How to Choose a Shot Blasting Mask that Won’t Fail Mid-Job

Imagine you’re living every sandblaster’s worst nightmare. You’re halfway through an intricate shot blasting project when your shot blasting mask fails. Whether it’s a poor quality stencil that rips under the intense pressure, or a mask that loses its grip on the base surface, your project is ruined and you’re left trying to explain to your client that their memorial  might take a little longer than expected. Not only that, but you have to work out whether to pass on the added costs of additional labor and resources to your now disgruntled client or to eat the costs, taking away from your profits.

Solutions from Experts

Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid this nightmare situation by choosing a shot blasting mask that won’t fail mid-job. Talking with the sandblasting experts at U-Blast will give you the confidence that your new stencils will do the job. Here are some key factors we consider  to make sure your shot blasting masks will go through any project with you.

Get the Right Material Strength

Not all masking films are created equal, so the first thing you need to discuss with our sandblasting experts is the abrasion resistance ratings and thickness specs of our stencils to make sure you’ve got the right one for your project. The main source of a shot blasting mask failing is when the material wasn’t designed to withstand the sustained abrasion. This can be because you’re using the wrong thickness for your project, or you’re using poor quality stencils. In either case, we’ll help you get the right material strength to give you professional quality finishes every time.

Check the Adhesive Quality

The most common way that a shot blasting mask fails mid-job is by slipping. This happens more frequently on smooth surfaces like glass and granite, or on curved projects where the stencil gets slightly stretched. The cause of the slippage is often poor quality rubber that doesn’t stick to the adhesive well, and you’re left with the choice of cutting a fresh mask or applying more adhesive which will need more cleanup at the end of the project. Fortunately, our adhesive experts will talk you through the product specs and show examples of how each of our stencils stands up under high abrasion.

Easy Cutting and Weeding

Another way that shot blasting masks cause poor quality results happens even before the sandblaster is turned on. Sandblasting stencils that are made from poor quality rubber or vinyl will be harder to cut accurately, and there’s a high chance that there will be small blemishes because the material won’t cut cleanly. Similarly, you need a strong and durable stencil for accurate weeding and picking, especially if you deal with small and intricate designs. We’ll help you find the right shot blasting mask that will give you crisp and clean designs every time, whether you need something like our 732 liner for signage work, or our thicker 721 series that works under pressure from the strongest steel shot. Over 10+ years, we’ve worked closely with our customers, listening to any and all feedback. From this feedback, we’ve designed our latest UB1 and UB2 stencil series to address the need for minimal stencil shift regardless of temperature, while remaining strength and flexibility where it’s needed most.

Work with the Right Supplier

To avoid the nightmare of failed stencils, you need to navigate the marketplace of shot blasting mask suppliers. As with all parts of your supply chain, great partners make all the difference.  At U-Blast, we believe in being transparent in our dealings with you to help you get the best product for your project requirements and sandblasting stencil budget.

What Does Transparency Mean for Us?

Between the members of our team, we have decades of experience in the construction and sandblasting fields. What this means is that we know our stuff when it comes to stencils and adhesives, so we always want to be transparent with how well each of our products will fit your needs. Transparency is also our watchword when it comes to working with you. We’re never going to lowball you with one price, then tack on hidden fees for freight and customization. What we quote is what you’ll pay, and you can trust us to be transparent when things go wrong.

The world of sandblasting can become a nightmare, but connecting with U-Blast means you have a partner in your corner. The U-Blast team gives you access to high quality shot blasting masks that won’t fail mid-job so you can continue to create inspirational designs with a transparent and authentic supply team at your back.