About Sandblast Etching.



Here’s how sandblast etching glass works. Using air pressure, a stream of an abrasive medium is directed at the glass panel. The tiny particles of abrasive collide with the surface of the panel and chip off little pieces of glass. In its finished form, the panel looks as it has been etched.



Usually glass panels are sandblasted in an enclosed cabinet, which contains the dust produced in blasting, but also collects the spent abrasive at the bottom of the enclosure. That way the abrasive can be used over and over again, and the dust is expelled from the cabinet by a reclamation system.



In selecting a compressor for your sandblasting equipment, always buy a compressor that exceeds equipment requirements by 25% to 30%. The pressures required to etch glass can vary depending on the type of glass that you are working with. When sandblast etching crystal, which is a softer glass, typical blast pressures range between 20 and 30 psi.