Rowmark's Granites Deluxe

[David James]

Has anybody been using Rowmark's Granites Deluxe products. I talked to tech support at Rowmark and they indicated it was hard to engrave and cut. Has anybody an experience using this product? It looks like a good looking plastic and many people have shown interest in it. I have been shying away from it... I am wondering if my 35 watt is going to be able to engraving and cut the product? Thanks, David.

http://www.rowmark.com/rotary/granites_deluxe/granites_deluxe.asp

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

I was able to cut it on my 45-watt epilog at 20/40/5000. It can be laser engraved, but it took 2-3 passes and there were little "dots" of granite debris that would not laser away.

Using the rotary engraver gave much cleaner results.

[Larry Bratton]

Has anybody been using Rowmark's Granites Deluxe products. I talked to tech support at Rowmark and they indicated it was hard to engrave and cut. Has anybody an experience using this product? It looks like a good looking plastic and many people have shown interest in it. I have been shying away from it... I am wondering if my 35 watt is going to be able to engraving and cut the product? Thanks, David.

http://www.rowmark.com/rotary/granites_deluxe/granites_deluxe.asp
I tried it when it first came out. I didn't have a laser then..and with the rotary it was absolutely AWFUL. I found a piece of it the other day in the storage and I have been meaning to see how it processed with the laser..but my guess is, it hasn't changed.

If you want something that looks like granite, try solid surface in 1/4" (Corian or Hi Macs). It will cut with your laser (assuming you have 40 watts or so) and engraves and fills beautifully. Their are several different ones that look like stone.

[David Lavaneri]

David,

The material has a very thick cap (.038") and would take some doing (multiple passes) in order to break through to the core color.

I use the grey granite/gold as backing plate for an acrylic overlay, in an award plaque I make. I use a parallel cutter in a beveler to make a wide "border cut" which creates a gold border.

It's nice looking material, but I wouldn't say it's a prime substrate for laser engraving at all.

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri