The Technique Behind Much Of What We Do: Sandblasting

Anyone who has witnessed sandblasting first-hand will know that magical feeling... the moment the piece of stone or glass beneath the screen is transformed from a simple, plain object into a detailed work-of-art with real dimension and value. But simple as the process appears to be, there's a lot more to this technique than first meets the eye. With some engineering processes it's all about numbers and levels, but that's never been the case with monumental sandblasting, which is a separate entity in itself and considered by many to be a kind of art-form. Instead, to create the granite, marble and slate memorials sold online through Pets At Rest, company founder Stuart Gebbie uses a combination of hand-eye-coordination, skill and intuition learned over time... and hundreds of pieces transported up and down the country to many happy people!

For those who are unfamiliar with sandblasting, the basic premise behind the idea, when it first appeared, was to accelerate the natural process of erosion. The first machine was developed in 1870 by a now-infamous Benjamin Tilghman, whose objective was to remove paint and rust from the surface of various materials – something which, up until then, had been a virtually impossible task and a thing of laborious manual effort. Later on, some 34 years following this, sandblasting received a new injection of engineering mastery. Thomas Pangborn was the name of the man who forced sandblasting machinery into its crucial next stage of development. By harnessing the power of compressed air and using a specially developed grinder particle, sandblasting quickly became sleeker, easier to control and a viable solution for etching relief designs into all kinds of surfaces which before had proved impenetrable. Another huge reason for sandblasting was obvious, even in its inception: instead of having to carve lettering, a person could apply the nozzle and compressed air and bore into the surface of the object with an even appearance that would take many hours to carve by hand. Hence, monumental masonry was quick to embrace the technique.

Ever since then, sandblasting has proved enormously successful as a means of turning an otherwise bland piece of stone into a much more interesting object. Additionally, technology has made vast improvements on the technique, with everything from quartz and silicon carbide to walnut shells being used as grinder particles.

Nowadays, sandblasting machinery is more advanced than ever before, but despite the huge leaps in progress which the technique has enjoyed – making machinery more affordable and reducing the risks posed by industrial accidents – it's still a medium which requires a large amount of skill to master. Each and every sandblasted memorial produced by Stuart is a masterpiece on its own. Just have a look at some of these great-looking designs and see for yourself!

Questions & Answers

A selection of our finest pet keepsakes, urns and classic products. Click the image to see them all

We get a lot of questions here at Pets At Rest. While we are happy to answer emails and telephone-calls until we are blue in the face, we also have to get on with creating stunning, cutting-edge memorials, urns and other things! So that's where our questions & answers blog post comes in. Read on to see some answers to some of the most common (and not so common) questions we get asked most weeks:

Do you do anything other than pet memorials? I'm not sure that's for me

A pet memorial isn't for everyone, we know that. Lack of space, issues with drainage and simple personal preference can mean a headstone isn't suitable. For those people we have a whole range of other options -- things like coffins, urns for pet ashes and even pet tributes made out of glass (along with pet stands to raise yours off the floor). Better still, if you haven't got a garden then that doesn't mean you have to feel left-out!

Can I have a photo put onto my memorial? If this is possible, can you tell me: are they good quality?

I want the image to really look like my beloved pet

In the past, we've seen some shocking photographs on pet memorials, so don't worry, this is not something we are a part of! In fact, our photo memorials use the latest technology to create an image that really looks like your pet. The quality is also good, allowing it to last for a long time without fading.

In terms of application, company founder Stuart Gebbie has been creating amazing pet memorials for many years. He studied art & design and also trained under the watchful eye of a master craftsman, so you know that he does it because he loves it -- not just because it's his job. The result is that Stuart understands how important attention-to-detail is when it comes to this kind of thing. With every memorial order that arrives on his desk, he spends the required time to make sure that the photo is as well-crafted as it should be.

I have a suggestion for you -- should I leave a comment on your blog, or should I telephone/email?

By all means feel free to telephone or email. Alternatively, we now have a special feedback area set-up for you, so why not drop by and leave your suggestion, comment or thoughts about how we can better our services? The feedback area serves a dual purpose, of course...if you are wondering what people are saying about the work we have done, then that's the place to go to!

Are the memorials easy to install?

They absolutely are. Just get in touch and we'll explain everything.

I'd like to keep in touch with latest updates, news and special offers...how can I do that?

If you view any one of our social network sites you will see all our updates, news and special offers!

Got an idea for a pet memorial? In that case, we'd love to hear it

We don't want to show-off too much (honest!) but here are a few facts about Pets At Rest:

1: we love what we do, but our business is nothing without suggestions and feedback from you.

2: we've been creating the finest pet memorials for years, but we don't only do memorials. We can also offer you a variety of urns and other ways to remember your beloved pet(s).

3: we're really very proud of our new photo memorial service. A black granite model, complete with intricate image, costs in the region of £65 upwards, depending on size and other things. If you'd like a rustic sandstone pet memorial with image then this is available for just under £96. You can see a range of what we do by clicking here.

4: we love challenges. Have an idea which nobody else has been able to help you with? Then give us a call us on 01638 750 066 or email us and we'll see what we can do to make it happen once and for all!

5: we don't like pets dying any more than anyone else does, but sadly it is a fact of life. What we can do, though, is help you through the process. Our system has been designed with your feelings in mind, and our aim is to create a durable, long-lasting memorial for you which you can look at and feel proud of owning.

6: have you found that another company is doing memorials cheaper? Then you can always come to us and ask us to match it. We can't promise we can always do this -- some photo memorials require more work than others -- but we can promise we will listen to you and consider your point of view.

Have some feedback for us about something you feel we could do better? Then please do feel free to leave it with us at our website www.petsatrest.co.uk