# Hydroblasting Vs. Abrasive Blasting



## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

If you had the Opportunity to start a new business venture and your choices were hydroblasting & abrasive blasting, which would you pick?

Pros & cons of hydro and abrasive blasting?

Any info?

Thanks
Rich


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## Pearce Services (Nov 21, 2005)

Thats a pretty vague question. 

Who do you currently do business with now?, Water blasting is mostly aimed towards municipal, institutional, and the utility industry.

Abrasive can be sand, baking soda, and a couple of shot blast type mediums, all with specific application. Again it depends on what you are doing. 

For example Baking soda works well on hulls of boats, whereas 20,000psi water blaster would shred a boat. Baking soda will not remove calcium from a heat exchanger core very well, but 20k works great. 

A sand blasting set up costs pocket change compared to a good water blasting setup. Is cost a factor?, Is maintenance cost a factor? Do you know how to repair your own equipment, this is required for water blasters.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

Right now, we're a residential contractor, done a few commercial projects,. Dad has been doing it for 24 years, and Ive been at it for 2 years. I've decided that it was time for a change. For some reason, i always wanted to get into some sort Blasting. I know its a big step up, but we all must start from somewhere. Whether it be sand or hydro, im still exploring my options. Cost isnt really a factor, but i dont think i'll go out and buy 50k of equipment to start.. Im thinking that blasting might be easier to start and work my way up from there. 

The reason for hydroblasting coming to mind is because of all this concern about dust, and respiratory issues, and govt. restrictions from abrasive blasting. 

Im doing all this research on the net, but I still feel that some of you guys can answer alot of my basic questions on here. 


Question, hydro cant be used for coatings removal?
http://www.waterjettingequipment.com/default.html


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

You can get a sand attachment for some pressure washers. We use them for gelcoat blister jobs on boat bottoms. Gotta be careful, 'cause you can go through. We do it specifically to keep down the dust, bottom paint is nasty stuff.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

With hydro-blasting, you have all that lead contaminated water to evaporate back at your shop and dispose the sludge, or have the many, many gallons of water to dispose of directly. Seems like an environmentally expensive option.


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## Pearce Services (Nov 21, 2005)

Who do you want to target? 

And, yes you can do coating removal with HP water, it just depends on the coating,the substrate, and the work environment, as to whether it is the most effective method.

Give some examples of work you would like to do.


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## Nac (Apr 16, 2006)

There are system like Jas i believe it is called it is a glass bead blaster that also mixs water into it. We use this sytem to clean 100 year old terracotta on a school in NYC.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

Pearce Services said:


> Who do you want to target?
> 
> And, yes you can do coating removal with HP water, it just depends on the coating,the substrate, and the work environment, as to whether it is the most effective method.
> 
> Give some examples of work you would like to do.



for a starter, i would want to target projects such as log homes, cedar, masonry, containers/dumpsters, maybe some heavy machinery, automotive coatings, boats, and metal objects. I figured i could get started with these smaller projects, gain experience, get familar with the tools, tips of the trade, before i get onto larger projects. My ultimate goal would someday to move onto projects such as bridges, overpasses, tanks, ships, ....


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## Pearce Services (Nov 21, 2005)

I think you need to find a project, and then decide on equipment based on what you can dig up for work. Once you have equipment, then you will need to market to it's potential.

Check this out... www.armex.com


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

Thanks for the link.


Soda blasting was on mind, considering a multi media machine (soda, glass, corn, etc..

Any input on equipment?


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## Teetorbilt (Feb 12, 2004)

I think that you will need a variety of machines to do all of that.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

Teetorbilt said:


> I think that you will need a variety of machines to do all of that.



actually i know of 3 machines on the market now that allows any media to be used.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

the still let people used sand? I thought for abrasive blasting it had to be some kind of copper medium.


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## plazaman (Apr 17, 2005)

http://www.blastandpaint.com/Dynamic/content/subGroup.asp?grp=1


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