Headstones

[Mike Heidrick]

Anybody laser engraving headstones? Can I CNC one with my router?

We have a great aunt that died in 1994 that did not ever get a headstone and the grandkids are in Georgia and a long ways from here in IL. Was wondering what it would take to get her a headstone made. The temp plaque from 1994 is no longer readable. I am about to go out and make one from some Alum on my router.

Anybody want to trade some cnc work for some laser work?

[Ross Moshinsky]

You need to contact the cemetery first. They have rules on what materials, sizes, shapes, ect ect ect you can use.

[Larry Bratton]

Talk to Keith Outten. He is affliated with the AP Laser and they are a division of SuperNova. They are in Georgia or have a place there and sell tombstone blanks wholesale.

[Mike Heidrick]

I will send Keith a PM. Any other advice or ideas?

I will contact the cemetary but it is pretty old and there is no office onsite or anywhere around it. Its pretty sad.

[Gary Hair]

1. Anybody laser engraving headstones?
2. Can I CNC one with my router?
3. Anybody want to trade some cnc work for some laser work?

1 - yes and no. You can't get any depth with a laser but you can do surface etching to add photos, etc. I do a lot of laser cut sandblast resist though, it's really nice to get the detail that only a laser can give.
2 - yes and no. There are cnc stone cutting routers, but you'll not want to ruin yours by cutting stone. It makes dust that is basically sandpaper, not good for bearings, ways, leadscrews and motors.
3 - Maybe. I cut sandblast mask daily and would be happy to cut some for you. Do you sandblast or do you have someone local who can do it if I provide the mask?

Gary

[Keith Outten]

Mike,

You can machine marble, sandstone and a few other soft stones with your CNC router. There are a number of threads on the ShopBot Forum about machining stone and some very impressive pictures. Granite is not on the list :)
.

[Bill Cunningham]

I do quite a few small headstones, most popular is the 10 x 18 or 9 x 14 both are 2" thick.. Most cemetery rules (in Canada anyway) require Granite. They like 4" stuff, but will accept 2" if it's granite, and bedded properly on crushed stone in the hole excavated for the stone. It must be set flush with the ground surface to allow for grass cutting etc.. To make sure they are installed correctly, many of them will not let you place the stone yourself. They may charge you to embed it in a concrete base. Of course, there is always a fee for this, and it usually ain't all that cheap..