Small Items / Micro Sandblasting Question

Hello Everyone,

I am looking to do some sandblast engraving on some very small items. Glass Items that are as small as 30mm x 90mm. I am not sure what kind of quality that I will be able to get from photo resist, but all I can do is try different things.

Has anyone ever blasted very small items with very intricate detail via Photo Resist?


I haven't seen many examples on how small items can turn out. My idea is to run multiple shaded images through Corel Draw to set up the image with photograv. Put the image on some Rayzist and blast it.
Is there a need for something like a Swam Blaster, Eco Blaster, or Parablaster for this?

Would a pressure pot be just as ideal for Rayzist on small items?

Also if a pressure pot is ideal, what is a affordable nozzel/gun for silicon carbide or aluminum oxide?

Photo resist should work just fine. By all means use a pressure pot. Your option is siphoning which offers little to no control which you will need for detail on small items. The pressure pot will allow you to regulate the pressure very well. You should buy carbide nozzles and rig some kind of clamp to your hose. Ceramic nozzles are a lot cheaper but won't last as long. The size I use mostly is 3/32 but for really fine work you can go to 1/16. These are quite expensive but last a long time. http://www.rayzist.com/store/Carbide..._Inch_NZ16.php

I also prefer silicon carbide to aluminum oxide. 180 grit should do the job for you.

I got a central pneu cabinet half price and repairing it, got a central pneu 40lb pressure pot w/ Campbell Hausfeld filter for thirty bucks and got a setup for the shop vap to collect dust.

So I am blasting glass the size of a bottle cap "25mm" and plan on very detailed work via Rayzist SR3000 3mil. Very Very Small work. I emailed Rayzist and they said the film will go down to 50 dpi using the Lamp exposure. So it will take awhile to find the sweet spot for creating stencil images that will work and what else that is just too detailed to blast when made that small.

For something that small and a 1/16 nozzle do you guys still recommend 180 grit Silicon Carbide or would I need to go smaller?


Since I am doing very small items I was wanting to just use a hose and foot peddle. Rayzist has them for $140 and you can find them as cheap as forty bucks. You get what you pay for, but whats the investment value in buying an expensive foot peddle? Can anyone tell me what a decent foot peddle is?


Can anyone direct me to a good DIY UV light for this for this or am I better off using the patented Letralite™?

Travis

180 grit should work perfectly. The foot peddle is essentially the "trigger" for the pressure pot and the flow of meduim. I prefer a "trigger" close to the nozzle but I think most people use the foot pedal.

Gary Hair has made his own light table so you might do a search to see what that turns up.

Mike,

When you refer to a light table do you mean a table inside the blasting cabinet to light from below? Or do you mean a table to expose the photo resist material?

Dave

A UV light to expose the resist.

Thanks Mike!!!

Dave

Another option might be to use one of these...

ebaydotcom/bhp/dental-sandblaster

looks like they are focused on working with small pieces, just prep your resist film and have a seat... Looks like a fairly low buy in too...

Where do you recommend getting 180 grit Silicon carbide?

Rayzist only offers the 150 grit and I am hesitant to buy it from some places.