Winter is here and with it the cold weather. What does this mean for glass decorators? What to watch out for? That's what we look at in this article.

Let's divide the article into a "Glass paints" chapter and a "Sandblasting glass" chapter.

Risk of freezing

• No paint should freeze. Water-based paints are most susceptible to this. Although we use various thermo-packaging (polystyrene boxes, thermo-pallet covers, etc.) during winter shipping, it is better to avoid this in extremely low temperatures. Therefore, consider increasing stock levels during the winter period.
• Store in places where there is no risk of freezing

Risk of viscosity changes

• In cold environments, the viscosity of paints changes. If you are storing paint in a room with a lower temperature than your production area, always move the paint to production well in advance so that the temperature equilibrates. Only then, if necessary, fine-tune the paint according to your needs and application (spraying, screen printing, rollercoater, etc.).
• If you have a different temperature in production in cold weather and a different temperature in hot weather (e.g. summer), be aware that the viscosity will vary. Therefore, be thorough in your output inspection. The shade of the paint is also affected by the paint layer. If you have to thin the paint more in lower temperatures /(the paint is thicker), then after drying/burning the paint will be layer of paint is lower, but not in warm weather production, when the paint is thinner due to the higher temperature and you don't have to apply as much (or more). thinning.

Risk of reduced glass adhesion

• We have already discussed the importance of acclimatising to the production temperature of the paint. But the same is important for decorated items, which are often stored in unheated halls. If they are transported to the production area where the temperature will be higher, there is a risk of dew. Therefore, also let the decorated objects be tempered to the temperature in the decorating workshop. If you use flame firing as a pre-treatment for the glass, you will find it easier and quicker.

Temper the templates to room temperature

• If you store the stencils in a cold environment, ... so you better store them at room temperature :-) Cold stencils are not as flexible (application to complex shapes is more difficult) and not as sticky.
• If your stencils have just been delivered by courier, give them time to cure. It is very likely that the stencils were exposed to cold temperatures during transit.

Low relative humidity

• The adhesive used on UV photosensitive sandblasting stencils reduces its stickiness when the air is too dry. And it is in winter that the relative humidity is lower than, for example, in summer. Increasing the relative humidity throughout the room where you are applying the stencils will help. Or you can humidify locally just the stencils themselves. For example, with steam generators see video .... When applying a single template, you can get by with your own breath.
• Where the low relative humidity helps is in the looseness of the abrasive material in the sandblaster. If the abrasive is not wet, it is easier to sand with it. You may find that you are changing a mixer setting that has been set for a more humid period.

Risk of reduced glass adhesion

• If you have also read the chapter on paint, you already know that it is important to acclimatise decorated items before you start decorating. Often they are stored in unheated halls. When transported to the factory where the temperature will be higher, there is a risk of dewetting. Sand stencils would not adhere sufficiently to the product.
  

Hopefully the article will help you manage your work better. And if we've forgotten something, drop us a line.

Article written by:
David Batla
Owner of GDS Technology s.r.o.