The VH700: A Starting Point
When the VH700 first launched, it filled a massive gap in the market: a hobbyist vapor honing machine with the ability to adapt to your wet blasting needs at a price point that makes it approachable to the average consumer. Now, a couple of years later, it’s clear that the VH700 has filled that niche more successfully than we anticipated! In this post, we’re revisiting the VH700 with fresh eyes. We’ll explore who it’s best for, why it still stands out, and how you can get the most out of it.
Built to Fit. Built to Perform.
Whether you’re working out of a garage or a small shop, space is always at a premium. The VH700 is designed to fit in, not to take over your shop. With outer dimensions of 32″ W x 26.5″ D x 46″ H and internal workspace of 24″ W x 18″ D x 20″ H, it can handle a wide range of small to midsize parts without overwhelming your shop layout—or your budget. The VH700 also has a top loading door to further reduce the space taken up. Additionally, you can choose if the VH700 would fit best in your space as a benchtop, or free-standing model, there are options for both!
What Kind of Hobbyist Is the VH700 Built For?
One of the great things about the VH700 is stays versatile even if it has a smaller workspace. Here are some examples of the types of hobbyists who get the most out of this machine:
The Classic Car Restorer: If you’re rebuilding carburetors, cylinder heads, or small aluminum components, the VH700 gives you a clean finish that won’t damage delicate parts. Plus, vapor honing is ideal for preserving the integrity of the part surface. This is unlike dry blasting or harsh chemical baths where portions of the surface can be eaten away at.
The Jewelry Maker or Metalsmith: Need to prep or refinish precious metals? The VH700 is perfect for polishing or texturizing silver, gold, brass, or stainless without over-aggressive abrasion. The small footprint makes it easy to fit into a bench setup, which could be useful for a hobby that would typically has limited floor space.
The Small-Scale Manufacturer: Do you run a side hustle making investment castings or small batch parts? The VH700 lets you finish parts with consistency and quality while keeping costs down. It is especially useful if you pair it with the closed-loop system for water reuse.
The Tool Modder: The VH700 is an excellent tool for cleaning up scales, prepping blades, or resurfacing custom hardware. The LED lighting and slanted viewing window should be sufficient for the job at hand. This is another hobby that could benefit from the bench top model wet blaster. Lastly wet blasting cabinets like the VH700 can have their abrasive changed into different types of media, which is useful depending on the variety of surface finishes a tool modder may be looking to achieve in their work.
How does the VH700 Compare to the Weekend Warrior?
The Weekend Warrior is not only our most sold hobbyist model; it is the most popular machine we manufacture here at Vapor Honing Technologies. So why would somebody consider the Weekend Warrior over the VH700? The most obvious attribute that the Weekend Warrior has is the increased workspace of 33″ x 30″ x 28″ giving it enough space to work on all manner of parts big and small. However, this benefit is a double-edged sword in that the increased working space, plus side loading door, means that it cannot be as easily accommodated to smaller shops and garages. This is where the VH700 comes in offering the same level of performance while taking up less space.
Final Thoughts
The VH700 wasn’t built for factories or big restoration shops. It was built for the average person, the entrepreneur who works on the weekends from their house, or even refurbishing just for personal projects. If you are in need of a dependable, easy-to-maintain machine that is easy to accommodate into your shop floor plan the VH700 is one of the best ways to get into vapor honing without getting in over your head.
Do you have any questions comments, or concerns regarding any of the VH700? Talk to a member of our dedicated sales team to get all the information you could need, Call us at (828) 202-5563 and we can help you find the perfect set up for you. Lastly, you can follow us on social for new tips, user features, and upcoming events.
