When to use a High-Tack Sandblast Stencil Rubber?
In the world of sandblasting, the question of tack is everything. Whether you’re someone who likes to apply extra adhesive so you can tailor the tack to the individual project, or you like to stick with the standard self-adheasive already applied to our sandblasting stencil rolls, having the right amount of tack can make or break your project. Too much tack and you’ll be left scraping adhesive residue from the surface, while too little adhesive puts you at risk of having the stencil slip and move during the sandblasting process.
When High-Tack is the Right Move
Upgrading your sandblasting stencil rubber to a high-tack model comes with a lot of benefits, but it’s not always the right move. Every sandblasting project is different, and here at U-Blast we’ve got a lot of experience with rubber liner stencils and adhesives so we can help you make the choice when you’re thinking about upgrading. Here’s a checklist of factors to consider when you’re thinking about making the switch to high-tack sandblast stencil rubber:
Substrate surface – the biggest factor that will affect the level of adhesion that you need for your engraving project is the type of substrate surface that you’ll be sandblasting. Stencils made from thicker rubber have the benefit of being more durable, but you lose some flexibility when you’re working with irregular or textured surfaces. When working with rough stone, you need a high-tack sandblasting stencil to ensure a solid connection across the whole design so you can reduce the possibility of liftups during the blasting process.
Complexity of design – in addition to the type of material that you’re sandblasting, you also need to take into account how complex your design is. Complexity in this case refers to the amount of weeding and cutting you need to do to get the stencil ready, with more complex pieces requiring more cutting. While the overall size of the design will also play a part in your adhesive calculations, more complex designs typically need higher tack levels. This is because the more edges there are, the more failure points exist, and the high tack holds the thinner parts of your design in place to maintain a crisp design.
Length of blasting time – finally, you need to consider how long you’ll be running your sandblasting machine for when you consider the level adhesive you’re looking for. Typically, you’ll be running the machine for longer with tougher types of stone, and for more intricate patterns, and in both these cases, you’ll benefit from upgrading to a high-tack sandblasting stencil rubber. You should also keep an eye out for a thicker stencil liner that will withstand extended exposure to your chosen sandblasting media without showing divots or dips in the overall design.
The Caveat – Post Sandblasting Clean Up Considerations
It seems that for the vast majority of sandblasting projects, you can benefit from a high-tack sandblasting stencil rubber as it will help you keep your design adhered to the target surface for longer while maintaining the integrity of the project. However, the caveat here centers on the material that you’re engraving, as too much tack on delicate substrates such as soft stone, coated metals and glass with finishes can cause removal issues. Therefore, it’s about higher tack where the surface allows it, not max tack everywhere. If you’re not sure, you can always experiment on a sample surface to see what the removal process looks like and how easy it is to clean up the adhesive residues.
Getting Professional Help
As anyone who’s spent more than a little time in sandblasting knows, each project is unique and requires a specialized approach. Part of the unique skill set involved in commercial engraving is to know about adhesive levels, or to have a go-to source of advice. Fortunately, here at U-Blast, our team of sandblasting experts will talk you through our range of high-tack options to help you find the best stencil roll for your next project.
For example, you’ll find great use for our 721 and 723 series which are specifically designed for rough and uneven surfaces with high tack and some of the thickest rubber on the market, while our 732 liner is built for aggressive adhesion combined with high levels of flexibility for curved and corner designs. We’re confident, however, that we have exactly the right kind of sandblasting stencil for your high-tack needs, and our team will help connect you with the right product to get your professional grade results every time.