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DIY Stone Carving Sandblast

Stones with inspirational words carved into the surface adorn flower beds; rocks with a family name or address number cut into the surface are positioned in front yards; pocket-sized stones with motivational phrases etched into the surface sit on desk tops. People have bought these beautifully and cleverly carved stones for encouragement and for art, but these etched rocks can be made at home as well. By using a sandblaster and following a few straightforward steps, you can carve just about any motivational message into stone.

Things You'll Need

Abrasive hose
Adhesive sandblasting stencils
Air compressor
Air hose
Ear protection
Eye protection
Face mask
Nozzle gun
Sand
Sand bag
Sandblasting cabinet
Sandblasting gloves
Siphon sandblaster
Smooth stone
Towel

Instructions

- 1
  Set the siphon sandblaster on a sturdy, flat surface. Prepare the sandblaster by filling the sand bag with sand. Hook up the abrasive hose to the bag, and hook up the nozzle gun to the abrasive hose. Take the air hose from the air compressor and hook it up to the sandblaster.
- 2
  Wipe the stone with a towel to remove dirt, dust or debris from the surface. Place an adhesive sandblasting stencil, which can be bought from a stencil company or site, on the stone where you want the design to be. Smooth out any air bubbles that develop between the stencil and stone.
- 3
  Set the sandblasting cabinet on a flat, sturdy surface. Place the cleaned stone inside of the sandblasting cabinet.
- 4
  Set the sandblaster to shoot sand initially at 70 pound-force per square inch (PSI). Increase the PSI if the stone is not corroding away.
- 5
  Put on the eye and ear protection, the face mask and the sandblasting gloves. Begin sandblasting the stone, carefully staying within the stencil and being sure that you're blasting an even amount from the entire area.
- 6
  Remove the stone from the sandblasting cabinet and inspect it. Once the desired carving is achieved, remove the adhesive stencil. Wipe away sand residue, and then enjoy your stone creation.

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