The Letterville BullBoard: How do I start a sandblasted project?

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Posted by Adrienne Pereira (Member # 1046) on :

OK, I'm having fun with my new plotter, it's going well.
I would like to try my hand at sandblasting.
I have some friends in Idaho I would love to make a sandblasted sign for.
I have a rough sketch of what I want to do.
Can you give me simple steps to starting this?
Adrienne

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Adrienne Morgan
Splash Signs & Rainkatt Studios

"This I have learned....1/16th inch letters are really hard to weed!"
>^,,^<
836 B Southampton rd
#256
Benicia, CA 94510
707-550-4553 (vm)
adrienne@rainkatt.com
www.rainkatt.com

Posted by Tony Potter (Member # 1199) on :

Adrienne,

I haven't done any myself, but there is a good looking step-by-step on the site that is titled 'playing in the sand'. this looks like it has some good info.

...anything else I could add probably wouldn't add much except I CAN give support...

"You GO girl!!! Sandblasting is good skill to have! Just remember, if you do the blasting, WEAR A MASK!!!!!"

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--If you don't care where you are, you ain't lost.

Tony Potter
Blind Mice and Company
Knoxville, TN
(865) 300-1175
www.blindmiceandcompany.com
tonypotter@yahoo.com

I support the ability to hang around here...
www.letterhead.com/supporters

Posted by Vickie (Member # 475) on :

Check out the Step-by-Steps in this website.

Playing In The Sand
A terrific primer on creating sandblasted signs by Jerry Stephens.

Vickie

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Vickie in Florida

Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :

The best advice would be to contact a source to do the blasting for you. You can cut the masking and set the sign up for blasting, but if you are not aware, to inhale the silacate is deadly. If you have all the proper equipment and safety mask, go ahead.
We started doing our own blasting, but found it much better to have people who do it for a living. The best place is where they blast grave stones.
Good luck,
Bill Riedel

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Bill Riedel
Riedel Sign Co., Inc.
Little Ferry, NJ
billsr@riedelsignco.com

Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :

Adrianne, After you have a design, cut a pattern so you can cut the board. Leave plenty of room for borders and you can use a router to soften and decorate the edges. Cut and weed and apply sandblast mask to the wood. Blast. Remove the masking. Sand the raised surfaces. Start priming the areas that get painted. Get a couple coats of enamel on them, then stain the background, follow with finish coats of enamel. Decorate with any pinstripes and color blending, and the pictorial on the raised panel that you leave. There are plenty of sandblasters in your area. John DeBow does alot of it. If you have difficulty, come on over here and I'll blast it for you. The blasting is just a small part of the project!

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The SignShop
Mendocino, California
"Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"

Posted by Linda Silver Eagle (Member # 274) on :

Adrienne,

I just know you're going to do well with this avenue! I know this project is for friends, but in the future, always remember, to:

Get a deposit from the customer! Hahahaha!

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~\ Sign Painters always have 1-Shot left! /~
Linda Silver Eagle #5653
Silver Eagle Graphix Studio in GA, USA
Big on Murals and Tight on Camera Ready
(770) 822-0117

[This message has been edited by Linda Silver Eagle (edited January 04, 2000).]

Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :

Hi Adrienne! First of all I order a cedar or redwood sign blank. They ship directly to you. Then cut the sandblast mask from your computer (If your cutter will do this) Brush on more stencil adhesive goopy stuff...then weed away the excess. Take it to a sandblaster. They can have that mess!! Then pick up your sign.....stain it, or paint... whatever it is the customer wants... I like to push the gold leaf part...just because this looks so awesome. If you get to gold leaf it...sand it, prime, then paint with a few coats of really good oil base enamel. Then brush on the gold size (I like the slow size) Then have fun gold leafing!!!!

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Cheryl Nordby "surf" signs by Cheryl!
"surfsigns"
a hop and skip from Seattle
surfsigns@excite.com

ICQ# 36992184

Posted by Adrienne Pereira (Member # 1046) on :

Thanks guys, I already decided to have this gal in Vallejo do the actual blasting, just didn't know about the mask. The guy at CSS said the mask won't cut on my plotter and anyway it is only sold by the roll and was real expensive. I'de rather take it to a friendly sign shop (Rick purhaps????) and do it under supervision.
Adrienne

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Adrienne Morgan
Splash Signs & Rainkatt Studios

"This I have learned....1/16th inch letters are really hard to weed!"
>^,,^<
836 B Southampton rd
#256
Benicia, CA 94510
707-550-4553 (vm)
adrienne@rainkatt.com
www.rainkatt.com

Posted by Richard Bustamante (Member # 370) on :

Adrienne,
The method of redwood sand carving is really not
that hard. The type of wood to use is "Clear heart"
Kiln dried redwood. The grain is important also.
There is vertical grain and horizontal. Vertical
grain, after sand blasting, leaves the blasted area
with fin like grooves, while horzontal grain leaves
a flat looking "wave" type grain. Horzontal grain
is prone to warping.

The sandblast mask material is rubber with a very
aggresive adheasive on the back. There are a few types,
for plotter cutting, and "Butter Cut" for hand cutting.
The manufacturer is "Continental".

Most redwood sign are of standard sizes like;
2"X12" by how ever long you need it. If you need it
taller, laminate two pieces together using a glue that
is for exterior use only. Dowels may be required.

Step #1 Preperation of the Redwood
-------------------------------------------------------
There is little prep. Sand. Apply the mask. The
application is alot like vinyl, where as, the mask has
a release backing. No transfer tape is needed. Peel
the backing part of the way, and lay it down on one side,
and work your way to the other. Once the entire sign is
covered us a "brayer" or roller to secure the mask to
the wood. Be sure and wrap the rubber mask around the
edges to ensure that they will not be blasted. One thing
I forgot to mention is, before you apply the mask, spray
3M Surer77 adheasive (lightly) on the wood, and let it
dry for a couple minutes, this helps prevent the mask
from lifting when being blasted.

Step #2 Design
-------------------------------------------------------
Designing a redwood sign is done like any other sign,
however, two things are critical here. What do you want
blasted? The lettering, or the background? Most of the
time its the background that is to be blasted. Blasting
the lettering is used for banners, and scrolls. Try to
stay away from small letters, and serifs.
To hand cut redwood signs, create an actual size paper
pattern, and lightly spray`stik it to the rubber mask
*exactally* where you want it, and start cutting. Once the
design is cut, weed up the mask for the area that is to be
sandblasted.

Step #3 Sandblasting
---------------------------------------------------------
Most of us don't have the equipment, or space for
sandblasting. I always take my raw signs to the "Blasters"
to be sandblasted. They usually charge about $2.50 US
per square foot. Be sure that your blasters are farmiler
with blasting redwood signs.

Step #4 Stains & Finishes
---------------------------------------------------------
Do not remove the sandblast mask! The background will need
to be done first. You'll just create more work for yourself
if its removed. Treat the background with stain, or paint.
If it is paint, use a primer first. Once the background is
completed, and dry, remove the mask. Now comes the part
where all routering, and ornimental scrolling is done to the
edges.

Step #5 Lettering
----------------------------------------------------------
After the sign is blasted, your left with raised lettering.
At this point it is very easy to paint the letters. Use a
foam, thin nap roller, primer, and paint the lettering.
If you are going to gold leaf the lettering, prime, and paint
the letters using 134-L Chrome Yellow. This will help hide
any scratches in the future. Touch up any areas that need it.

Thats really all there is to it. You don't have to be a
carpenter to do redwood signs, however, is is helpfull to
have woodworking tools like; sanders, routers, table saw,
scrolling jig saw, and some misc. hand tools.

I hope this helps anyone who wants to start doing redwood
signs. If you should have any questions, please feel free
to e-mail me, or call me at (559)888-2435.

Pricing
-------------------------------------------------------------
$120.US/sq.ft. (painted or stained)
$165.US/sq.ft. (gold leaf)

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Richard Bustamante
12646 E. American Ave.
Del Rey, Ca. 93616
e-mail: signwiz@valleyone.net
www.studio-b.net

Posted by Jessica Woodrow (Member # 1282) on :

I find that it is best to make a full size pattern forehand to make sure everything goes smoothly and you know exactly where all of your lettering and stuff will go on the sign. You can also use this to pounce your pattern onto the mask.
Cut out the shape of your sign and remember to cut it big enough to allow a border or even routering if you wanted to go that route. Put some sanding sealer on it to prevent the wood from chipping when you take off the mask after you've sandblasted.
You could put a coat of primer on the sign also before you put the mask on or even prepaint if you wanted to. It's a little easier to put primer on before it's sandblased. After it's sandblasted it's somewhat easy to accidentally go over the raised part you want painted and get it in the grains of the wood.
Cut out the mask and sandblast using around 80-100 lbs. of air pressure. Use your own judgement on how deep you want to go but if you pegged a couple of peices of wood together, keep in mind how deep the pegs are. Clearheart redwood pine is the best kind of wood to use for a sandblased sign. Good Luck!

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