Welcome to The Hand Lettering Forum!
This is an interactive Bulletin Board on the topics of Sign making, design, fabrication, History, old Books and of coarse Letterheads, Keepers of the craft. The Hand Lettering Forum features links to resources, sign art history, techniques, and artists profiles. Learn more about Letterheads at https://theletterheads.com. Below you'll see Mchat has been added as a live communication portal for trial, and the Main forum Links are listed below.

Etching Update

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

Post Reply
Raymond Chapman
Posts: 345
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:50 pm
Location: Temple. Texas

Etching Update

Post by Raymond Chapman »

Awhile back I posted a question about etching tempered glass. As usual, y'all (Texas term) came through with great advice.

The panels were completed yesterday and delivered. When the customer installs them in the doors I will take pictures and share them here.

The panels were 25" x 52" - 3/8" beveled tempered glass.

In preparation for the actual job we experimented with some sample pieces. The idea was to do some shallow carving for a bull's head that was in each panel. Everything went fine for awhile and then the glass exploded. So much for carving. The final result was just frosted with aluminum oxide at about 25 psi.

Danny suggested Gerbermask II and it worked great. Was easy to cut on the computer without having to change the settings to sandblast mask and it came up without leaving any residue. Also, it never came close to breaking down. We also did some carving in regular glass (1/4") and the Gerbermask held up great. It also changes color to a sepia brown as you blast so it is easy to see if some spot is missed.

Since our small blast cabinet wouldn't hold that large of a piece, we built a wood box about 3' x 6'. What started out to be very simple ended up with lights, exhaust vent with a vacuum, and some other bells and whistles. Building stuff is just too much fun.

Thanks to all for the advice. It was nerve racking working with $800 worth of glass but it finished and now we can breathe easier. Note: I know that $800 may not be that much to you big boys, but to us it's the most expensive glass we ever worked on.

Now I have to go coat out some MDO.
Danny Baronian
Site Admin
Posts: 638
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 2:16 am
Contact:

Post by Danny Baronian »

Hey Raymond,

Where are the photos? .... of the pile of glass, and the finished product.

Danny
Danny Baronian
Baronian Mfg.
CNC Routing & Fabrication
http://www.baronian.com
Raymond Chapman
Posts: 345
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:50 pm
Location: Temple. Texas

Photos coming

Post by Raymond Chapman »

I didn't take any photos of the process and I'm waiting for the customer to install the glass in the doors to get a finished shot. Whenever he does that I'll pass along some snapshots. Probably rather simple to most of you, but we were very proud of our accomplishment.

No photo of the pile of glass. It looked like.....well, a pile of glass.

Since this job we have bid on two more - one for our local Hilton Hotel and another for a new business that just needs some privacy etching in the doors and side lights.

The Hilton job as one piece of glass that is 6' x 13' - now, won't that be fun? Total of 10 pieces of glass.

One unusual thing about our profession is that it is so varied. The problem is trying to become good in everything....not enough time.
alan johnson
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 6:57 pm
Location: blairstown,N.J.
Contact:

Post by alan johnson »

Ray, and as soon as we get the hang of these skills, we can't see what we're doing. But what a great job we have doing creative and diverse work, and sometimes we even get paid! :lol:
"Maintain"
Post Reply