Hi everyone, below is a guest post by a fellow sandcarver named Glen. He was nice enough to show us some examples of positive and negatives made by him and his wife.
The two photos clearly show the amount stone removed in a negative blast design. You need a strong resist that can stick thoroughly to the stone. I am using 3M 507 Buttercut resist and 3M #1 filler. Grit is aluminum oxide #80, pressure is 45-50 lbs. Nozzle size 1/8″. Use even passes like you are frosting a sheet of glass while rotating the stone occasionally 90 degrees.
Thank you Glen! Please, leave him some compliments and comments below. Or just ask him a question. You can find the previous post I made about a simple rock sandcarving and the basic information about working with this topic for both glass and rock. Let us know what you think of his work or if you would like to get exposure to your work, let me know.
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Glen,
Beautiful is the only word that comes to mind after looking at your work
All I can think about now is maybe someday
Very nice, Glen. I had not seen reverse etching like this on stone before. Makes me wish I had the equipment to carve stone.
Sam…
Thanks for sharing Glen (and Eric). I do a lot of woodwork and have done several signs. I am partial to the raised letter (similar to your negative etch) approach, so I enjoyed seeking your approach.
To anyway who wants to play a bit more, consider picking up a variable speed angle grinder and some granite working blades, stones and pads (hook and loop).
The blades can be picked up at Harbor Freight for a few dollars. Granite grinding stones are only about seven dollars (these are good sized stones used to round over and bevel granite). The pads are bit more expensive for a complete set. The ones designed to be used with a trickle of water last longer.
Using the stones and pads, you can dramatically alter the outer surface of your rock etchings.
You could also use the pads to lightly polish etched surfaces for effect.
Wow…how great! New food for thought! Thank you for sharing this piece of stone art. You should be proud….
Rockie
Thanks very much for your comps. Regarding Kelly’s comment on granite fabrication tools, I have played around a little since May fabricating my own polished granite stone. I plan to use them for pet memorials as it isn’t cost effective here to try and sell polished and etched garden stones, I tried.
Glen
Glen
Your reverse etching is amazing. Thank you for sharing it with us!
hi great carving, i wonder what you could crave on next!!!
Thanks again Glen and everyone that left a comment. I appreciate it and Im sure Glen does as well.
@ Diane, it sounds like we need to show some carvings in wood next then! Anyone a pro at wood sandcarving that would like to share?
Thanks everyone.
Vary nice. Really is different from what you usually see in stone. Do you find it hard to paint and keep the colors where you want them
Thanks Roy for complimenting on my wife’s painting. It is not difficult as the areas to paint are raised. It is Lithichrome paint (solvent based) so if there is an oops it is removed easily with solvent. We occasionally use Krylon paint if we can’t get the color we need in Lithichrome. Although the prefered method to apply Lithochrome is an airbrush, she uses artist brushes.
Glen
For sure something to try out sometime
Glen, Wonderful example of what can be done….and it is indeed a lovely piece.
Thanks for esp explaining to us the paints you folks are using. I am very interested in the other comments as well…Thanks to all of you.
Eric, I love the subject matter..and saw some examples of this about 10 years
ago here in Charlotte, NC and have wondered how to learn something about this
ever since. Thank you so much for inquiring if I have lost interest…I have
not..have complications going on. My desk top died and all the
first info you sent is lost..but I have enough when I get to a better point and
can actually begin to do what I have in mind…my first thought was glass etching…but I love the rock things..very exciting. Please keep me on this
very informative site. And I love your having examples with comments like this one. This is fantastic. Thanks.
great work.
You used some terms I am not familiar with. could you take the time to explain it will be a great help.
using 3M 507 Buttercut resist and 3M #1 filler
I know resist but not Buttercut or 3M #1 Filler.
thanks in advance.
I would love to do sand carving ,but I don’t have an compressor so until I can afford one, I can learn as much as I can. Tony.