[Graeme Smith]

What kit do you need for sandblasting Yorkshire sandstone? In particular internal flags and fireplaces.
Typically covered in general soot/dirt or in the case of floors bitumen.

This is not for big areas usually inglenook fireplaces so a small kit air compressor - siphon and gun
Not sure what grit sized particle is required all i no is that the abrasive is going to be aluminium oxide or garnet or glass

Any pointers appreciated

[Graeme Smith]

Just looked into this a little bit more could soda blasting work??

[BDCS]

Yes

[Graeme Smith]

Thanks - for very small scale work what sort of kit would you need?

Tried running this stuff through google not much coming back in term of the equipment you need

[BDCS]

It depends on the situation - if you can get away with it you can use your pressure washer and a wet blast attachment

[Matt Gibson]

Get in touch with www.centurywise.co.uk

[Graeme Smith]

Cheers - just been on their site again rang em this aft but the phone rang out - suggests you need a compressor with a minimum of 140 cfm which are small towable's
I'm guessing its possible to do small area's with a smaller electric compressor - I'm assuming it'll be slow and it will be internal work.

[BDCS]

It is only possible to do very small items with an electric single phase compressor. Most media blasters require a twin tool compressor as its the flow rate that carries the media. I have a soda blaster and that works best with a twin tool with the workrate being quite slow with a single. If you use soda you will need an efficient water separator - I have a stand alone fan cooled intercoler to get the water out of suspension. Sand is less prone to water problems but makes more mess. Soda is better at cleaning hydro carbons, less aggressive and easier to clean up. sand is more aggressive, more tolerant to damp air but messy.

I rarely use my blaster as there are easier ways to earn a crust ! I bought it to clean hulls during the winter but they only want to do it when they put the boat in the water in the spring - just as the patios start 

PBO was the nuts for advertising hull cleaning but they call yatch owners wafi's for a reason Wind Assisted Flopping Idiots

[Graeme Smith]

how much would you have to spend on a compressor for soda blasting? the less messy the system the better

[BDCS]

Hire one - I paid £60/day for a twin tool. You can pick up a heap cheap but would need to spend a lot for a nice one that'll spend a lot of time in the yard doing nowt.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-ATLAS-COPCO-XAS47-2-Tool-Compressor-with-a-2-cylinder-Deutz-engine/221275549641?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3D8340576060367406070%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D20140122125356%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D271546035581&rt=nc

I would say this is as small as you can get away with if you want to earn a living - remember its better to have a bigger machine than a small one running its nuts off