Sandblasting & Sandcarving

After a few equipment hitches, we finally have our sandblasting equipment up and running at TurtleCreek Art Glass.

Sandblasting glass is a three-step process. First the glass is completely covered with a protective mask. Then the mask is cut away to create a design in reverse. The blasting takes place within a cabinet that looks very much like an infant incubator. The surface of the glass is blasted, not with sand, but with aluminum oxide or silicone carbide.
The resulting design is a rough, opaque surface that contrasts with the smooth surface of the glass.
Sandblasting can be done on any glass surface from glasses and bottles to windows.
On windows, the judicious choice and placement of a design can give you privacy in one part of your window and a clear view in the other. TurtleCreek Art Glass now has the necessary equipment for sandblasting windows glass up to 24” wide. If your window is bigger we can combine sandblasting with conventional stained glass.

Sandcarving involves blasting deeper into the glass, even to the point of cutting holes. The carving is usually done in several steps so that the design is various depths. We have been making some new sculptural pieces with this technique.