The GlassPasser™ was the first sandblast cabinet designed specifically to meet the needs of the glass etcher. Originally designed by Norm Dobbins in the mid-1980's, it has gone through many stages of development. After Glastar bought Norm's original company in 1989, the GlassPasser™ evolved through a dozen working prototypes with help from Norm and suggestions from many other experienced glass etchers as well.

This mid-range cabinet was specifically developed for glass etchers who wanted to be able to etch glass as small as a coffee mug or as large as a commercial storefront window.

It will appeal to anyone who wants the ability to etch large pieces of glass without investing the time, space and money in constructing a dedicated blast room.

Other cabinets are basically metal boxes made for cleaning paint and rust off small auto parts. They are not meant for glass, because they severely limit the size of the piece that can be blasted. The cost of these cabinets ranges from $600 to $4000, depending on the size. No matter how large a cabinet you purchase, Murphy's law of glass etching says that your next job will probably be for a piece of glass that is too big for it!

Then you are faced with disconnecting the blaster, changing the abrasive, putting on all sorts of expensive and uncomfortable protective gear, and blasting the piece outside (or in a dedicated blast room).

You can avoid all this by using the GlassPasser™. It will save you the time and space necessary to construct a full scale blast room. You also have all the advantages of a regular blasting cabinet.

The exclusive design of the GlassPasser™ provides slots in the sides and top so that pieces much larger than the cabinet can be "passed through". Only the portion of the glass that is within the cabinet at any one time is blasted. It is very simple to open the slots, and slide the glass through, stopping to close the slots and blast a new area as it enters the cabinet.

When the glass is taller than the cabinet, and the lower portion has been blasted, turn it over and slide it through again to finish the other half. In this way, a piece of glass up to 6' (183 cm) X 8' (244 cm) long can be etched.

The GlassPasser™ will give you a competitive edge in the marketplace and pay for itself in a very short time

The one-eyed monster!

Medium duty system with 100 pound pressure blaster and small dust collector.We prefer to use one of the included brushes and one of the optional gloves. This way, you can put small pieces into the cabinet through the brushes and not have to open the door. The other hand is covered by the glove keeps cleaner, because the abrasive doesn't get all over it while you are blasting.

To see other pass-through type cabinets, click here.

The GlassPasser™ has a large interior space plus adjustable slots on both sides and the top. As shown here, this allows glass larger than the cabinet to be etched. It comes with two magnetic base interior lights and brushes for hand access to the interior. (Brushes provide maximum access to the upper and lower areas of large glass.) Gauntlet style gloves with adapters are optional.

Features:

Cabinet style doors:
Front of cabinet virtually opens up - easier to insert large 3D items

Adjustable side and top slots:
Large pieces can be "passed through" - takes 1/8" glass up to 2" thick door

Set of nine rollers:
Move heavy glass sheets through easily

Dual magnetic base lamps:
Brighter working area; adjustable light position and angle for any type etching.

Spring-loaded trap door:
Easy recycling of abrasive into pressure blaster.

Adjustable feet:
Easy leveling and height adjustment

Elongated double-brush arm holes:
Easy access to every inch of the cabinet.

Large glass window viewing area

Optional Accessories:

Dust Collector: Choose either the medium duty 100 CFM dust collector or heavy duty 300 CFM dust collector

Cyclone separator or abrasive reclaimer: The separator is for use with the 100 CFM dust collector and the reclaimer is for use with the 300 CFM. Either will save you a lot of money on abrasive by allowing you to recapture and recycle much more abrasive that would normally be lost to the dust collector. They pay for themselves in a matter of months.

Gloves: Gauntlet-type fixed to an adapter plate, used in place of brushes. Keeps hand and arms from coming in contact with abrasive. Completely eliminates any abrasive leakage that can come through the brushes. You may want to switch from brushes on large jobs to gloves for small pieces. You can even use one of each for special applications.

Convenient Easel: The easel supports glass inside the cabinet while being blasted. It is height adjustable, which allows the glass to be placed at a comfortable level. The easel is lined with plastic to minimize glass scratches and is removable, in order to accommodate the blasting of larger objects.

Production system for etching larger pieces of glass. Shown here with a heavy duty 300 CFM dust collector and a 100 pound pressure blaster with air actuated foot pedal.

How to Order : To order the full system in the Suggested Systems box above without any changes, just click on "Add one to basket" by that product choice below. Then, you can add a second 50 pound box of abrasive, extra nozzles or a second magnetic light individually (as most people do, since you save on shipping over ordering these later). If you want to change some of the suggested components of the system, do not add the system itself to your basket, but scroll down the product list and add each product individually. To see your total, click on the "Basket Contents" button at the top of the page. If you want to delete anything you have added, just click "Remove" in the Basket Contents page. Then you can click your browser's Back button to go back to the systems page and substitute another product.

Important: We will call you to verify your purchase of any full system before placing the order. Systems do not include compressors. We do not sell compressors, but offer compressor selection information on our compressor page.