Abrasives for glass etching, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide

Silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, abrasive media used to sandblast etch, carve on glass and stone. These grits are recyclable, etch fast, and last longer. Blast etching with abrasives you can recycle saves time and money.

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	Art on Glass, Inc. Abrasives For Etching Glass & Stone Silicon Carbide & Aluminum Oxide

About abrasives: Sandblast etching on glass is accomplished by changing the surface of the glass creating rough obscure areas in contrast with smooth clear areas. In order to roughen (etch) the surface, you must direct a stream of media mixed with air under high pressure at the glass. The media, which is referred to as abrasive in our industry, will chip very small particles of glass out of the surface resulting in what is called an etch. The most commonly used abrasives are silica sand, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide. As you can see from the abrasive comparison table below, the initially more expensive oxide and carbide abrasives are much more economical to use because they can be recycled many times and also save labor dollars due to the fact that they cut so much faster. Because of the price of these abrasives, they must be used in a well-sealed blast room or cabinet. If you don't have this type of equipment, you probably should consider buying it. The money you save using better quality abrasives will pay for the equipment over a period of time and allow you to use a faster cutting and safer product at the same time. If you are blasting outdoors and are unable to recycle, silica sand will be your only choice.

The size of abrasive is specified in a grit number. The smaller the particle, the higher the number will be. A larger grit size (100 grit) will cut faster and will yield a more course look. Conversely, a smaller grit size (180 grit) will cut slower and the give a smoother finish. The most common grit sizes for blasting on shower doors, mirrors, or architectural glass is between 100 and 180 grit.

Silica Sand is one of the most economical abrasives, but is very slow cutting and can only be recycled one or two times. Sand is typically sold in grit sizes of course, medium, and fine. Even the fine grit sand contains particles ranging between 70 and 140 grit. The larger particles in this grit size can penetrate the thinner resist materials and ruin an etch job. A serious drawback to using silica sand is that it contains free silica that is considered a hazardous material because it causes silicosis, a form of lung cancer.

Aluminum Oxide is the most widely used abrasive. It does not contain any free silica and is therefore safer to use than sand. The grit size is consistent; it cuts much faster than sand, and can be recycled many times. The only drawback to using Aluminum Oxide is while blasting the oxide generates static electricity which causes dust to stick to the back of the glass making it very hard to see what you are doing, especially when using back lighting. Also, the person blasting can also experience mild electrical shocks because of the static electricity that is generated.

Silicon Carbide is commonly referred to as the Cadillac of abrasives. It is the fastest cutting and the longest lasting abrasive without any of the drawbacks of aluminum oxide or silica sand. Unlike sand and aluminum oxide, silicone carbide doesn't dull while blasting, instead the carbide particles chip, exposing sharp new edges. Another benefit is the flashlight effect, which is the sparks created when the carbide strikes the glass, allowing you to see what is happening. This is very useful when deep carving on glass. PRICES

Notes: All abrasives shipped to the eastern and central United States are shipped FOB Michigan in 50 lb. cardboard boxes via UPS.
All abrasives shipped to the western part of the United States are shipped FOB California in 55 lb. cardboard boxes via UPS.
It is important to prevent moisture from getting into abrasives during storage. Always store abrasives in a sealed container, in a dry area, and not directly on a concrete floor. If moisture gets into the abrasives it will cause clogging in your blast system. Aluminum Oxide shipped from the Michigan warehouse in 50 lb. quantities can be packaged in plastic pails for an additional charge.



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