Frequently Asked Questions

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Frequently Asked Questions"

Britney Newton
5 years ago
Views:

Imagine throwing a handful of dry sand, versus throwing a handful of wet sand; which one is going to have a more significant impact on the target?

1 Frequently Asked Questions Q. What is the Dustless Blaster? The Dustless Blaster works by mixing water and abrasive inside the blast tank. By introducing water we re drastically increasing mass and energy the machine is putting out, while drastically reducing dust. Imagine throwing a handful of dry sand, versus throwing a handful of wet sand; which one is going to have a more significant impact on the target? Not only will the wet sand hit the target harder, but it won t disintegrate and become a cloud of dust like the dry sand will. This is the very simple principle behind Dustless Blasting. Q. What are the advantages of The Dustless Blasting system over the traditional dry blasting method? Faster Minimal Dust Lower Abrasive Consumption Abrasive Flexibility No Warping Increased safety for Workers Less Containment Needed Doesn t Affect Nearby Workers Leaves a Paint Ready Surface Increased mass and no heat generation speeds up the stripping process especially with powder coat and epoxy paints. The abrasive gets trapped in water and grounded, eliminating the plume of dust. The Dustless Blaster uses use less media to do more work. The Dustless Blaster can use almost any abrasive that sinks in water/is not soluble. It can also blast dry without any modifications. The water prevents friction and won t warp or harden metal like sandblasting can. Even without heat some metals will warp from pressure alone. Example: underside of a car bonnet. Drastically reduced rebound of spent media and your choice of quality approved abrasives. In most cases, expensive, time consuming containment does not need to be set up. Shade cloth works very well to capture water vapour. Never sacrifice productivity, other workers can work nearby unaffected. The rust inhibitor decontaminates the metal leaving a clean, chloride free paint ready surface. After wash down and drying choose the correct blast media to leave a profile approved by your painter or paint manufacturer. Q. What can the Dustless Blasting remove? Paint Rust Mill scale Barnacles Concrete Mortar Expose aggregate Powder Coating

2 Q. What kind of abrasive does it use? The Dustless Blaster can use just about any abrasive that sinks in water and doesn t dissolve. Our favourite is recycled bottle glass because it s clean, cheap, good for a wide range of jobs and eco-friendly. If you choose to use another blast media you need to make sure it has minimal contaminant and a consistent particle size. Lots of trash or dirt will turn into mud inside the machine. Q. Where is the blasting media produced and is there ever likely to be supply issues? There are many suppliers of quality blast media throughout Australia and New Zealand. Choose the blast media to suit each job. Q. How much media per square metre is required? Approximately 2kg per square metre. This will vary either way depending on what you are removing. Q. Is there any residue left on the cleaned surface? No, once you have pressure washed with Rust Inhibitor (Holdtight102 or Holdblast) mixed in your water, nothing is left, not even the rust inhibitor. Once the surface is dry it is ready to paint. Q. What kind of rotary screw compressor do I need to run the Dustless Blaster? We have listed below recommended compressor size for each blast pot. DB150 75cfm to 185cfm DB cfm to 185cfm DB cfm to 300cfm DB cfm to 300cfm DB cfm to 400cfm DB cfm and above Q. Since water is used, won t it rust metal? We use a rust inhibitor called * HoldTight 102 or Holdblast to prevent flash rusting for up to 72 hours. This extremely effective rust inhibitor is added to the blast water to prevent flash rust during blasting, and then used to rinse after blasting is complete. Watch the Holdtight Do s and Don ts video to learn more. Q. How much water will the unit use per hour? All machines will use around 80 litres at maximum pressure/media setting. See the blaster loading chart copied below Blaster loading chart Machine size Product Water (litres) Blast Media (kgs) Holdtight (mls) DB DB DB DB DB Rule of thumb: When partial mixes are required, please refer to measurements/ratios below Q. Are there any water quality specifications required for the Dustless Blasting Machines? Yes, clean water. If the water is hard or bore water more Rust inhibitor (Holdtight 102 or Holdblast) will need to be added. The job you are blasting will be as good as the water used.

3 Q. Does the Dustless Blasting process always leave the substrate unaffected? This depends on the hardness of the substrate and the blast media used as far as profiling is concerned. It will however NOT discolour or alter the PH of any surface. If you don t want to profile steel use plastic blast media. Our machines are multimedia capable so you can use whatever blast media required to give you the desired result. Q. What size machine do I need for? All of our machines are capable of the same process. The main difference is size, so what blaster you choose is only a matter of convenience. If you don t mind having to stop and refill 6 times while blasting a car, the DB150 is perfect for you. If you want to refill less, get one of the bigger models. The approximate blast times are listed below: Approximate Blast Times with a #5 Nozzle DB Minutes DB Minutes DB Minutes DB Hours DB Minutes DB Hours *These times are approximate because due to the abrasive flow being adjustable. Q. How many square metres will a DB500DAM blast? As an example, graffiti from a brick wall would be removed at a rate of 1 square metre every 90 seconds. At current glass/ fuel costs this would equate to around $6 per square metre. Q. How much abrasive does it take to strip a car? It varies depending on nozzle size and abrasive flow. To strip a car in 2 hours it should take about 160kg s of glass. To strip a car in 1 hour (like in the Impala you tube video) it may take 80kgs. The higher the productivity the higher the media flow. Q. What happens to the abrasive after blasting? The abrasive will settle on the ground beneath or very near to whatever you re blasting. If you re in a place where you need to dispose of this media, the easiest way is to spread out some plastic before you begin blasting, and roll it up after blasting. Q. What's the risk/impact of glass residue being left on a site? The glass is not a problem as it is neutral and has no adverse effect on soil or the environment. What needs to be considered is the impact/risk of what you are removing, i.e. lead paint. Q. Given the process is Dustless, does that mean I would not need a booth with extraction/ventilation in my workshop? Extraction would not be required. A shade cloth surround is ideal to capture water vapour. We recommend that you always blast in a well-ventilated environment due to the fumes produced from the diesel engine of the compressor. Blasting inside a non-ventilated workshop is NOT recommended. Q. Does wet Garnet Blasting do the same thing as wet Glass Blasting? Basically yes, however the media is heavier and holds moisture much longer than crushed glass, thus making clean up cumbersome and labour intensive. In comparison the crushed glass dries in around 5 minutes and remains light and loose making it very easy to clean up. Q. Can the Dustless Blaster cause warping like sandblasting can? Warping occurs when the metal heats up due to friction from dry abrasive. The Dustless Blaster will not

4 cause warping, because friction and heat are reduced by the water. In fact the temperature of the metal being blasted is usually reduced by 6 degrees below ambient. Pressure alone may warp thin metal stretched between frameworks like the underside of a car bonnet. Q. Will the Dustless Blaster damage chrome and glass? Glass and chrome can be damaged by any kind of abrasive blasting. You should always mask off the chrome and glass prior to blasting. The Dustless Blaster is quite accurate and can be aimed right up to the edge of glass with low risk of rebound damage. Q. How does the Dustless Blasting process perform on wood? Dustless Blasting using crushed glass is very effective on hardwoods only. Even soda will damage softwoods. Once again it depends on how hard the coating you are removing is as to whether the timber underneath will sustain any damage. Q: Do the Dustless Pots (pressure vessel only) come with a lifetime warranty? Yes Q. What is the difference between blasting a boat with a Soda Blaster and a Dustless Blaster? The finish left on gel coat by Dustless Blasting is ideal and with the correct grade of glass can be the same as soda. Dustless Blasting process is at least 4 times faster and doesn t have the same dust containment problems. Dustless Blasting easily removes Prop speed. Q. Do you have a "speed comparison" between Soda Blasting and Dustless Blasting? The Dustless Blasting process is at least 4 times faster. Jump on YouTube and compare the two. Q. What s the availability of parts? We keep an extensive inventory of spare parts. At the time of purchase you will be advised on what parts will need replacement and roughly when. For Example Blast Nozzles last for approximately 400 hrs. Q. What sort of training and after sales support is offered? You will be trained in the safe and efficient operation of the Dustless Blasting unit at time of delivery. This training is provided at our Head Office in Redland Bay QLD. If you are opting for your machine to be delivered to you there are two options. Training will be provided over the phone using the training videos on or your training can be quoted. With regards to ongoing support we provide that free of charge over the phone and via the internet. All machines come with a Safe Operating Procedure (SOP) Q. Do you offer training/guidance on the best quoting process? As part of ongoing technical support we will guide you on quoting and inform you of standard practise to ensure consistency. Q. Does the Dustless Blasting equipment comply with Australian Standards? Yes, pressure vessels are AS/1210 and design verified under that standard. Q. Do you have any Safe Operating Procedures (SOP) for the equipment? Yes, we have a (SOP) Safe Operating Procedure for the Dustless Blasting equipment. All machines are delivered with a SOP in hard copy. Soft copies are available on request free of charge. Q. Is Dustless Blasting identical to slurry blasting? Yes, it is the same basic principle but delivered by a simpler more robust system. Q. What class level can be achieved with the Dustless Blaster? Class 3 - the highest level that can be achieved. Bright clean metal with no stains.

5 Information on Holdtight Why pressure wash with HoldTight 102? We recommend pressure washing at 1500 psi (100 bar) or higher after wet/vapor abrasive blasting using 102 and after dry blasting for three reasons: 1. It is faster and uses less water and therefore less HoldTight 102 than low pressure washing or rinsing. 2. It forces the water and 102 into the pits, the hills and valleys of the surface and thus removes blast debris and other contaminants that otherwise might be missed. 3. It accelerates the evaporation process that removes the water and ensures no residue of 102 is left on the surface. NOTE: When contamination levels are low (i.e., when the surface is relatively clean) after wet/vapor abrasive blasting and/or ambient humidity is relatively low, 1500 psi + pressure washing, though preferable, may not be necessary. This is true ONLY if the surface is surface is thoroughly rinsed at lower pressures with 102-treated water immediately after the wet/vapor abrasive blast cycle preferably before the surface dries. Background: HoldTight 102 prevents flash rust by cleaning by removing the remains of the blast (shattered abrasive and/or paint and/or rust) and virtually all ionic contaminants (salts, such as chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, phosphates AND acids). These contaminants, whether visible or invisible, tend to draw moisture to the surface causing rust. A near-perfectly clean surface of the sort achieved by using 102 simply will not rust as fast as a surface not so cleaned. How long will the surface remain rust-free after cleaning with 102? Until wetted with water, most typically by rain, OR until re-contaminated by airborne particles or ioniccontaminants, which will draw moisture out of the air, the surface should remain rust-free. Outdoors this means 2 to 4 days. In extremely humid environments the rust-free period will be shortened; in extremely dry environments, it will be extended. Condensation forming on the surface as a result of rapid temperature changes my cause a 102- cleaned surface to flash rust, especially if the condensation is extensive enough to pool on a flat surface or run down a vertical surface. If held indoors, the rust-free window for the blasted surface should be much larger even a month or more. Will the use of HoldTight 102 interfere with coating adhesion? When used properly, HoldTight 102 will leave no residue that would interfere with any coating or lining. In addition many coating manufacturers have tested 102 used before applying their products. Most have approved 102 for use with all of their coatings on the basis of tests and/or field experience with 102 over many years. Much of that data is available. Request our compatibility chart for examples.

6 HoldTight 102 is not a coating: It is NOT "applied" One of the most common misconceptions about HoldTight 102 salt remover / flash rust inhibitor is that it can be "sprayed on" or otherwise applied like a coating. NOT SO! Sure, it is physically possible to do so, but its effect on the surface if used that way will be of little value. And if it is "put on" this way at full strength (i.e., without at least a 50 to 1 dilution -- potable water to 102) it will not evaporate and will become a residue that will be a problem for some coatings. The key to using 102 effectively is to dilute it properly AND to pressure wash the surface with the water fluid -- we say "treated water" -- the more pressure the better but the water volume need not be greater than 1 gallon per minute -- a common flow rate for pressure washers. Higher pressure improves performance, higher volume doesn't help add much. Most off-the-shelf (at Home Depot or Loews, for example) can easily generate 1500 p.s.i of pressure with a flow rate of 1 gallon per minute. Industrial washers can go much higher, 5,000 p.s.i or above and they are more efficient. Heating the water will improve performance, but is not essential. Why are pressure and flow important? Simply because 102 is a washing agent, a surfactant like soap, but UNLIKE soap, it leaves no residue if allowed to evaporate with the water that contains it. Forcing the water with the 102 into the profile or pores of the surface results in more thorough cleaning. When the surface is dry, the 102 is gone. There is nothing to remove. You are ready to apply your primer or coating or you can wait several days without seeing flash rust.

7 Coverage and HoldTight 102 HoldTight 102 is not a coating. It performs its two principal functions salt removal and flash rust prevention -- as an adjunct to and enhancement of pressure washing with water (and/or wet abrasive blasting, or wet jet blasting, or water jetting ). Thus, the question How much 102 must I apply to a given area? is irrelevant. The relevant, and indeed only meaningful question is, How much water will I use when I blast and/or pressure wash a specific area, given the equipment I am using (specifically, water consumption in a given amount of time) and the production rate (specifically, how much surface area do I cover in a given amount of time)? The answer to that question determines how much of the product will be required. In short: determine how much water you will use based on flow rate, production rate, and the surface area, then divide by the dilution ratio you have chosen: 50, 100, etc. (Different flow and production rates will apply, of course, when water is used as part of the stripping process in wet-abrasive blasting. In such cases 102 must be used both in the stripping or removal operation and in the wash down operation.) With regard to washing down surfaces after dry or wet-abrasive abrasive blasting -- We know from experience that 102-treated water applied at flow rates of less than 1 gpm under less than 500 psi at the surface is not sufficient to remove all abrasive dust, shattered corrosion products, and tiny paint particles, even when the surface has been blown clean with air only. (In fact, blowing a surface clean of dust generated by the abrasive blasting operation may result in adding contaminants to the surface from the compressor.) When such contaminants remain on the surface, flash rusting will occur. We also know from experience that the cleanest surfaces are achieved with 102-treated water over 500 p.s.i. at 2-3 g.p.m. In most cases 2 g.p.m. at 1,500 p.s.i., or higher, will achieve the best results. At these recommended flow rates and pressures operator productivity is simply not a critical factor. The water flow and pressure, NOT the dwell time, are the determining factors (the controlling variables ) so long as the water is treated with 102. If the operator, in those cases, moves the wash wand or tip very quickly over the entire targeted surface, he will use less HoldTight 102 without jeopardizing surface cleanliness. If he moves slowly, he will use more HoldTight 102, but will achieve the same result. Based on experience reported to us by many customers, these operations typically clean 500 to 1,000 square feet per hour. (Production rate is of course a function of operator skill and strength, surface flatness vs. surface irregularities, and constraints imposed by positioning equipment, scaffolding, lifts, etc.) If the water does not contain HoldTight 102 in the recommended ratio the surfaces will flash. If the water is significantly substandard (in terms of chlorides or other contaminants and/or carbonates [hardness]) as discussed in our literature on the subject, the surfaces might flash or turn even with 102 (or, for that matter, any additive that purports to remove contaminants). In such cases, either increasing the 102 to water ratio or pre-treating the water, or some combination of both, will be necessary.

8 HoldTight 102 is like soap but it is not soap: It cleans, but you don t have to rinse it off 102 is NOT applied any more that you would apply soap to wash dishes. Like a detergent it adds to the natural cleaning power of water. It doesn't convert or chemically alter contaminants that cause flash rust, thought it does cut grease. When used at the recommended pressures in a stream of water it removes contaminants, both those that were on the surface before the blast (abrasive or ultra-high pressure) and those that were created or freed-up by the blast. The best analogy is soap. Suds (foam) are fun but they don't clean -- scrubbing with soap and water cleans -- soap in a dishwasher with proper water flow, agitation, etc., cleans even better. Dip a dirty dish in soapy water and some grease and food residue will be removed; scrub a dirty dish with a sponge or brush with soap and water and you will remove more; use a dishwasher -- with detergent -- and you will generally remove it all. Using 102 and water in a pressure washer is similar to using a dishwasher to clean. And here s the bonus: clean surfaces simply don't rust as fast. 102 prevents flash rust not by forming a film to separate the surface from air and humidity, but by leaving an exceptionally clean surface. Contaminants of any kind visible or invisible literally suck moisture out of the air, like sponges. To be a bit crude, but clear, about it, 102 removes those suckers. Because 102 evaporates with the water in which it has been dissolved, it does not leave a residue as do some salt removers and virtually all conventional inhibitors. It does not solve one problem by creating another.

9 ULTRA-HIGH PRESSURE (UHP) WATER JETTING + HoldTight 102 in a Water Rinse (low to moderate pressure) = Zero Detectable Salts + No Rust Bloom for Days on End UHP does a fine job of cleaning metal. Yet a measurable, even visual, residue of surface contamination remains in many cases. Finish the job with a HoldTight 102 in a water rinse at moderate to low pressures (1 to 3 gpm / 7.6 to psi / 34+ bar). HoldTight 102 is both a surfactant -- it makes the water wetter and helps it clean more efficiently -- and a rust inhibitor -- it will give you a two to five day window between blasting and coating with zero detectable chlorides. And it won't interfere with coating performance, as 10 years of field experience and tests by most major coating suppliers have demonstrated. Some experts say that UHP can leave good rust that won t be a problem. But can you be sure which rust is good and which is not? Why take the chance? Take it all off with HoldTight 102 for pennies per square foot! What about Surface Tolerant Coatings (STCs)? They help bridge the gap between the surface you ve got and the surface you want. HoldTight 102 will close the gap. It will give you much greater comfort when you apply STCs (by reducing or eliminating the oddball conditions that even STCs can t tolerate) or permit you to use conventional coatings with performance histories you are familiar with and have confidence in. NOTE: Water that contains a high concentration of salts, carbonates and bicarbonates (i.e., hard water ), or other contaminants may interfere with the performance of HoldTight 102. So, we recommend against using industrial or plant water because it is more likely to contain contaminants of all kinds. Hard water may also be a problem for some equipment. Consult the manufacturer. Potable ( drinking ) water is rarely a problem, but it may be in some areas. In most cases bad water can be corrected easily and inexpensively. Call our technical service staff if you have any concerns or questions about water. If you follow the instructions in our Product Sheet and HoldTight 102 is not working as you expect, you probably have a water problem: Call us immediately. Though it may be desirable in some cases, it is usually not necessary to use HoldTight 102 in UHP equipment: a moderate to low pressure wash down with conventional pressure washing equipment is typically quite sufficient to achieve the desired results. Consult your equipment manufacturer before using HoldTight 102 or any additives in your UHP equipment. Your equipment is your responsibility.

Dry Ice Blasting Frequently Asked Questions

Dry Ice Blasting Frequently Asked Questions 1. What is CO2 blasting? 2. How does it remove contaminants? 3. How does this differ from how sandblasting works? 4. What happens to the dry ice once it strikes