Frequently Asked Questions

Shot Blasting normally involves using steel shot, steel grit or glass beads to shot blast an item. Steel Shot & Grit can be used in a Wheel Blast Machine or in a Pressure Pot. Wheel Blast Machines deliver the media using a rotating Blast Wheel that centrifugally delivers the media on the part as it rotates tumbles or passes thru a Blast Chamber. A Pressure Pot is normally used in a Blast Room where the Steel Media or Glass Beads are pushed out of a Pressure Pot through a hose and nozzle on the part the operator targets for Blasting.

Sand Blasting is done manually.  An operator holds the hose connected to a Pressure Pot and directs the Sand onto the area being Blasted. Sand Blasting is primarily used on large equipment and/or outdoor structures. The pressure Pot required the use of a large-capacity air compressor.  Sand as a media is very dangerous to use because the sand is mixed with silica to make it flow evenly. Silica has been proven to cause Siliceous which similar to Black Lung in Miners which diminishes lung capacity, potentially leading to death. Blasting Sand cannot be used in a wheel blast machine and is not recommended for hand blast cabinets.

Arrow inventories Steel Shot, Steel Grit, Glass Beads, Stainless Steel Shot, Aluminum Oxide, Crushed Glass, Plastic Media, and Ceramic Media. We also have available walnut shells, corn cob, garnet, and other specialty media.

Steel Shot Blasting provides a consistent, even, dimple-like finish. Steel grit provides an angular finish necessary for coating adhesion. The Steel Media is automatically recycled. The blasting process is automated when using a wheel blast machine, with only loading & unloading done manually, generating significate time and labor savings over hand blasting. 

Shot blasting using a hand blast cabinet provides a safe, enclosed blasting process and, in most circumstances, eliminates the need for respiratory equipment. Wheel blast machines and hand blast cabinets are available in a wide range of sizes with options to meet our customer’s specific metal finishing needs.

Arrow has shipped machines all across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Arrow offers wheel blasting service with 3 models of machines: Goff 48” Table, Goff 3 cube Barrel Blast and Goff 2460 Spinner Hanger.  In wheel blast machines parts can be rotated on a Table; Tumble in a Barrel Blast; Hung or Fixtured & Rotated in a Spinner Hanger. Table Blast can handle up to a 5,000 lb. part. The 3 cube BB can handle 3 Cubic Feet of parts at one time. The 2460 Spinner Hanger can accommodate parts 24” in diameter and 44” long.

For blasting of components not suited for wheel blasting, we provide manual blasting by experienced technicians with our Blast-it-All 60” x 48” pressure cabinet and a Blast-it-All 60” x 48” suction cabinet. 

Blasting Medias are selected by size and type to provide the specified surface finishing requirements.

At Arrow, we offer used Blast Machines that have been rebuilt by our trained and experienced technicians. All worn/broken components are replaced with new parts.  Any structural damage is repaired. The machines are fully tested for operating accuracy and efficiency before shipping to the customer. Purchasing a Rebuilt machine can easily save you 25-30% of a new machine.

We have made arrangements with several financial companies to work with our customers to either finance or lease machines.

Blast Machines are powered by Electricity or Pneumatically. The Goff Blast Equipment uses electrical power to rotate the Blast Wheel. Air is needed to open & close doors, abrasive valves, and pulsate the dust collectors. Machines can be wired for 230 or 460 electrics with single or 3 phase power. An option is also available for Canadian electrics.

Hand Blast Cabinets primarily use an air compressor to deliver the media to the nozzle. Electrical power is used to power the lights, cyclone separator, and dust collector. Cabinets can be wired for single and 3 phase power.

Blast Machines can clean a wide range of non-porous materials. Materials include, but are not limited to, steel metals-carbon, stainless, alloy; aluminum; cast iron; and concrete. Shot blasting is may also be used to deflash plastic parts and remove ceramic castings.

Suction Blast Cabinets pulls the media, usually, Glass Beads or Aluminum Oxide from a sump either in the bottom of the Blast Cabinet or in the Reclaimer as air passes over a port in the handgun. As the air passes over the port, the air pulls the media in a Venturi action to the Gun Nozzle and out onto the part being Blasted. Suction Blast Cabinets are less expensive and very easy to operate and maintain. Suction cabinets are excellent for light to medium Blasting operations. If you need to Blast occasionally several hours a day a Suction Cabinet is best suited for your needs.

Pressure Blast Cabinets include a Pressure Vessel or Pressure Pot to power the flow of the media. The media is pushed out of the Pressure Pot with air through the hose, Nozzle, and onto the part being blasted. Air Pressure Cabinets are more expensive in the initial cost. Pressure Cabinets require an Air Compressor large enough to generate 80-120 CFM, usually a 20-30 HP Compressor. Pressure cabinets are the cabinets of choice for continuous Blasting Operation where an operator may spend more than 6 hours a day Blasting parts.

The purpose of the Burn Off Oven is to burn off oil, grease, Powdered Paints, Old Lead Base Paints and other coatings. Normally parts are burned for several hours but then the oven needs time to cool down for the parts to be handled. Most of my customers Burn at night. Arrow has a large 188 cubic foot oven and we burn during the day. We Unload the Oven in the morning, load it back up and begin the burn immediately. For safety reasons, the oven can be opened within a couple of hours after the burn is complete and the oven cools down to 300˚ or below.

Burn Off Ovens normally Burn Steel parts at 850˚ and Aluminum parts at 600˚.

Burn Off Ovens are supplied with an After Burner and Ventilation Stacks. The After Burner operates at a temperature of 1,650˚ and acts as a “Scrubber” so anything that passes through the Afterburner is burned and neutralized at a high temperature. The only thing coming out of the Stacks is Carbon Dioxide. Stacks are vented outside of the building due to the high heat and it is STRONGLY recommended the top of the stack is at least 5 feet above the highest roofline of the building. This prevents blistering the top of your building outside.