Wish I didnt go to the NBM show

[Jim Reinhard]

I have been engraving glass for a while and people love the way it looks.Well after going to the show and seeing how nice sandblasted glass looks I can never go back to just lasering it .The rayzit people were great and let me sandblast a wine glass in there top of the line machine .After that I was hooked..I came home and bought a hf cabinet to hold me over till I can afford a nice one from ikonics or rayzist .I bought some laser tape at the show but it is expensive and the photo resist is even more .Looking for an inexpensive alternative to masks.I have had good results using blue painters tape but it is just to narrow and the overlap is troublesome.Tryed transfer tape but it just dosent have the tack to hold it well and using the hf suction you have to use to much pressure.Was thinking about trying the hf pressure pot.Would apreciate any input on the mask or the sandblasters.

[Gary Hair]

Jim,
Once you blast, you are hooked! Just a warning up front...

Check out cuttingedgesandcarving.org - it is to sandcarving that smc is to - almost anything else!

The short list of what you will need:
1. Compressor - spend as much as you can afford on this one, it's the power behind it all. You will need 10-20 cfm at 90 psi - overkill for glass but, trust me, you'll be blasting rocks in no time. Expect to spend at least $1,000, or you can go cheap and spend $500 now and $1,000 later.
2. Pressure pot - HF pots are more than adequate, you don't need to spend much here. Get a 20# for glass and a 40# (or bigger) for rock.
3. Cabinet - the one that HF puts on sale for around $220 is perfectly fine. You don't need anything much bigger and the ones from Ikonics or Rayzist are way too pricey for what you get. You can always check craigslist for a larger one or you can build one yourself - they aren't rocket science.
4. Nozzle - get a good nozzle, the ceramic ones that are just a few bucks will wear very quickly and you'll need more air to keep up with them when the id gets bigger. I think mine were around $40, expensive but it has lasted me three years blasting glass, lots of it.
5. Dust collector - use a cyclone separator with the green HF dust collector, connected to the cabinet. It works great and keeps most of the usable media from blowing through the dust collector.
6. Get some good laser tape, Ikonics makes some that works really well, called "Laser Tape" of all things... It goes on compound curves pretty easily, lasers clean, blasts well, and washes off with very little effort. You'll need a different type of stencil for rocks, I use Anchor 116 for almost everything. It's laserable and works great.

There are a few details missing from this list but it will get you on the right path.

Gary

[Jim Reinhard]

Gary .What pressure do you run with the hf pot?It says 60 to 100.at the show they were blasting at around 30 for glass.I did order a roll of the ikonics tape that just came today but have not had a chance to try it.What gun and nozel are you using that lasts?
also Thanks I will be checking out cutting edge

[Gary Hair]

The pressure varies depending on what I am blasting and what effect I want - 20 - 90 is pretty typical. I made my own nozzle holder, the nozzle is this one http://www.granitecitytool.com/duro-carbide-nozzles. I have several sizes of nozzle, the 5/64" is good for glass and I use something between 3/32" and 1/4" for rock. You need lots of air to use a 1/4" nozzle, not something you can really do with a small electric, you really need either a really big electric or a gas/diesel compressor. I'm refurbing a 125 cfm diesel that I'll use for both on-site and work here at home - something like this http://palatek.com/comps/portComp_detail.aspx?id=29 (but mine is 27 years old...). I know a lot of people use a pabblaster like this one,http://www.pabblaster.com/store/pabgun-1.8 , but I haven't been able to justify spending the money on it. Just like lasers, rotary engravers, printers, etc., there are lots of ways to blast, lots of different equipment and techniques/opinions galore!

Gary

[Mike Null]

I second almost all of Gary's comments--even about the PAB gun. I use one and like it but it really is more expensive than need be.

If Gary didn't mention it carbide nozzles are the thing to buy.

Rayzist and the others do have a couple of advantages; first, their dust collection system is superior to anything you can hook up with HF; second their cabinet is well lit while the HF is poorly lit and you will have to devise a lighting system; third, their cabinets are large and well sealed. Sandblasting is a dirty sport so be careful where you place your unit.

I've been in and out of it twice--first with Rayzist and the second time with HF. HF pressure pots are one of the great bargains in the store.

I also prefer silicone carbide media to others. I confine my work to small jobs--crystal awards, small metal pieces etc. There aren't a lot of places that do this work so be sure you are well paid.

[Steve Clarkson]

Gary,

What type of material can you sandblast other than glass and stone?

I've avoided looking into sandcarving because I read on here that it is a very dirty process, but I'm not pleased with the way glass looks when it's laser engraved. By the way, I tried the etching cream (Armour Etch) and it sucks.

[Bill Cunningham]

I have a sandblast cabinet, but I simply can't get the kind of detail in glass that I can with the laser..Memorials are a good part of my business, and photos just don't seem to 'pop' when I use the sand blaster..However, using the laser, I can get a perfect reproduction of the photo supplied by the customer.. I use the sandblaster for items that are too bulky for the laser

[Jeff Belany]

Could I ask a stupid question about sand blasting glasses? I know a lot of people say they would never laser glasses once they start blasting. But, I laser glasses and myself and my customers seem to like them. Here's my question -- when you laser stencils to blast, do you apply the stencil to each glass then vector cut and weed or raster it? It seems to be a lot of extra work to laser it once then take it out and blast it. I have the equipment, except a cabinet, to do the blasting but it's not at my shop, it's out in a garage so it would be a pain to do in the winter up north.

Just curious if I'm missing something. Maybe I just have never seen a high quality blast job. To me, the laser does a pretty good job and the customers seem happy. Maybe ignorance is bliss.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Rodne Gold]

Lasers do a fine job on glass if you tweak things , considering what else they do and if your customers are happy with it , that's perfect ,
They would pay 3x as much or more for a blast. Your mission is to reduce thruput time providing the customer is happy.
However blasting IS a lot nicer and for those selling high end stuff and having customers willing to pay , it is the only way to go.
I do blasting and carving on expensive stuff and lasering on cheap and round stuff - almost never blast glasses as it's a pain in the you-know-what..
At any rate , your laser is a great tool for ablating masks so aids blasting big time.