Ice blasting,dryice

Dan S

New Member
We pretty much stick with the WetIce ........... Right now It's O out without the wind chill...............................

I know thats not what your Question was!! :):)
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
;) I had rather it be 0 as for it to reach a high of 38 with a wind chil of 31,hopefully it'll get that high today.Haven't done nothing in several days b/c of the burrrrr this time of year,may haveta get on food stamps before spring.

They say tho you can just pop the dirt,grease off with dryice blasting,we wouldn't get to set home tho if it did :).
 

ron

New Member
larry, from what ive read dry ice blasting is big money for equipment and mostly indoor work.
Food mfg. ,industrial equipment,chemical plant's,ect...
ive seen the vidio's of this equipment in use and it's awsome but slow.
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
yeah,I've been viewing it on the net,haven't found no eqt. cost or supply cost tho_OR what the average cost per hour for supplies,I know tho its like powerwashing it depends.

If the eqt. cost and supply cost didn't burn a hole in ya pocket it may be a good tool to add to your toolbox as to offer another service.Cleaning the chains and motors in alot of warehouses,like say Fex or UPS may be worth the added cost of another trade,several diff snuff you can do with it.

Guess tho we'll be lowballs of that trade too :)
 

Walt Graner

New Member
I looked into it once about 5 years ago, the equipment was about $18,000 plus you had to invest in a plant or be by one where you got the dry ice chips. So by the time you were done you were in for around $80,000.00.

So I bought three of umm
 

wendy

New Member
what about soda blasting? is that a similar investment or how does it differ? I have yet to do any research on either of these topics, but do have them on the future editorial list.

Any resources would be appreciated--
thanks
 

Walt Graner

New Member
Soda is a bunch less. Two basic kinds
1. water injection type, uses a hoper and a power washer. This one is about $ 400-500 last time I checked
2. Air feed, which uses a compresor and a pressure kettle. This one can vary depending on the brand from $ 1,200 - $ 8,000. The big one takes a 185 airman to run it.

I've had both, sold both about 6 years ago. Did'nt work for me.
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
Wendy,I used Wed crawler for the rearch engine and typed Dryice blasting,found several pages.Found one web page stating they did dryice blasting along with,flatwork,woodwork,ect..

Walt you can buy your own dryice maker,sames tho the CO2 would be a hassss'le.

It has its benefits,no harsh chemicals to reclaim or harm,no water to slip down in or shorting something out.I can see where it has a market for itself in our trade,I'm not looking for that type market to get into.

Some of the eqt. used different size ice as to its cleaning and can be shipped to ya.
 

Walt Graner

New Member
Well, that's the good thing about waiting. Prices they do come down.
I looked into one along time ago (dryice) but just did'nt make (Cents / dollars) for what I do, and they are too destructive. I have to be as non abrasive as possible. Real low psi stuff ( 400 +/-)
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
The way it read it didn't sound to destructive,clean electric motors and high tec stuff.

Just thought it was interesting for someone in our trade had one,cann't remeber his web address.
 

Dave Olson

New Member
Hello Larry,

I was recently asked if I could remove an epoxy coating from a plant floor. Must use Dry Ice Blasting only!

Because this type of coating is so hard to remove most everyone that I talked with didn't think or were not sure if it would work in that application. The reason the customer wants to use this technique is they would have no waste to dispose of except the epoxy itself.

The other factor of course is cost just to try this application. The unit that distributes the ice rents for $500 per day. The ice is $.16 per pound FOB their manufacturing plant. Expect to use 1000 pounds per 8-hour shift. The biggest expense is the air compressor. Must have a minimum of 300 psi at 500 cfm. Rental cost for one day is $830 plus freight from where ever they could find one. Would need to be transported on a flatbed semi. The compressor has a 525 Hp engine, weighs around 18,000 pounds, and is 23 feet long, 7.5 feet wide and 8.5 feet high.

Lotta bucks to spend just to see if it would work! Customer has not decided yet if they want to try this or do something else!

Dave Olson
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
yeah,its like our little wrinky dekey powerwashwashers,the cost in the eqt. means nothing.Depends on how much you want to spend in a growing business or I should say growing market.For some guys starting new business the cost is peanuts as to what the market has to offer dry ice blasting.Wouldn't take long to pay for at 500 a day rent and it seems the .16x1000 per 8 man hours would be more profit as to our time spent in our recapping ways.

Like powerwashers,I'm sure they make uints smaller or maybe even bigger to handle what ever kind of trade your after.I see the dry ice blasting making more dallors than wet blasting in the bigger and more sensitive jobs.

Only thing is I didn't pull enough watermelons or pick enough cotton to buy a rig like dat,I only had a small bag of peanuts.

Maybe you'll be lucky enough the customer will pick up the tab :D ,maybe you need to remind him he gets what he pays for whether it be dry or wet.OR do like I do,past it on to someone else that has the right eqt....more power to ya
 

B.E YOUNG Sr

New Member
Larry,
The company I work full time for looked at some equipment last year. The price for an industrial set up was $125K.

Walt,
Not sure what you looked at but what was demonstrated to us was totaly non-destructive.
That is what makes these systems so attractive.
No chemicals were needed as stated previously.
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
I know that price sounds high and know local business would be few in my area.On the other hand tho "have gun will travel" makes it worth while for a few select business to offer.Power plants,auto plants,factory electric machines,marketing a different kind of cleaning to the higher dallor market is something we wet blasters over look.I would think at the time the market is wideopen for more ice blasters,knowing where to look for business would take a little leg work.

Like our 4000 dallor powerwashers,we look for 4000 dallor jobs,125k would haveta look at 125k jobs.They more than likely pay off their 125k before we pay off our 4000 :D.

If I was a wet blaster looking into growing in higher marketing dallors I would look at dry ice instead of buying window cleaning tools.
 

Walt Graner

New Member
Larry

Dry Ice is used for stripping paint from a hard surface like concrete, metal etc.
Big benefits of using dry ice are: not heat generated so things don’t have to be turned off, no mess of media to pick up just the paint/rust/hard crust you are removing. Big thing is it is destructive, when I remove paint from a historic brick the paint is a harder surface than the brick & mortar.
PS
I also called a couple of folks I spoke with a while back (after reading your post) to catch up on the equipment costs and it has come down, but still is not good for what I do, too destructive.
 

B.E YOUNG Sr

New Member
Walt
I did some searches and what I repeatedly kept coming up with, that it is non-desructive.
The dry ice process can be dialed in using psi and pellet adjustments.

Take a look at this link www.dryiceblasting.com

Pretty informative. Has viedeoclips also.
 
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Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
I wasn't going to say anything,I found one web site cleaning computers with ice blasting.

Some people can tear up steel marbles with a rubber hammer ;) :D.
 

Walt Graner

New Member
The guy I spoke with sells the bigger machines (I guess) When I spoke with him last week about what I was looking for and described the process and the cost per square foot he just said that this machine just is not cut out for that type of cleaning for that type of price. Heck, I just go by what the sales folks tell me.

I would guess that the machine used for cleaning computer parts is not the same machine used for cleaning a chemical plant. I could be wrong, it would'nt be the first or last.
 

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