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My personal experience has taught me to not even attempt any carve on tempered whatsoever. The properties of the glass itself are WAY too tempermental for carving. Wonderful effects on tempered can be achieved by surface etching with shading techniques. It's always wise to talk the client into safet...

Bert -
The third painting wasn't done by me. It was done by the tall blonde woman in the class - I'll be darned if I can remember her name...
- Nickie

Well said. Sorry that I may have started the onslaught at your expense, 'Twisted Girl'. - N

Good points Tim. Thanks. When we work for an employer, we all need a pat on the back occasionally. Lots of us glass artists are working for the public, who are unwilling to give us a pat on the back (sometimes they do) because they have to impart with some green money to get their homes/businesses l...

Hey twisted girl - I first need to commend you on your bravery for post photos after that thread on 'critisim'. No wonder you're shaking in your boots ! I think you're coming along nicely. Your lines are good, your shapes are good, your color is good (like the contrasts) - I enjoyed viewing the phot...

This question is similar to; "I should have bought a bigger kiln", "I should have built a bigger shop". The usual dilema... Go shopping and check the cfm ratings. The more cfm, the more air 'power'. It really depends on what you'll be doing a lot of. Did you buy a Skat pressure b...

Hey Jim,
Isn't it interesting ? I believe silicon carbide is the only one that has this character. It helps to see your blast pattern as you are moving along.
I have never , ever had a problem with shock with this abrasive.
Glad you're up and blasting !
- Nickie

I've got 2 cabinets with a siphon gun and one pressure pot. The siphon works a bit slower, but I find I have a little more control with the lighter gun. I only use the pressure pot in my sandblasting room on really large pieces. The hose and nozzel on it are large and can get heavy after long usage....

I think your results are amazing ! Thanks for the close-up, absolutely beautiful.

Have you any experience - either of you ? If not, this is a great start. First, always remember your safety garb (respirator first). This sandblasting stuff takes some practice. This is what I do for pressures; An etch will work with 30 or so psi. A deep carve takes around 75-85 psi. You'll adjust t...

My e-mail account provider has been shut down all day due to 'extreme virus activity'. This is a first.

My question is ; Is Aluminum Oxide more 'shocking' than silicon carbide ? I've been using the stuff for years (silicon), never had a shock. I always wear cotton clothes and rubber soles - standing on asphalt. Never have I worn a ground wire.

Don't forget about http://www.sandcarver.com for help too.
I was self taught, it takes lots of glass...

Congrats on your first blasting job ! I would still do one bottle at a time, to 'check ' my work. By experience, a 'hurried' job results in poor product. If the bottles are huge, you'll need to take care to have an even blast on all the surface to be frosted (no shiny spots where you don't want them...

Mike - I would mask them all off, then just blast them one at a time. Don't spend too much time figuring out ways to secure too many at a time (I'm assuming you're using a cabinet ?), breakage might be a problem. The masking takes the most time and effort anyway, don't you think ? Blasting is fast, ...

BRAVO to all of you talented, hard working, sun tanned, brave and hairy glass people !

Lauren- I was was of the fortunate ones to take Bert's painting class in Oregon, but an expert I'm not. As I recall, the blistering may mean your paint is too thick. The paints are 'pigments with ground glass as a flux'. The flux is just that- ground up glass. I tried using too much 'flux' on one pr...

It's gonna be a bust as to which of us gets the calendar first ! - Nickie

I think they are perfect. - Nickie

Ron - You are a fabulous fabricator and artist. Not only that, from the minute I posted my first question here, you were right on it with technical information (and web site addresses). Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us all. Hope you keep on posting your photos & info. - Nickie