Can brick be engraved / marked?

[Drea]

I may have some of this. My folks did a whole wall in a rental unit using this thin/faux brick (looks stunning BTW) … pretty sure the leftovers ended up in my garage. Will ask hubs when he gets home - if we still have it, he’ll know where it is.

[rand]

80 predicted in Seattle for Monday

[jrnelson]

in addition to the flats, sometimes you’ll see it called brick veneer.

[corporate]

(resists urge to post “veneer” drinking game video again)

[lcronkite]

@corporate

Hi gang.
I’ve searched the forums a lot but can’t find any mention of brick so far.

I saw a post talking about What type of stone can be engraved? and one about Is Masonite Laser Compatible? and Can it engrave quartz crystal? . So I thought we’re in the same neighborhood.

A buddy of mine has some old bricks that he thinks would make a nice looking sidewalk; he wants to mark or engrave the bricks with names, pictures, and historic dates for his family. Something like this

I’ve viewed numerous other videos and posts, but they’re all focused on other products that dont really give technical specs that are comparable. The closest hint I’ve found is to go super slow on max power - and that was a 60W laser.

Will the Glowforge Pro model (a 45W CO2 laser) have enough power to engrave brick or just mark it?

Thanks!

You must have gotten this email

[hansepe]

Ha!

I’m usually in Denver for last snow every year so hoping this was it and it missed me for the first time in several years. Otherwise, get ready for snow again first week in June.

[jason.fuller0]

Seems like a matter of multiple factors. 45W CO2 from may or may not be enough, depending on lots of stuff with the brick. Really, would be a matter of trying. I’d be happy to try it if I have my production unit.

[gernreich]

I know that my fresnel lens can melt brick

[lorna]

Why do I feel like there’s a story here…

[johnbrooker]

I wonder if we could produce a ‘fresnel-type’ lens with the GF, engraving acrylic ?
Just another thought, while I wait (and finish packing ! )

[dwardio]

Trogdor’s lair had 6 inches of very wet snow - maybe 4:1. Prefaced by 3 inches of rain.

Erie had to cancel the balloon festival this weekend, due to flooded and squishy conditions.

[jason.fuller0]

I am slow this week/month or something. It just occurred to me that if the 45W Pro could not engrave brick, there are other options, including previously mentioned sandblasting with a mask. Another option that I don’t think has been mentioned is Cermark, or similar marking compound. That would have a bonus in colder areas of not introducing additional cracks and holes for water/ice to fracture the bricks.

[Hirudin]

Funnily enough, Cermark had been mentioned. By you a couple days ago.

[jason.fuller0]

I’m going to claim old age and exhaustion.

[davidgal2]

Here is a YouTube video that I saw a while ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcjfPrmwQX4&t=3s
It shows brick pavers being sand blasted and then painted. This might work for you.

[jason.fuller0]

Gal knows more about sandblasting, and has a better shop space, than I do.

[gernreich]

I thought we saw a rock of Dan’s that shows a melted surface?

[PlGHEADED]

@gernreich

I thought we saw a rock of Dan’s that shows a melted surface?

You can do stone - not a very deep engrave but will mark it. I’ve purchased those black “river rocks” at the dollar store and engraved with my K40 ( tube went out after less than 20 hours of use ) but you can engrave a “white” image that is (seems) permanant.

[Dunfee]

To be fair I live on the east coast of Canada and it was in the 20s (Celsius) this weekend. Seeing snow this late is so weird.

[jason.fuller0]

I’ve seen snow falling this late in the year, and not that many years ago. I happen to live in Michigan.