Sandmask:  Why Vinyl? 

Not all Sand Blasting Mask is created equal.  Different brands may look similar and perform the same basic function but the differences may be tremendous. 

Rubber vs. Vinyl.
While most sand blasting stencil is made of non-cured rubber, each series in the Hartco line of SandMask is made of fully cured vinyl.

What is the difference?
While both will protect the surface of a substrate when blasting with sand or another abrasives: Vinyl does not have to be as thick as rubber to have the same resist capability.  The thinner mask allows for more detail and crisper lines.  Environmentally speaking, a comparable rubber mask is approximately 50% thicker and therefore creates 50% more waste.

Our vinyl is fully cured and as a result it will be less likely to distort.  When rubber is stretched it is very difficult for it to return to it original shape.  The curing process gives the vinyl memory, making it much more likely to maintain its shape through the project.

Vinyl has no powdery residue. Because rubber is non-cured it must have powder applied to it from the factory to prevent it from adhering to itself.  This powder accumulates in plotters and the stencil should be cleaned off prior to application to the substrate thus adding the process.  This is not an issue with our vinyl.  No powder needed, powder would be of no benefit.

Cut lines in rubber are very difficult to see.  When Hartco SandMask is cut it produces a very visible white line.  This cut line makes weeding much easier and provides another opportunity to proof a project before sending it to the shop.

These are just a few differences between Vinyl and Rubber.  Although they do the same basic function, the differences are vast.