Shot peening in a blasting cabnet?

I'v heard though a few places that you can use a blasting cabinet to do shot peening, just have to change the medium and maby the tip to accomidate it. Anyone know anything about this? I know the basic ideas follow the same principle, but know if this setup would work, or what pressure it would need to be at.

What's shot peening?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_peening

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peening

It helps relieve stress and hardens the surface of the metal.

I dont see why a blast cabinent wouldnt work. Basically all you're doing is shrinking the material by making it thicker. I think the only things to worry about are the feed hose/gun, and the window. A peen on that glass viewing window and its a new ligement on your face.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_peening

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peening

It helps relieve stress and hardens the surface of the metal.

Actually peening introduces a compressive stress in the surface, this can prevent fatigue in high stress areas.

http://www.metalimprovement.com/shot_peening.php

I dont see why a blast cabinent wouldnt work. Basically all you're doing is shrinking the material by making it thicker. I think the only things to worry about are the feed hose/gun, and the window. A peen on that glass viewing window and its a new ligement on your face.

Usually special equipment is needed.

There are essientially two types of peening machines; centrifugal and pneumatic. The basic principles of the pneumatic machine is similar to blasters, but the actual machine is much more complicated.

CNC Shot peening machine
http://www.ptihome.com/images/machines/shotpeening/1532_02e.jpg

Shot peening machine for crankshafts
http://www.ptihome.com/images/machines/shotpeening/1428_07e.jpg

A peening machine in action
http://www.webtraxs.com/dlcount.php?id=ptihome&url=/downloads/rotary lance.wmv

Shot PEENING and shot BLASTING are entirely different processes for entirely different end-results.

Shot peening is a surface treatment that increases fatigue life. It requires special tooling, and is NOT something done at home or even by a small business. This is a serious metal-working process, with aerospace applications--and aerospace quality assurance.

Shot blasting is a surface-cleaning method. Lots of automotive machine shops use a shot-blasting cabinet. The shot knocks the carbon and rust off the casting. Nothing special about it--you load parts into a rotisserie, the machine throws the shot at the part using a centrifugal "pump", and the shot pounds the carbon and rust into dust. If you're smart, you protect the machined surfaces of the casting--the lifter bores, the crank journals, that sort of thing.

I would not expect a normal sandblasting or glass-beading cabinet to accept the steel shot used in shot blasting.