• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

Blaster Cabinet: does anyone use these?

threeputt

New Member
We've sandblasted items like champaign glasses, wedding inscriptions onto wine glasses, plaques, that sort of thing.
 

slappy

New Member
Threeputt, plaques like award plaques? Champagne glasses is a good idea! That's what i'm looking for, ideas like that. Thank you:smile:



Mosh, you are like a jack of all trades. Your freaking awesome and admire you so much for it!

I've been contemplating about building my own stuff, like a shelf.... I've been asking for a loooong time for a shelf to neatly store my coro and scraps in here and also at home, I need basement shelves for my totes like christmas and whatever, you think i got one in the almost 10 years of making signs yet or almost 3.5 years later after buying my house, nope.

I'm at the point to either tackle it myself or hire someone to do it for me.
Funny the 2 men i've been asking, dad and/or fiance, can build 3 decks, a pergola and all this other stuff so this is like nothing.... oh well i suppose.

Then they wonder why i'm mad all the time anymore? Probably cause i'm an unorganized virgo and a perfectionist on top of it.:banghead:


lol, sorry. Just wish i could build like the girls on DIY network. (I've been studying)
 

Eric H

New Member
We have a glastar glasspasser cabinet. I'm sure it's more expensive than one of those but it's more versatile with the slot that opens up. We have blasted large signs with ours.
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Btw...you'll need to use a pressure pot blaster in conjunction with the cabinet. A siphon system doesn't have the ability to deep carve anything.


JB
 

slappy

New Member
James that's awesome.

My dad surprised me with the one i attached this morning. I've getting bored with things and wanna try a few new things. I like crafts and wouldn't mind doing come candle holders, mugs and family names or address rocks and see where it goes. I'd really like to have a craft booth at one of the craft fairs for extra money and just a hobby.

I wished my dad wouldn't have sold my grandmothers kiln... could have done a whole bunch of things. Oh well... but just looking to explore some things i could do with it now that i have one.

What kind of paint are you using when you do the rocks and bricks. Mine is just that small red one, nothing big and fancy. Not sure how to use it or what kind of stencil material to use on things... just going to be trial and error i suppose
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
James that's awesome.

My dad surprised me with the one i attached this morning. I've getting bored with things and wanna try a few new things. I like crafts and wouldn't mind doing come candle holders, mugs and family names or address rocks and see where it goes. I'd really like to have a craft booth at one of the craft fairs for extra money and just a hobby.

I wished my dad wouldn't have sold my grandmothers kiln... could have done a whole bunch of things. Oh well... but just looking to explore some things i could do with it now that i have one.

What kind of paint are you using when you do the rocks and bricks. Mine is just that small red one, nothing big and fancy. Not sure how to use it or what kind of stencil material to use on things... just going to be trial and error i suppose

Stencil Material: Hartco 310 and Anchor 116 / 117
Abrasive: 60 grit Aluminum Oxide
Paint: Lithichrome stone paint (HVLP spray gun)

You'll find a wealth of knowledge here: http://www.cuttingedgesandcarving.com

JB
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
not sure what siphon system is?

The siphon system is like what your cabinet has. Basically, it's an air gun that has a venturi tube that picks up sand from the bottom of the cabinet and sprays it out the nozzle.

A pressure pot is a self-contained "tank" that holds the sand under pressure. When the sand is released into the airstream (and then out through the blast nozzle) it achieves warp speed velocity and essentially becomes an effective "cutting" tool.

A siphon blast cabinet is very effective for etching on glass and polished granite. You can even use sign vinyl or paint mask if your abrasive is fine enough (120 grit).

Check out http://www.photobrasive.com for information on photo resist....which is way cool for fine designs. It's very similar to the screen processing method used in screen printing. A dry method of mask preparation is also available.

JB
 

slappy

New Member
Thank you again James. I really appreciate it.

I was looking at what i thought was a blaster cabinet forum earlier and almost joined this till i seen all the avatars had the same theme going on and i figured out where i was

We were planning on running a line from one of our 2 air compressors to it. At least i can do a few things with it.... just will have to wait to do rocks and bricks.
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Thank you again James. I really appreciate it.

I was looking at what i thought was a blaster cabinet forum earlier and almost joined this till i seen all the avatars had the same theme going on and i figured out where i was

We were planning on running a line from one of our 2 air compressors to it. At least i can do a few things with it.... just will have to wait to do rocks and bricks.

I think you'll really be amazed by what you can do with glass and polished granite (dark green and black granite). All it takes is a little practice.

During our company's early beginnings, I stumbled onto a place that made granite countertops and they literally threw away tons of scrap pieces perfect for practicing on and makng things to sell. If you're not careful, you can break a truck axle due to the excitement of getting free stuff.

Before we got our Gerber plotter, we hand cut our stencils or used photo resist. The scrap granite projects (pet memorials) fuled our creativity along with our bank account, and we added more equipment...paying cash as we could afford.

JB
 

slappy

New Member
i found a youtube video on setting it up and about the pressure pot you mentioned.

yeah, definitely excited about using it now and finding things to blast. I think mugs are cool and looking at etsy.com now for inspiration also. Seen a agate stone and a flower pot done there....
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
i found a youtube video on setting it up and about the pressure pot you mentioned.

yeah, definitely excited about using it now and finding things to blast. I think mugs are cool and looking at etsy.com now for inspiration also. Seen a agate stone and a flower pot done there....


Hey, that's cool, I know Jess from the aforementioned forum. He has his own glass etching fourm at his link on the youtube video. He's a master etcher and is most helpful if you have questions.


JB
 

slappy

New Member
you gave me an idea with the granite just now i'll share since i like to shop and got the idea from it....
TJmax(potenial supplier now for blasting materials) sometimes sells granite and slate photo frames, candle holders and other things on occasion, and i've seen those agate stones there and some cool chrome nic nacs and the glass vases.. those might be neat to blast.
 

slappy

New Member
well.. i must go to bed! I got to work in the a.m. and it's almost 2! Thanks for you awesome help James!:U Rock:
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
you gave me an idea with the granite just now i'll share since i like to shop and got the idea from it....
TJmax(potenial supplier now for blasting materials) sometimes sells granite and slate photo frames, candle holders and other things on occasion, and i've seen those agate stones there and some cool chrome nic nacs and the glass vases.. those might be neat to blast.

Cool...the dollar stores also contain a trove of etchable goodies and at great price. Don't forget your local Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift stores...they're also rife with inexpensive things for practicing.

Lowes, Menards and Home Depot also carry ceramic and granite tiles that also make excellent project substrates.

Be careful...it's terribly easy to overload your brain with good ideas. My head was spinning for months when I first got started.

JB
 
Last edited:
Top