How to rapidly Clean Up and or Recover A lot of SandBlast Media
As a sandblaster having to reclaim blast media can become quite time consuming but depending on the job you may have to reclaim both what you have blasted off the surface and the blast media. Common reasons for this could include that the blast surface contains lead or another hazardous substance and as a result the blast media may become contaminated or it might just be that excessive blast media has accumulated in an area and needs to be thrown out. Whatever the cause, as a sandblaster you know that shoveling blast media that ways 50 to 100 pounds per cubic foot can be time consuming and absolute pain. So to offer options to reduce the need to shovel sandblast media whether it be in the field or in your shop, we are going to cover options available to make cleaning up and recovering blast media a lot quicker and less painful.
Option 1 for Easy Recovery of Sandblast Media – ARS Recovery Systems
If you are in the field doing a large scale job and need the ability to recover significant volumes of blast media continuously while blasting then you will want to consider a system like those offered by ARS Recovery Systems. These units offer a variety of configurations even including multiple blast operators so that you can continuously blast and simultaneously vacuum the blast media being used. ARS even offers these units for rent making it an option for those who have a single job that they need the option to recover blast media in the field for. These units are primarily designed to be used with steel blast medias in the field and you can learn more about their applications here.
Option 2 for Easy Recovery of Sandblast Media – Mechanical or Pneumatic Blast Recovery System
These systems are designed primarily if you plan on using a recyclable sandblast media like aluminum oxide or glass bead with a pneumatic recovery or steel grit with a mechanical recovery system. They are well suited for use in a shop as these systems are mounted in the floor and allow you to sweep the steel or aluminum oxide blast media back into the recovery hopper. The media is cleaned by a dust collector and cleaned blast media is returned to the sandblast pot for use. You can learn more about mechanical and pneumatic blast recovery systems here.
Option 3 for Easy Recovery or Clean Up of Sandblast Media – Vacuum Recovery System
Maybe you have already performed a lot of blast work and you have sandblast media that needs to be removed in large quantities. This can be done with a vacuum recovery system that is used to remove spent blast media. These type of recovery systems often are able to be used as a continuous circuity or a blast and recover system. They allow you to pick up blast media at a rapid pace which can be helpful for large blast meida clean up jobs.
Option 4 for Cleaning Up A lot of Sandblast Meida – A Front End Loader
A final route to consider to clean up a lot of blast media quickly is a basic front end loader. This solution can make sense if you performed sandblasting in an open area that is easily accessible.
Whichever route you consider to remove a lot of sandblast media that has collected on the ground, remember to review disposal requirements or confirm them beforehand so that you can understand the extent of recovery required and any local laws that will apply.