The A95 shot blaster is an 8-inch manual machine. This shot blaster excels in small spaces, and weighs only 121lbs. It’s size and 110V power cord make it extremely versatile, and ideal for DIY contractors, rental companies, and as a companion machine for a larger surface prep fleet.
This compact shot blaster is very easy to transport in or out of a van or truck bed. Well suited for garage prep work or 1-2 day epoxy applications, this is one of the fastest ways to prep your floor. It’s also a great companion machine to a larger shot blaster or grinder. Crews can use this small blaster to go over the expansion joints and cracks on a large concrete floor. Using this prep method, the steel shot will get down into the joint and clean it before the new coating is applied. This is much preferred to traditional methods of using a crack chaser or hand grinder to clean the joint.
While this small shot blaster is a great tool in a number of applications, it isn’t one-size-fits all. Shot blasters are not recommended for prep in thin mill paint applications or a clear coat/grind and seal application. Shot blasters make faint overlap lines on the floor as you are working across the surface. This overlap will be visible if a translucent coating is the planned overlayment.
As always, understanding the desired end result of the next coating application is the best way to choose a prep method for concrete. The A95 shot blaster gives you a concrete surface profile (CSP) right around a 3. Keep reading to learn more about CSP and the recommended levels for different coating applications.