Shop Equipment Advice

 If you are guessing 5CFM it's not enough.  You don't want the little compressor going all the time. IMHO you should invest in a compressor that has at least a 60 gallon tank and at least a 3HP motor and 220V. At that size you are still in the "affordable DIY guy" range.  Everyone will have his own opinion but when you buy crap you get crap, when you buy small you get small, when you go cheap and small on something as important as a compressor you'll have problems. The blast cabinet will draw a lot of air, a sander will draw a lot of air, etc. The sand blast cabinet sold by Tractor Supply is a better unit than the HF one. I've got one that size from Eastwood and the only down side to me was after a while it got to be too small...........then I realized I should only be doing little parts anyway and leave the big parts to the pros.

The only other thing i could think of if you really need to use this compressor. You might be able to get away with using your compressor but you will have to stop and wait for it to charge up ALOT. 

The HF cabinet is fine and the gloves are fine, and I like the HF side-opening door better than my lift-top Jetstream. Everyone's advice on ample CFM is really important - you can bleed a small tank quickly. Ideal blast pressure is around 150psi, so you do need a hefty unit. Key to the whole thing is a good gun (I don't remember if the HF unit come with a gun or not) and having a bunch of replacement nozzles handy - they get eaten up rather quickly depending on the type of media you use. McMaster has a great gun and they also have quartz nozzles that are great but pricey. Having a blast box available in your shop for small things is a good investment!  ...R

I just would like to share my experience and knowledge having owned a successful sandblasting business in the past.  I have sandblasted everything from names/dates on champagne glasses to redwood signs to heavy equipment, bridges, buildings, antiques, car parts and almost anything else you can imagine.  I have found that the ideal sandblasting air PRESSURE is 90 psi max.  For a lot of things, I would turn the pressure down to 50 or 60 psi.   I would keep in mind that pressure of air is important to sandblasting, but what is vastly more important is SCFM (Standard Cubic Feet per Minute), in other words VOLUME of air.  All air compressors are rated at SCFM at certain pressure levels.  The higher the VOLUME of air the compressor puts out, the faster the job of sandblasting gets completed.  My shop air compressor that supplies my sandblast cabinet puts out 28 SCFM at 90 psi and it will clean up a rusty, painted wheel in no time.  If I run into a big job, like a frame, I roll out my diesel air compressor that puts out 190 SCFM at 90 psi to get the job done.  One last thing, much of the sandblast sand has silica in it, so protect your lungs.  I hope you find this helpful.  

Completely OT but..... Wurley, I've been wondering (and I hope others have to) where the origin of your username comes from....For the life of me I can't come up with anything....Is it a character, maybe, from something that I'm not familiar with?

Enquiring minds want to know...

Regarding the questions JeepRoger asked about pressure and media, I don't think I have ever sandblasted anything over 90 psi.  My diesel powered rotary compressor puts out 90 psi.  My shop compressor is a two-stage model with 175 psi tank pressure.  I turn it down at the regulator to 90 psi and it runs all my air-powered (pneumatic) shop tools and equipment just fine.  The pressure going into my blast cabinet is set for the 90 psi, but I can turn that pressure down for blasting more delicate items (i.e. glass, thin sheet metal, aluminum).  There are numerous kinds and grits of blast media.  A lot of it I have used and a lot of it I have not used.  In my area of Oregon, what is available for media is Green Diamond (nickel slag), Black Diamond (copper slag), Aluminum oxide, Glass beads, and Silica sand.  I am sure that people in different areas of the country have different selections than we do.  If you are blasting in a cabinet, you need to use media that creates little or no dust (i.e. glass beads) or you will not be able to see what you are doing.  Another thing about cabinet blasting is that your parts need to be somewhat clean (grease, scale, dirt/grime removed) or you will contaminate your media.  Because you reuse the media in a blast cabinet, it will generally be more expensive initially.  Sandblasting in the open air, you can use cheaper media (i.e. silica-based sand).  Remember the finer the sand is, the smoother your finished parts will be.  The downside is that the finer sand makes more dust and it doesn't cut build-up as well.   Don't forget to wear a silica approved respirator and a caped hood for eye protection and protective clothing--the ultimate being a pressurized suit but this is out of most people's budget.  There is nothing better than being outside blasting a jeep frame or whatever on an overcast or cloudy day with the wind blowing.  The cloud cover does away with the glare and the wind dissipates the dust cloud you are making. 

Well, could be, maybe, but I have never been anywhere near Australia.  I sometimes get a rat's nest of fishing line in the bottom of my tackle box, but I've never called that a wurley!  Haven't you ever driven your old flat-fender around on a quiet, sunny, peaceful day?  If that purring motor doesn't sound like a wurley, I don't know what does!  Think about it, but not too hard.