Engraved Granite headstones

[Joe Hillmann]

In the last couple of months I have somehow managed to get quite a few customers coming in wanting funeral related items engraved. Yesterday I had a guy come in wanting a head stone made from a piece of black granite. It engraves very nice but my concern is will the image last for a hundred years? I did a quick search and see lots of companies offer laser engraved black granite headstones but none of them mention how long the image will stay sharp. On the one that I did I told them I wouldn't do a photograph on it because I felt that it might fade whereas I was less concerned about the lettering or vector art fading because even if it looses a little bit of sharpness it will still be perfectly readable.

So does any one have any experience on how photographs in granite stand up to weather for any length of time? (I realize that at most laser engraved headstones have been on the market for less then 15 years so there LONG term ability to withstand weathering is unknown)


Edit: also should I put some type of sealer on the granite after I do the engraving?

[Chuck Stone]

purely a guess on my part.. but headstones are generally polished granite,
correct? Once you engrave through that, you get the lighter color and contrast.
(from the rough stone showing through)

I think the only way you'd lose the contrast is if time eroded the engraved parts
of the stone back to a high polish. (not likely) I don't think depth would really
make a difference on granite.. it's either polished or not.
I'd go for it..

[Joe Hillmann]

purely a guess on my part.. but headstones are generally polished granite,
correct? Once you engrave through that, you get the lighter color and contrast.
(from the rough stone showing through)

I think the only way you'd lose the contrast is if time eroded the engraved parts
of the stone back to a high polish. (not likely) I don't think depth would really
make a difference on granite.. it's either polished or not.
I'd go for it..

That is kind of my thought, also I am concerned that in some locations acid rain might cause the polished surface to become pitted which would cause the engraved area to blend into the stone. I think I should go to a cemetery and see how the polish on granite stands up over time.

I am actually trying to come up with a low cost headstone using sink cutouts from absolute black counter tops. I think I can do a 21"x24" headstone meant to be flush mounted for about $150 as compaired to $600 for a similar one made by a local monument company. But how long the engraving lasts and how much absolute black scrap I can get are the two main concerns I have at the moment.

[Ross Moshinsky]

You need to contact the cemetery. They have rules and guidelines which you must follow.

As for the application, you really want to get a deep etch if you want it to last. This typically means sandblasting but I'm sure you could get the necessary depth with a laser if you use enough power and run several passes. Any photos I'd want to do as an applied piece. That way if/when they fade, they can be replaced.

[Martin Boekers]

You may want to check with Laserscketch as they have larger sizes reasonably priced.
The kicker is shipping. :(

[Larry Bratton]

When you start trying to do monuments for public and private cemetaries, your going to find out real quick that there is a lot of politics involved. The rules are sometimes slanted toward the local monument makers. I have been doing some work for a monument maker that owns his own laser and also owns 7 cemetaries, so you can kinda get the picture from that.
He purchases the granite for his markers from Elberton, Ga., the ones for etching are black granite. He also does sandblasting and I suppose uses the grey granite from that area. To fill his etching on the black granite with the laser he uses screen printers white ink made by Plastisol and others. That ink is designed to stand up under many many washes and logically will work outside.

[Joe Hillmann]

When you start trying to do monuments for public and private cemetaries, your going to find out real quick that there is a lot of politics involved. The rules are sometimes slanted toward the local monument makers. I have been doing some work for a monument maker that owns his own laser and also owns 7 cemetaries, so you can kinda get the picture from that.
He purchases the granite for his markers from Elberton, Ga., the ones for etching are black granite. He also does sandblasting and I suppose uses the grey granite from that area. To fill his etching on the black granite with the laser he uses screen printers white ink made by Plastisol and others. That ink is designed to stand up under many many washes and logically will work outside.

Actually I have found that some of the local cemeteries are very willing to work with people trying to do funerals on a shoe string budget. Some will let you dig the hole and pour the footings for the headstone and mount the headstone yourself. There is actually a guy that came in here last year who plans to start a business doing home funerals to help keep the costs low. I wish I could remember his name I would like to find out if it has worked out for him.

[Bill Cunningham]

On a question as for how long the etching on polished granite will last, I usually tell my customers to take a walk through a cemetery, and take note of the dates on stones where the polish has worn off..They probably won't find any, if they do the stones will probably be over a hundred years old. I offer a 'lifetime' guarantee:D

[Dan Hintz]

And make sure it's actually granite, not marble. Marble engraving is much nicer looking than granite, but it won't handle weather well at all.

[Joe Hillmann]

On a question as for how long the etching on polished granite will last, I usually tell my customers to take a walk through a cemetery, and take note of the dates on stones where the polish has worn off..They probably won't find any, if they do the stones will probably be over a hundred years old. I offer a 'lifetime' guarantee:D


Do you do headstones as well?

[Joe Hillmann]

So after doing a little testing I found that the only color I could engrave with the CO2 laser and have it come out looking nice was absolute black, which is a problem because my supply of it is very limited. Then I decided to play with a few pieces in the YAG and found that it cuts into it rather than just etching the top like the co2 does. I will have to see about getting some plastisol to see if I can color fill it like Larry suggested.

[Martin Boekers]

Joe, if you are interested in this market check these guys out.

www.enduring-images.com/ (http://www.enduring-images.com/)

They do one ups and sell wholesale. The system is pretty cool but a bit out of my
budget for the work I do. I do have them bookmarked just incase someone asks if
I can do and outside tile mural, custom dinner plates or an outsite memorial.


It's always good to have a unique service such as this bookmarked just ion case..... :)


Marty

[Joe Hillmann]

A few pictures of my test pieces with the yag

228749228750228751228752228753

I think that to do an entire headstone would take about 30 minutes of constant engraving and I am not sure I am comfortable with working the laser so hard usually when I run it it runs for about 45 seconds then gets a short break before being run again. I might try it on my Hans laser because it wouldn't bother me to much something happened to that one.

[Bill Cunningham]

Do you do headstones as well?

Not the 'big' ones, but memorial smaller sizes for pets and people, like the one below

[Joe De Medeiros]

Not the 'big' ones, but memorial smaller sizes for pets and people, like the one below

Wow that looks great Bill

[Chuck Patterson]

I started engraving (sandblasting) and doing custom restorations on monuments 20 years ago and then expanded to laser engraving several years only as a secondary income. I have a lot experience with the politics of this industry. It is cut throat and a very sensitive subject with funeral homes and cemeteries. As everyone has mentioned, there are pros and cons to this industry. It is truly a tough nut to crack. But once you figure it out, it can be financially and personally rewarding.

Laser engraving on monuments is a fairly new technology to the monument industry, so in my humble opinion, the overall durability has yet to be determined. The industry has been sandblasting and deep etching by hand and tool for many many years and to this day they are still legible. So to present the question of whether or not it will last a 100 years, no one knows just yet. Not enough time has passed yet to answer that question. I have found that black granite, in most conditions, looks great for the first couple of years, but after that takes a great deal of maintenance.

I can tell you that if the monument is in a cemetery that has high winds with sand, dirt, and dust blowing directly into or in the direction of the monument, you will see the laser engraving disappear fairly quickly. The weather of the Earth with naturally "sandblast" the face of the monument thus causing your art to disappear.

Do not sell scrap counter tops that measure the thickness of .75" to 1" then put in cement. If you are serious about selling monuments, then really get serious about it. You should not sell a monument that will be place in the cemetery that is no less than 4" thick. You will find that some cemeteries make this a requirement. If you want to sell monuments and make some money, then really truly get serious about it or step aside and let the professionals do it. If you start under selling local funeral homes and cemeteries, they will eat your lunch and then stomp you until your are a pile of mud. Stand toe to toe with them in quality and pricing and the profits and rewards will be good.

This is what I tell my customers: "There will be no more Birthday's gifts and no more X-mas gifts, make this the long lasting gift that you can give your loved one."

Always remember this when doing monuments: "The bitterness of poor quality long outlives the joy of a low price" ..."The bitterness of poor quality long outlives the joy of a low price" When dealing with families of the deceased, this will come back to haunt you if you do not live by this rule. Trust me, I speak from experience.

Do not use any additional sealer.

Dan is correct, granite will long outlast marble.

Be very cautious of a lifetime guarantee. There are many issues and factors that could come into play with this. I offer a guarantee, but not a lifetime. There are many conditions in a cemetery that me or my company have no control over. My guarantee is rock solid with the customer but yet relieves my company of any all issues that I have no control over.

I sent you a PM if you want to call for more information and details regarding the monument industry.

[oscar martinez]

On my opinion granite has to be super black absolute. You will be surprise finding not all black granite is good for engraving pictures. The granite has to be special for pictures once you get to your supliers you have to especified that is for picture engraving , for regular engraving with out pictures any black will engraved good. Just follow cementery regulations most are easy to work with. Marble is better for pictures.
be aware of acid color stones they look black and will fade with the uv sun rays. I am an expertise on this field also use winton white color to enchance your engraving. lithicrome paints is used for the stone industry.Always 4 " thick

[Bill Cunningham]

Wow that looks great Bill

Hi Joe.. this particular stone was done for a local lady, in exchange for some canvas camper top work on my boat.. I've Since sold the boat..ha.. I try to do barter when I really need it..
if you own a larger boat, you know that 'BOAT' is an acronym..

Bring
Out
Another
Thousand
:D

[Joe De Medeiros]

Hi Joe.. this particular stone was done for a local lady, in exchange for some canvas camper top work on my boat.. I've Since sold the boat..ha.. I try to do barter when I really need it..
if you own a larger boat, you know that 'BOAT' is an acronym..

Bring
Out
Another
Thousand
:D
I know why you mean, I own a Jeep, it's also an acronym..
Just
empty
every
pocket
:D