Etched Wine Glasses

[codeman]

Where do people go to etched wine glasses? A quick Google turned up a few results where an image is (more or less) painted on the glass but this won’t stand the test of time. I think I’m looking for etched glasses.
What do you guys recommend?

 

[balatonwine]

One answer/option at another forum post (with the same title -- ergo using some forum search combinations (forum searches are notoriously bad so one must use variations on the theme) of all words in "etched wine glasses" may have found it):

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/etched-wine-glasses.62500/#post-673253

 

[user 36973]

We've bought some from a small, local glass manufacturer in Indianapolis. If you are interested, I can pass on their contact info. I'm sure there are many around the country.

One note of caution to ask the manufacturer is to what minimum feature size their laser system can write to on the glass. Some of the small features on our logo came out a little blurred and I'm not sure if it was a setup/focus problem with their laser or simply a capability issue. We've increased that particular feature size since then for the next batch.

 

[NorCal]

If you can have the image cut out of vinyl, you can DIY. The image is only as good as the stencil. Here is a trial I did using blue tape. The image was bad, frosting good and has held up and the wife appreciated the effort.

 

[Kraffty]

Where are you at? Our company has a number of vendors that do that for us that we sell as Ad Specialties. There are usually minimum amounts but often in the 3 Dozen kind of range. You can expect to pay 5.00 to 8.00 per glass, much less at larger quantities. Not trying to promote myself here but if you go to www.jawcoinc.com, click on "ad specialties" then type in "etched wine glass" you'll get a sense of what's available out there.

quick link: https://jawcoinc.espwebsite.com/Pro...=Home&refPgId=517199598&referrerModule=QKSCHB

Anyone looking for promotional items needs to understand that we're brokers, any promo or ad company local to you can sell those same products at probably the same price.
Our actual cost is about 60% of that listed price and I'm sure I could talk the wife into letting me sell some at our costs for a fellow amateur winemaker. There are also setup charges, shipping costs etc. that I can't do much about. Best of luck. PM me if you'd like any other advice or info.

Mike

 

[Mismost]

I used to do this years ago in a different life! I quickly found sandblasting was healthier faster cheaper if you have the compressor. That hobby quickly morphed into a 3 employee business that quickly drained all the fun out of it. Door panels, shower doors, mirrors, sneeze guards....way too much work!

We got quite good at it....actually doing thick carved glass sculpting...think 3D. I might pick that hobby back up in retirement.

 

[Kraffty]

I also did it has a hobby, mostly as artwork on black glass. Would love to see some pictures.
Mike

 

[Mismost]

I also did it has a hobby, mostly as artwork on black glass. Would love to see some pictures.
Mike

Couple of life times ago....two wives, two divorces, forget how many times I moved! I was a glazier, glass guy, back then...then draftsman, then estimator, then project manager...eleven years in glass. Started out with a Wyndham hotel project we drastically under bid the "art glass" portion of...they wanted etched. I showed them samples of sandblasted, they bought it. Built a rail mounted Aframe rack sandblasting room on my patio and blasted glass every night for 3 months after work. It just kept growing. I had worked for myself before... I like it, but don't like employees. Stashed some cash, sold them the business, and reduced my stress levels!

Very basic process. Started out using Contact paper, razor blades...moved to templates. Craving simply used multiply layers or contact paper...more layers the deeper the cut. It would be so much easier today with the laser graphic cutters or even laser etching.

One of favorite designs was done on the old wire glass and was chickens or chicks...looked like they were in a coop. Another was a mirror with a stylized sunset blasted through the mirror coating, then painted, then the front was sometimes blasted over sunset. Was a great way to use up scrap glass we got for free or very cheap. Also did the stained glass/lead glass trip too. I was pretty artsy fartsy back in the day!

 

[Burton Kent]

Laser etching doesn't have anywhere near the quality of sandblasting. The laser works by fracturing the glass off the piece, so as jgmiller1 said, the details aren't great. Plus sandblasting gives a much nicer, more even frosted finish.

Source: I'm a member of PumpingStationOne.org in Chicago. We're a makerspace that has both a sandblasting cabinet and two laser cutters.