Rowmark Granites Deluxe

[Joe Pelonio]

Anyone else get the brochure/samples from Rowmark? This stuff is acrylic and nice looking granite appearance in many colors + clear, matte and gloss, but they only mention "laser profiles" which I take as vector cutting not engraving, since the top surface is pretty thick (.038). It would look good as cut letters on a contrasting color background. Unfortunately the samples they sent are only 1.5x2" so not much to experiment with.

[Rodne Gold]

I really hate mnfgs and suppluiers that are cheapskates, luscious new products or substrates but samples so small you cant experiment or even do anything with them. Told my pex supplier a zillion times , give me a decent piece of something new and I will make stuff with it gauge demand come up with a few ideas , settings and pass some on to them - they never listen.
We use formica a ton , the kitchen top cladding stuff , it's dirt cheap , laser engraves and cuts well and comes in a zillion flavours (including lots of granites), to make thicker stuff we cut pex or cnc supawood and clad it with laser cut formica. It withstands extreme punishment.

[Joe Pelonio]

We use formica a ton , the kitchen top cladding stuff , it's dirt cheap , laser engraves and cuts well and comes in a zillion flavours (including lots of granites), to make thicker stuff we cut pex or cnc supawood and clad it with laser cut formica. It withstands extreme punishment.
Rodne,

I use formica and wilsonart products too, but for me it's a pain to have to buy a whole sheet and wait for it, then have to cut it to fit in the laser and have a lot of waste. With this stuff I could call my supplier and have a single 12x24 delivered the next day. Do you have a local source that stocks a good variety of the formica?

[Mark Mullis]

Hello Joe,
I build laminate (Formica, Wilsonart) countertops for a living and the scraps pile up in a hurry. Since most kitchen tops are 25 inches deep, anything smaller is usually waste. You may want to check with a local countertop shops about their scraps. I will give you some of mine, but you would have to come to North Carolina to get it.:D

[Joe Pelonio]

Mark,

Thanks for the offer, if I ever get down there I'll stop by. I have a kitchen remodeler (also a customer of mine) here in the same business park, and have asked them about it. They told me that around here no one uses
laminate, or even tile any more. Their customers all want granite, corian, or most popular these days Silestone. I also have a cabinetmaker nearby and he gives me scraps of mdf and laminate, also laminate on mdf, but he rarely uses anything other than plain white. I still have close to 1/2 sheet of Nevamar Sidewalk Bistro from a recent job, I'll have to offer a "special" on it.

[mike klein]

Joe,

I have laser engraved the granite deluxe from Rowmark and it turns out beautiful. Only thing is, it takes time. You have to first break thru the cap which is .038-.040. My most popular one has been the ones with gold substrate. Three passes at 100sp, 65pwr and a final pass at 60sp, 30pwr. The last pass really brings out the gold substrate. This is on a 45w machine.

At least in my experience with this material, if you try to get thru the cap in 2 passes with more power, the edges of the letters tend to have a melted look to them. I don't make a habit of lasering this stuff mainly becuase of the additional time involved. If a customer requires just a plain simple block font, I use the rotary machine instead.

[Mark Sipes]

Joe are you talking about the 700 series Rowmark 722-514 and 722-914 etc. 0r 742 . Series 722=1/16" 742 = 1/8" Cap .035 Rotary Engrave Int/Ext U/V

Just got some in. Vectors fine definatley a rotary material. 3 passes at 100 % power 20% speed (25 watt) Made it through. .036 deep Very deep etch Clean. Would be a great paint fill also.

The back material on the 2 colors I used was black. Not sure what clear/white would look like.

Mark

[Joe Pelonio]

Mike, thanks, I have 45W too so I can try it by starting with your settings.

Mark, It's the 742 I was talking about, much better selection of colors.

[Mark Sipes]

JDS cares the 722 or 1/16" thick material. Western ( Portland ) does not carry either. If you find a local source for 742 let me know.

Mark
HarborEngraving

[mike klein]

Johnson Plastics - www.johnsonplastics.com (http://www.johnsonplastics.com) - carries both the 722 & 742 series. Myself I have never ordered or used the 1/8", just the 1/16" material.