Many people ask me about “what type of sandblasting equipment is recommended to etch glass,” and it really depends on what your goal is.
I discuss this in the ebook/membership site and occasionally throughout the blog, but I don’t think I have explained it in one, concise, detailed post on this blog. After receiving the recent email below from Joy C., I figure it would be helpful to write it here for everyone.
I used the cream and have been so interested in sand blasting. I bought Armour sand etching just to see how it would do (the cheap way) before buying expensive equipment. I only do this for personal use–What sandblast equipment do u recommend for what I want to do?
You should first know the different types of sandblasting that can be done, pick the type that you want to do and get the correct equipment to do the job. The below are some of the sandblasting types with the equipment that corresponds:
Surface Etching
I lightly etched this wine glass.
This is simple in a similar way to cream etching because it lightly marks the surface of the glass but is a bit more noticeable with a professional looking finish.
- Equipment needed: Any sandblasting equipment, big or small can be used for this, but if you just want to etch the surface, you can just get a small, inexpensive blaster and air compressor. I often call these mini sandblasters as I discussed here. Since etching the surface doesn’t require a lot of power, most people use the inexpensive siphon sandblasters. Here are some suggestions:
- Canned air blaster: Badger kit brand, Armour SandEtch brand,
- Airbrush sandblaster: MasterAirbrush brand, Paasche AirEraser brand
- Siphon blaster: Campbell Hausfeld brand (without container), with container, Unitec brand with gravity-mount hopper
- Siphon blaster with cabinet: 25 gallon cabinet, 60 gallon cabinet
- Any sandblaster!
Surface Shadeblasting
A first successful glass blasting using shading techniques with my homemade mini blaster.
This is similar to the above, except it is more advanced/artistic, requires much more thought, can be time consuming and requires you to subtly etch areas in various shades to create contrast to depict an etched image. The picture on the left is one of the first few that I did to experiment with shadeblasting, but you can also check out this excellent example.
- Equipment: It requires a more specialized sandblaster than any typical blaster used for general surface etching. The sandblaster is typically small, hand held size with a fine tip to control where areas are etched.
- Airbrush sandblaster: MasterAirbrush brand, Paasche AirEraser brand
- Make your own idea: I made a mini blaster here with high powered capabilities that works great!
- Comoco MicroBlaster
- Vaniman Mobile Problast
Sandcarving
One of the first 2-stage sandcarvings of a bluegill fish I did which quickly sparked my interest!
Another advanced sandblasting process that is loved because it etches deep into glass for a very noticeable, elegant look which can be used with techniques known as stage blasting to create three dimensional art in glass.
- Equipment: This requires a pressure pot sandblaster because it provides high pressures required to etch away at the glass, sometimes up to a half inch deep, in a timely manner. This equipment can sometimes be expensive, but if you follow the suggestions in my ebook or get a budget pressure pot as listed below, you can sometimes get a setup near or slightly more than the prices in the above types.
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What do you think of using a Dremel too?
Eric,
do you have a mini sandblasting gun. I have standard equipment, a small sand blast cabinet and a 3hp compressor but i want a smaller more accurate sand blasting gun.
Regards
mike.
Hi Eric
I want to get an engineering shop to make me some nozzle’s .the first attempt was not successful you don’t drawing or something that I can use to get some made up I tried 2mm
I use a Harbor Freight siphon cabinet. I use 180 Aluminum oxide grit. Sample of my two stage glass. I use a Cameo plotter. 3 hp compressor set at 100 for the first pass and then 40 for the fill pass.
Would you recommend the Graphtec FC8600 to cutout sandblast stencils.
i used photo resist sand blasting machine with the help of flim exposurer
y do we use cream for
sorry but y do we use cream for sand blasting
pls let me know sir
@ Eileen, the dremel tool is fun too for rotary engraving and works well!
@Michael.Rhys, I do — I actually made my own and works great as explained above for the shadeblasting. I will actually be offering these on the site soon.
@ Jay, Those cutters are a name brand product and are supposed to be high quality. They are made for cutting sandblast stencils up to 59 mils and I believe have a servo motor which is ideal for this. However, I have never personally used them. You can view these in various sizes on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/1Qx9M8z
@sunil, you don’t have to use the cream if you sandblast, but some people apply it after sandblast the surface to give it a protective finish or like the look combined with sandblasting.
@Jack,
I apologize for the late response. Are you referring to the ceramic or carbide tips that go into a nozzle? Unless you are making these in bulk such as 100+, I think it would be more cost effective to buy them. If you want to make them because no one will ship them to your location, the specs really depend on unit you are using.
If you need to make the whole nozzle to connected to your hose, I have some plans that show how to make these, but can work on writing something for the blog soon. Thanks
i use a dremel for surface etching, but want to do more of a 3D effect. can this be done with a dremel and are there special bits to use for shadowing?
@Deborah, yes there are different bits that people use and vary them up for shading. I don’t rotary engrave as much though.
Hello. Eric what equipment is necessary to make a deep engraving on sea pebbles?
@JURI, you would need a pressure pot blaster.
hey Eric
i am from india N i want to do sand blasting
please help me.
I am from Nigeria, I need a sandblaster machine and pot for all time of glass design.
Do you use 40 lb soda blaster or sand? Please let me know.
Oscar, I use the regular sandblasters.
What blasting materials would you suggest using?
And at what pressures for the “airbrush” style gun and pressure on a bigger gun? I know these can vary and depends on what the look is, I am just looking at a baseline range to start in.
I have the $180 harbor freight blast cabinet with a 26 gallon craftsman air compressor. I etch onto glass mugs. I cut the 651 vinyl on my cameo 3 plotter.
I use aluminum oxide as my blast media…80 grit.
What air pressure should i set my compressor at?
do you used diamond file
to make engraving
also
so you know a good vibrator engraving not rotary type like dremmel but like the polisman use for safety
did you try to engraving bround tempered glass from industry 1\4 door for stero cabinet exemple
is it possible to use creem acid or turning tool on
I want to buy equipment to do sandblasting on glass I dont know what to buy.thinking of starting a little business doing them but lost when it comes to what to use.
Would like to do coaster glasses and tankards to start
Learning my skill from a friend but he isnt too forth coming with info on where he gets stuff.
Can anyone help xxx
Hi is this site still active? I’m a totally new beginner and would love any advice what to buy.
Thank you,
Caroline
Caroline, yes it is. It depends on what type of etching you’d like to get into. The ebook provides a general overview and some suggestions on each type.