the sand as it funnels down into the feeder tube to prevent blockages.
Post some pictures of your set up