For small projects around the home and garage, it may be necessary to first remove rust, paint, or smooth out abrasive materials before you’re able to complete the task at hand. In the case of cars, tractors and boats, having the piece of equipment professionally sand blasted at an auto or body shop is an option, but it often comes with a high price tag. For DIY-sized projects, using your own personal sandblaster is a great way to save money.
Sandblaster are used for removing paint, rust, and other debris from various surfaces, usually metal. Sand blasters are also ideal for smoothing out abrasive surfaces and come in handy when refinishing items or prepping them for paint.
Using an air-powered pressure gun, sand, or other media is blasted at the surface at such a high velocity that it removes the unwanted substance. This process can be noisy and result in excess dust, so wearing ear, eye and face protection is always advised. Blasting the material sends particles into the air, so it’s crucial to extend the utmost caution, especially around harmful substances like lead paint.
If you’re ready to tackle your next project and need a sand blaster to get the job done, we recommend these models.
1. Le Lematec Sand Blaster Gun Kit
Clean your tools and remove rust and paint from other materials using the Le Lematec Sand Blaster Gun Kit. The Le Lematec quickly and efficiently removes rust and paint from iron and all types of metal. It’s safe for use on plexy, steel, thick glass, grout and limestone and can be used to clean dirty tile. The fully adjustable control valve gives users control on the pressure they want to shoot out of the gun, with the Le Lematec compatible with sand, aluminum oxide, baking soda and more types of media. The Le Lematec works with any compressor that has at least a 1.5-2.0 gallon air holding capacity with a min 2.5 HP motor.
Pros: The Le Lematec comes with an extra tip, a quick connector, a stainless steel filter and safety glasses.
Cons: The Le Lematec has a small reservoir and has to frequently be refilled with media when used on large jobs.
2. Jewboer Sand blaster
Remove unwanted layers quickly with the Jewboer Sand Blaster. The durable die-cast aluminum pistol grip blaster weighs only 0.55 pounds, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods. The Jewboer is designed for sand blasting, as well as liquid and air cleaning and can handle surface polishing, sand blasting and cleaning machinery parts by removing paint and rust. The Jewboer comes with a 5mm iron nozzle, a 6mm iron nozzle, a 4.5mm ceramic nozzle and a 7mm ceramic nozzle. Each nozzle is color-coded to make it easy for users to differentiate between the sizes.
Pros: The Jewboer is the most affordable option on our list.
Cons: The Jewboer has an 80 PSI, which is lower than other sand blasters on our list.
3. Campbell Hausfeld Sand Blaster
Clean, blast and etch with the Campbell Hausfeld Sand Blaster. Thanks to its 10’ hose, the Campbell Hausfeld can easily draw a wide selection of abrasive media from a bucket or container, with the end result a satin finish that acts as the perfect prep for painting for further pre-treatment. The siphon-feed Campbell Hausfeld works with the most commonly used abrasives, including glass beads, aluminum oxide, steel grit, silicon carbide, walnut shells and more. The Campbell Hausfeld comes with a hose, ceramic nozzle, steel pick-up tube and Allen wrench.
Pros: The Campbell Hausfeld is a great option for craft and hobby work, with the sand blaster able to etch both glass and wood.
Cons: The Campbell Hausfeld may clog if used with media greater than fine grit.