HTMR Vapor & Dry Blast Gun
In all the testing I have done, there are only two ways to speed up blasting parts (assuming correct media and pressure for the job):
- Increase the amount of CFM available.
- Increase the efficiency of your blast gun.
Let’s look at number 1, CFM available. Adding 5, 10, or 15 more CFM will drastically increase blasting speed, but at what cost? That much CFM equates to buying a new compressor with anywhere from 2 to 5 more horsepower! We all know how much compressors cost…thousands of dollars for a good unit!
An easier way to solve this problem is just to upgrade to a more efficient blast gun, that way you can keep your current compressor and spend less money to get the same result.
If you have a blast gun that resembles the one pictured below, then I am here to tell you that the HTMR Blast Gun works nearly 2x faster given the same air consumption. Even expensive retail vapor blasters come with guns similiar as pictured below, so you can upgrade your retail machine and make it RIP!
OK, so the “cheap gun” pictured above is very commonly used in vapor blasting and it just works…OK. This gun is actually a DRY BLAST gun, that just so happens to work OK for vapor blasting.
Cheap Gun Advantages
There are only 2 advantages to using this gun:
- It costs $30-40.
- It has a boron carbide nozzle (lasts forever).
Cheap Gun Disadvatages
Oh boy there are a ton of disadvantages:
- It leaks. Can be fixed, but leaks right out of the box.
- Usually ships with WRONG airjet/nozzle combination.
- Not corrosion resistant, will begin to rust internally.
- Bulky
- Scattered blast pattern, can’t see blasting progress.
- No precision. Airjet and nozzle bores are not concentric.
- Takes twice as long to blast parts compared to the HTMR gun.
- Nozzle design is not optimal for efficient blast pattern.
Below is a good example of the poor quality you can find when you buy and use one of these guns. The airjet and nozzle are not concentric, therefore efficiency is greatly reduced.
HTMR Blast Gun
So, for the past few months, I have been working on a blast gun that solves most of the disadvantages listed on the “cheap gun”.
Here is why the HTMR Blast Gun is better:
- CNC machined in the USA. This offers very precise dimensions.
- High flow.
- Airjet and nozzle are concentric.
- Anodized aluminum body for corrosion resistance.
- Capable of dry and wet blasting.
- Gun can be set up for fast “cutting” or “polishing” speed
- Standard media port thread.
- 1/2″ air hose
- 3/4″ media hose
- Tapered ceramic nozzle for better viewing of blasting progress.
- More efficient blast pattern.
What Is Your Time Worth?
Imagine if you can get the job done in HALF the time? What are you worth per hour? What if you make money vapor blasting parts and can get the job done quicker? That means you will be more profitable. Not to mention less wear, tear, and energy usage on your compressor. Yes this gun costs more, however you need to look at the big picture: a gun is a one time buy, while time/energy wasted can really add up.
HTMR Gun Sizes Available
Currently there are 4 sizes available to match 3, 5, 7.5, and 10HP compressors. You really need to look at the CFM spec @ 90psi and match a gun closest to that. For example, my 5HP compressor spec is 19cfm @ 90psi. So the 5hp gun which consumes 16cfm @ 60psi is a good match.
Can you consume more, or run a bigger gun? Sure, I do it all the time. However, your pump won’t be able to keep up and you will have to wait for the tank to fill up. Not recommend unless you blast small stubborn parts for short durations. You can always buy different airjets and nozzles and easily swap them out.
- 3HP gun – consumes 10cfm @ 60psi
- 5HP gun – consumes 16cfm @ 60psi
- 7.5HP gun – consumes 25cfm @ 60psi
- 10HP gun – consumes 37cfm @ 60psi
BUY The HTMR Blast Gun
DIY Vapor Blaster Builds
Make sure to check out the DIY Vapor Blaster build plans that I have. You can convert an existing cabinet, build one from WOOD, or even add features to a “base” model retail machine.
Hi watched your video, I have a alum oxide blast cabinet with Vac setup, Is this gun for vapour or other media?
I get my stuff from Cana blast , I never found the machine works the best, Hates powder coated stuff..
Im running a 5Hp 18 CFM compressor with a cooling piping setup that really helps and I put a ricer cone air filter on as a pre filter to the three head air filters, Really quietens the machine down. thanks Doug
Yes you can dry blast with this gun.
I have two compressors connected together one is a 6 hp and the other is a 5 hp total cfm 24.8 I am in the automotive business restoration strictly engines I have a Vapor honing machine. What size gun you recommend me to get for better performance?
If you currently have a retail machine, it most likely has a 7.5hp/25cfm gun setup. I would recommend the HTMR 7.5hp gun. However, if other you run other air tools then you might want to go with the 5hp gun.
I have a video on sizing help if you want to measure the size of your current gun.
Matt
Please reach out to me. I manage the restoration dept at Barber Museum and would like to hear more about you gun for our vapor blast cabinet.
Lee Clark
205-281-3519
LClark@Barbermuseum.org
Left a message and sent an email.
Hello Matthew,
I like to order the green blast gun, ( have been on Your waiting list ) with 5 hp setup. plus 7,5 & 10 nozzle and airjets and 10 feet of 1/2″ & 3/4″ hose.
If I calculated that right it will cost $418 plus freight.
Wich Your freight calculator could not calculate beacause of my adress.
As far I know are USPS the cheapest transport way to Finland.
Please check out and revert to me, with an email adress to You so I can write direct to You, not a site where maybe everybody can se it .
Kind regard
Carl Häggblom
Mariehamn
Finland
Europe
I have added Finland shipping. Go ahead and place an order.
Matheew, look into separate email regarding this matter above.
Kind regards
Carl
Looking to order the blast gun for my vapor hone machine I use ceramic beat mainly and am looking for something to speed up the process thanks
They are in stock now. Order here: https://howtomotorcyclerepair.com/product-category/blast-gun/
I just ordered one of your 5HP gun setups for my dry blast cabinet. I just converted my air supply hoses to 1/2″ from 3/8″ and I am also going to run 1/2″ media supply lines, so I’ll be converting your gun 1/2″ barbed fitting in place of the 3/4″ one it ships with. You state you need to have a rubber tube over the air jet nozzle when doing dry blasting, so does the gun come with this rubber tube? I also just converted my cabinet to use a metering valve media delivery setup and plan to mostly use aluminum oxide media. What pressure do recommend for this setup? I usually blasting rusty / painted automotive parts for painting preparation. Thanks
Yes it comes with rubber tube over airjet. Try blasting at 40-60psi.
Where do I get this blast gun?
Right here:
https://howtomotorcyclerepair.com/product-category/blast-gun/
When are you getting more stock in?
1-2 weeks. Get on the waitlist and you will get emailed when available:
https://gumroad.com/l/blastgunwaitlist/0
Hi, do you do a tungsten or boron carbide nozzle for your blast gun?
Tungsten is available and 12x the cost of ceramic. Are you dry blasting with a alum ox or something really aggressive?
What is life span of ceramic nozzle when wet blasting?does the new gun come with replacement nozzles when you order gun?
I’m not sure of lifespan as I have not wore one out yet. I have a local shop using this gun daily with wet glass bead and the nozzle is still fine.
The gun comes with one nozzle installed. 3 packs can be bought separately.
Straight up I’m confused. When I last looked at this site we were talking nozzle sizes not HP. So how does a #6 compare to HP.
#6 would be 10hp.
Como puedo comunicarme para comprar la pistola(blast-gun).
Gracias
You can email me here: https://howtomotorcyclerepair.com/contact/
My compressor only makes 11 CFM at 90 PSI. Would it work to use an even smaller nozzle like 3/32″ to allow the compressor to keep up? This would be for dry blasting. Thanks.
Yes, I’m working on a smaller than 5hp version of the gun.
love your work. im from philippines and a hobbiest. restorations is one of my favorite. i really dreamed of making vapor and dry blasting system. right now im collecting all parts for diy and one of this is your gun. love it. im ang engineer too and i understand you. will asking too if you do delivery to my country. hiw long it takes maybe. thanks.
I ship worldwide via DHL. My site will calculate live DHL rates during checkout. So just add want you want to the cart and it will give you a shipping rate. It will probably take 1-2 weeks
Hello good morning .. Engineer Mattew
I would like to know the cost of the equipment to be applied to a homemade karcher pressure washer, but very useful in small metal cleaning jobs, can you publish your email to contact me?
Thanks
This gun can’t be used with a pressure washer, sorry. I never experimented with that type of setup.
What foot air control do you recommend for the HTMR Blast Gun.
This is a nice pedal:
https://www.tptools.com/Skat-Blast-Foot-Pedal-Assembly-and-Parts,313.html?b=d*8029
Matthew,
An engineering suggestion to the 3HP gun. If the volume of flow could be reduced / regulated to the nozzle, maybe a smaller ( 3 HP ) nozzle could be installed.
I tried a smaller nozzle and it did not work good. Thanks for the suggestion though.
my air compressor states: 20.2 CFM, 17.3 scfm @ 40 psi, 16.8 scfm @ 90 psi. it has an 80 gal tank and a 7.5 hp 2 stage compressor. Porter-Cable. what size nozzle should i order? What will the gun cost?
I bought a cheap amazon gun and it is worthless.
Tom,
Go with the 5hp size which is 16cfm.
You can buy the gun here: https://howtomotorcyclerepair.com/product/htmr-vapor-blast-gun/
Hi Matthew,
thanks for your videos, they are very informative. You mentioned that you have a video on fine tuning the Chinese offerings – I have one that I can’t get working and would like to at least get that far before embarking on one of your units. The water flow stops within a few seconds of applying air. Can you please let me know the link so I can check out the tuning options.
Regards, Mark
Mark,
All that gun info is located in all of my DIY vapor blaster plans. It could be the gun, or it could also be your pump/agitation setup.
Email me some pics through my contact page of your setup.
Matt
Hi Mathew Will this gun work on a high pressure water blaster . if it does what size gun and how much psi would ineed regards Jim
No, this gun will not work with a pressure washer.
How can I get a copy of your Honda cb500 four bottom end rebuild? I’ve watched the 24 minute abbreviated version but I need the who enchilada. I think you said it was 4 hours long.
Let me know…Thanks Norm
Here is the link:
https://matthew-bochnak.mykajabi.com/cb550-engine-and-carb-rebuild-1