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Cutting sandblast mask
- Thread starter amy s.
- Start date
I'm not familiar with the 4b, but I'm assuming it is an old plotter? Anyway, I cut the ask with a friction fed plotter, 60 degree blade and it cuts no problem. I will say the mask that I have bought in the last 10 years or so from Hartco is thinner than the mask that dad used to buy. The thinner mask is easier to work with in every aspect, and I haven't had any issues with it, but that is also blasting HDU that goes a little quicker than wood.
BillyBoy86
New Member
i use a friction fed plotter also.
i think i use the thickest hartco material, but a 60 blade and slow speed usually works well.
i don't get super detailed with any of that though, but most of my blasting is done into stone,
amy s.
New Member
Really!! You cut with a friction feed? I have a Graphtec ce5000 so are you saying I can cut sandblast mask with it? I'm thinking I tried it years ago unsuccessfully but maybe I needed a different blade. What do you set the down force at? And where do you get the 60 deg blade? I've never had to buy blades for mine yet. This may be the solution to all my problems. I just assumed I would need the sprocket feed of the Gerber 4b to hold the material and get a good cut. I'm excited!!
James Burke
Being a grandpa is more fun than working
Ok...here goes:
1) We cut sandblast mask 99.9% of the time, and we use a Gerber GS 15 plotter.
2) We mainly use Hartco 310 10 mil thick for our smaller work (with a drag knife) and Anchor 116 (tangential knife) for our large work seen here http://www.jarsa.net.
3) Hartco is PVC based, and is not "rubbery", unless you're using some of their newer monument stencil but that's just PVC with a talc additive to make it supple.
4) In my opinion, the thicker Hartco stencil is not as easy to cut as real rubber...believe me, I've spent dozens of hours doing side by side tests.
5) For true rubber sandblast stencil such as 3M or Anchor, ALWAYS use sprocket fed plotters, or a flat bed cutter, or a laser.
6) Hartco 310 can be easily cut with a friction fed plotter, but I can't say for sure about the thicker Hartco materials.
7) Hartco (no matter what mil or types) has a very limited shelf life. As the PVC continues to age (and outgas), it becomes stiffer and more brittle and it's aqueous-based adhesive begins to get gummy. Every roll is typically date-coded and I send back anything that is over a year old. For some jobs, anything over six months old is pushing it for me.
8) Unless it's glass, always use Hartco on a sealed substrate. Whatever they use in their adhesive leaves behind a very distinct, and obvious halo. On darker-colored bare stone, that halo is sill visible even after a couple of years outdoors...seriously.
JB
1) We cut sandblast mask 99.9% of the time, and we use a Gerber GS 15 plotter.
2) We mainly use Hartco 310 10 mil thick for our smaller work (with a drag knife) and Anchor 116 (tangential knife) for our large work seen here http://www.jarsa.net.
3) Hartco is PVC based, and is not "rubbery", unless you're using some of their newer monument stencil but that's just PVC with a talc additive to make it supple.
4) In my opinion, the thicker Hartco stencil is not as easy to cut as real rubber...believe me, I've spent dozens of hours doing side by side tests.
5) For true rubber sandblast stencil such as 3M or Anchor, ALWAYS use sprocket fed plotters, or a flat bed cutter, or a laser.
6) Hartco 310 can be easily cut with a friction fed plotter, but I can't say for sure about the thicker Hartco materials.
7) Hartco (no matter what mil or types) has a very limited shelf life. As the PVC continues to age (and outgas), it becomes stiffer and more brittle and it's aqueous-based adhesive begins to get gummy. Every roll is typically date-coded and I send back anything that is over a year old. For some jobs, anything over six months old is pushing it for me.
8) Unless it's glass, always use Hartco on a sealed substrate. Whatever they use in their adhesive leaves behind a very distinct, and obvious halo. On darker-colored bare stone, that halo is sill visible even after a couple of years outdoors...seriously.
JB
BillyBoy86
New Member
I set the force at the maximum. I get the 60 from my local supplier. I set the blade depth enough to cut all the way through and slow the speed ALL the way down. Sometimes I double cut the whole thing also. Hope that helps
Bob Thomasson
New Member
Amy, I know this thread is kind of old. Did you try cutting sandblast mask with your CE5000? How did it work out? Thank you, Bob
Proofread People
New Member
How about a "Blast" from the past! I haven't cut rubber blast mask in a while but have cut it on our Graphte FC86000 successfully before. It took me a while to find my sweet spot but now that I have my material cut, I'm looking for a better "transfer" tape so it can be applied to the substrate. In the past we have used 3M Packing tape "moving" style which has worked but, it is a tedious and slow process to separate the backer from the rubber. Does has anyone have a suggestion that's worked well for them?
The other question is, has anyone cut rubber blast mask on a CNC table? (without the rubber applied to the substrate)
Broome Signs
New Member
hi
we had 4b back in the day (1984-1990) old work horses, still have them in storage with 150+ fonts, apple 2e design stations ect.. can't bring myself to chuck them.
any modern plotter will cut sand blast film its all to do with the angel and offset of the cutter would recommend using a 30 degree cutter and slow the feed speed down
for what is worth we run graphic plotters
for real intricate designs we cheat and cut them on a laser (Trotec R500)
hope this helps
we had 4b back in the day (1984-1990) old work horses, still have them in storage with 150+ fonts, apple 2e design stations ect.. can't bring myself to chuck them.
any modern plotter will cut sand blast film its all to do with the angel and offset of the cutter would recommend using a 30 degree cutter and slow the feed speed down
for what is worth we run graphic plotters
for real intricate designs we cheat and cut them on a laser (Trotec R500)
hope this helps
Proofread People
New Member
Ok that's about what I've been doing, wiping it down before and after - it can sure make a mess. What do you use for premask? Ditto on the hand cut borders, fortunately this order didn't call for it but you definitely can tell how the weed box cuts wanders as it move across the platen. I asked the customer if they had ever worked with blast mask, their reply, "nope, first time". I gave them a demonstration on how to apply it but I'd expect I might get a phone call.