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 &amp; 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 [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[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. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
Nice information, learned something but I guess thats what this sites all about. Shareing Knowledge [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[AMP762]

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

[Henro]

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

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

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.