masking material for bead blasting ?

[pso]

I wanted to put a pattern on a blade that I am finishing up now using glass bead blasting. The material is 420 series SS. The local guy with the bead blaster is not sure if masking tape would hold up. Would several layers of masking tape work? I also have some label material (like mailing labels) as well as some really thick clear 3M industrial tape. Has anyone done this successfully?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Phil

 

[Tom Anderson]

Depending on the air pressure and speed you move the gun, two layers of Scotch tape will work fine.

example:

The gold lip pearl was inserted into the scale before it was bead blasted.

If all else fails, experiment on scrap material!

 

[Frontier Forge]

3-m makes and sells a specific mask for this the name is unclear to me. Contact a 3-m dealer in your erea or check online... Also I did some blasting onto a bunch of coalt blue coffee mugs (deep) I used contact paper doubled up,somtimes sold as drawer and shelving liner. Its super bouncy my edges came out crisp. Stick a couple 6'x6' pieces together then cut out your deeried shape,clean part with denatured alchol,acetone leaves a film. Then apply pattern. I blasted using silaca sand worked great. Ceramic may have been a finer texture. I ve used this for etching on beach pebbles too.

 

[Colin KC]

Bouncy is the thing for masking, as glass beads are not vary abrasive (relatively speaking) a rubbery plastic tape should do it. Take a piece of steel down to him with a variety of tapes, see which one holds up best

 

[Bill Siegle]

I have had great results with plain ole duct tape for keeping areas from being blasted.