How to Make Money with Your Laser - White Tile Method

[@geektoolkit]

I've watched 5 other videos trying to explain this method and none of them were as entertaining and yet straightforward as yours. Subscribed, that was awesome and really well done!

[@BuildDadBuild]

Glad you dug! Cheers and welcome to the Fray!

[@ainttakenanyshit]

Nick, it IS *4:2O* somewhere.... Beat you to it.... P.S. Big "A" has a QUART of the McCormick RED food coloring for only $12.86............ SO, when you'all mix up that batch of Ti02 you won't break the bank using those pi$$y .5 oz bottles of food coloring for 4-6 bucks in a "kit".... I am mixing a batch right after I hit the keyboard... Hank Also, I found that the shorty "Ball" canning jar with a big A$$ wide mouth will accommodate a 3 inch foam "brush" for almost one stroke coverage of the 4 inch tiles, (HD - Daltile Restore Bright White 4-1/4 x 4-1/4 Ceramic Wall Tile - $12.36/100).... Let the burning begin.. Nick - keep up the good work and humor....

[@bryanvan1929]

Another great video, you're probally the most informative content maker for lasers I've watched on you tube. Thanks again and keep up the great content!!

[@BuildDadBuild]

I appreciate it Bryan. Cheers

[@holliday9416]

hi sr, the purpose of the white paint its to eliminate the bright of the tile wich would reflect the laser beam? in that case the white acrylic should present the same problem on a diode laser right?

[@BuildDadBuild]

The white is to give it something to burn. Ie the zinc in the paint.

[@ashmae4188]

Bless you for the test file!

[@Kaspa2025]

Tip: in lightburn software change your line interval to .10-.12mm makes a darker burn.

[@BuildDadBuild]

Good to know!

[@justalanjones]

Do you think Citristrip would work for cleaning these painted tiles? I am trying to avoid using solvent as I don't have a garage to work in.

[@BuildDadBuild]

I don’t know what Citristrip is.

[@justalanjones]

@@BuildDadBuild Citristrip is a citrus based stripper. Since I work in a chemical plant I “acquired “ some glacial acetic acid that will do the trick.

[@billcoe101]

NICK!!! I am losing my mind on this. I have followed your steps 100% and I cannot get these results with my Xtool D1 10W. I just don't know what I"m doing wrong either with White tile or Black painted tile.

[@profitglen]

Looks pretty cool, although I'd want a little more contrast on those. Anyhow, I'm confused as to why they needed to be spray painted. I'm pretty sure I've seen other do it without painting and it turned out fine .

[@WmTRiker]

Using a diode laser without the spray paint will cause the laser to merely reflect off the surface of the tile without etching it. The videos you saw probably used a different type of laser like a CO2. I believe the CO2's don't require the paint.

[@3DJapan]

I've been using Antique White and had good results with the Ortur LM2 but on the LM2 Pro it's not as dark. I'll have to try some of this Heirloom White .

[@BuildDadBuild]

It seems to work pretty well for me. Cheers Phil!

[@3DJapan]

@@BuildDadBuild I just went out to get some. About to spray some tiles now.

[@craiggardner2148]

Have you tried RUST-OLEUM COld Galvanizing Compound instead of white paint? It works the same but more of a silvery gray and you clean it off with steel wool. Be sure you have a good vent fan though.

[@BuildDadBuild]

I have! Cheers

[@NormanCollinsTeaching]

So, the laser engraver through the white paint and through the white surface of the tile or does.it just burn the paint?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Burns the paint to the tile

[@NormanCollinsTeaching]

Thank you, sir!

[@yip7346]

what is the best think to put on ceramic coffee cups to make them super dark?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Charcoal ceramic from Enduramark

[@yip7346]

@@BuildDadBuild Thank's Brotherin!

[@dinoochello7074]

I am new to Lightburn and I downloaded the Tile Test Burn File but I cant open a .lqx file in lightburn. Is there a way around this? GREAT WORK BY THE WAY!

[@BuildDadBuild]

Lightburn has its own test files. Upper menu, material test

[@dinoochello7074]

@@BuildDadBuild oh ok. Thanks for the heads up!

[@robinmichael8544]

Hi Nick, thx for a lot of useful vids, im totally new to laser engraving, i just bough a Atomstack X20. I just wondered why you paint the tile before you engrave? Cant you just engrave directly on the tile? Best regards Robin.

[@BuildDadBuild]

You can, but you don’t get the contrast.

[@Jimc4007]

Looking good! Think you've gotten the laser dialed in pretty well now. What kind of effects would you get if you use black paint instead? Would you end up with a negative image?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Using this method? I'm not sure. But stay tuned I have another video coming where you paint the tile a color, then black and etch away the black. Cheers

[@thatonegamer2709]

Have you ever experienced "wave lines" in your tile work...mostly when doing the black paint method?.I just started seeing them and it pretty much kills the portrait I'm doing..tried messing with my settings high, low, fast slow and still the same mess....I have a d1 BTW. My lenses are cleaned and so is my machine daily, bands and everything are fine.🤔🤔

[@BuildDadBuild]

Check belt tension. Other than that, you need a pretty high quality image to get a good result. If you grab a thumbnail of a google search you're going to see noise. Cheers

[@jdeuce111806]

I downloaded the file named Norton Tile Test Grid and the speeds are different, but all rows are showing at 100% power? Any ideas?

[@BuildDadBuild]

In Lightburn? They’ll show on the cut screen. You’ve gotta punch deeper to see the gradient.

[@jdeuce111806]

@@BuildDadBuild yes in lightburn on the cut/layers widow is it showing that all poweres will be at 100%? I thought the idea was to do various powers to see the difference in speed/power combinations?

[@raffiem]

Hey my 20W Xtool is too powerful to use at 100 percent power and 250mm/min when this Grid says 100% is that 100% of 10W laser or it doesnt matter? also is there a way to change the power numbers for every Colum

[@BuildDadBuild]

Yes. You have to change it manually.

[@raffiem]

@@BuildDadBuild thank you for the quick response cheers

[@zacharymahler2554]

Requiem For A Dream! Nice work too!

[@BuildDadBuild]

You are correct. I've never been able to look at Jennifer Connelly the same after that scene. LOL Cheers

[@jsmith7310]

I am curious how you plan on making money with these tiles ? Who do you intend to sell them to?

[@BuildDadBuild]

People sell these tiles all over the place. Craft fairs, etsy, etc.

[@jsmith7310]

@@BuildDadBuild I guess the point I am trying to make is that you don't own the rights to sell that image. It seems to be a consistent mistake in your "hey you could make money this way" videos . You don't own the rights to Deadpool, you don't own the rights to Freddy, you don't own the rights to Pennywise and if you sell any of them you will go to jail. you are limited to images you create or free license images and why would someone buy an image they can download for free. You are giving people the false impression that they can just go out and make money this way and it's simply not true.

[@mikebari3225]

Does IMAGR not work on mac ? when i click upload nothing happens ?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Works great. Use it on my Studio all the time. Might need to try a different browser.

[@calimanaaron]

Are these tiles glossy or matte; does it work the same for both? Cheers!

[@BuildDadBuild]

I typically use matte or satin to reduce any sort of reflexion.

[@brucegcs]

Some paint got stuck in the microscopic pores of the etched part, should torch it to get the contrast back

[@MacGyver1972]

Iv seen one time laser etching blue jeans have tried it.

[@BuildDadBuild]

I have not.

[@richboymoney2122]

Alright buddy one more question I got the white tile down now but now I have alot of line going through my tile would you know why

[@BuildDadBuild]

Too fast...or loose belts. If in Laserbox Basic you can also try upping your lines per CM Cheers

[@richboymoney2122]

@@BuildDadBuild the speed 1250 and the power is 40%

[@ericdickson2248]

This is so cool. Can you use different color paints to get different color lines?

[@BuildDadBuild]

I don't believe so. But Ortur and some other companies do sell colored "burn paper" ... amzn.to/3wKPUtO Cheers

[@jonnyibullarenandersson9134]

Tried this with my atomstack 40w. But i cant get the picture dark enough. Can it be the paint? Or wich parameter effects the dark/light most. Percentage on the laser or the speed?

[@BuildDadBuild]

It can absolutely be the paint. Make sure you're using something with a high amount of Titanium Dioxide. Cheers

[@thomasnuss7387]

Wow. Very cool. thx for the video from Germany. Dank dir sehen meine fließen jetzt viel besser aus.🤗

[@ifiwooddesigns]

Awesome video! Starting to like the laser lore and more. Keep it going.

[@BuildDadBuild]

Definitely more to come. I actually have another laser on the way! Cheers

[@majorrichardhead9778]

Everyone shows copyright images, how are you able to sell them?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Don't sell copyrighted images.

[@majorrichardhead9778]

@@BuildDadBuild Thank you for the quick reply

[@sfballetdonations3530]

How do I make a coping toolbox

[@bradewhite6598]

What's the trick to finding good pictures to engrave. Every time I run them through imagr they come out really grainy

[@BuildDadBuild]

Start with large high quality images. Cheers

[@bradewhite6598]

@@BuildDadBuild thank you!

[@elitelawn9547]

Really cool! How awesome would it be if you could get the red paint he has in the middle of his face...👍

[@BuildDadBuild]

I've seen some folks go back in with paint or water color and do some of the highlights. Cheers

[@lesleylonkokile5735]

What software can I use to monitor engraved items daily from different sites?

[@BuildDadBuild]

I'm not sure if I understand the question. Email me [e-mail]

[@brentf9616]

Awesome fellah, can't wait to try it!

[@BuildDadBuild]

You'll dig it! Cheers

[@jeremiahtwalker3558]

I made my first image using the Norton white tile method. I did an Ironman. Thanks for the advice.

[@BuildDadBuild]

Awesome! Cheers

[@richboymoney2122]

Hey buddy I used this method and I just can't get the test to come out good or the picture that I tried

[@BuildDadBuild]

Make sure you're using a high quality image to start with. Low quality images won't etch well. Cheers

[@richboymoney2122]

@@BuildDadBuild i cant even the test to come out right looks nothing like yours and i even followed everything you did

[@BuildDadBuild]

@@richboymoney2122 My thought would be you are applying too much paint.

[@mistygivens9511]

@builddadbuild - question, can the xtool d1 10W engrave on Stemless stainless steel Wine Tumblers? They are not perfectly cylindrical, more of a tear drop shape. Just curious as I am getting ready to order the xtool this week after watching your videos. I was looking at several options but I feel like the xtool will fit my needs better then snapmaker, glowforge, muse or many others I have researched. let me know if you have tried the wine tumblers. Thx - M

[@BuildDadBuild]

I have not. However, if you watch how I create a jig in this video, you could do something similar with the taper of a wine glass. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIe3h3arp9R7hdk And you can mark stainless steel, however I would suggest using a transfer agent to make it darker. Like the Enduramark I use in the video above or something like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2qoo4mgqrGUqK8 Cheers!

[@howdydoody30204b]

I couldn't ask this on the Enduramark tile video, as comments are turned off, so I am asking here - how many 4" tiles do you think you can you get out of a 12oz can of Enduramark, which is pricey? Thanks for that video, BTW.

[@BuildDadBuild]

I'd say at least 50...

[@howdydoody30204b]

@@BuildDadBuild And I would say that's enough 🙂. Thanks

[@theresakidd]

New to lasers and wondering if there is any specific reason that you are using acetone to initially clean the tiles? Like for vinyl from my cricut machine I just clean the tiles with isopropyl alcohol. Is there something specific about lasers that makes it better to use acetone?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Nope. I'm using acetone because I have it handy and it dries quickly. You can clean them with any cleaning agent. Cheers

[@jamesfriend4225]

The choice of cleaner is more dependent on the material you are cleaning. Acetone would probably damage vinyl, while isopropyl is safe on most plastics and would work for tile as well. Also bear in mind that many materials sold as vinyl would not be safe to cut on a laser. Anything with PVC in it releases chlorine gas in the laser which damages the equipment and is very toxic.

[@tugboatcapt1984]

how do I get a test file for a xtool 20w

[@BuildDadBuild]

You can make your own in XCS or Lightburn

[@KaitlinParascand]

what image mode are you using

[@BuildDadBuild]

I think that was Stucki

[@markatkins4246]

Hey Build dad are you running lightburn on Mae or Windows?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Both.

[@CalebHubbartt]

Where do you get your tiles? It’s seems yours don’t have the little “bumps” on the side of them like most of the hardware store ones I’ve found

[@BuildDadBuild]

I picked up a couple of boxes of tiles from Lowes when they were on clearance. Cheers

[@howdydoody30204b]

Okay, showing my ignorance here, but I see no way out. Looking at the test grid in LightBurn, I see that every layer is shown at 100% power. How is the power variation btw 10% and 100% managed?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Hey Jere! When you click on an individual shape in the grid, then go to the tab (on the row of tabs with Cuts/Layers and Move) and go to Shape Properties. There you will see a number for Power Scale. If you grid was created correctly, if you click on a different shape in the grid, this number should change accordingly. Make sense? Cheers If not, email me [e-mail]

[@howdydoody30204b]

@@BuildDadBuild Yes, I do see. Thanks! Enjoy your videos, BTW.

[@rogerolsen95]

Har börjat med lazer engraver och har en 15 watt är det bra eller behöver jag en starkare lasermodul trevlig kanal ha en trevlig dag 😀

[@BuildDadBuild]

You can do this process with a 5 watt laser....

[@mitcheldyer]

can you burn on a glazed tile?

[@BuildDadBuild]

I can't say for certain, but my guess would be yes.

[@rican4ever2002]

Great video, question on light burn did you use the passthrough option since it was dithered through Imag-r or did you double dither with light burn?

[@BuildDadBuild]

I used passthrough. Cheers

[@rican4ever2002]

@@BuildDadBuild thanks for the quick reply . Subscribed !!!

[@chipwoodin4841]

Hi love your videos Is there anyway you can send me the file? It wont let me open it. says I dont have permission. Thanks

[@BuildDadBuild]

email me [e-mail]

[@terrymoore1978]

What did you use to remove the paint after you etched the tile?

[@BuildDadBuild]

I use lacquer thinner. Cheers

[@garrethzarb2102]

Do you burn with air assist on or off please?

[@BuildDadBuild]

I do not have air assist on this unit. Cheers

[@garrethzarb2102]

Thank you.

[@eb5955]

Which paint do you use? Acrylic? Other? Thanks

[@BuildDadBuild]

The "go to" paint for this type of application seems to be Rustoleum Painters Touch 2X Ultra Cover. I use Heirloom White. Cheers

[@eb5955]

@@BuildDadBuild unfortunately in Italy it is not found, Thanks

[@BuildDadBuild]

@@eb5955 You want to find paint with a high concentration of titanium dioxide. That's what burns and adheres to the tile. I've heard of folks just painting them with Tio2

[@eb5955]

@@BuildDadBuild thanks

[@tanna123able]

Where would I find the tile power grid

[@BuildDadBuild]

Right here: drive.google.com/drive/folders/10Opcir8qNVQ54swBGGp7Ua4gEKTrFa3Y?usp=sharing Cheers!

[@LaserNoob]

Can this be done with the XTool 5w?

[@BuildDadBuild]

absolutely. The paint method. I can’t attest to the Enduramark method.

[@CrudelyMade]

how exactly do you make money? do you sell the copyrighted material you put on the tile? or.. is the money making you're talking about from patrons of your channel for th clickbait?

[@BuildDadBuild]

You don't sell copyrighted images. People do quite well selling tiles engraved with personal photos, sayings, etc. Cheers

[@JohnRuckart66]

So wondering what kind of dithering settings you're using on light burn? Are you using grayscale or one of the other type?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Passthrough. I get my edit from imag-r.com

[@drodriguez3935]

Is there a reason why I wouldn’t buy it directly from the company and buy it from a third-party store if it’s as simple as they sponsor you then I can understand that …plus what is the customer service like? I learn a lot from your channel and would love to order one

[@BuildDadBuild]

There is no difference. The link I'm providing is an affiliate link, so if you go through that link it does help the channel out. As far as customer service, the folks I have been working with have been pretty responsive. I can't speak to Ortur direct, as I have not worked with them directly. If you feel more comfortable going through manufactures site, no sweat. I just want you to get you a LASER!! LOL Cheers! Nick

[@drodriguez3935]

@@BuildDadBuild ordering through your link today it’s alot ($500) but I believe it’ll keep me busy🦅🇺🇸

[@BuildDadBuild]

Thanks, brother.

[@drodriguez3935]

What is the option: plus y axis roller? Was about to order but so many options

[@drodriguez3935]

@@BuildDadBuild Disregard last message or comment I looked it up it does cups and round objects so I can engrave on cups which is pretty neat I’m on it

[@MarcAndreMenard]

What about the copyright for the pictures ?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Don't sell something that is copyright protected

[@ruudhooff6486]

Thanks for the cool idea, any reason you didn't just use lightburn to both process and burn the image?

[@BuildDadBuild]

I just like the result I bet better with imag-r Cheers

[@oneheadlight8000]

@@BuildDadBuild Great video! Are you just using the Threshold setting for this since the image is already pre-processed? Is there anywhere that you share a Lightburn file to look at the settings?

[@BuildDadBuild]

@@oneheadlight8000 ​ @Josh P I use imag-r.com to prep the tile and passthrough in Lightburn

[@oneheadlight8000]

@@BuildDadBuild thank you! That’s where I messed up! I had threshold on and forgot pass through.. it came out in basically two shades

[@batmanwatchmanwatchman8113]

Hey I love your videos! I was wondering if this method works with marble, thank you so much for the videos!

[@BuildDadBuild]

I would think it would. I've never tried marble, but the process is the same. Cheers

[@batmanwatchmanwatchman8113]

@@BuildDadBuild awesome that’s great! I have unlimited white marble from my construction site and want to start recycle the materials! I really appreciate the help, information and great energy from your videos! Cheers!!!!

[@batmanwatchmanwatchman8113]

@@BuildDadBuild I’ve seen you post videos where you test materials sent to you by fans, I was wondering if that’s still something you do. I would love to send you a piece of marble to try engraving. I’m relatively new to this field and buying the machine that you use would be a huge investment for me. I have tons of free marble I could work with so if this method is possible than I’m in business!!! Lol

[@batmanwatchmanwatchman8113]

Thank you I appreciate you spending your time to answer my questions!

[@vincentlekei1969]

Omg you are funny love your videos and the sweet tutorials Rock on 🤘

[@BuildDadBuild]

Cheers!

[@vincentlekei1969]

@@BuildDadBuild Wicked Cheers back !

[@jeremybrain5774]

Those two tiles looked really good

[@BuildDadBuild]

Thanks Jeremy! Cheers

[@gameon3608]

How many watts is your laser

[@BuildDadBuild]

Which one? 🤣 The one in this video is 5.5 watts

[@moisescontreras1168]

Amazing work brother 🍻👏

[@BuildDadBuild]

Appreciate it my man!

[@howdydoody30204b]

According to the title, I thought there was going to be more to it. Still, it's another good video on the Norton method, with a little more info than in some. Thanks.

[@BuildDadBuild]

Hey Jere! What kind of info were you expecting? Maybe I can do a follow up video. Cheers

[@howdydoody30204b]

@@BuildDadBuild The "... Make Money..." part., 🙂

[@cam7724]

Nice waedrobe change. Superman style

[@BuildDadBuild]

The magic of video! LOL Cheers

[@RavensEyeOffroad]

could you spread the image out over multiple tiles? cool channel man!

[@BuildDadBuild]

Sure can! And thank you.

[@tribo2.0]

How many Watts is the laser in this video?

[@BuildDadBuild]

That is a trick question. LOL Ortur originally claimed this was a 20 watt laser. Which is misleading because it's 20 watts in, not the output. So output varies on who you talk to. Anywhere between 5 - 5.5 watts. Cheers

[@tribo2.0]

@@BuildDadBuild Ah, Ok. I've always read that to do the Norton method the laser should be 2.5W or 3W... my laser is similar to yours, 40w (5w optical output). I'm encouraged to try it :) Hug.

[@BuildDadBuild]

Yeah...you really don't need a lot of power to do it. However, I've seen some really good results with folks using the LM2 Pro. All about the parameters! If you haven't, check out the Nicky Norton Den of Lasers Facebook Group. Really good source of knowledge there! Cheers

[@shrtwhiteboy]

How many watts is your laser?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Ortur states it is a 20 watt laser. But it's my understanding that it has a 5 - 5.5 watt output (depending on who you ask). Cheers

[@shrtwhiteboy]

@@BuildDadBuild perfect. That’s what I just got.

[@BuildDadBuild]

@@shrtwhiteboy You'll dig it! Check out the Ortur groups on FB as well as Nicky Norton's Den of Lasers on FB. Great resources!

[@jeffvernon4405]

How do you do your own pictures

[@BuildDadBuild]

The same way. You'd upload them to imag-r.com and run them through the steps. Cheers

[@jeffvernon4405]

@@BuildDadBuild thank you. I would like to see you do Jason Vaughn

[@13hubi13]

What are u doing with the lasered tiles? 🙈

[@BuildDadBuild]

Some people sell them. I just gave a bunch away to my Patrons.

[@rumpple4skin976]

I like it cool cool think I might be needing a laser.

[@BuildDadBuild]

I didn't know I wanted one until I got it! LOL Cheers

[@rumpple4skin976]

@@BuildDadBuild indeed

[@prettynoose8497]

The Pennywise image is trademarked by Warner Studios. Don't you have to be licensed to sell it?

[@anthonybragger6672]

Amazing, as usual

[@BuildDadBuild]

Thanks brother! Cheers!

[@Yoshi-Toranaga]

and the config?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Not sure what you mean. Email me for details [e-mail] Cheers

[@RixtronixLAB]

Nice video, thanks :)

[@azizqassim9257]

That was awesome 👌

[@BuildDadBuild]

Thank you! Cheers

[@patrickchristie82]

Laser on leather next?

[@BuildDadBuild]

Maybe not next, but I do want to try it out. Cheers

[@nickynorton]

Nice Video

[@BuildDadBuild]

Thank you

[@alonsoalvarezguerrero1433]

Muy buen video saludos desde tampico México 👍

[@BuildDadBuild]

👍

[@BossTweed69]

My wife is going to freak tf out when she finds out iv ordered a laser. It's imperative I have one is what I shall say

[@BuildDadBuild]

It is...it's even a moral imperative! LOL Cheers

[@elitelawn9547]

New shirt time Coffee Laser Whiskey Repeat

[@BuildDadBuild]

Right?

[@imtiyazareen]

Etching 0.4 mm possible 😋

[@BuildDadBuild]

Yes

[@oscrfsh]

I'd like to see a portrait of someone on a piece of slate

[@BuildDadBuild]

I should have a slate video coming soon! Cheers

[@nextellcup8]

can i ask why you went png and not jpg , others do jpg. honest question im not being a jackass lol that’s for the awesome video.

[@BuildDadBuild]

My graphic design background. Mainly personal preference. Better quality image most of the time.

[@nextellcup8]

@@BuildDadBuild i just did a side by side test . definitely better. thanks again

[@patriot116rrus]

👍

[@BuildDadBuild]

🤘🏻

[@RJamesBaphomet1988]

I wanna order 1 of every horror villain ever and redo every floor and bathroom tile in the house😆🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@BuildDadBuild]

I like it!

[@raelynnreilly6787]

It’s very cool, but that is still and always will be one creepy dude!! Creep zone haha

[@BuildDadBuild]

LOL

[@DJRockinRob]

Hey man, I'm sorry. My phone was accepting screen inputs while I wasn't paying attention. I think it disliked your video. :-( oops

[@BuildDadBuild]

No worries. I think if you click the thumbs down again it will go away. But not too worried about it! Cheers

[@The_Cyber_Nomad]

Your legs...

[@BuildDadBuild]

Huh?

[@wademorgan8464]

I sent you a message and n your Facebook page?? Do you see those or do I need to send a message somewhere else??

[@BuildDadBuild]

email me [e-mail] It's hit or miss on if I get messages on FB LOL

[@des33080]

Hey brother..can I have ur email..I have something I need to ask

[@BuildDadBuild]

Sure. [e-mail]

[@des33080]

@@BuildDadBuild I sent it..ty brother