For those that are subscribed to the membership area, you have heard me talk about the different materials used to make sandblaster nozzles, but I wanted to share some more information in detail.
It may be surprising for some people when I say the high priced nozzle tips are actually more economical in the long run. So getting the best nozzle tip will actually save you a lot of money, and also save you a lot of frustration because you won’t have to change your nozzle often, while getting better blasting power through its life.
Durability Ranking of Nozzle Tip Types
The durability ranking of the nozzle tip may be dependent on factors such as how hard it is on the Mohs scale and how resistance it is to abrasion.
As I discussed before, the below sandblaster nozzles are listed from low grade to long lasting:
1. Steel Nozzle
These are mostly sold with siphon sandblaster units and I have yet to see them used with pressure pot systems. I assume this is probably because they don’t hold up well to the high pressures of pressure pots. It is said that steel is between a 4 and 4.5 on the Mohs scale.
2. Ceramic Nozzle
The most common because it is both of low cost and holds up okay to some abrasives. It is said to be about a 7 on the Mohs scale. Some folks have questioned whether ceramic really is longer lasting than steel. I would like to mention that I believe some of the cheaper ceramic tips might actually not be as durable than steel. There seems to be many different grades of ceramic out there. The cheaper ones can be less then 50 cents each, while the higher quality tips can be $20+. If you use these, look for the Aluminum Oxide or Alumina ceramic type nozzles.
3. Carbide Nozzles
Ahh… and here is my favorite of all types because it provides a relief in all my nozzle problems. Whether you are sandblasting glass or rock, this is the category of nozzles I really think everyone should be using. Reason being is most of us require aluminum oxide or silicon carbide abrasive in our sandblasters to engrave effectively and these abrasives are said to have 9 Mohs or greater. The carbide nozzles have a hardness of 9-10 on the Mohs scale.
I would also like to mention that there are a few different carbide types that widely vary in durability as well which is ranked chronologically from least to greatest longevity:
- Tungston Carbide– one of the more economical carbides but not the longest lasting.
- Boron Carbide– second longest lasting carbide which is said to last 5-10 times longer than tungsten carbide. A little more expensive but still saves money in the life of the nozzle because they aren’t 5-10 the cost!
- Composite Carbide– longest lasting and what I have found as the most impressive nozzle around. Some of you may have heard of them called the ROC nozzle. These last 50-100 times longer than Tungston Carbide!
Cost Comparison: Quality Ceramic vs. ROC Composite Carbide
To break it down even further I want to discuss the details of how long a quality ceramic nozzle (made of aluminum oxide) lasts vs. the ROC Composite Carbide when blasting with aluminum oxide abrasive.
According to the ROC manufacturer, Kennametal, it states approximately how long each tip lasts with blasting aluminum oxide until it needs to be replaced:
- Ceramic: 1-4 hours of blasting time (that is if you replace them when you should for better performance), ~$25 for typical high quality, long lasting ceramic
- ROC Composite Carbide: 1,000-2,000+ hours of blasting time, ~$180
With these numbers, the ROC nozzle calculates out to last 250-2,000+ times as long. Times that by the ceramic nozzle cost and that would equal to a minimum of $6,250!
So if you were to blast for 1000-2000 hours, the ceramic nozzle would cost over $6,250– while the ROC nozzle would cost about $180. That is quite the cost saving, let alone better performance to carve better since you will have better air blasting power without a deteriorated nozzle tip.
ROC Composite Carbide Offers
I am such a fan of the ROC nozzles that I am now offering these for sale. Other sites list these as costing about $180, but we are offering them for $145.99 for a limited time.
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Boron Carbide
on sale from california USD. $ 48.oo ++ all in was about $ 60.00 CDN $ 50% disc
Bought 2
Larry, I agree the boron carbide is great too. If you think other folks would prefer boron carbide instead, I may be offering these in the future. It might be ideal for folks that want a slightly lower cost if they don’t blast as much. It is said that in the long run, the ROC could last at least 5 times longer but not 5 times the price. However, how long it wears can vary when using aluminum oxide. Boron carbide nozzles are rated at 200 – 1000 hours before replacing, while the ROC is rated at 1000 – 2000+ hours. That is quite a large estimate that is provided from the manufacturer. It depends on the blasting pressure and grit size of the abrasive that is being used. I am guessing the low & high range of service hours for both of them correspond to the same blasting pressures/abrasive grits.
Hi Eric, can I purchase one of your handguns and a border carbon tip if I live in the U.K. Your products on Amazon.com will not ship to the U.K.
Thanks Luke.
Luke, thank you for the interest. I know the shipping fees are very high which is the reason we don’t currently ship them overseas. I can look into this and will follow up in an email.
Also, we will be releasing another more affordable boron carbide nozzle soon if you would like to wait for that. Thank you
Thank you for emailing me back, I would like to purchase several items, Sandblaster Gun Nozzle & Valve (Adjustable Model) with Hose for Pressure Pot, I would prefer your foot control valve if you are selling these yet but can make do if not, also, could i purchase the longest lasting nozzle for your sandblaster gun that you have at the moment and I will purchase the Roc boron nozzle when they are in stock. If you could be king enough to give me a price for all these items and the shipping cost so that I can order these items quickly, I can pay by paypal or visa debit. Thank you in anticipation of the above,
Luke