Blank for plaque

Anything of value will be stolen before long. Stainless will probably be left alone.

Paul

I haven't heard of any thefts from our local cemeteries, although I could see it happening.

I was curious about a real-world application of solid surface material outdoors.

I helped a guy make a gnomon for a sundial out of 1" bronze plate, it cut and machined beautifully but I couldn't tell you what the alloy was. He purchased it from a local supplier at some cost, it was probably a standard alloy, I could inquire what it would be if asked to. It was fastened into the stone sundial base using adhesive and studs into the back of the piece. I provided him with some chemicals such as ammonia and hydrochloric acid which allowed him to get a patina on it that he liked before it was placed. It was for a y2k monument locally, unfortunately so local sods tipped it over and damaged it and the local council didn't have it insured. It still sits in his yard AFAIK as the council haven't payed to have it repaired. The gnomon while it took a knock was little damaged and the studs held fast in the stonework even though bent.

My dad was once superintendant of a "memorial park", which is a cemetary that uses bronze markers rather than headstones. The bronze markers were cast in a foundry near Pittsburgh. The park is still in business, may be able to tell you more about the metallurgy or refer you to the maker of their markers.

The markers had bosses on the back into which J-bolts were screwed. They were then anchored to a thick block of concrete that was buried flush to the ground which made mowing easy. They were decidedly not portable enough to make theft worth the effort.

I think you might be surprised at the amount of energy expended by "tweekers" trying to get metal to sell for a couple of dollars.

Paul

"Suspect linked to Boynton Beach, Florida cemetery vase thefts"

>

Wasn't so then, may well be now. I know they're trashing vacant houses for the copper plumbing.

I'll leave that worry to Jon.

I'll leave that worry to the end user =)

I was toying around with making something of corian or a similar material, I'd like to know how the different colors actually stand up to uv and weather

corian is plastic. i doubt that it will stand up to uv for any great length of time.

what about using something traditional, like granite?