What is a Portable Sandblaster?
Sandblasters—or abrasive blasters, as you might see online—are the latest in high-powered cleaning performance. True to the name, sandblasters blast high-pressured particles of sand, removing the paint and other forms of oxidation from surfaces, creating an illustriously smooth and even texture quickly and efficiently. When you’re done sandblasting, even your rusty old car will look new (the smell, however, will not).
Sandblasters also come in a portable form, which allows for easy mobility and flexible movement for when you are working outdoors, or in large, spacious areas, as well as a design that leads to convenient charging and ergonomics that would make the average engineer blush. It doesn’t just have to blast sand either; any eligible pressurized media works!
Keep your surfaces clean with a sandblaster. Sandblasters are a useful tool for methods such as stripping wood. It also works as an alternative for sanding. If you are good with machinery, make room for this machine that will keep your materials clean and the machines squeaky.
Why You Should Buy a Portable Sandblaster
You will find that a portable sandblaster proves helpful for any engineer, construction worker, or handyman who wants to remove the paint, rust, or residue from materials like concrete, brick, metal, or anything else you need to smooth out. If you are a little creative, you can even carve drawings into glass and make a real work of art!
Making the sandblaster portable means that you can put it anywhere, take it anywhere, even in the closet, if you don’t need to use it. It would be harder to find reasons you shouldn’t buy a portable sandblaster.
List of Top Five Portable Sandblasters
When you are out on the market looking for portable sandblasters, keep in mind these five quality products, all exceeding in some form of portability and sandblasting. Starting with number one, we have:
1. The VEVOR Sandblasting Pot
The VEVOR Sandblasting Pot is number one in portable sandblasters, providing an efficient way of getting that smooth, fresh surface in a convenient and timely fashion.
The VEVOR Sandblasting Pot boasts a steel-constructed container, flexible movement, and an ergonomic design. The charging valve increases the sandblasting speed, saving you both your time and your labor, while its ten-gallon / 40 lbs compacity ensures that it will take a while for you to run out of sand. Despite being a gravity fed unit, VEVOR delivers 30% more blasting power than siphon units. Its 2.5m hose improves the effect of sandblasting and your work efficiency.
With its comfortable tank dimensions of 12” x 20” and two 6” rubber wheels, the VEVOR Sandblasting Pot will fit comfortably in any storage space and is light and maneuverable enough to place anywhere and get to work, all at a low and manageable price.
The VEVOR Sandblasting Pot is a well-rounded and well-priced product and the first and best portable sandblaster for you.
2. Black Bull Portable Abrasive Sandblaster Kit
If you are looking for a sandblaster with a bit more heft at the cost of other features, then the Black Bull Portable Abrasive Sandblaster Kit is just for you. Heavier than the VEVOR Sandblasting Pot at 90 pounds and certainly more expensive, Black Bull is a siphon sandblaster with a psi of 120 and comfortable air consumption for approximately 150 minutes of blast time. Black Bull also comes with a long, 8-foot blast hose to start blasting without putting yourself in harm’s way.
With four ceramic nozzles and a protective hood, Black Bull is an excellent sale for those who are already familiar with Black Bull and their products. Pretty good for a portable sandblaster, wouldn’t you say?
3. Grainer Portable Abrasive Blaster
The Grainer Portable Abrasive Blaster is another portable sandblaster that deserves a spot on your Amazon wishlist. The products are getting a little pricey, but only because they promise excellent quality in terms of sandblasting.
This pressure fed sandblaster contains a hopper material of solid steel and a higher than average capacity–with the most expensive deal running upwards to 250 lb. of hopper capacity. While it is not the lightest or most convenient sandblaster, Grainer will make sure that when you are blasting away carbon, mold, or graffiti from your surfaces, you can get it done at a comfortable distance of 8 to 25 ft away with their hoses. All this and more from a machine that promises to be environmentally friendly—for those who want to sandblast green!
4. Harbor Freight Pressurized Abrasive Blaster Kit
An overlooked aspect of buying machines is just how safe they can be. Safety is the keyword for this product. The Harbor Freight Pressurized Abrasive Blaster Kit rounds out our list of the best portable blasters. Harbor Freight can hold up to 110 lbs. of abrasive media to handle the big jobs you need for sandblasting, like auto body paint removal. And not just sand but uniquely other types of media, such as silica and aluminum oxide. You can get up to a 1.3-hour working time with its traditional media and tip, with its pressurized tank moving abrasives at 80 to 90% of air speed. Its water trap removes moisture to prevent clogging, and its nozzle has a deadman switch for safety.
You can work a long and comfortable session with the Harbor Freight Pressurized Abrasive Blaster Kit. While its weight is rather hefty, its dimensions at 15 in. x 40 in., and its 8-foot-long hose means that you can practically sit on this machine while doing work (…but we do not advise that, however!).
5. Lematec Sand Blaster Gun Kit
Finally, for those who are looking for a sandblaster that can fit like a gun to shoot away unwanted grime, the Lematec Sand Blaster Gun Kit might be just what you need.
While a gun kit sandblaster may carry less media and require a different approach than you are used to, nothing says “portable” more than a machine you can carry in your pocket if need be. Lematec is more portable and lighter than standard portable sandblasters and lighter. In addition to a new form, Lematec promises better quality and more modern sandblasting tips that will outlast and outperform the traditional tips, as well as superior media suction that offers a time- and -money-efficient blasting process.
And to explain how precise Lematec can be, you can etch designs on a glass surface with its handheld control and an adjustable control valve so that you can set the sand flow. The Lematec Sand Blaster Gun Kit is an excellent choice if you want the most “portable” sandblaster.
Different Types of Portable Sandblasters
The different types of sandblasters vary in size, but all blast sand like the best. Here are three main types of sandblasters that you should look for when you’re on the market:
● Gravity fed sandblasters blast sand using an air compressor straight out of a nozzle from a container placed on top of the nozzle.
● Siphon sandblasters work similarly to gravity fed sandblasters; the difference being the container holding the media is below the nozzle so that when the air compressor goes off, it sucks the sand out of the nozzle.
Finally, pressure sandblasters use pressurized canisters. The nozzle is hooked to the canister, blasting the sand when you pull the trigger. Pressure sandblasters are easy to use but often more expensive since you need to buy new canisters.
How Does a Portable Sandblaster Work?
A portable sandblaster is more mobile than a regular sandblaster, which tends to be pretty hefty. But other than their flexible and versatile form, a portable sandblaster works similarly to the standard sandblaster.
First, sand is poured into the machine from the chamber’s top. The sandblaster is connected to an air compressor, which propels the sand out of a nozzle. Typically, the strength of the pressure varies, both on the machine and the machine’s settings, but the average pressure is between 50 to 130 pounds per square inch (or psi).
The pressurized sand is blasted onto a surface, creating its own surface. Keep this in mind, as you may be dealing with different materials, like, for example, concrete, which must be poured and allowed to dry first before it is sandblasted.
Once the sandblasting is complete, you will be left with a new, smoother surface. Sandblasting is incredibly useful for various situations, up to and including dealing with surfaces and materials that other people are expected to walk on, interact with, or drive on.
What Should You Look for When Buying a Portable Sandblaster
Weight, hopper capacity, dimensions, the strength of the pressure, he strength of the nozzles, an air compressor, the blasting media; all these details and more are a top priority for any looking to buy a portable sandblaster.
We could have simply told you to look for anything that blasts sand. But what you need the most when buying yourself a portable sandblaster is something that will promise good quality, both in terms of the sandblaster doing its job and the sandblaster being a tough and sturdy model.
Are Portable Sandblasters Worth It?
If the rest of the article hasn’t earned your confidence, then let’s just say that if you are an engineer or handyman that works in many kinds of areas or simply one big area where you are expected to move around a lot, then a portable sandblaster is absolutely worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions about Portable Sandblasters
1. What else do I need to start sandblasting?
Make sure that you have an air compressor, a suitable blasting media, and heavy blasting gloves for protection!
2. How to choose the right abrasive sand and media for materials or surfaces?
Generally, sand will work for most types of materials and surfaces!
3. What pressure should my sandblaster be?
When you are working, you should take care that the psi of your pressure should be in the range of 60-80, though sandblasters may have a possible valve range of much higher!
