Materials | General | How-To

Best Laser Engraver for Slate

How To Laser Engrave Slate: 4 Great Tips For Epic Results

With most laser machines being utilized for common materials like wood, granite, or leather, saturating the laser-engraved market, you need to stand out in the crowd with unique materials that offer beautiful results. Laser engraving on acrylic, for instance, is highly suitable for vector engraving at high speeds, and practical testing on small acrylic samples ensures consistent results and settings. That is when a laser etching machine for slate comes into the picture. Slate can exhibit a range of colors, including green, due to chlorite, a green micaceous clay mineral, which plays a role in its aesthetic appeal and various applications. So, what is the best laser engraving machine for slate? Well, AP Lazer has you covered!

Best Laser Engraving Machine for Slate: Slate as a Niche

Slate is one of the few options that fit that niche. A softer, fine-grained, deep gray stone slate has the potential for various projects. By nature, the stone has a property called fissility that displays many thin, flat layers. This is what gives slate its rustic, beveled edge. However, it also has a clean-cut, smooth edge to fit any application.

With some testing, research, and a little trial-and-error, our technicians have found some tricks for the best results when using a laser etching machine for slate. The laser’s light interacts with the slate’s dark surface, making settings and preparation crucial to achieve the desired contrast and detail. Using multiple passes can be essential for achieving quality results when laser engraving on slate. If you’re skeptical or curious, feel free to check out some of the fantastic work already produced on our Facebook- Before You Buy group

Prepare the Artwork

Download and edit engraving files to your liking. Once a design has been modified, the next step should be engraving. Place the paper onto the laser. If you want to be sure about the placement of your design, create vector boxes and place them on the machine with the red dots pointing in.

Engrave Slate coasters

Photo Of Slate Coasters By Ap Lazer
Laser-Engraved Slate Coaster
  1. Clean the stone of any natural dust or particles with a damp cloth and allow it to dry.

  2. Spray the stone with a thin but even layer of clear coat finish. Allow at least an hour to dry (refer to your can of clearcoat for more specific drying times)

  3. Align and engrave with your AP Lazer machine

  4. Wipe off with a cloth to remove any residue from the laser process

  5. Enjoy the fantastic results the slate has to offer!

With our 100W laser, we’ve found the following settings to produce some excellent results: a speed of 20 and a power of around 22. Please do a little testing to find a combination you prefer!

Ap Lazer New Sn4836Lr Can Directly Engrave Floor
AP Lazer New SN4836LR Can Directly Engrave Floor

Slate Applications

Slate is incredible for line drawings and portraits; it has shown excellent precision with high contrast and detail. Using our laser engraver for slate, we’ve produced a few different projects on slate, check out the results below:

Slate Plaque: Square-983
sltsample

When engraving, it is crucial to correctly position and focus on the image to achieve explicit representations, whether working with raster or vector techniques.

There are dozens of slate applications, and a laser will only enhance the slate’s appearance. Small items such as cheese boards, coasters, and photo tiles can be mass-produced to make a profit. Larger laser-engraved slate applications are ideal for indoor and outdoor areas, including pool areas, patios, fireplaces, verandas, and flooring. It’s essential to have a big machine to accommodate larger jobs; the more significant the project, the more profit you will make!

Why AP Lazer for Slate Engraving?

You probably know that dozens of laser etching machines can engrave slate. But you may not know that AP Lazer is unlike all of them. AP Lazer’s two-part, open architecture design allows users to engrave virtually any material of any size. This patented, revolutionary design eliminates the physical size limitations that hold back so many others on the market.

Stand Out From The Crowd With Ap Lazer Open Architecture Low Rider Machines – No Size Or Weight Limitations!!

AP Lazer’s features will allow you to blast out the competition by offering services they can not, as your production is now limited only by customer requests. A removable top makes it possible to laser engrave directly onto flooring of all types. See the AP Lazer difference here.

Slate Plaque
slate plaque

Adjusting the power, speed, and dot size settings is crucial to achieving precise and accurate engravings on slate. Testing different configurations will help you find the optimum settings for the best engraving quality and detail.

Lastly, compared to some other stones, slate is competitively priced. As a unique stone that offers outstanding potential, the profit margins for your business are huge!

Download our FREE Business Growth Guide

Download Business Growth Guide
Free eBook: Business Growth Guide.

If you’re interested in slate blanks in many different shapes and sizes to capitalize on owning your laser etching machine, we now feature them in the AP Lazer Webstore. Click here to see what we offer.


Want to learn more about this exciting opportunity? Call us at (800) 585-8617, email us, or fill out our contact form.

0 Comments

You May Also Like

Top Laser Engraving Design Templates & Patterns for Creators

Top Laser Engraving Design Templates & Patterns for Creators

Want to excel in laser engraving design? This article dives into top templates, the best websites to find them, and must-have software tools. You’ll also find creative project ideas to get you started. Key Takeaways Key websites for laser engraving templates include...

Bamboo Laser Engraving: 7 Unique Products to Add to Your Line Up

Bamboo Laser Engraving: 7 Unique Products to Add to Your Line Up

Owning a laser engraver comes with so many benefits. It’s hard to even begin to think about any disadvantages one may experience with their laser. Luckily, one of the most common disadvantages is not really one at all. Many laser engraving machine owners ask...

How to Laser Engrave a Tumbler

How to Laser Engrave a Tumbler

What is Laser Engraving? Laser engraving is a precise and versatile technique used to create intricate designs, patterns, and images on various materials, including stainless steel tumblers, wine glasses, and other types of drinkware. This method employs a focused...

Let’s get started. Choose an option.

Want to Learn More?

AP Lazer has a wealth of resources that we provide to help you, from how to use and maintenance our laser machines, to how you can grow your business with unlimited possibilities.

Request More Info

Get a Price Quote

The cost of laser cutting machines varies based on the model, type, power and capabilites.  Please fill out the form, and a sales rep will be in touch you with a price of a machine perfect for your needs.

Request Pricing

Finance an AP Lazer

We have payment plans to fit your needs. Pre-qualify in minutes. Whether an established business or just starting out, when you finance a laser machine, you open up many business opportunities .

Apply for Financing