Graniteguy

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Posts posted by Graniteguy

  1. Posted

    How well is your compressor working with the HF model? How do you feel about the HF cabinet and gun? I'm looking at the HF cabinet and this compressor. I would need to run a 240v line for that compressor. If I can get by with a smaller 120v compressor like this I would prefer to use that instead. Blasting sounds like a lot of fun and possible profit.

    You should be ok with a compressor of that size.  Glass usually doesn't need to be cut deep like stone.  Eventually you'll probably want something a little bigger, but with the HF cabinet and such, your setup should give you plenty of satisfaction.

  2. Posted

    that's what we do around here help each other even when it might have been obvious to someone else. It isn't always obvious to us at the time

    More eyes, more solutions.  We don't all see the same thing at the same time, but together we see everything.  I hope everyone had a super Christmas and New Year.  

     

    Another thing about the Rub n Buff:  Harbor Freight has a nice little flexible shaft unit with a foot pedal speed control.  I've had one for a couple of years now and wouldn't trade it for much of anything (yes, everything has a price) except maybe a name brand version of the same thing.  

     

    JT

    • Like 1

  3. Posted

    Has anyone had any dealings with Graphical Systems USA?

    I've met the owner personally and he's a straight up guy.  He's taken the time to show me how the software works and I will be purchasing the package as soon as Uncle Sam gives me my tax refund.  The on-board tutorials are great and will walk you through just about anything.  Like all powerful software, there is a learning curve.  For me the curve is steep and short, probably because I think like the guys who wrote the program.  But.  If you invest the time to learn, it will pay great dividends.

     

     

    JT

  4. Posted

    Thanks theresat, I picked up a tube at Hobby Lobby last night and tried it out.  I think by the time I was done that I had as much on me as I did the mirror!!!

    I did like the results though.  I wonder, can you "over apply", or rub it too much on application?  On my test piece I really rubbed it in and buffed it immediately and didn't get much color left.  On my good pieces I just rubbed it in first and left it to dry awhile before buffing it.

    Cal

     

    Scott, like your new avatar.  I can relate to it... Have a safe trip

    What little experience I have with rub n buff has not been on blasted glass.  I did put on a good layer, wait awhile, then buff.  It is a very interesting and versatile product.

    • Like 1

  7. Posted

    I do some Blasting but haven't figured out how to add color to glass. here are a couple I've done 

    That looks nice.  You might try a bolder font, but I do like the looks of what you have there.

    I use epoxy paint on the stone I blast.  It's the stuff they use to paint brake calipers for cars.  VHT is the brand.  It heat cures in 20 minutes at 200 degrees F.  If you strip the stencil off when the paint is just dry to the touch, you don't get much flash.  You might also check out some of the glass art sites.  Seems like I saw some dyes and other coloring agents.  

     

    JT

    • Like 1

  8. Posted

    Also, oilless or oil? Since you want dry air I'm assuming oilless would work better for this but it looks like oil compressors are quiter, larger capabilities, and have a longer life span. So if one were to go with an oil compressor will a oil/water inline filter do a good enough job to dry the air?

    Seems like the best compressor for a small cabinet like the HF is one that puts out about 20 cfm at 100 psi.  The one I have now doesn't have that much muscle, so I have to wait for it to catch up.  If you have access to 220 power, its much easier to find a compressor that will do the job.  Even easier if you have 3-phase.  I see used ones for around a grand that would do the job for me.  A lot depends on your system.  A siphon unit uses a lot more air than a pressure pot.  I modified my gun so it only uses around 12 cfm.  Since I'm only doing detail work and not cleaning large items, it works.  Sort of.  I plan to upgrade when the IRS smiles on me.

     

    JT

  9. Posted

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    OK, so it's too cold to stand out there at the sandblaster, so I took some pictures.  I modified the HF cabinet a bit as mentioned in my previous post.  These shots show the mods I made for lighting and air.  I don't know who the old guy is, he just keeps showing up.

  10. Posted

    I am definitely going to be wanting to do some stone so I will look for some Silicon Carbide. Thanks Graniteguy, There are four different tips in the kit. I assume going to be using the largest with the 70-80 grit media? Do you screen your media before re-use? Can you even re-use it when you are cutting stone?

     

    clhyer- In your opinion do I want to grab a hepa rated dust mask or will a typical particle mask work? I have a good shop vac that I will buy a new filter or and hook it to the cabinet. It's winter so I planned to do this in the garage but maybe I better think about braving the cold ad having a little more air movement around me. I don't want to die of silicosis!  Also good tip on the air dryer. I have a pretty good compressor but no air dryer and I can see that would cause issues real quick. I think the HF box comes with a few plastic window protectors but I didn't see any replacement ones for sale in the store. 

    As for the grit, it just recycles.  I don't screen it unless I start having problems with clogs.  That sometimes happens when I'm blasting pieces that I've chipped along the edges.  I usually smooth those down with a wire wheel if the piece is going to be handled.  If it's a garden stone or a wall piece, I don't.  Chunks of stone sometimes come off these rougher edges.

     

    For a mask I use a 3M mask with P100 filters.  You can find that at a welding supply.  It's the same one I use when I weld something.  The mask is comfortable and the filters are easy to breath through and don't clog easily.  My dust removal system consists of an old Kirby vacuum cleaner head with some a hose attached to the output that runs out into the blackberries.  It draws well enough that I get very little if any, dust.

     

    For lighting, I removed the feeble florescent fixture in the light box and cut the top out of the cover.  I attached 3 cheap 150- watt halogen work lights from Lowes.  I removed the cover glasses from the lights to allow some cooling.  The lamps last a lot longer that way.  The lights are powered by an outlet strip I screwed to the back of the light box.

     

    My air compressor is a cheap HF compressor that I will replace when it dies.  My drier is two HF filter/dryer units in series.  That setup works pretty well, although sometimes I get a little moisture.  I just have to remember to drain the collectors every so often when I'm working.  Siphon blasters aren't particularly sensitive to water.  Pressure pots are very sensitive.  

     

    I'll try to get out and take some pictures.  It's super cold here right now (18 deg F), so the blaster sits idle.

     

    JT

  11. Posted

    problem with saying sublimation Dawn is no one outside of the industry has a clue what it is  . . . . . here it is just "Graphics"  if they want more then I explain what we have to offer - one thing I have learned is sometimes less is more.

    Yeah, you can tell when their eyes glaze over that your explanation is more than what was wanted.  However, being the geek that I am, I would like to know what sublimation Dawn is.

     

    JT

  12. Posted

    And the winner is.............................................

     
    Thanks you everyone for your Votes.
    I plan on putting on the normal underneath it.  
    *Sign
    *Banner
    *Vehicle Graphic
    *Decals
     
    Speaking of.......  I have a question.
    If you were describing your company, How do you describe what you can do?
    Do you say Vehicle Graphics, Vehicle Lettering, or Vehicle Advertising?
    Do you just say it's a Sign and graphic's company?
     

    I really like your logo.  As for you describing what you do, develop your "elevator speech".  Say who you are and what you do in 10 to 15 seconds.  Write it down and practice it so you can sell it.  Pick what you want to do and sell that.

     

    "My business is called 'Repurposed Stone'.  I take excess marble and granite from counter top makers and upcycle it into useful items such as pet memorials, garden stones, pavers and home decor."-that's mine.

     

    You're off to a great start with that logo.

     

    JT

     

    JT

     

    JT

  14. Posted

    I am definitely going to be wanting to do some stone so I will look for some Silicon Carbide. Thanks Graniteguy, There are four different tips in the kit. I assume going to be using the largest with the 70-80 grit media? Do you screen your media before re-use? Can you even re-use it when you are cutting stone?

     

    clhyer- In your opinion do I want to grab a hepa rated dust mask or will a typical particle mask work? I have a good shop vac that I will buy a new filter or and hook it to the cabinet. It's winter so I planned to do this in the garage but maybe I better think about braving the cold ad having a little more air movement around me. I don't want to die of silicosis!  Also good tip on the air dryer. I have a pretty good compressor but no air dryer and I can see that would cause issues real quick. I think the HF box comes with a few plastic window protectors but I didn't see any replacement ones for sale in the store. 

     

     

    Wildgoose, I just use a decent quality nuisance mask.  If your vacuum is pulling good there really shouldn't be any (or much) dust around you.  Using it inside shouldn't be a problem either.  Mine is outside, but I lack for space and I am located in Georgia also...  To keep water out of my system I have a "toilet paper" filter about 30-35' from my compressor and drain the compressor after every couple hours of use.  I don't know about stone yet, but as far as reusing the media, I just leave it in the cabinet and add when I need to.  When I was blasting rust and such from car parts outside the cabinet I would sweep it up and pour it through a small screen and reuse.

    Cal

     

     

    I bought the cabinet that has no stand and is just a cabinet to control the dust and media. I bought the small 20lb pressurized blaster to use with the cabinet. The bigger cabinet appeared to be a suction type unit. Being unfamiliar I opted for the one my feeble brain could comprehend the best. (also the cheaper option and a little less permanent) 

     

    I did some more reading tonight and it looks like neither the Alum Oxide or the silicon carbide are considered hazardous by way of silica so that makes me feel better. I think I'll try starting out with a few cheap glass objects to give out for christmas and experiment from there. Hoping the aluminum Oxide will still be able to cut natural river stones and floor tiles so I don't have to mess with different media right off the get go. The sites I read from were unclear. Sounds like it will work but probably take a little more time. Also sounds like as the alum oxide breaks down I can still use the finer product for glass etching and stuff that didn't need the raw cutting power of 70 grit. I'm excited! Love to learn new stuff!

     

     

    Ah freak! More questions! Sorry to keep bugging you guys. So the HF dude didn't know what he was talking about. Why does that surprise me? Anyway, the blast cabinet DID in fact come with a siphon gun and some tips! Whoo hooo! I bought the pressure pot to do the blasting but now I have options. Therein is the problem. Being a total newby what are you guys who know what your doing recommendations on which gun is going to do the best for be. I see the orifice on the siphon gun are HUGE compared to the ones in the pressure pot. The instructions on the siphon gun specifically say NOT to use harsh abrasives like Aluminum Oxide which is what I plan to start with. So my thoughts are to try out the pressure pot first and see how it does then maybe get around to the siphon gun later maybe with some actual sand or something.

     

    Any opinions welcome. I am asking because I still have all night to put the pressure pot together so I will be stewing over this the whole time. I'm anal like that sometimes. kind of excited to have both to tell the truth. 

    The ceramic  nozzles that come with the HF blast cabinet will last a couple of hours.  With silicon carbide, they will last minutes.  You'll need to get a boron carbide nozzle for either the siphon gun or the pressure pot.  Check out Big A's sandblasting supplies.   I use a 1/8" nozzle.  The gun I use now is a Clemco knockoff from BadBoy sandblasters.  I modified the setup to use a foot pedal instead of the trigger gun that came with the HF cab.  I used the trigger gun for a couple of years before I switched, so you can use that to find out what works for you.  When you're doing glass, the blast time is short unless you're carving, so you can do a lot before things start to wear out.  Plenty good to learn with.

     

    Go to a plastics supplier like TAP and get .010" poly carbonate sheet to protect your window.  You can get a 2' x 4' sheet for about 5 bucks.  That will make 4 protectors.  I take my window out and duct tape the sheet all the way around, then put it back in.  It lasts for about 6-7 hours of blasting.  I periodically wipe the inside of the window with a wet paper towel to remove the dust that accumulates.  Lately I've been thinking of getting some more glass windows at the local glass place, then tape up protectors on them to stand by, ready for rapid replacement.

     

    As I said, I'm still using a siphon gun.  I'd like to try the pressure pot, though.  Looking at cut rate that seems possible, it would cut my blast time a huge amount, even with stone.  Check out the Rayzist site, look at the videos.  I just need a better compressor and a drier.  

     

    The great fun in all of this is the experimentation, trying new things, tweeking, fun, fun, fun.  Trading ideas!  

  15. Posted

    Ok so I got the bug thanks to you guys and ran out and got a 20lb Harbor Freight unit and the table top blast cabinet. I bought a 20 lb container of aluminum oxide 80 grit media which was about all they had in stock besides some walnut (and some soda blast which looked like you need to convert over to use)

     

    Is this aluminum oxide 80 grit going to work for most applications or is it too course? I plan to do a mix of mirrors and glass and hopefully some granite and floor tiles. Some river rocks too. I probably won't be able to get this together and try it out until early next week.

    I use 70 grit silicon carbide, but I'm cutting stone.  ALOX is good for glass.  Seems like most glass blasters use finer stuff.  I'm sure some of the more experienced art blasters will weigh in.  The HF benchtop cabinet is a good start.  Have fun, first and foremost.

     

    JT

  16. Posted

    4 bulbs 4 sockets, fuse holder, switch - figured I didn't need a timer for a few seconds

           Wow.  Cheaper than buying the sockets alone, then.  Looks like I'll be ordering one of those things.  Thanks for a super idea.  The other thing I like about the scanner is the weighted lid to hold everything flat.  

           

          If you wanted a larger unit, there are surplus places where you can buy a dead copier.  Standup operation, large work area, storage underneath, maybe even a power supply if you wanted to use UV LEDs instead of florescent bulbs.  

     

    JT

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    ok, ok, I just threw away a copier/scanner today but I can still rescue it. will this work as a light box for weeding. gonna go look at the link above to see about adapting.

     

     

    Sure, all they are really doing with the scanner is making use of the glass box and lid. Although for a lightbox I think you'd prefer an opaque surface. Taping some thin paper to the underside of the glass would do the job.

    Yes!  Go-go-go!  The paper is a great idea.  You could control the intensity by adding or removing sheets of paper.  You can also get some white sheet plastic at a place like TAP plastics.  They'll even cut it for you.  You could use some of that spray-on window frosting, too.  I can tell you that a light box is a great addition to any graphics setup.  I finally got one and it speeds up line drawing from photos about 10 times.  I wish now I'd thought of the flatbed scanner trick.  Great idea.

     

    JT

  18. Posted

    I just tore apart cut up one of these- sockets, fuse holder, switched - everything I needed on that end   http://www.ebay.com/itm/36W-Nail-Art-UV-Lamp-Salon-Gel-Curing-Dryer-110V-220V-4-X-9W-Light-Tube-/151097692106?pt=US_Nail_Care&var=&hash=item232e1fcfca

    How many sockets are in one of those units?  Speaking of tearing things apart.  I think I'll use the timer out of a microwave to run the whole thing.  Most have a control relay to put power on the clystron, so it wouldn't be a big stretch.  I can get a used microwave at Goodwill for about 20 bucks.

  20. Posted

    Geez.  I just looked on ebay.  You can get 5 of those lamps for less than $8.  I can definitely afford this.  Looks like I might be getting into this sooner than I thought.  I do a lot of pet memorials and being able to do halftones would be a big help.  This is certainly cheaper than a laser engraver.

  21. Posted

    great!!  i have a old Lexmark X85 attachicon.gifLexmark X85.jpg  

     scanner printer that i think will work great if i remove all the mechanical and electronic parts 

    Yeah, you can get an old flatbed scanner for 10 bucks or less at Goodwill.  I think I'm gonna go that route when I get around to doing this.  I'm in the process of moving to a new venue with my design station.  Out of the house.  Yeah!

     

    The cabinet plans they had was using one of the OLD flatbeds that are deeper, scavenge the parts out of a Chinese UV nail curing unit off eBay and a mirror from my local glass place - it is harder than you think to find one of the deeper flatbeds that haven't been thrown away by now.  the idea is it is a flat glass and a hold-down already in place for holding the film and print flat.  not as compact as the letralite but much cheaper

    That looks like the best route to me.  I'll be accumulating parts, little by little.

     

    JT

  22. Posted

    Here is a link to Rayzist for the exposure unit that I bought to start doing photo resist.

    http://www.rayzist.com/Equipment/MaskMakingKit_Inkjet.php  I will have to take some pictures of the cabinet that I built. My other cabinet is the larger HF cabinet. For the pressure pots I use the 20lb. on the smaller cabinet and a 40 lb. on the larger cabinet. I will also take pictures of the gun but it is just a smaller version of the one that comes with the pressure pots. I really don't use the siphon gun that often because I don't seem to have as much control for the fine detail because of the larger tips. I mainly just use it for the  over all blasting on larger pieces

    Bob.

    I'm really interested in your cabinet.  As for the gun, like I said in an earlier post, I switched to a Clemco knockoff and a foot pedal valve.  I modified the air jet to accept orifices of different diameters as needed.  Most of the time I blast with a 1/16" air jet and a 1/8" boron carbide nozzle.  I was having control problems too, mostly related to the fact that my compressor couldn't keep up with the old gun because the orifice was too big. The pressure kept fluctuating, changing the rate of cut.  Kind of like trying to bowl with a ball that keeps changing it's weight.  I've been wondering if it would be possible to use a siphon gun with a pressure pot, only applying pressure to the pot when applying pressure to the gun.

    JT

  23. Posted

    a year later and still haven't tried it but made an exposure unit from plans on sandcarvers site for rayzist/ikonics films

    Wow!  That's an old flatbed scanner cabinet, right?  What are the bulbs?  See, I priced the stuff at Rayzist.  It's really high quality equipment, well built.  That being said, I'm retired (code for broke) so I have to build most of what I use.  This looks like the real deal to  me. 

     

    JT

  24. Posted

    rlvied Great work !!! but can you post a picture of your set up?  just to see the work area, and for people like me that will like to give sandblasting a trie will you recomend a HF tool ? thank you.

    I second the motion.  I think we could all learn a thing or two.  Could we see your Rayzist setup too?

     

    JT