Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:33 am
#5378
I saw your post asking how we make the tombstones. So i will try and give you the quickie version of how i do it. im sure Kitty, who looks like she is a better detailer than me will be able to add a few things. check the other threads in this forum for pics and inspirations.
Materials
- Polystyrene insulations Foam -- the stuff I use comes in blue sheets that are roughly 10 feet long x 2 feet wide x 2 inches thick. you want the thickness for stability. I get mine at Lowes. they generally run about 10 bucks per sheet. you should be able to make 5 normal size head stones with one sheet.
- a hacksaw blade -- mine isnt on a saw, I have duct tape wrapped around one end. This allows me to cut the shapes how i like and the saw teeth are fine enough to where it doesnt shred the polystyrene.
- Black sharpie pen
- Fine Sand paper
- A Computer / printer / cool gothic style fonts.
- masking tape
- A dremel Tool with a fine detail bit.
- water based Craft paint - black, dark gray, light gray
- Elmers Glue
- Water
- Paint brushes -- the one i use is about 3 inches wide.
- Xacto knife
- 1/4" dowels. - 12" long for each tombstone made.
1. take your big sheet of polystyrene and with a straightedge divide it into 5 - 6 even sections. My stones are all about 18" x 24" - the big sheets work out nice becaue the heigth is already automatically measured for you. cut these pieces apart with your hack saw blade.
2. using your sharpie then draw out the shape you want your tombstone to be. Then again take your hack saw and cut away the pieces you dont want attached to your tombstone. your basicly using the hacksaw blade as a jig saw.
-- At this point you should have your basic Tombstones cut out.
3. use your sand paper to smooth out any parts you dont like. remember though. the roughper you leave it the more its going to look like stone when were done.
4. Go to you computer and type out your Epitaphs in Word or whatever program you have. most of them should work. pic out a font that you like. and then blow it up to as big as your comfortable with. Mine are at about 120 font size. So your going to have multiple papers come out on your long epitaphs. Keep your first one simple as you can so you get yourself trained to the process. I suggest a simple "RIP 2006"
5. now that youve created a stencil, trim the paper with a pair of scissors or your X-acto knife so that there is not a lot of extra paper. leave yourself an inch or so of room arund the wording.
6. Tape your stencil onto the tombstone in a manner that is satisfying to you. you will now get a idea of what your finished product is going to look like.
7. Using your dremel tool simply cut through the letters on your pattern, anything that is black you cut through. your now engraving your tombstone.
- after you have engraved the epitaph you can now use your x-acto and hack saw to put in any extra details. (cracks, missing chunks of stone, etc.)
--- All thats left to do now is paint it and seal it ---
8. Give the whole thing a healthy coating of Black paint. dont let any of the foam under it peak through. let it dry
- next take you dark gray paint and dry brush a coat of it on there. let it dry
- then take your light gray and do another light dry brush to really bring out the edges and details of the wording. let it dry
9. Using a solution of approximately 75% Elmers glue mixed with 25% water to thin it out. Cover the entire tombstone with this mixture using a old paint brush. This will seal it from the weather it will be seeing out in the yard. Dont worry, if you let your paint dry completely you wont even be able to tell you put it on once it drys. I would reccomend not doing the entire piece at once. do the front, let it dry, then do the back.
10. Use 1/4" dowels to secure them into the ground with. Take a dowel, sharpen one end, and push it up through the bottom of the tombstone approximately 6". you will need to push them into the ground a good 5 - 6" leaving another 5 - 6" above ground. and then put your tombstone on the exposed end to help them stand up.
-- I believe thats pretty much it, allow yourself a few days to do it all. It takes time for things to dry, espiacially the glue i seal it with.
Anyway, thats how i do it. I hope it helps.
I have a small scrap piece of polystyrene left over i am considering making another stone with. If i do I will take pics and edit this post with them.
Materials
- Polystyrene insulations Foam -- the stuff I use comes in blue sheets that are roughly 10 feet long x 2 feet wide x 2 inches thick. you want the thickness for stability. I get mine at Lowes. they generally run about 10 bucks per sheet. you should be able to make 5 normal size head stones with one sheet.
- a hacksaw blade -- mine isnt on a saw, I have duct tape wrapped around one end. This allows me to cut the shapes how i like and the saw teeth are fine enough to where it doesnt shred the polystyrene.
- Black sharpie pen
- Fine Sand paper
- A Computer / printer / cool gothic style fonts.
- masking tape
- A dremel Tool with a fine detail bit.
- water based Craft paint - black, dark gray, light gray
- Elmers Glue
- Water
- Paint brushes -- the one i use is about 3 inches wide.
- Xacto knife
- 1/4" dowels. - 12" long for each tombstone made.
1. take your big sheet of polystyrene and with a straightedge divide it into 5 - 6 even sections. My stones are all about 18" x 24" - the big sheets work out nice becaue the heigth is already automatically measured for you. cut these pieces apart with your hack saw blade.
2. using your sharpie then draw out the shape you want your tombstone to be. Then again take your hack saw and cut away the pieces you dont want attached to your tombstone. your basicly using the hacksaw blade as a jig saw.
-- At this point you should have your basic Tombstones cut out.
3. use your sand paper to smooth out any parts you dont like. remember though. the roughper you leave it the more its going to look like stone when were done.
4. Go to you computer and type out your Epitaphs in Word or whatever program you have. most of them should work. pic out a font that you like. and then blow it up to as big as your comfortable with. Mine are at about 120 font size. So your going to have multiple papers come out on your long epitaphs. Keep your first one simple as you can so you get yourself trained to the process. I suggest a simple "RIP 2006"
5. now that youve created a stencil, trim the paper with a pair of scissors or your X-acto knife so that there is not a lot of extra paper. leave yourself an inch or so of room arund the wording.
6. Tape your stencil onto the tombstone in a manner that is satisfying to you. you will now get a idea of what your finished product is going to look like.
7. Using your dremel tool simply cut through the letters on your pattern, anything that is black you cut through. your now engraving your tombstone.
- after you have engraved the epitaph you can now use your x-acto and hack saw to put in any extra details. (cracks, missing chunks of stone, etc.)
--- All thats left to do now is paint it and seal it ---
8. Give the whole thing a healthy coating of Black paint. dont let any of the foam under it peak through. let it dry
- next take you dark gray paint and dry brush a coat of it on there. let it dry
- then take your light gray and do another light dry brush to really bring out the edges and details of the wording. let it dry
9. Using a solution of approximately 75% Elmers glue mixed with 25% water to thin it out. Cover the entire tombstone with this mixture using a old paint brush. This will seal it from the weather it will be seeing out in the yard. Dont worry, if you let your paint dry completely you wont even be able to tell you put it on once it drys. I would reccomend not doing the entire piece at once. do the front, let it dry, then do the back.
10. Use 1/4" dowels to secure them into the ground with. Take a dowel, sharpen one end, and push it up through the bottom of the tombstone approximately 6". you will need to push them into the ground a good 5 - 6" leaving another 5 - 6" above ground. and then put your tombstone on the exposed end to help them stand up.
-- I believe thats pretty much it, allow yourself a few days to do it all. It takes time for things to dry, espiacially the glue i seal it with.
Anyway, thats how i do it. I hope it helps.
I have a small scrap piece of polystyrene left over i am considering making another stone with. If i do I will take pics and edit this post with them.
