Gravestone Engraving Sandblasting

[@SouthernOutlaw901]

M wife and I owned a monument company for years. It is a business I always enjoyed, but at 72 I'm getting a little old for the amount of work that has to go into it. It was just the two of us most of the time, and she handled the front office, and design, and I did the sandblasting and taking out the stones. We are in the process of turning over the business to one of our granddaughters right now and we are looking forward to teaching her the ins and outs of the business. I really enjoy watching your videos, and while most of the process is the same we do a few things different down here in Alabama.

[@-gravestonepros]

Hey thanks for watching I'm glad your enjoying the content. It sounds like your in an exciting time with your Granddaughter I hope it goes well for you all.

[@yelicamacario3281]

Hello me and my husband are wanting to go into the business now could we reach out to you to learn the pros and cons ?

[@-gravestonepros]

You sure can.

[@waynebishop8343]

Great video ,,your doing a great job.

[@-gravestonepros]

Thank you! Its great to see you here every week Wayne!!

[@bigzachraptors]

Enjoyed the video… thanks

[@-gravestonepros]

Glad you enjoyed it will I see you at the fair again this year?

[@ForestHillsMemorialsandS-bj2bs]

Great Video! Love the old styled stones myself.

[@-gravestonepros]

Yes they are the best just something about them.

[@MikeReszke]

I’ve been putting off getting my late sons headstone. It’s been 11 years now, we bought the plots next to him for me and my wife but headstone big enough for all three of us is very expensive here by me in NW suburbs of Chicago, ( it’s 12k). Hope to get it done very soon. God Bless you. RIP all who left us

[@-gravestonepros]

I always tell people to take your time and do it when your ready. Forest Hill memorials has a KZbin Channel and is close to you maybe check him out.

[@jimmyrifle]

Great video. Thanks for reading my comment and showing us the different booths. I'm trying to model my shop after yours. Right now I have one booth for frosting panels and blasting stones and one for shaping. Good luck getting to 1,000 subscribers

[@-gravestonepros]

Thanks and your very welcome.

[@jimmyrifle]

@-gravestonepros I'd like to see more of the auto blaster in action, too. That would be cool maybe I convince my boss to get one lol

[@MrMarkjenn]

I’ve yet to come across a single time I’ve needed any glue. The stencil itself has always held to the stones just fine. Love your videos and that it’s all about family and education.

[@-gravestonepros]

Thanks so much. So you don't use the tape or anything? What stencil do you use?

[@MrMarkjenn]

@@-gravestonepros Use to use 3m, But you know the story with them. I’ve switched to using Anchor products. I personally prefer not to have the double liner. I’ve found that with fine lines getting through it sometimes isn’t a clean and even cut. Now I’m not the artist like your pops. I’ve been working on freehand when I have time but I’m not ready to try and charge for it just yet. I have found that if I can draw it, take my drawing to a tattoo shop they can make a transfer I can put one the stencil and then cut the stencil by hand. This trick has came in handy at times.

[@willsessum5748]

I have a small glass table with a light under it. Print whatever design you want, trace the backside of the paper with a good pencil, lay the paper pencil down on the stencil an rub all of the art or lines etc. The pencil transfers over to the stencil an you just hand cut it out. Ive printed art or even fonts off with my phone and just traced the back an transfer it to the stencil. Love all this feedback, not alot of us around these days it seems.

[@MrMarkjenn]

@@willsessum5748 That’s a good idea I’ll have to try sometime. I have hand drawn on stencils with a pen and pencil but your way could make some items that won’t vector clean easier.

[@johnjacquard5095]

722t . An same . I barely gotta use glue. Ive tried the stencil you use. I find it horrible. Just my opinion. Also an im not being rude but wow. That took so long to do. I could of bern in an out in like 15 minutes. During my season i do about 20 per day in. Different cemeteries. Won't Won't that many per day this upcoming season. I purchased a picker truck. Now ill do installs as well.​@-gravestonepros

[@DaveL0120]

I maintain cemeteries in north eastern ct and I admire what you do. Thank you

[@-gravestonepros]

Thanks for watching!!

[@doolian1t118]

Great video👍. Hint for lining up end dates if you have the original file with birth date - cut a full stencil with both dates and simply line up the birth date over the existing engraving and mask up accordingly 😊.

[@-gravestonepros]

Yes that works great but we do a lot of other's stones.

[@cynthiathomas6690]

You should visit Hollywood cemetery in Richmond Virginia. There's a lot of interesting markers there.

[@-gravestonepros]

Cool thanks for the tip.

[@willsessum5748]

Double sided tape is the way to go man. Works great in all situations for me so far. Thank you sir for doing this video !!!

[@-gravestonepros]

You're welcome! Do you ever use the tape in the shop or just in cemetery's?

[@willsessum5748]

I always used glue in the shop, more of a controlled environment. All i do now is cemetery engraving and the double sided tape is a huge advantage.

[@surfandstreamfisher5749]

@@-gravestonepros i used rubber cement when i did cemetery lettering. peels off when you pull the stencil.

[@-gravestonepros]

@@surfandstreamfisher5749 Nice did you ever have it stick or it always came off ok?

[@surfandstreamfisher5749]

@@-gravestonepros i carried a "rubber block" like on crepe sole shoes and rub off any residue that was left behind.

[@benjaminjerome8597]

We use the 3M tape. It works great!

[@-gravestonepros]

I keep hearing this lots!!

[@atclfi3]

We never use corner stones in the Midwest! Older style thing, interesting that they still do that in NY. Thanks for sharing.

[@-gravestonepros]

Thanks for watching. Some cemetery's use them and some don't around here.

[@paul5683]

I enjoyed your videos. Friends of mine run a monument business in Hartford Wisconsin. Another friend of mine used to cut the stencils for the folks from Hartford before they bought a plotting/cutting machine. The wife used to draw out all the cut lines on the stencils and my buddy would sit down and cut them all out by hand. He would double check all the dates and spelling on the work order too. I have always wondered about how they add dates to existing monuments. From the midwest here also. Those cornor stones, where do they go? Do they mark out the corners of the families plot ? Almost like how they used to put small fences around the plot? Why are the corner stones lettered?

[@atclfi3]

@@paul5683Yes they mark the corners of family plots and the letter is the first letter of the last name.

[@-gravestonepros]

@@paul5683 Exactly like the old fences just a helpful edge marker. The engraved letters are the initials of the family name.

[@Scott_Middlebrook]

Hi I love your videos😊 what kind of portable compressor do you guys use. Looking to upgrade. What CFM?

[@-gravestonepros]

185CFM

[@MrLoco61]

Whats the name of the stencil ?

[@-gravestonepros]

Ancor.

[@angelatwistee9524]

How much does one of those sandblasters cost? What is the amount it cost to start a memorial business??

[@-gravestonepros]

It depends on what you have and what you feel you need and what your willing to get by with maybe 15,000 hard to say. A blaster is about 2,000

[@dylank7234]

Hello,im looking to get into end date engraving for a couple of local funeral homes in my town..im having issues finding out information about which mobile plotter i should get or.use..can anyone give me any advice

[@-gravestonepros]

ADSI 315 GTS

[@JuneJustifia]

can you please talk some about how you prepare for a burial site, for a Cremation. I would appreciate your education on the process for preparing a cremation burial site. Thank you

[@-gravestonepros]

I don't do any of that kind of work the cemetery's do all of that. I do known around us they just dig a hole about 2.5 to 3 feet deep. Some will use a cement vault and some don't.

[@jgsmile1331]

Interesting to watch how you do all that with the stones. Cemeteries are always peaceful. Mayo clinic has an online diet program. It's great recipes that are affordable and doable. They taste great too.

[@-gravestonepros]

Thanks for the tip I will have to look it up.

[@jgsmile1331]

@@-gravestonepros It's helped me so far. Best wishes

[@patroll330]

Very interesting, about how much psi do the blasters require to do the job?

[@-gravestonepros]

100psi

[@patroll330]

@-gravestonepros Thanks, we bought a tombstone in Augusta, Ga, and they told my mom and I that when it comes to the remaining person, they will come out and add the date at no charge 22 years later, it took about a year of pleading with the owner to add her death date. They charged me $140.00 to come and sand blast her tombstone date . Took the man about an hour , and I never use them ever again. They didn't care a Bojangales bought their property, and they made a bunch.

[@-gravestonepros]

We never include the final date. Its a $250 charge but I try and make it clear when they buy the stone that its not included.

[@janiewilliams48]

Are the corner stones are the foot end on both sides?

[@-gravestonepros]

Yes one in each corner is the idea.

[@chadham8680]

How do you price final dates?

[@-gravestonepros]

Flat fee of 250.00

[@kizzyurquhart9457]

good😀

[@-gravestonepros]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@kanishkastone]

Nice work how can i contact you

[@-gravestonepros]

My website is listed on every video.

[@kanishkastone]

@@-gravestonepros can i get your WhatsApp number

[@-gravestonepros]

I don't have a what's app #.

[@hswing11]

[@-gravestonepros]

😒