Sandblasting and Hxtal

[Rebecca]

Hey, Kevin!  I just read that you can use Hxtal to seal sandblasting so that you don't get dirt and fingerprints that won't go away.

Rebecca

[Kev]

Where did you read that?

[Rebecca]

Sorry, I had to go find it.  As soon as I posted I realized that I didn't remember the specifics.  It was in the HIS Glassworks Newsletter.  Here is what it said:

Sealing the Blast

We know that one of the most annoying things about sandblasting your work is sealing it against fingerprints, dust and water spots. These things can quickly turn your beautiful piece of art into something that looks dirty and dingy.
There are plenty of quick alternatives out there from Armor-All to shower sprays that artists employ to keep their sandblasted surfaces clean for the short term, but those eventually fail or chip off and then you get a call from either the gallery or the collector complaining. Those are not the calls you want to get especially when there are other options out there.
You can use products like Vari-Etch to acid etch your sandblast surfaces and eat away those tiny cracks and fissures that hold onto oils and dust and water successfully preventing your sandblast surfaces from holding any of those contaminants. You can also use sealants like Liquid Lust'er from Curt Brock to permanently seal those sandblasted areas. Quick and easy to use, it can create a luster or gloss surface on your sandblasted areas depending on the coats you apply. If you have some HXTAL around your shop, you can mix your HXTAL 50-50 with acetone to create a water clear, permanent clear coat for your sandblasted pieces. You put all your effort into your pieces when creating them, don't let them fall down in quality when they leave your door.

Rebecca

[Kev]

Awesome tidbits of info Rebecca..Thanks! I have seen what fingerprints do on a sandblasted piece.

[Rebecca]

When I saw it, I thought of you.  HIS Glassworks has a lot of interesting things for sale.
http://www.hisglassworks.com/


Rebecca

[Kev]

I've been there before, but worth checking out again. I bookmarked it. Thanks, that was thoughtful of you and appreciated.

Kev

[PiscesGlass]

I'm wondering, if that would also be something that would be applicable to "etched" items, or where they aren't as large as a sandblasted area would it be overkill.

Wonderful information Rebecca!

De

[Kev]

It's certainly not cheap stuff, and the fact that you have to weigh it to mix it accurately, is kind of a pain also. Nice to have options though.

[Wayne]

It's certainly not cheap stuff, and the fact that you have to weigh it to mix it accurately, is kind of a pain also. Nice to have options though.

You are right.  It is super expensive but is in a class by itself.  When one has to glue two pieces of antique glass together for a restoration, it is the best.  They have been in business a long time and when I met them, they were glass blowers and such.  I think the need for the best adhesives came about from their art glass business.  I used to sell their paper weights in the store.

I found an old picture of their stuff:

[Rebecca]

I bought some scales from ebay.  One order or Hxtal (two bottles that mix as you need it) lasts for a LONG time because you only use a tiny bit of it to fix a few cracks.  I mix it in a plastic "dosage" cup.  (What do you call those little cups that they bring you pills in when you are in the hospital?)  And I don't usually mix enough to cover the bottom of the cup.  Just a few drops of each component.

Rebecca