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	Making a cover Mask

A great way to speed up production

Cover Mask for Beer Tankard

Heres a great way to speed up your production on standard products. Making a cover all mask is easy and relatively quick and will save you having to gaff tape the area not to be blasted on the product at hand.

Materials needed
Thin cardboard (we used the support cardboard that comes in the Epson sublimation printing paper box)
Gaff Tape
some thin brass strips (TCD or O'Briens)
Marking pen
Exacto Knife

Begin the project

Cut a piece of cardboard the same height as the tankard stands. It should slightly overlap when wrapped around the tankard.
Wrap the cadboard around the tankard squashing it into shape around the handle. Tape it up temporarily. make sure it is a snug fit but you can slide the whole thing off over the top.
Determine the centre of the face of the tankard and marke with a marker pen.

Remove the mask and layout flat on the bench and mark up a square to be cut out where the resist will be. The square needs to be around 5mm all round smaller than the resist so that an overlap of the resist is created.



	Once you have created the square hole Wrap it around the tankard again applying pressure around the handle. You will notice that the square hole lifts at the edges and the mask does not seal very well. Use some thin strips of Brass along the side of the square hole to strenghten the edge and keep it flat. Simply tape the brass to the cardboard.



	Now cover the entire mask with gaff tape on both sides making sure you wrap around all edges. This strengthens and protects the mask and makes is more plyable.



	You can now wrap the mask around the tankard again and tape it into the correct position.

You notice that around the handle it doesn't want to fit snugly when you apply pressure whilst holding the tankard around the handle. Use some more brass strips around the handle to flatten and strenghten the area.

Your mask is now ready to use

In a large cabinet you can put 10 - 20 tankards in the cabinet to the left side. Pick one up lsip the mask over it and etch it. Then simply slip the mask off, place the tankard to the right of the cabinet and repeat the process with the next one.

Take the time to make up masks for all you standard Tankards, Wine glasses, coffee mugs etc. It'll save you heaps of time in the long run.

Happy Blasting