Start with the nozzle and blast pressure
This page covers air-driven abrasive blasting, including air-driven shot blasting. Mechanical wheel shot blasting propels abrasive by a different method; do not use a blast-nozzle requirement to specify that machine’s air supply.
Record the blast equipment and nozzle manufacturer, nozzle bore and current condition. Ask for the manufacturer’s air demand at the intended blast pressure, noting whether the figure describes a new or worn nozzle. Nozzle wear can increase demand. Keep the units and pressure with every flow figure.
Describe a working session
How many nozzles will operate together, and what other equipment shares the supply? Give the length of each blasting period, breaks and total shift hours. Include any change of nozzle or work area during the hire.
Do not select a compressor from a headline CFM figure, a generic nozzle table, motor kW or receiver litres alone. Submit the documented demand and working pattern for assessment. The airflow converter and air demand planner linked below help organise known figures; they do not select a blasting compressor.
Explain the air route and finish requirements
Give the proposed hose length, internal bore, connections and route to the blast equipment. Include the abrasive or coating supplier’s moisture and air-treatment criteria, plus any existing dryer, separator or filters you intend to use. Ask which treatment and hoses the proposed hire would include.
Describe available site power, the proposed compressor position, access and unloading space. Give the first blasting date, expected hire duration and any fixed work window; ask for timing to be confirmed before arranging the job around it.
Useful details for your enquiry
- Nozzle information
- Which nozzle, bore and condition? What manufacturer demand applies at your intended blast pressure?
- Work pattern
- How many simultaneous nozzles and other loads? How long will they run between breaks?
- Air path and quality
- What hose length, bore and connections are planned? Which moisture, drying or filtration criteria apply?
- Site and dates
- What power and access are available? Who will receive the equipment, and when must blasting begin?
Hire questions
Can I enquire before I know the nozzle demand?
Yes. Describe the blast equipment and job in the form, and mark unknown details as unknown. Have the nozzle documentation ready for the conversation; the form accepts text rather than attachments.
Do the 250 or 400 CFM pages tell me which size to hire?
No. Those pages help prepare a brief when a flow requirement is already documented. Use them alongside the sizing guide; neither capacity label establishes suitability for your nozzle, pressure and duty.
Does this cover breathing air for an operator’s hood?
Process air must not be assumed suitable for breathing. Breathing air needs a separately assessed system; this page is not a breathing-air specification.