Glass Countertop

Video # 18

Airstream Glass Countertop Overlay

The aluminum countertop that Kevin Tetz installed on the 1970 Classic Airstream Overland Yacht Trailer looks great. But it can easily get scratched. So he decides that he should cover it with a glass countertop. Kevin wants to infuse a "Classic Rides" style into the glass cover by etching a design using a blasting media.

Kevin's friend, Randy Russell, created a computer design and copied the Classic Rides logo. From that, a stencil was created. The stencil has a backside that peels away and a positive or negative image. Kevin has the option of etching on the top or the bottom of the glass. He chooses to etch from the bottom of the glass to keep the glass tabletop smooth.

Kevin marks the center axis of the stencil and the center axis of the glass and lines them up. He removes the stencil from the cover completely and lines them up. He uses a spreader to lay out the sticker cleanly. He takes off the protection paper off the top of the etching design carefully. The etching has a lot of small details that can get ruined if you pull off the protection paper too quickly.

Kevin masks the rest of the glass countertop so as to protect it from the sandblast particles that may damage the rest of the glass. He also uses a blast cabinet to do his etching in. He says that you can use any enclosed area similar to the blast cabinet as well. The advantage of using a blast cabinet is that the fine particles of the aluminum oxide work immediately on the etched areas. The resin cabinet traps the media particles, which can be used again.

Once the etching process is completed, he gives the glass top with furniture cleaner. Then, he sets the glass in place on the top of the aluminum countertop. He inserts photos and postcards inside the glass countertop. It gives it a more personal and colorful touch.

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