Getting Started with your Dana-Ridge Wetblaster

The next step

Unwrap the machine and make sure that everything on the delivery docket matches what has been delivered. The included manual is the place to go next. It contains all the necessary detail such as dosage, how to fill, how to hold the gun, tips and tricks, cautions and warnings etc. that are not included in the short overview below

Essentially the steps are as follows:

1. Position your machine
2. Attach compressed air
3. Connect power (for 3-phase machines it is important to check direction of rotation)
4. Connect the water supply from either the mains water or back from the optional recirculating tank and open the fill valve until water comes out the overflow and also fill the recirculating tank until full.
5. Dose your machine with a small amount of “no-rust” from the kit
6. Dose the machine with the appropriate amount of media
7. Set the air regulator to the best setting for your application
8. Depress the pump start foot-pedal, wash the media from the turntable into the sump, wait a few seconds until you have a good slurry flow from the process gun then depress the air on foot-pedal
9. Blast your parts
10. Depress the stop foot-pedal, rinse off the parts and stand back to admire the results

The manual goes into the necessary detail so read it, keep it handy and make sure all users are familiar with it. In a large workshop with multiple users, Dana-Ridge recommends making someone responsible for the maintenance schedule of the machine

The optimal set-up

When using the Dana-Ridge wetblast units there are several things that can make sure you get the most efficient and cost-effective use of the machines.

• Ensure the nozzle and air-jet in the process gun are within specification to ensure optimal finish speed and quality.
• Keep the media level at 25 – 30% concentration media to water. The machine will give the most efficient speed and finish at this level.
• Keep the windscreen spray to a minimum. Just enough to lubricate the wiper is sufficient. Too much and it causes excess media to dribble out the overflow meaning unnecessary media consumption.
• Keep the air regulated to no more than 5.5 – 6.2Bar (80-90psi) using the included regulator. Higher rates won’t give a faster finish, it will just cause premature media wear.
• Don’t fight the gun. If you don’t relax with the process gun, you’ll have a sore arm fairly quickly. Done right you can blast for hours with no discomfort.
• Process using a circular motion keeping the gun 10-12cm from the part being blasted.
• Use the optimal media type and air pressure for the task at hand. Dana-Ridge can give you advice on how to play with these variables depending on what you want to achieve.
• Use the optional chemical additive “Aqua No Rust”, a temporary rust inhibitor specifically designed to prevent rust forming on ferrous material after blasting. “Aqua No Rust” does not leave a film, it leaves a neutral surface that can be painted over if desired.
• Install the optional recirculating tank. It creates a fully closed-loop system meaning no dilution of the rust inhibitor, environmentally friendly and no need to attach to the mains water supply for the window wash and rinse gun.