How to Etch Plastic Using a Sandblaster
Sandblasting is the art of throwing small grains of blasting material at different craft materials, such as stone or plastic. Etching plastic with a sandblaster requires preparing a simple mold and pattern to the piece of plastic and then sandblasting the pattern around the plastic. Blasting plastic requires a careful application of sandblasting materials as it is softer than stone, wood and other materials.
Things You'll Need
- Safety goggles
- Work gloves
- Rubber stencil
- Plastic
- Tape
- Hand-held sandblaster
- Sandblaster material
- Air compressor
Instructions
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1
Put on your safety goggles and your work gloves before you begin. Place your rubber stencil on the side of your plastic and tape it down to hold it in place. Place the tape so that it faces outward on the stencil and not inward.
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2
Place your abrasive sandblasting materials into the sandblaster container. Plug the air compressor hose into the sandblaster at the correct spot. This will vary depending on the type of sand blaster you have purchased. Check at the top and along the sides.
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3
Take your sandblaster host and point it toward the the plastic surface where you have placed the stencil. Turn on the air compressor and then the sandblaster to start the sandblasting process.
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4
Hold the tip of the hose 5 or 6 inches away from the plastic you are etching. Press the "On" button on the sandblaster hose.
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5
Move the hose along the design in your plastic to etch away the plastic from the design. Move the hose slowly to make you etch the plastic evenly across the surface.
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