Need a quick and easy paint to use for sandcarved items? So did we! When Rayzist Photomask introduced colored paint into our trade show demonstrations and sandcarving workshops in 2007, the paint had to dry quickly, be easy to use, and feature the durability of enamel paints. We tested and experimented with different paints—and then we came across a graffiti mural artist paint called Belton Molotow.

Subsurface laser engraving (SSLE) has been available for many years, and the process has evolved from a primitive and difficult technology requiring substantial equipment and support into a highly refined yet simple process yielding truly beautiful engraving results that aren’t available with any other technology. Advances developed in Germany have made SSLE systems reliable and straightforward to use. Some of the systems now available are virtually maintenance free.

For retailers looking to diversify their product lines, now is the time to consider personalizing products that hover just outside the traditional boundaries of the awards and recognition market. Sandblasting, commonly known as sandcarving, is an easy-to-learn, creative, and profitable way to tap into new and burgeoning markets, including personalization and gifts, memorialization, and architectural design, say several industry experts.

Glass and crystal are thought of first as materials appropriate for sandblasting, but almost any hard material is suitable.

Do not be intimidated by sandblasting! Most people who are not involved in the awards and recognition industry think of sandblasting as an industrial process.

Sandcarving is a great method for engraving products. Many businesses, including ARA member companies, use sandcarving in large and small production settings. Business owners or production managers usually have their preferences when it comes to abrasive and grit size. There are two abrasives commonly used for sandcarving: silicon carbide and aluminum oxide. Both are available in a range of grit sizes.