Blasting mask from hell

[signmeup]

I'm working on an HDU sign with blasted in lettering. The mask The Supplier sent me is a real challenge to say the least. They claim it's made by Anchor but don't know what the type is(wtf?) It is a light tan colour 30" wide with punch holes. OK, so what? Well it also comes with a mylar backing that will not work in a friction feed plotter. Great. I have a friction feed plotter. So I cut off 1/2" of rubber(?) from each side of the sheet but leave the backer. Problem solved. It cuts and weeds quite nicely. Now I try to mask it. I forgot to mention earlier.... it has a white powder all over it presumabley so it won't stick to itself while in the roll. That got all over me, my work table, my plotter...you name it....

Well the premask won't stick to this stuff even though I washed it off as best I could with rapid tac and paper towels. I had to premask it twice to get it to stick. Then I discovered(thankfully by testing in a small spot near the edge) that if you leave it on the panel to be blasted for very long it softens the acrlyic latex paint and said paint comes right off when you pull off the mask. So I applied the mask and did my blasting and immediatley removed the mask while playing a heat gun over it. So now I have one side of the sign done.

Does anyone know of a nice user friendly masking film I can purchase..... preferably in Canada. I can't bear to use this stuff again.

 

[J Hill Designs]

I use that stuff all the time (anchor 117) - with friction feed, just put the rollers on the rubber not the mylar...when its done blasting, I paint then peel right away. I usually double cut it with a 60deg. blade. and yeah. clean with rubbing alcohol prior to masking

 

[signmeup]

I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than use that stuff again. I found just the opposite to what you said about the placement of the wheels. If they are on the rubber it won't feed no way no how. It worked great with the wheels on the mylar edges that I had to cut myself.

 

[J Hill Designs]

hmm. might want to try the anchor light blue (dont know the number sorry)

 

[N2Harpz]

If that is the stuff we used ... it is on a clear backing and ours was rolled backwards. (clear was to the outside and on top when I put it in the plotter.) I hated that stuff.... LOL

We use this mask from Hartco... s425-s We get it from Neon Engineering in Cincinnati

 

[signmeup]

If that is the stuff we used ... it is on a clear backing and ours was rolled backwards. (clear was to the outside and on top when I put it in the plotter.) I hated that stuff.... LOL

Yup....that's how it came. The powder was hidden inside.....waiting to defile everything in its path. What the f is that powder for anyway?

 

[J Hill Designs]

stop it from sticking

 

[signmeup]

hmm. might want to try the anchor light blue (dont know the number sorry)

Has it got powder on it?

 

[signmeup]

stop it from sticking

Works great for that! Why would I want it to not stick is the greater question.

 

[J Hill Designs]

nah to stop the rubber from sticking to the back of the backing...most (if not all; can't remember one that doesn't) sb masks I have seen are treated that way...just gotta clean it...it's a pain, but probably a worse pain would be to have a 10yd roll that couldn't unroll due to sticking to itself...

 

[signmeup]

The only other mask I have used is Hartco 425. It had no powder. I can't get 425 locally anymore. The guy that sold me this stuff said they don't make it anymore.

 

[jfiscus]

You should eb able to call hartco to see if they still make it & then they should be able to point you in the direction of a local distributor that they sell it to. My work is about 1/4 mile from them but we don't use any of their stuff here... I know Proveer sells their stuff in the USA, no idea about Canada.

 

[Fred Weiss]

We used the Anchor for many years. To mask it, clean off the powder with alcohol and use box sealing tape as premask with a slight overlap. It works to hold it together when you transfer it and peels off readily once the rubber is adhered to the substrate.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Could be Anthrax. I'd contact the local authorities, tell them to bring xacto knives and Cipro

 

[signmeup]

It's not anthrax....I'd be dead by now if it was. I bought some more Hartco. No dust on it.

 

[DOGraphics]

tell them to bring xacto knives and cipro

 

[kustomsigns&designs]

I have been using the Hartco 530 HS and it works awesome! No problems with the premask sticking and it has a thick plastic backing that is very difficult for the cutter to cut through. We have gone through 3 30" rolls with no problems.

 

[gabagoo]

Call ND see what they are charging? If it is really expensive let me know, sometimes I can cut a deal with my sales rep