9-25-04 memory stone how to:

[wroughtn_harv]

I realize I'm singing to the choir but for any newbie out there that hasn't done such a project I thought I'd do a little how to.

First one must draw out the TBN fella on the tractor on some eighth inch aluminum plate with a Sharpie. Then a little plasma arc cut and one has a pattern that will last awhile.

The pattern is then clamped to a rock that's wanting really really bad to be a memory stone.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's some of the required equipment.

There's the pressure pot full of sand. And the yellow thing is a fresh air hood to protect the operator's eyes and lungs, both important.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is what a country boy that's just outside of the city uses for a fresh air supply to the hood.

Yup, there's some poor spa with no air bubbles to tickle the bare skin.

Seriously it's recommended that you feed the hood with a five horse compressor set at eighty pounds. But that air is hot and oily.

I use the old spa blower hooked up to a one inch high volume low pressure paint air hose and I get nice cool air that isn't oily.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Voila!

 

[cleatus]

From the other side of that wide spot between. Good job cain't wait to get a bigger motor for my compresser as i've wanted to do that for some time. <font color="black"> </font>

 

[SPIKER]

Nice template, but for the fresh air you can not use a compressor that has oil bath lube. it is toxic and the vapor will usually not smell the best anyhow...

for 20 bucks plus shipping you can buy a small force feed air blower which is designed as replacement blowers for copy machines and other items like that. surplus center had a ton of them and they are even available from grainger, mcmastercarr & MSC supply too.

others have bought a shop vac and used that which works too but is a bit more expensive but comes with hose... these blowers do not put out a bunch of high pressure air only like 1/2 lb of pressure but it has a good volume and will keep the sand/silica dust out of you're mask/hood. they require a bigger hose of say 1.5" or so too, something similar to swimming pool cleaner hose works great. the air blower you suggested would work, just not an AIR COMPRESSOR which has an oil bath, there are screw compressors but i'm sure no one would want to use those and they even still requre carbon filtering according to OSHA.


Mark M /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[TOMDUALLY]

Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to see this stone on the side of a ATV bridge somewhere down there in Texas. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Nice information, learned something but I guess thats what this sites all about. Shareing Knowledge /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[AMP762]

Now if I just had your skill and equipment I could do that /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Henro]

Funny, but for some reason I was thinking today "Would be nice to see how W_Harv is doing that..." /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for posting the answer... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Great job!

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Here's a picture I missed the other day posting this thread.

BTW the normal way this works is one uses blast resist material from 3M or another source. It's a rubber tape. One cuts out what one wants blasted. This is how memorial stone (headstones) is done. It's also how designs is put into glass. The stuff runs a dollar plus a square foot going up in thickness. If you're doing glass you don't need the pressure nor the protection so you can use thinner tape. If you're cutting granite you need thick stuff and some pretty stout grit.

But since I needed to make a ton of these (literally) I figured the aluminum would work best. BTW Tom and Michelle of Pearson Stone donated the rocks. They're here in Wylie and if you're going to buy some rock consider giving them a call. They might not be TBN members but they're still family.

 

[Bigfinn]

Harv, ditto what AMP762 said.

 

[EddieWalker]

Harve,

Thanks for sharing. I was wondering how you'd do that. I'm looking forward to seeing them in person this weekend.

Eddie

 

[BigAl]

Thanks a lot ! My wife saw this and guess what her newest , I mean my newest project is . Geez ! Does anybody know where I can get cute little butterfly designs !!! This is really cutting into my "serious thinking time" that I need for coming up with new custom built attachments for my tractor!
Joking aside , that is very impressive and with Christmas right around the corner ,you have given me some great idea's .
Big Al

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Send the wife to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, or other such crafty places. They have plastic stencils for doing crafty things with paint.

Then go to grantcitytools.com and they have the blast resist in different thicknesses.

Clean the stone, or better yet, buy or beg some scrap counter top granite pieces and clean it. Glue down the blast resist. Lay out the crafty stencil and sharpie down the design.

Use a good sharp exacto knife and trim out what you want blasted. Blast. Peel off the blast resist.

Then enjoy the fruits, ahem, rewards, of good husbandry. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BTW I got the nicest PM from one of our members telling me he had followed this advice and had great success.

He's now indebted to me and there's only one way to repay.

Pass it on.

 

[SPIKER]

Harv:

I forgot to say that we did this back in high school auto body class on car windows. We used plane ole sand on them with the pressure turned down far enough so that sand would come out but not as high as you would for rusty metal. I'm sure stone would take as much air pressure as you could muster! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif we used typical heavy masking tape and put down several layers of tape marked out and blasted it, as glass only needs a very light spray to frost it or heavier longer spray to etch it. though it can take some practice while I was painting cars the other guys were learning detailing that I didn't care for as while I think of my self as a heck of a painter/welder/fabricator, my detaling is well not so good. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif one of the guys in class with me was a pure artist! he could free hand stripes like "Von Dutch" and make it look like it was a reproduction! He drew out some roses and etched them onto his back side glass free hand (both sides were miror images and put his name on the rear glass)
I painted the base coats he stripped & air brushed the rest & finished it... We talked about going into buisness but neither one had any capital I ended up joining Air Force he joined Army. I haven't heard from him since last day of school /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Anyhow the finish you get on glass will change depending on the blasting media, pressure of air and volume of sand as well as speed you move the tip to glass and angle it hits the glass... also note tempered glass CAN be done this way quite well but every now and again one MAY or WILL shatter! so it is best to get a window for the car at a junk yard and try it on that one first... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Marka M /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[txdon]

The final resting spot for one of the stones, by the bridge over a gully in the woods in Lee County Texas.

Thanks Harvey!

 

[Moon]

Good pic. Is that the project bridge yall built awhile back (where W_Harv and others helped)?

Moon of Ohio

 

[bgoodman]

That's the bridge.

pics form blasting more stones yesterday

http://gallery.bg-1.com/12092004