QUESTIONS: DIY Automated blasting material sifter

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Gents,I got a situation. A few months ago I bought (used) a comercial pressure pot blasting unit. Homegamer sized, holds 30kg of blasting media. I even think I talked about it here.Yesterday I had the chance to try it and even though I purchased propper aluminium silicate media in a fine grit, the media didn't come as pure and pristine as I would like, and it presents bigger than usual particles that clog my nozzle.Sifting it through the provided (with the machine) screen is the answer. But is slow and tedious.I want to make an automated sifter for the new media and also to allow me to reclaim the used abrasive.I just saw this particular design in Youtube and seems very veeeeeeeeeeeery simple.However, I would like to modify it to allow me to place it above the pressure pot so the sifted media falls right inside (funnel shaped bottom. I would also make it out of metal and hold the screen itself on rubber plugs or springs to isolate the vibrating part from the structure. I think it would be wise to make it somewhat slanted so the big particles slide to a secondary deposit to be disposed properly.For the vibration I was thinking of using pneumatic turbine vibrators. They are supposed to be cheaper and more robust. They also don't require electrical power, so I could just use it with the same air I power the blaster (when outdoors). Something like this:TURBINE VIBRATORQuestion is I have no idea if I should choose one from the K line or GT line... I read what I could find and both models seem to be used in automated sifters.Anyone here has any clue about which one should work better? Usually bigger is better but I don't think I need to go monster big for this application, as it is not to big of a contraption. K10 maybe??Oh! And I was thinking of fitting two vibrators in series, one for the X axis and another one for the Y axis to provide vibration in both directions. Althoug I might get by fitting only one diagonally in the screen frame. Thoughts?Mikel
Reply:I’ve used a HF pneumatic jitterbug sander to shake a screen table before. It’s about all it’s good for.
Reply:The guy in the video I linked used a jigsaw with the saw blade removed, so I guess he didn't need much vibration for it to shake the media. I just want to be DOUBLE SURE... As long as it doesn't rattle the thing apart... its all good!Mikel
Reply:I just bought two K-10 vibrators and the 1mm stainles steel screen... Now I just have to wait for the items to arrive. Will report back once I start the build.Mikel
Reply:You could always simply buy higher quality media.
Reply:If you want to re-use the product, you'll still need the screener for the 2nd/3rd time around...250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:

Originally Posted by walker

You could always simply buy higher quality media.