Sandblasting Issues

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aliceRI
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Sandblasting Issues

Post by aliceRI »

I bought a large air compressor (Husky 60 gallon) for my new (Cyclone 3624) sandblaster. It is all hooked up and I am excited to work with it on my glass. I bought some rayzist for masking an image and I'm finding that it is blasting right off. It is either that I am not putting the masking material on properly or my air compressor's PSI is too strong. I've been reading about PSI for my compressor and other's and I'm just lost, I don't even know how to read it. I'm hoping to solve my issues and either find someone to come over and help me with the compressor or find a solution for my rayzist material adhersion.
Any ideas?
Brad Walker
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Re: Sandblasting Issues

Post by Brad Walker »

You need a regulator, a device that goes in the line between the compressor and the cabinet and controls the psi in the cabinet. It has a gauge that shows the pressure and a dial to set it to the desired psi.

They're pretty easy to find, any decent hardware store should carry them. Just search for "regulator" or "NPT regulator" or "in-line regulator."
Rick Wilton
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Re: Sandblasting Issues

Post by Rick Wilton »

no matter what the pressure your masking should NOT just come off. If the pressure is too high it might blast through the resist or "eat away" at it but the masking should stay put under any pressure. That's not to say it's ideal to blast at really high pressures, or that extremely small details may actually come off but the vast majority of it should stay up. I am not sure which mask you are using or how you are applying it as some are self adhesive and others you need to apply an adhesive.

Check with your supplier and their website (I use a different manufacturers products)
Rick Wilton
Dick
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Re: Sandblasting Issues

Post by Dick »

There is a learning curve for sandblasting and especially rayzist. I have used it a lot. Also depends on what you are blasting, how deep you are carving, how much detail etc. The 3mm is good for frosting and a little carving. 5mm is better for depth. Sandblasting is a function of pressure and grit. Lower pressure for frosting say about 20 pounds, up to about 50 for deep, although by increasing the grit at a lower pressure you can do the same thing. Also with rayzist, the exposure, washout and drying is pretty critical. You wash too long because of under or over exposure and you will always blast it off. Even when you do it right, you must then burnish the mask on the glass very well before you peel off, and make sure and have everything that is not getting blasted is taped off. Also keep the gun at ninety degrees to the mask and about 6" away. Look for a sandblasting, or photo resist blasting class to take..

Dick
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