DIY sandblasting?

I rented one to do my corral fencing a few yrs back IIRC it was 200 + sand (100 lb sacs) for a weekend.

the harbor freight blaster aint that bad of a unit but ya better have alot of clean dry air when ur done that 100$ an hour aint going ta look all that bad how big is ur compressor anyway???

Harbor freight blaster is good if you use it once or twice and then trash it. My cousin bought one to strip the bed of his truck down to LineX it, and on the third go it just up and quit. Said it worked great the first two go arounds but the third, not so much.

Seems to be the way HF is. The tools are good and usable, until they start seeing heavy use. Then they just fall apart. Light to moderate use, HF products are great though. My weed torch is from there and it has lasted me two years, alas I only use it for 5 minutes to light my charcoal and that's it.

I have sand blast gear and do it all the time.
1) get a GOOD respirator & full face helment/shield.
2) get a long sleeve jump suit (big enough to go over your normal work cloths).
3) dry air is essential, I use the water traps plus a cartridge dryer.

Make sure you wear a good respirator and research materials used for sandblasting. I think I read somewhere there are better alternatives than silica based medium. Silica dust will give you cancer. Wear a respirator regardless of what medium though.

+ what dwfisk & bbqgeekess said.Black Beauty works way better than sand.Glass bead is not aggressive as BB.

Black beauty does work better than plain ol sand. However, don't think that you don't need to wear a respirator because it isn't sand. You do. Also you need to make sure that you have the right type of respirator. The silica that gets into the air, and into your lungs, is so small that you can't see it. You need a true respirator that is rated for this type of material.

We used forced air hoods in a commercial setting that fed positive pressure to the hood and kept you supplied with fresh cool air.

I would also get a cheap hood from HF. It will be hot as hell, but will cover your head to keep the sand out of your eyes, ears, hair. Also wear ear plugs. It's louder than you think.

With that said I have a gravity fed Sears blaster. It works. Not the best but it works. 60 gallon 6.5hp compressor. You need lots of air. I've been looking to get one of the smaller pressure fed HF blasters to see if they are a little faster. However, I haven't had time to play with welding around the house so I haven't had a need for it yet. Good luck. Most of all take the proper safety precautions. It's not hard, but it's hot and dirty work.