Anyone know a source for stone coasters to engrave?

[irene.e.greenberg]

I have a commission to make coasters with a company logo on them. The client showed me a 4" stone tile that looked like slate – unpolished, grey – and said that’s the material she wants me to use. Can anyone recommend a good source where I might find such a thing wholesale?

[dklgood]

Congratulatons on your commission.
There are lots of posts here in the forum regarding slate engraving. It is hard to point you to a specific wholesaler since we don’t know how many coasters sets you wish, the size, the shape, your time constrictions, etc. My quick Google search turned up many wholesale slate coaster suppliers. Maybe start there. Once you are ready to engrave, read the forum regarding using mineral oil before or after engraving, sealing, settings, etc.

[jason.fuller0]

Most slate I buy is in an 8-pack from Amazon (link to listing), but sounds like you are lining up for a bulk order. If you can wait on bulk Chinese slate, you can get them for VERY cheap.

Some possible links::

Glass Coaster Store
Alibaba
Made-In-China

Well, that is a few examples. As always, buyer beware.

[UrJac]

It’s not Wholesale, but I keep an eye on Michaels, and did a bulk order of sets of 4 when a sale pops up.

[jason.fuller0]

I snagged a sale on that Amazon link, got plenty to get by for a bit.

[dhaykus]

Yes, I have used the Michael’s ones, its usually a set of 4 for $3.19. I’ve sprayed them with shellac to improve the contrast and they com out very nice using settings found here in the community (search for slate settings). Sometimes they don’t all have 100% square corners but it is a natural material so I just make sure I tell folks that it can vary.

[evansd2]

@dhaykus

Sometimes they don’t all have 100% square corners but it is a natural material so I just make sure I tell folks that it can vary.

Maybe relevant:

Alignment of irregular objects (Coasters)

I got a set of slate coasters. Unfortunately slate’s a pretty analog material, and each square was very slightly different. Under normal circumstances, this would not be an issue, as the differences were very small… but these are to be a matched tiling set, and so alignment was crucial. The way I solved for it was to make a “consumable” jig. Carefully measure your coaster: length, width and height. Be sure to mark the bottom somehow so you know your orientation later. Go to your favorite S…

[dhaykus]

Yes, exactly what I do. I get cardboard sheets that are inside the top and bottom of the boxes of products that the company I work for get in that we resell. Its a perfect rectangle that I don’t even have to cut up. I keep a stack of them around for when i need a temp jig.

[irene.e.greenberg]

Thank you all, belatedly, for your suggestions for slate tiles. I bookmarked them all and will refer to them when I work on a quote! I promise to show the finished product, too