Tuesday 14 December 2010

Achieving a Matte Finish by Cold Working

Although sandblasting and then firing a piece can achieve a matte finish, there are several other ways to improve the quality of the final finish.

One of these involves the use of manual sanding after sandblasting in order to smooth out uneven spots and achieve a better final finish.

• Start with a 400 mesh diamond hand pad. It shouldn't be necessary to start out with a lower mesh (coarser) pad.

• Alternatively use wet/dry silicon carbide sandpaper. A combination of 400 mesh paper, followed by 600 mesh paper will work well.

• If you're using sandpaper, place a sponge between the paper and your hand for improved comfort and to improve the evenness of the final finish.

• An alternative to hand sanding is to use a electric sander or grinder, but be careful with the pressure you use, as it is possible to grind into the surface with a rapidly spinning surface. You also need to keep the surface wet to avoid heat build-ups.



You can also use a lathe with appropriately shaped wheels to give decorative effects to the object.

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