HELP!!!! Marble Tiles? - Engraving Etc. Forum

From:	Nick (NICKIONPOE)	19 Feb 2007
To:	ALL	1 of 20

6093.1

So on Sunday I was on Laser Sketch's website. No mention that they were going to shut down shop for the whole week on account of Las Vegas, which I unfortunately will not be able to make this year... (boo hoo for me). Tonight I go in to check a few things before I place my order and wham... they are going to be closed all week starting tomorrow. Had I known this on Sunday I would have made arrangements today. I am a little upset that they do not have a back up plan and have someone handling their affairs while they are out gathering new business. (a dis-service to old business)

Okay enough griping, because they have been very good to me otherwise. I need to order 8 1/2 X 11 inch marble tiles. Is there any other supplier out their that I could check into besides Laserbits? Laserbits will have to be my last resort, but the tiles are $5 per tile more than when I buy them directly from Lasersketch and I usually pick up my marble directly from Lasersketch to save on shipping. I would like to explore my options, does anyone have an alternative marble supplier other than Lasersketch or Laserbits?

Your help as always is appreciated.

Nick

EDITED: 19 Feb 2007 by NICKIONPOE

From:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	19 Feb 2007
To:	graniteman (MGARCIA)	2 of 20

6093.2 In reply to 6093.1
Mark, Is there something you can offer Nick. He's asking for marble and although I know you deal in granite, I thought you may have some marble as well. Thanks, David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri DGL Engraving Port Hueneme, CA

From:	Barbara (RGILE)	2 Mar 2007
To:	Nick (NICKIONPOE)	5 of 20

6093.5 In reply to 6093.4
I was told that they do not make 8.5 by 11's anymore. I do only use the hard marble though. Do you get your marble white enough? I found that the other marble he uses just give me a gray color. Let me know. Barbara Barbara Sample RGile Engravers

From:	Nick (NICKIONPOE)	2 Mar 2007
To:	Barbara (RGILE)	6 of 20

6093.6 In reply to 6093.5

Hi Barbara,
Thanks for the reply. I am now concerned. I have not heard that the 8.5 X 11 would not be available anymore. I will have to check into that. I did recently pick up 2 boxes but need to keep abreast of what I can and cannot offer my customers.

There is definitely a variation in the stones. Sometimes the tiles are thicker sometimes thinner. Sometimes nicer sometimes not so. Sometimes my image is whiter sometimes not. I have not really put a lot of thought into it, and have simply thought that perhaps it was just a variation due to being natural stone.

We have not been doing this long. I used to sandblast only and found that in addition to being extremely messy, it really irritated my skin. I went to a trade show to look at the new and improved sand machines and came home with a Universal Laser. In my opinion, a good move. Sometimes, I don't get the quality results I am used to with the sand, but it's a lot less work and much easier to clean up after.

If you have an alternate supplier for marble, I would appreciate the recommendation. It is always good to have a backup plan. Also do you have a contact for the memorial headstones. I am looking for some pieces that are 9 X 14 X 2. Lasersketch has been out of stock since before Christmas. He says that they are due in March. I am patiently awaiting their arrival, but think that others might be doing the same and therefore the item may be quickly out of stock again. I have contacted the California supplier that is mentioned on this forum, sorry the name slips me right now. I have not heard back from them as of yet.

From:	MIKEY (JADEPUTTERS)	3 Mar 2007
To:	Nick (NICKIONPOE)	7 of 20

6093.7 In reply to 6093.6
I believe Artistic Laser is also a wholesale supplier of marble and granite Mikey www.pictureitinstone.com www.jadeputters.com "Both optimists and pessimists contribute to the society. The optimist invents the aeroplane, the pessimist the parachute."--- George Bernard Shaw

From:	mikew	3 Mar 2007
To:	MIKEY (JADEPUTTERS)	8 of 20

6093.8 In reply to 6093.7
Artistic Laser carries mostly black granite, however their Granite has such a tight grain that it comes out just as nice as hard marble if not better. My customers love it! The quality of their granite is unparallel. I've had such a bad experience (More than once) with Laser Sketch's quality and service that I'll never order from them again. Give Mark a call at Artistic Laser and I'm sure he will send you a sample.

From:	precisionlaser	4 Mar 2007
To:	Barbara (RGILE)	9 of 20

6093.9 In reply to 6093.5
A trick we use to whiten up the image using either of LaserSketch's marble is to rub a light coat of ArmorAll onto the marble before lasering. Not too much and buff it off, leaving a light sheen of it. I got this off of the Sawmill Creek board several months ago and it works! Mark Dickens Precision Laser Art, LLC www.precisionlaserart.com 866-716-0300/901-888-1019

From:	Barbara (RGILE)	5 Mar 2007
To:	Nick (NICKIONPOE)	11 of 20

6093.11 In reply to 6093.10
Nick, I also think that they have the granite markers. Ask them. They are also carrying marble, but I have not tried it yet. I have asked Mark for a sample of it in a PM and I have not gotten back a response yet. I use Lasersketch right now for marble only. I buy my granite from Artistic Laser. It's beautiful. Polished on all sides which makes a very nice presentation for the client. When you are charging good money for these items it's important. I have had a lot of dirt and paste on the backs of my marble and have to wash all of them before I sell them. Sometimes I glue a black felt to the back of them. They look much nicer that way. I am anxious to try Artistic Lasers marble also. So Mark, if you are reading this post, would you please send me a few samples? Thank you. Also, I have tried the armour all trick, and yes it does work, but I still like the hard marble better. It just gives me a much nicer photo. Barb Barbara Sample RGile Engravers

From:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	5 Mar 2007
To:	UncleSteve	13 of 20

6093.13 In reply to 6093.12
Steve, You can use a diamond burnishing tool on granite and marble. How well it works depends on the density of the stone, meaning stone with inconsistent density can see some (softer) areas engraving more deeply than more dense areas. David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri DGL Engraving Port Hueneme, CA

From:	UncleSteve	5 Mar 2007
To:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	14 of 20

6093.14 In reply to 6093.13
Thank you! Which would you suggest starting with as a trial and how large a burnisher? 130???? I am going to see if I can find some tiles at Home Depot to play with.... "Good friends can be a real annoyance."

From:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	5 Mar 2007
To:	UncleSteve	15 of 20

6093.15 In reply to 6093.14

Depends on how much detail you'll have in the engraving.

I'd say a .010 would be a good starting point. It's a bit wider cut than a standard diamond graver, making it good for most applications and if necessary, you could use multi-line fonts to fatten up the lettering.

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA

EDITED: 5 Mar 2007 by DGL

From:	UncleSteve	5 Mar 2007
To:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	16 of 20

6093.16 In reply to 6093.15
Being that I don't own photograve :-( , it will probably be my WTC sample to start. Talk about detail, you can almost count the windows on the towers!! 8-O "Good friends can be a real annoyance."

From:	UncleSteve	5 Mar 2007
To:	Stunt Engraver (DGL)	18 of 20

6093.18 In reply to 6093.17
I don't know either.... just thought it might give more detail somehow. I haven't tried working with photos on the rotary so have no idea what to expect. Heck, YOU'RE the Stunt Engraver, not me! ;-) "Good friends can be a real annoyance."