I am looking for some insight on the Sandblasting market. If I could get some thoughts and ideas it would be of great help.
Is the router taking over or is there just a lull in the style due to price and the economy?
Posted by Bob Stephens (Member # 858) on :
Cant speak for the rest of the industry but personally since investing in a router table we havent done much sandblasting at all.
Doesnt make any sense to blast now unless the project requires a textured look.
I dont mind saying I don't miss the mess that goes with blasting either.
Posted by Jean Shimp (Member # 198) on :
It seems to me like the trend is going to a "clean", sharp look. I'm noticing more acrylics, metals and stones being used. I still like the sandblasted wood look but we don't seem to be doing as much of it as we used to.
Posted by Henry Barker (Member # 174) on :
I have contemplated buying a router, and probably will in the future.
I would want a decent router though both in size and quality, and use Artcam's 3D software, so your talking about alot of money each month, and in our business market we would end up cutting acrylic sheet material, and aluminium etc for other shops to maintain a good level of income.
I bought my sandblast equipment from www.clemcoindustries.com a few yaers back, its professional quality equipment not hobby stuff, its all paid for in the barn at home 5 mins from work here on a nearby industrial estate. Just a matter of connecting the diesel compressor and away you go.
Even though we now have an Edge, and do lots of vinyl, I like signs with life in them, not perfectly reproduced by a machine, sandblasting is very much computer aided in design and in cutting resist, but the final finish is controlled by human hands, and that is a big attraction for me.
Its messy and in a modern shop maybe the way forward is to automate, and turn round work as quickly and effectively as possible, that said if I was into 100% automation I'd work in a Volvo factory!
So we'll stick with sandblasting and in the US you have a huge market for good looking signs however they are produced.
