In short, sandcarving is a method of decorating or personalizing glass, crystal, marble, stone, and the like. Sandcarving, often referred to as "sandblasting" has been used for many decades in the decorative and architectural industries. Stencils for this industry began with designing, tracing, and then hand cutting or machine plotting in order to produce the image being engraved. Photo resist technology was first introduced into the market in the early 1980's. The ability to create stencils photographically instead of manually began to revolutionize the sandcarving industry. Now businesses could create their own sandcarving stencils in just a fraction of the time it used to take. Although photo resist film often costs more than traditional hand cut vinyl and rubber mask materials, the labor and skill involved with hand cutting cannot compare to photographically reproduced images able to hold much finer detail.

How is it Achieved? Sandcarving is achieved by propelling abrasive (usually aluminum oxide) onto a surface (usually glass) under compressed air. Wherever the abrasive contacts its surface, it roughens and subsequently erodes the surface it comes in contact with. When used with a photomask (a.k.a. a photo resist mask or photo resist stencil) sandcarving can quickly and effectively reproduce a wide range of personalization, designs, and logos on numerous surfaces with phenomenal detail.

Industries Utilizing Sandcarved Products: Ad Specialty Trophies & Awards Engravers Signage Monument Stained Glass Glass Blowers Architectural Glass Restoration

Why is Sandcarving so Unique?
In addition to consistency and detail, sandcarving with a photo resist can create simple to complex multi-stage carvings in just minutes. Simply remove different portions of the photo resist one after the other to carve a beautiful, three dimensional effect. Alternatives such as acid etching, hand cutting, engraving tools, diamond cutting, wheel cutting, and laser engraving are either limited in depth, time consuming, expensive, require much skill on the part of the engraver or all of the above. In contrast, with just a minimal investment of time and money, the look and feel of sandcarving offers a much higher perceived value to similar items engraved by these other methods. Becoming increasingly more popular each year, sandcarved glass, crystal, marble, granite gifts, trophies and awards are quickly replacing the demand for wood, metal, and other engraved products.

Industry Facts

Ad specialty items (an advertising or promotional message placed on or with a useful item and given without obligation) reap over $9 billion dollars in profits every year. Of that figure, over $100 million dollars is spent on sandcarved products alone. Conservative industry projections indicate between a 15-20% growth rate for the next several years. That figure is likely to increase significantly as sandcarved products are moved into main stream gift giving arenas.

Where the Money is Being Made...
Approximately 80% of the money spent on carved ad specialty products are for corporate awards - followed closely by the trophy and award industry and the gift market (decorative glass, the wedding market, etc).

Profit Potential:
Depending upon whether you plan to carve low, mid, or high end pieces, your profit potential will vary. Consider the following examples:

LOW END ITEMS: Ceramic Mugs, Barware/Drinkware, River Rock

Product & Labor: $2.65 Wholesale: $6.00 Retail: $12.00 Profit: $3.35 - $9.35

Product & Labor: $5.60 - $9.00 Wholesale: $14 - $16.00 Retail: $16 - $18.00 Profit: $7.00 - $10.00

Product & Labor: $2 - $4.00 Wholesale: $4 - 8.00 Retail: $15.00 Profit: $2.00 - $11.00

MID END ITEMS: Gift Items, Wedding Sets, Trophy & Awards (3/8"T)

Product & Labor: $14 - $20.00 Wholesale: $28 - $40.00 Retail: $50 - $80.00 Profit: $14 - $60.00

Product & Labor: $35.45 Wholesale: $65.00 Retail: $50 - $92.75 Profit: $40 - $60.00

Product & Labor: $22.00 Wholesale: $70.00 Retail: $110.00 Profit: $48 - $88.00

HIGH END ITEMS: Trophy & Awards (3/4"T), Crystal Items, Multi-Stage Carvings

Product & Labor: $37.00 Wholesale: $55.50 Retail: $111.00 Profit: $18.50 - $74.00

Product & Labor: $213.00 Wholesale: $440.00 Retail: $629.00 Profit: $215 - $400.00

Product & Labor: $74.00 Wholesale: $153.00 Retail: $220.00 Profit: $79.50 - $146.00

What is a Photomask?
A photomask (or photo resist) is film-like material used to resist the corroding effects of abrasive as it is blasted onto the item being sandcarved.

Making a Photomask
Technology for making a photomask utilizes UV light, a film or vellum positive, water, and SR3000™ Self-Stick photo resist film. In the past, artwork was created mostly by hand and then photographically reproduced onto a film positive. (1) More common today, artwork is created by computer and then printed onto a film tool through a laser printer or copier.

Both methods work well, the latter usually far more convenient and economical. (2) The design on the film tool (film positive, vellum, or LaserFilm) is then exposed to a photo resist film using a UV light source causing the exposed areas within the design to harden. (3) After exposure, the unexposed areas of the design "develop" or wash away with pressurized water. That is why we say BLACK = BLAST. Whatever is black (or blocking UV light) will wash away and become the open areas within the photo resist for blasting purposes. (4) After the photo resist film is dry, (5,6,7) The developed photo resist is then applied to the item for sandcarving and removed after blasting.

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