Sandblaster Hobby Process

Sandblaster Hobby Process

Written by Eric R. W.

A lot of people have been asking me on my sandblaster website about sandblasting and sandblasters how to engrave ceramic mugs so I thought this might be interesting to share it here as well. I think this is an amazing process and very fun to do so I hope you enjoy it. I’ll list the basic steps for using a sandblaster to engrave a personalized mug below. You can also see the finished product above. These make great gifts by the way.

To sandblast or engrave into the ceramic mug, you will first need to draw up a pattern and include any written words that you would like to give it a personalized touch.

Once you think of a creative pattern or draw the pattern out, you can start getting ready by sticking a sheet of vinyl stencil onto the area of the mug that needs to be engraved. You can use a sandblasting stencil or contact paper found at home goods type stores. Then you would trace the pattern into the stencil and cut out the remaining pieces that need to be engraved. Cover up surrounding areas with masking tape to prevent unintentional sandblasting.

Third, use a sandblaster and spray over the stencil until the abrasive eats away the surface. The ceramic mug has a color layer with a white inside so when you sandblast the outer layer, the engraving will stick out in white. Its very cool appeal when finished.

For the final step, all you have to do is clean off any debris and peel off the stencil. I typically dip the stencil in warm water and use a razor blade as shown above because it comes off easier. That’s all there is too it. If you have more questions about this process, you can visit my other site about this practice as well called sandcarving.