For anyone who does DIY projects, I couldn't help but smile when the cabinet hit the bench top. I can relate. All you can do is laugh and figure out a hack to make it work.

For soft metals, instead of sand, use Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate, you know, baking soda). Can buy "industrial grade" bags of it darn cheap, and it won't roughen up your finish so bad

I relate so hard when you said “I’ve owned this for 24 hours so naturally I’ve sandblasted everything i own” 😂

As an individual who basically sandblasts everyday (part of the job) I recommend a few upgrades to the harbor freight cabinet. First, silicone all the seams Second a steel pickup tube Third a gun with a tungsten carbide nozzle Check out McMaster Carr or a local abrasives distributor. Get rid of that 80g aluminum oxide in favor of 120g or finer. (Especially for bike parts) “Glass bead #8” will give a bright satin surface finish And ground cherry pits can remove paint from carbon fiber without damaging the carbon. 🤔🤯 Enjoy your new toy.

I can totally picture seth becoming a hermit in his garage and all he does is sandblast obscure bike parts

Pro tip: line the inside of the viewing window with plastic wrap to keep it from abrading.

[Mechanical Design Engineer] Most chainrings are a 6061-T6 Aluminum, which are Type II sealed anodized after machining. Anodization is a plating process to prevent surface oxidation (corrosion) of the Aluminum. Most common color for anodization is black, but you can anodize in a huge variety of colors. When you blast the parts you are both removing this surface plating and changing the surface roughness of the part to varying extents depending on your blasting medium. Most bicycle chains are a carbon steel (much harder than aluminum). So the new aluminum surface will wear down to a smooth interface over time, but for a short time will add slightly more wear to the new chain during the break-in period - after installing the new chainring, clean the chain and sprockets excessively to remove the aluminum particulate being created to minimize wear. During blasting take caution not to excessively wear the teeth - they will be interfacing with the chain anyway and you want maximum engagement between the teeth on the sprocket and the chain to reduce uneven loading (which could lead to breakage in the chain). After blasting you will need a new surface treatment to prevent surface oxidation. Common "at home" methods might be powder coating or painting, However neither of these are a chemical bond, to they will be more prone to chipping/flaking during use. A very mild surface texture will actually help the powdercoating/painting from chip-out. Hope that helps. - J.

PRO TIP : when you're finished blasting, pull the gloves inside out and let them hang down on the outside of the cabinet. They will last twice as long and it's kinda gross sticking your hands back into soggy rotting gloves. You're welcome 😊

As an engineer I wouldn't recommend sand blasting structural parts or hardened surfaces. Sand blasting is great for insensitive parts for quick and visually pleasing results. But especially on soft metals like aluminium you can remove a non insignificant amount of material quite quickly. Additionally, the rough surface weakens the corrosions resistance and mechanical properties further. In rebuilds and restoration off high end cars and chassis we use dry ice blasting or professional chemical paint stripping. That being sad, you can get softer sodium bicarbonate or nutshell particles which are great for cleaning parts without being too harsh even on softer surfaces.

Not exactly what I thought I would be watching today, but as always you have your way of making it entertaining!

Hi, Seth, here is a tip for you: If you are sandblasting a metal part and you want to make it black/matte black you can use bluing liquid and it works flawlessly. It also saves weight, because you are not really painting, but you are oxidizing (not rusting) the metal, and it also prevents rusting :)

We had a sandblaster in my highschool metal shop class. I used to use it to sandblast parts all the time. I sandblaster my FBM sprocket and it came out just like yours. And yes, the teeth smoothed out from the chain in no time. Worked great, looked swift. Enjoy!

Hi Seth, try to hit the surface in an angle of 45° instead of 90°. It’ll take of the paint better without damaging the surface underneath it. If you want a (kind of) shiny finish you can use glas beads. At least that’s what I use as a dental technician and dentist for cleaning up different alloys. Cheers from Germany!

Hey Seth, try GLASS BEADS if you can get some. For restoring, deep cleaning and restoring parts. Won’t etch the metal like sandblast with coarse grit. I am a dental technician and we use both for different purposes in the lab. You would have to clean the bin each time though, or buy a second blaster. The other option, poor man’s cleaning medium is baking soda!

Most people answered this already but here are two tips. 1. Use walnut shell media to strip surface rust without damaging more delicate metals. 2. Get a dust-buster cyclone attachment that fits on a 5 gallon bucket. They sell them at home depot and it will save your shop vac from being clogged up with sand blasting media. It acts as a dust separator and it makes a big difference.

4:50 Toolmaker here. Ideally after a sanding like that we usually put parts in a wet deburr machine, that's basically just a tumbler that cycles your parts in wet and soapy small stones, for a few hours to both soften the finish from the sanding and to give it a final clean. After that they're given a quick dip in regular water, to clean off the soaps, and an anti-rust mixture to keep the parts nice for longer.

note to self never sandblast your nuts unless you plan on spending alot of time polishing them after

The raceface chainrings are made out of aluminium, which is a soft metal. In order to not wear out, they are "Hard anodized", which gives them a metallic look as well as a very hard and durable surface. By sandblasting it, you've just removed that hard anodized layer, making that chainring completely useless. I would not recommend sandblasting parts that have functionnal surfaces. If a surface has a mechanical use, it is probably the way it is for a reason. You can mask off the part you don't want to touch with tape, that works pretty well. Exemples of functionnal surfaces : bearing seats, threads, the parts that touch the chain of the chainrings, precise holes (through axles, pivot bolts etc) ...

I too have a HF sandblasting cabinet that I have found to be indispensable for cleaning up small parts and here's a few observations: 1. The HF sandblasting cabinet that I bought fits perfectly on top of a Craftsman rollaway tool box bottom- no need to build a separate stand for it or take up valuable bench space with it. 2. Dust collection is a must- I use a smallish barrel top dust collector which not only evacuates the cabinet from the blast dust for both health and visibility issues but also eliminates the need for periodically replacing the clear plastic window shield. 3. While there is a provision for lighting the inside of the cabinet I found it a whole lot easier to rig a two bulb halogen shop light on the top of the cabinet; having a bright light makes it easier to see all the parts of the work piece that you missed!

Different blast media is as varied as the tools on your wall. You can use different sands, glass beads, walnut shell, baking soda, etc etc etc. Blasting is really well known for creating heat and extreme warping in thin metals. You by mistake used the perfect test for that which is the soda can test. These days wet blasting (called dustless blasting) is used a lot for car sheet metal so that it doesn't ruin the sheet metal. It's a mixture of crushed glass (Not much different than sand) and water shot from a special machine. If you want to get really crazy you can remove rust and corrosion with a special laser, very fun videos to watch.

(I’m an engineer) It all comes down to your sand blasting material and choosing the correct one. A softer material should be used on softer parts. So it really depends on your part for what medium you choose. I can imagine that a sprocket would be heat treated at least on the teeth (at least that’s what my plant does to our sprockets). So it’s most likely alright and if there are any rough edges on the teeth then they’d wear as they usually would. If this turns out to be untrue and you do run into issues later you should let us know.

seths next video: "sand blasting my new bike because why not" love the videos seth

I got this exact model of cabinet as an $85 open-box special. The nice thing about getting it so cheap is that I haven't been afraid to modify the hell out of it.

Hey Seth, I used to own a custom powder coating shop and obviously had a sandblaster. (1) different media in the blaster for different results. For example, crushed walnut shells for when you need to blast something soft or fragile. (2) Be VERY mindful of the dust and definitely get a respirator. Some blast media (sand, in particular) can be carcinogenic when it breaks down as you blast and you don't want to inhale that crap.

seths life is what i imagined adulthood to be like when i was a kid

They way he goes “he he he what can i sandblast” at 5:48made me laugh so hard

I can totally relate. Not only when you hit the bench with the cabinet but also when you were blasting everything in sight.

Thanks for posting this man! This got me excited about using my dad’s old sandblaster on some bike parts.

You can seal the seams of the cabinet with caulk to limit the amount of dust that leaks out. Another tip is to rig up a 5 gallon bucket with inlet and outlet tubes, put some water in the bottom of the bucket and then the dust picked up by the vacuum stay in the water not your shop vac filter.

Always a good day when Seth uploads

THIS IS PEAK SETH! Also we actually use these cabinets in an industrial setting in multiple factories at work. The only modification we do, is use media beads or walnuts vs sand, and we've replace the blasting gun with a nicer gun. nice little cabinet.

I had one of these for years and for the money it worked great yes it was a little messy even when taping app the seems and the vacuum 🤣🤣🤣 I used mine for cleaning engine cases with glass bead media now i just send them out to get soda blasted its so much easier and saves me a ton of time great vid man 🤘

I sand blasted a chain ring 10 years ago then painted it black and rode the hell out. Zero issues or crunching noises and the paint stayed on too

Really cool to see you adventure the polishing processes of components!

I just bought this exact sand blaster off craigs list yesterday and this video shows up on the top row on you tube today. Big brother is watching.

5:48 That feeling when you got a new tool and want to try it out and test it on everything.

For bike parts, I'd recommend soda as the abrasive, you also don't need #80, too coarse and can remove too much base material. Just make sure you do some sort of surface finish after blasting, since the abrasion you caused will expose TONS of new surface to the elements for oxidation and corrosion.

Hey Seth use the sand blaster in a circular motion. It prevents stripes and the end product will turn out better. I learned this at an aviation Machine shop.

For the kind of things you’re looking to clean up you should have invested in a parts cleaning tank. I worked for an auto parts rebuilder years ago and we had one to clean starter and alternator parts. It was a shake tank with some kind of stones and a black cleaning fluid in it (can’t remember exactly what-too long ago) but it removed all kinds of caked on rust, mud, grease and metal filings. They came out looking brand new and did not damage copper, aluminum or cast metal. You do need an exhaust fan because it does put off fumes and can be loud, but does all the work for you. It’s like a washing machine for metals!

VERY entertaining video! So, I brought this cabinet to replace a smaller one I bought from Tractor Supply. How disappointed I was to see the air feed set up, compared to my old one. But, the video made me forget about it briefly, thank you for that.

I had a buddy who bought a "outdoor media blaster" ( basically a sand blaster with no cabinet ) and he wanted to blast the inside of his old Chevy pickup. I told him " dude, you really don't want to do that. The sand will just fill the inside of your truck up because it just becomes the atmosphere in an enclosed area." His answer was "Im not an idiot, Ill tape off the vents, and vacuum up good afterward." Needless to say , he got rid of the truck after months of getting sand in his mouth every time he drove the truck.😂 Dont do that.

Idk if you’re still going hacks vids but a size 3 spoke wrench is the perfect fit to remove a valve core. This might have been super obvious to some people but I just found it out and thought it was pretty cool.

For less abrasive blasting, consider using baking soda. I've used it to polish the valves in my direct injection engine after using walnut shell blast media to remove the built up gunk. The baking soda would work great on bike parts without pitting the part.

I've been wanting one for a while now. Your video pushed me over the line.

Walnut Shell 24 Grit Fine Abrasive Media Ideal for cleaning aluminum and brass Harbor Freight

Sandblasted Part quickly start to rust if they're not out of some naturally rust resistent material like aluminium. Make sure to apply rust protection for those soon after sandblasting them. If you want any sort of shiny finish after sandblasting you'll have to smooth the parts down with fine grid sandpaper slowing going up the grid and then polish them

Best thing for sandblasting, old tools! Restore an old hand plane or something! Also, I was so happy when rustoleum came out with clear rattle can paint… I use it all the time when I want a bare metal look. Good stuff.

The biggest plus I see with getting a cabinet for your situation is that you could prep your pieces for Powder Coat. If you go to you local coater you could ask them when they typically shoot the powder and if you aren't too picky on colors they probably wouldn't charge you too much just to throw on a coat.

Sand blasters are fun but if I remember from when I used to use them in work to recondition burner nozzles we were told to clean a lot of the oils and greases off first in order to not clog up the blaster. But they are so good to prep items for paint. Even bike frames can be done (full sussers fully disassembled).

been wanting to get one of these for a long time. I imagine they're great for people building up old bikes.

Good stuff we have one of these at the shop I work at, at my college. It was leaking tons of sand but sealing it with a bunch of permatex gaskest maker from oreileys helped alot

Just great entertainment, keep it going. Love the thought that goes in your choice of words.

Good choice on getting the cabinet. You were half right on the dust being "probably dangerous". The dust is *definitely* dangerous. Harbor freight also sells other blast media like walnut shells that you can use to blast softer metals like aluminum. Bike parts probably are fine but if you ever want to take on a frame, I wouldn't use sand. The clearcoat may flake off from what I've been told (did a lot of reading on blasting a frame to raw Al and clearcoating it, was advised against it for that reason), but you can have it clear powder coated at shops. You might even be able to do it yourself, you'll just need an oven to cure it.

By watching your videos i upgraded my bike you have an influence on the world I'm in France and thank you

you could also get a dremel and wire wheel for polishing really fast after you sand blast parts. also you can use electrical tape or soft vinyl like masking tape to blast designs into painted parts :)

I have a HF sand blast cabinet just like yours. Owned it for 5 years. Did a few mods to it and I am happy with it's results.

Now all you need is a vapor blasting cabinet!!!

Unrelated but related question. How are the park tool tools held on the wall? Hooks, magnets, magic? Looks so clean, re-watched a bunch of videos and haven't found it.

excellent review! gonna buy my father-in-law one for Christmas for his Jeep/Wood shop were setting up for "Retirement" in his barn

My dad pass this year and this is one of the things he left behind thanks for the in-site, I might get brave enough to refinish my wheels on my e38 bmw

I thought that the "non descript seltzer" can was going to be a disaster. 😂 Ever tried the "peach pear" variety?

You did EXACTLY what I'd do if the sandblaster didn't fit. I straight up giggled

loved that jigsaw fix. perfectly fine in my eyes. custom fit !

This is my first video from you that I've watched. The editing was fantastic, the content was hilarious and informative!! Definitely 10/10. +1 sub!

Converted mine into a laminar flow hood for mycology and isolation of yeast strains for brewing mead. Has also been the place to mix dangerous chemicals when I'm experimenting. Saved me thousands of dollars in my home lab.

Bench top wire wheel and polishing wheel,, that’s what I would use. A wire wheel on a drill works well too.

red seal blaster here. if you just want to remove old paint or oils, stains and just general aging of the material use walnut shells or sodium bicarbonate as your blast media it wont damage the metal and create that rough texture. using semi sharps like you used in the video is dual purpose doing the same as the other two medias i mentioned but also creates a 2-3 mil profile that gives paint something to bind to. walnut and sodium also work perfect if you want to blast wood.

Ahhh the humor cracks me up!!!! These videos are awesome! Great work!

Yes Seth, As a sand blasting expert. It’s a little known fact that the ancient Egyptians accidentally caused a major part of the Euphrates to dry. As we all know from Kindergarten; this is how deserts 🌵 were made. Nah…… I also know nothing. Sweet vid bro!!!!

$150 cabinet and $600 worth of wood in 2022 to mount it on.

i have one of the freestanding ones. , it up on cinderblocks. needs 2 bright floodlights in it to see. it needs a dedicated shopvac to keep the dust away, and the vacuum will die in about a year from abrasion in the bearings. we used a 220v shop 60gallon compresser to run it, it hasnt been used in about 5 years , if there is even a drop of moisture in the abrasive it clogs up, was fun when it worked initally.

Great video Seth. Every time you post it’s like a mental reset, been watching forever

👍 As Michael McLane pointed out you have a variety of media available for different applications . My preference for what l do is glass beads . Definitely a smoother finish than #80 silica sand . Be willing to experiment to find out what works best for your needs . Baking Soda is also very safe , environmentally as well .

wow nice and the price is just as nice. Ive got a massive list of expensive tools i need im just crossing off items slowly but surely. As long as ive got life in me i know ill keep building stuff and it sucks not having the equipment you need or something that makes getting projects done faster

Yeahh you had me right when it hit the bench top. Story of my life. Subscribed!

Man you had me at whipping out the jig saw to "adjust" that bench - epic move!! :-D

The chuckle with every new item being added to cabinet made my day 😃

Hi Seth - have you considered swapping out the abrasive sand for glass pearls? Sand with abrade the surface. Glass will simply remove the dirt and grime. I think as an engineer the sand will damage the very delicate and precision made mtb parts. Another alternative is soda as a blasting medium - good cleaner and what's left can be simply washed away with water. Have used the soda technique on my Porsche engine cases - top results...

I was thinking about this cabinet. Glad you made the video. Only one thing for me. At 68, I'll keep it on the bench. 🙂

Fits perfectly 👍😉

I LOVE the ply separators in the husky bins, that’s brilliant

Glass beads or soda work awesome . The soda won’t leave a rough surface, but might be a bit dusty. I use glass beads for most of my projects. Have a blast !

Look into other blasting media. There’s glass garnet, slag, walnut shells, soda, metal beads, the list goes on. Each one has different properties and is catered for different use cases. For you something lighter like soda or walnut shell will still remove surface containment’s but won’t abrade the base metal as much, specially softer non ferrous metals like you work with.

Nice upload as always..Thanks from Ontario Canada

Love the video! Going to NC in april, sadly I won't be able to go to Berm Park. Once I am biking for a liking I'll need one of these!

Awesome. I always wanted one of those!

Have this exact cabinet at work, except I deleted the latches in favor of a magnet pulled from a hard disk drive screwed into the side door for a magnetic seal. Super convenient.

I've had my eye on this for a while now. It will be days before I leave my shop again 😄

This is the funniest diy guy I’ve watched defiantly ganna be on this Chanel more I’m actually enjoying learning 😂

This was Awesome... lol. I love the bench cut issue! TOO FUNNY, but also informative.

I blasted a lot of vintage parts with this exact blaster from HF. The rack from 1948 Schwinn, and all the brackets that hold the dynamo and light kit on, I did the fenders and fender hardware for my 1960s Royce Union. NEXT I have everything collected up to start Copper and Nickel plating So I can clean stuff up and either paint or plate with the desired finish, and it will be better than when it came from the factory, but not look out of place..

Hey Seth! Loved the video. Maybe as a tip, try to tape off any threads or other delicate parts. Even if you don’t point the gun towards that part, little sand particles will always get everywhere. Just painting tape or other will be fine! Cheers

That was my first blast cabinet. It worked just O.K. I think I was expecting too much from it though. I finally just got a used industrial blast cabinet and a larger compressor and it kicks butt. These are O.K. for small hobbyist though.

I did abrasive blasting professionally for a bit. I was in a blast booth you could pull a semi trailer into. It was 30ft inside height as well about 60ft long and 25ft wide. Massive compressors the size of small SUVs pushed 180 psi air through hose that had an OD of 4 inches and an ID of 1.5 inches. Used steel BBs and crushed copper slag. Shit it would blow a hole in an I-beam if you held it still long enough.

Yeah... Perfect! Love it!

If you use glass bead blasting media after sandblasting, you can get a shinier finish that looks a bit like brushed metal. You'd have to either empty the cabinet and replace the sand, or cut another notch in your workbench and get a second cabinet.

This is actually pretty cool. Cheap simple and effective. I can never ask for anymore.

I love the solution to it not fitting under the bench 🤣 so simple but it made my day thankyou !

anodized aluminium (the 'paint'/color) usually adds a bit of needed hardness to the raw aluminium. But I belive there is a 'transparent' anodizing you can do that would protect it but still keep it cool looking. Sand blasted aluminium has been a mac signature for years! it never goes out of style lol

I have a sandblasting cabinet and a ultra sonic cleaner. Together they work like a charm!