Ryan- There are a host of abrasive materials you could use depending on what you want to do, and what it is you are cleaning. Some are that soft that in the hands of someone experienced you can strip varnish off soft timber such as cedar without damaging it or to the other extreme you can etch steel and everything in between.
Speaking specifically about cabinets- You can buy a very small bead blast cabinit from DIY or Auto stores relatively cheaply (generally rubbish) or spend several thousand pounds on a state of the art cabinet with a full reclamination and filtering system.
Then there is the size of the cabinet to consider, for this you need to consider what exactly you are going to be doing. Finally a bit on abrasive materials. I have used Plastic Bead, Walnut Shell, Garnet, Sand, Ilmenite, Limestone, Copper Slag, Glass Bead to name a few, and again it depends what you are cleaning and what is it made from as well as what you want to achieve.
Air pressure plays a vital role as well as does the mix you use for example there are published lists of pressures and materials put out by abrasive and cabinet manufacturers that would give you a good idea of where to start- the rest is trail and error and experience.
So there is a LOT to be considered- let us know what you want to do and maybe someone can advise further. One thing I will say however is NEVER repeat NEVER use sand in a blast cabinet or any dry blast equipment. (wet blast is OK) as it may lead to Silicosis.
Finally, unless you have a lot of stuff to do by the time you purchase a good blast gun (there are many on the market- most rubbish) , a high capacity air compressor, blast cabinet, abrasive materials it may well be just as cost effective or cheaper to shop around and see if someone can do it for you for a price.
Ian
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