Meet the Helix

We’re here to help you understand what power your A95 needs, and what power makes it perform at its best.

WAIT! Before you run your A95 Shot Blaster, watch this video to make sure you’re set up for success.

The time has come! You have your machine in hand, you’ve got a job lined up, and you’re ready to go. But there’s a few things to take care of first.

Rear Axle

When you take delivery of your shot blaster, it’s a good idea to mark your rear axle. Because shot blasters need air to function properly, keep an eye on the adjustable rear axle height for proper air movement, and make adjustments if needed.

Charge the Magnets

Charging the magnets is the first step to ready your shot blaster for use once you’re on the job. Pour shot on the ground and run your shot blaster over the pile of shot. A curtain of shot is created around the blast path opening that prevents shot from flying out while allowing proper air movement.

Fill with Shot

Now it’s time to fill your shot blaster with shot. Open the shot hopper and pour shot in through the screen until the top of the shot is just below the bottom of the screen. Overfilling it will decrease air movement and impact your machine’s function.

With shot in your machine, charged magnets, and an aligned rear axle, you’re almost ready to go.

Connecting to Dust Collector and Power

The final steps are the easiest. Connect your dust collector hose to the back of the A95 shot hopper. Plug your A95 in to 110-volt power (preferably 20 Amp, but 15 Amp will do with the right connector). Connect your A95 shot blaster and DL2000 dust collector to separate breakers. The A95 will pull up to 17 amps. Connecting the dust collector to an outlet on the same breaker will trip the breaker so be sure these machines have separate power sources

Now you’re ready to run your A95 shot blaster.

Is the A95 right for me? Is a different shot blaster a better option? Do I need a grinder instead of a shot blaster? We can’t answer those questions for you, but we’re happy to share our knowledge to help you make the best decision for you and your business.

How Does a Shot Blaster Work?

Learning how a shot blaster works will help you get the most out of your A95, A96, and A97. The fundamentals of shot blasting are universal, but the operator experience is leagues above the rest with National Flooring Equipment’s Apex Series of Shot Blasters.

Shot blasters work off of two main principles – rebound and suction. The blast wheel propels the shot at the hard concrete. The shot then bounces (or rebounds) back up. This momentum carries the shot partially, but not fully, through the machine. This is where the suction part of the equation takes over.

Once the shot rebounds part way up the machine, your paired dust collector will pull the shot the rest of the way. It’s important that you pair an appropriately rated dust collector with your shot blaster. With too much suction, your dust collector will pull still-usable shot out of your machine. Too little suction and your shot blaster will drop shot because there isn’t enough force pulling it through.

When the shot is pulled to the top of the machine, dust and small pieces of shot are sucked into the dust collector. Any pieces of shot intact enough to be cycled through will cascade down into the shot hopper. The shot will pass through a screen at the top of the shot hopper. This screen filters out things you may have picked up (e.g. cotter pins, nails, other small pieces of metal) to prevent damaging your machine.

In the image below, the blue arrow shows the travel path of the shot and the yellow arrow shows the travel path of the air.

Pair your A95 with a DL2000.

Pair your A96 and A97 with a DL3000 or DL4000P.

Learn more about pairing a dust collector with your shot blaster here.

The NFE Helix 16″ planetary grinder has it all – adjustable speed, direct or passive grind, a wide selection of tooling, work light, and more! Watch the video to see everything Helix has to offer!