engraving slate

[Glen Beestone]

Anyone any experience with etching/ milling / engraving slate ?

 

Am wonder how deep an engraving I could get with the laser, or if it is more of just an “etch”, i.e. a surface disruption

 

I have want to make a house name plaque. Consisting of a design and some lettering.

Am thinking could get away with an etch for the design but the lettering needs to be a deeper engraving,  that may need a mill to achieve.

 

Is this something we could do on the metal mill do you think or would a smaller mill such as Stuart’s CNC be up to the job.

Probably only talking about 0.5- 1 mm depth max using a “V” bit

 

( I know that dust extraction is a must with slate engraving and it’s nasty stuff for your lungs. Before someone points this out)

 

Glen

 

[abaxas]

I've tried ali with the mini CNC and it sort of works if you go ultra slow but the finish was not exactly amazing.

Why not order some 3.175mm stone 'bits' from china and either Stu can let you have a go or I'll bring mine in.

I don't think it'll be a problem providing you go ultra ultra slow and keep the chips/etc away.

Infact I've got some stone roof tiles... might have a go myself :P

[Sam Barlow]

I'd love to try out some different materials on the laser cutter if anything is going spare!!

[David Pye]

I suspect the slate will end up as dust, rather than chips?

We *could* give it a go on big mill but only provided we've got a way of keeping *all* the dust out.  Ie a vacuum cleaner nozzle next to the bit-material interface.

On Thu, Oct 5, 2017 at 3:59 PM, Sam Barlow <saelb...@gmail.com> wrote:

I'd love to try out some different materials on the laser cutter if anything is going spare!!

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[Iain Yarnall]

Looks like laser engraving can work.  Seems you can't get a deep engrave but you can get a nice contrast in colour for signs.

No idea of the settings to use though.  I'd expect a reasonably high power / slow engrave though.

Cheers,

Iain.

[David Pye]

I'd be curious to know how laser engraving (ie the lack of depth) would stand up to weathering.  I suspect if you lacquered/varnished it, it might last OK...

Sounds like a test is needed!

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[abaxas]

I've had a bit of a google.

Seams diamond coated doodar is needed but you can use a standard carbide v cutter with some lubrication/cooling.

I have v-cutters and slate. Once e-doodar is out of the way I'll have a play.

On Thursday, 5 October 2017 17:55:48 UTC+1, David Pye wrote:

I'd be curious to know how laser engraving (ie the lack of depth) would stand up to weathering.  I suspect if you lacquered/varnished it, it might last OK...

Sounds like a test is needed!

On Thu, Oct 5, 2017 at 5:46 PM, Iain Yarnall <i.ya...@gmail.com> wrote:

Looks like laser engraving can work.  Seems you can't get a deep engrave but you can get a nice contrast in colour for signs.

No idea of the settings to use though.  I'd expect a reasonably high power / slow engrave though.

Cheers,

Iain.

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[Jonathan Powell]

How about laser cutting a guide out of mdf and then using a router with a bearing guided cutter?

[Glen Beestone]

Interesting idea. Not sure how well it would work for the illustration as that is quite complex. But as I've said I wouldn't mind that being more subtle and laser engraved.

I could try it for the lettering.

Cheers

G

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On 05/10/2017, 19:07 Jonathan Powell <jonpo...@gmail.com> wrote:

How about laser cutting a guide out of mdf and then using a router with a bearing guided cutter?

[Jonathan Powell]

Ah yes, it was lettering I had in mind not an illustration.

[Stuart Wheater]

There is a set of flat nose end mills, 3.2mm down to 1mm, for the Mini CNC machine. SVG to G-Code is something which I get to work.

Stuart

[Dan Nixon]

Laser engraving works well however you will only get a shallow engrave.
The result is pretty much identical to a shallow engrave on Acrylic (i.e. lots of dust that once washed away leaves very little visible engraving).

The best results would be obtained by doing a shallow engrave and immediately spray lacquering it to keep the "dust" in position.
Done properly this gives very good contrast next to the darker slate.

Dan

On Thursday, 5 October 2017 14:53:34 UTC+1, Glen wrote:

[abaxas]

I've got some 3.175 and 2mm end mills and v cutters too. I'm not sure a 0.4mm end mill would last long :P

Stu? U there tomorrow?

[Iain Yarnall]

It's e-day tomorrow!

[abaxas]

if I remember at 8:30 am, I'll bring along the box of bits for Stu.


On Friday, 6 October 2017 12:42:19 UTC+1, Iain Yarnall wrote:

It's e-day tomorrow!

[Glen Beestone]

So I’m looking at this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Set-Of-8-Natural-Slate-Placemat-Coasters-Set-Coffee-Drink-Table-Mat-Cheese-New-/361024360629?epid=1679785689&hash=item540eba90b5:g:oJcAAOSwH3NXnxYG

 

Which will give me 4 small slates to practice on getting depths right

And then theres 4 large nicely finished slabs to do the final result on which give me 4 chances to get it right

Does this look a reasonable price or does anyone know where I can pick up slate this size/thickness cheaper ?

 

G

 

 

Sent: Friday, October 06, 2017 at 12:29 PM
From: abaxas <david....@gmail.com>
To: "North East Makers" <north-ea...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: Re: [Makers] engraving slate

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[abaxas]

Yes, I can drop some of the broken slates I kept when we returned to having a stone roof.

Free is better that £19

[Glen Beestone]

thanks david,

 

that would be great

 

G

 

 

Sent: Friday, October 06, 2017 at 4:08 PM

[abaxas]

Any size or just whatever I find and stick in a box?

[Glen Beestone]

A few smaller bits to practice on and a larger shingle (or two, in case I balls it up) to make a house name plaque.

The onea I was looking at on fleabay were dinner place mat sized

G

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