Homemade grit blasting cabinet

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. And he has a new best-of writing collection and “lazy man’s memoir,” called Borg Like Me.

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August 20th, 2008

I recently bought a small compressor with tools for my father’s car workshop. I also got a shotblasting gun that that uses the venturi effect to draw grit from a bag and blasts it out with the aid of the compressed air.

While effective at removing rust and old paint, it is incredibly messy. I resorted to wearing a motorcycle helmet, balaclava, overalls, gloves and boot and would still find it the grit in my ears and inside my clothes after a blasting session. Also it went all over the workshop. With blasting cabinets costing more than the compressor did, I decided to build my own.

Homemade Shot/Grit Blasting Cabinet