Steve Clarkson
09-22-2008, 12:16 AM
OK, I know this may be a little off topic, but I think we all need a little break sometimes from discussing various substrates, settings, and laser sales!
So anyway, I took a trip down to the United States Military Academy at West Point this weekend and saw Akron beat Army about 22-3 when I left. Obviously the place was beautiful and full of historically significant sites (atleast to us Americans and possibly the Brits since most of it revolved around the American Revolution).
But two things stood out in relation to laser engraving......the first was perhaps the most prominent and majestic monument at the Academy.....the Battle Monument (it was dedicated in 1897) and it is basically a 50 foot tall polished granite pillar that is reportedly the largest polished granite shaft in the Western Hemisphere. Of course it was engraved maybe twenty feet up and all I could think of was...........man, I bet the guy who engraved THAT must have had a BIG laser bed!
So the second thing of interest that I saw this weekend was the Perkins Memorial Tower on the summit of Bear Mountain in Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park. What made this interesting was that inside the tower were various old pictures and maps laser engraved on 4" ceramic tiles. It was perfect for the setting, but the tile grout lines really took alot away from the effect. There were letters that were partially covered by the grout and the photos looked too separated. Too bad that they couldn't have hung them without the grout.....
So this concludes my essay about what I did on my summer vacation.
So anyway, I took a trip down to the United States Military Academy at West Point this weekend and saw Akron beat Army about 22-3 when I left. Obviously the place was beautiful and full of historically significant sites (atleast to us Americans and possibly the Brits since most of it revolved around the American Revolution).
But two things stood out in relation to laser engraving......the first was perhaps the most prominent and majestic monument at the Academy.....the Battle Monument (it was dedicated in 1897) and it is basically a 50 foot tall polished granite pillar that is reportedly the largest polished granite shaft in the Western Hemisphere. Of course it was engraved maybe twenty feet up and all I could think of was...........man, I bet the guy who engraved THAT must have had a BIG laser bed!
So the second thing of interest that I saw this weekend was the Perkins Memorial Tower on the summit of Bear Mountain in Bear Mountain-Harriman State Park. What made this interesting was that inside the tower were various old pictures and maps laser engraved on 4" ceramic tiles. It was perfect for the setting, but the tile grout lines really took alot away from the effect. There were letters that were partially covered by the grout and the photos looked too separated. Too bad that they couldn't have hung them without the grout.....
So this concludes my essay about what I did on my summer vacation.