Slate Coaster With a Name or Logo
Maximum wow-per-effort. Slate engraves beautifully on even a small diode — the beam turns dark slate pale grey, so your design comes out light-on-dark.
KitWhat you'll need
- Natural slate coasters — the smoother the better
- Damp cloth
- Food-safe mineral oil or clear lacquer for contrast (optional)
SettingsStarting points
| Machine | Speed | Power | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 W diode | 3,000–5,000 mm/min | 50–70% | single pass |
| 60 W CO2 | 300–400 mm/s | 25–40% | single pass |
StepsHow to do it
- Clean and dry. Dust and grit scatter the beam.
- Focus at the centre. Slate is never flat — focus on the centre of the area you're engraving.
- Frame carefully. You can't sand mistakes out of slate.
- Engrave. No masking needed. Single pass.
- Wipe down. A damp cloth removes the engraving dust.
- Oil the whole coaster. The slate darkens, the mark stays pale, and contrast jumps. Oil all of it, not just the engraving, to avoid tide marks.
MistakesWhat everyone gets wrong
- Engraving a fine detailed photo first time — slate's texture eats fine detail; start with bold text and line art.
- Oiling only the engraved area, leaving a visible tide mark.
- Skipping the corner test — every batch of slate behaves differently.
⚠ SafetySlate produces fine mineral dust — extraction on, wipe the bed down after.
⤴ Level up
Photo engraving on slate (high-contrast images only), house-number signs, wedding place settings.