Air compressor from PTO... need CFM for sand blasting

[Gary Cotz]

It seems that you have to have about 9+ CFM to do any serious sand blasting. Harbor Freight has the pumps, just gotta figure out the way to get the PTO hooked up and a way to shut off the air intake automagically when the tank is near full. Anybody done this sorta thing before?

 

[Shaneard]

You need a Schramm Pneumatractor or tow behind. I bought this tractor about 8 years ago for cheap and the tow behind a few years ago for cheaper. They both have the same engine and are 6 cylinders, the front 3 are the engine and the back 3 are the compressor. They are both 160 CFM, yes, one hundred sixty CFM.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Don't know where you got your cfm from but that'll be a pretty small blaster. I would recommend buying a used tow behind or used 30 gallon gas compresser usually used by tire change companies. They are 20+ cfm and even that can be on the small side. The one I ordered is 29 cfm and I'm hoping I can get some stuff blasted ok

Brett

 

[Big Barn]

I agree with the others about a tow behind for the money. My 5HP shop compressor puts out 23 CFM and it's MINIMAL for my sand blast cabinet.



Terry

 

[tcartwri]

It seems that you have to have about 9+ CFM to do any serious sand blasting. Harbor Freight has the pumps, just gotta figure out the way to get the PTO hooked up and a way to shut off the air intake automagically when the tank is near full. Anybody done this sorta thing before?

You're missing a zero...

 

[aarolar]

You're missing a zero...

That's funny right there...

 

[Industrial Toys]

Isn't 187 kind of the standard basic CFM for a tow behind? What most pros use. That tractor/compressor is neat!

 

[sd455dan]

Have to agree with everyone else on this.

Even using really small sandblasting units,- i have the 110 lb. Harbor Freight tank style and power it with two 5 hp 60 gallon Ingersol Rand compressors, which combined put out just over 22cfm at 90 PSI.
If running the blaster more than a few minutes the pressure drops down to about 55psi. It works but really does need more cfm. Sandblasting really does require a lot of CFM

That 1/2 tractor 1/2 compressor really is NEAT and bet it works great for sandblasting

 

[BHD]

there are built in unloaders in some compressors the unloader is in the head of the compressor, and then some unloaders are just in the air line before the tank, and they dump the air and not put it in the tank at a preset pressure in the tank,

As far as the hook up to the tractor use a PTO shaft,

This is a set up I came up with, the compressor was off a old air powered beet thinner, (they were a failure from my understanding), I contacted the current company that has the rights to the compressor, and got information on how to set up and use the built in unloaded,


the small compressor on the truck was made from parts of a few different compressors I had a pump from one a tank from another, and add the gas motor, and a in line unloaded, with a kick down for the throttle. (bought from amazon the unloader)

 

[CCWKen]

I have an old Sulair 160 for large blasting jobs. It uses a 4-cyl. Chevy engine to drive a twin-screw compressor. I run the air to a 20 gallon tank so I can better control the pressure with a regulator and a filter/drier. From there it goes to my 300lb. pressurized media tank. When I'm blasting car body sheet metal at ~40psi, it barely comes off its idle speed.