Hey all,

So I got the following sandblasting cabinet from harborfreight:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/93600-93699/93608.gif

When using it, I would get glassbead leaking out of some crevices due to the pressure and I was told to add a shop vacuum and that will equalize the pressure - so I connected my shop vacuum:
http://s7.sears.com/is/image/Sears/00917765000?qlt=90,0&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

and now there seems to be too much vacuum - the damn gloves stand straight out!!. :shaking: Should I use a smaller vacuum? Is there a certain power I should be using or is this normal?

Thanks,
Joe

we have a smaller one here in the shop, with a bigger blast cabinet, and it makes the gloves stand straight out. the bigger the vacuum, the more dust it will remove, and consequently faster. you can get a "pre-filter" thats basically a bag that goes around the filter in the vacuum which will help with the vacuum life. we've been through 5 in 6 years. two the size of yours and three smaller ones, like the current one (which i believe is a 2.5 or 3 hp)

:edit: our cabinet is bigger and a top loader (you can get bigger parts in it) fwiw

this is the cabinet we have
http://www.tptools.com/pl/Images,780-tl-sandblasting-cabinet_L,54,432_780-TL-Top-Load-Abrasive-Blast-Cabinet.html

and here's the vacuum we have that is radished..............again.
http://images.lowes.com/product/026282/026282930064.jpg

I just bought that same cabinet today, haven't hooked up a vacuum yet.

Got the same cabinet and vacuum. There is another vent port in the back of the cabinet that you are supposed to open when you hook up the vacuum.

edit.. ps.. also go to sears and get yourself some vacuum bags, otherwise media will plug the filter aweful fast.

I have the exact same cabinet. I run a similar Shop Vac brand unit as well. Don't worry about the gloves.

But as mentioned above, DO make sure to get a pre-filter. Not sure what Craftsman uses on theirs, but for the shop-vac units you can buy a drywall bag/pre-filter and it works VERY well to extend the life of the vac (I killed my first vac with a blast-cabinet).

Get yourself one of these too.
HF speed control, CHEAP (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43060)

They work very nicely!

Got the same cabinet and vacuum. There is another vent port in the back of the cabinet that you are supposed to open when you hook up the vacuum.

edit.. ps.. also go to sears and get yourself some vacuum bags, otherwise media will plug the filter aweful fast.

Yeah - after I posted, I went out the next morning and realized I forgot to pull that port - freakin' moron I am sometimes :shaking:

Thanks for the advice on the pre-filter - will be getting some tomorrow!

Joe:D