25th Jul 2023
With sustained use, blast nozzles eventually get worn down, impacting performance and finish. Therefore, it is important to check daily the state of our blast nozzle to ensure you aren't inflating running costs.
It's typical to find a 5/16th nozzle six months into blasting has turned itself into 3/8th through internal wear. The harsher the wear, the more abrasive and pressure you'll need to achieve the same finish.
It's worth remembering that as internal wear exceeds 1/16th more than the original size nozzle, your production could nose-dive by up to 20%. That's going to have a massive impact on your business.
Additionally, the harder your compressor running is to achieve the same psi, the risk of oil and fluid entering the blast pot increases. If this happens, you will need to strip down your entire unit, incurring further losses due to downtime and repair.
You can check your nozzle wear by keeping a Nozzle Orifice Gauge in your toolbox.
To use the gauge, remove the gauge's cap containing the pencil from the end and mark the rounded side of the gauge. Then, slide it into the threaded side of the nozzle and give it a few turns. When you take it out, you'll see a line scratched into the grease mark. That's the size your nozzle is currently working at.
You can buy these gauges on our buy online site, they're not going to break the bank, but they will save you money in the long run.
