Shot Blasting normally involves using steel shot, steel grit or glass beads to shot blast an item. Steel Shot & Grit can be used in a Wheel Blast Machine or in a Pressure Pot. Wheel Blast Machines deliver the media using a rotating Blast Wheel that centrifugally delivers the media on the part as it rotates tumbles or passes thru a Blast Chamber. A Pressure Pot is normally used in a Blast Room where the Steel Media or Glass Beads are pushed out of a Pressure Pot through a hose and nozzle on the part the operator targets for Blasting.
Sand Blasting is done manually. An operator holds the hose connected to a Pressure Pot and directs the Sand onto the area being Blasted. Sand Blasting is primarily used on large equipment and/or outdoor structures. The pressure Pot required the use of a large capacity air compressor. Sand as a media is very dangerous to use because the sand is mixed with silica to make it flow evenly. Silica has been proven to cause Siliceous which similar to Black Lung in Miners which diminishes the lung capacity, potentially leading to death. Blasting Sand cannot be used in a wheel blast machine and is not recommended for hand blast cabinets.
Shot blasting using a hand blast cabinet provides a safe, enclosed blasting process and, in most circumstances, eliminates the need for respiratory equipment. Wheel blast machines and hand blast cabinets are available in a wide range of sizes with options to meet our customer’s specific metal finishing needs.