Category: Maker Tips / Business Growth Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes
They say you can’t squeeze blood out of a stone. At Kim and Garrett Make It, we like to prove the old sayings wrong. Today we are showing you how to squeeze $45 out of a stone specifically a slate coaster.
If you have been looking for the Holy Grail of laser projects the one with the highest profit to effort ratio in the shop you just found it. Here is the 5 step breakdown of how we turn a $1 blank into a premium gift ready product.
Why Slate is the Universal Donor of Gifting
From a data perspective slate has an incredible conversion rate. Why? Because it is a safe gift. It is functional, durable, and has a high perceived value. When customers see that crisp bright white engraving against the dark natural stone they do not see a coaster; they see a premium keepsake.
Whether it is a wedding, a corporate gala, or a grumpy uncle’s man cave, slate fits the vibe.
Step 1: Quality Starts with the Blank
Not all slate is created equal. When sourcing your 4x4 blanks look for:
-
Even Thickness: Aim for 5 to 6mm or about a quarter inch.
-
Flatness: Too much variation can cause your laser to go out of focus.
-
The Details: Ensure they have rubber feet on the bottom. If they do not, add them! Nobody wants a gift that scratches their mahogany table.
Buying cheap slate is like buying cheap tires. You will regret it halfway through the journey. Spend the extra few cents for the good stuff.
Step 2: The Technical Build
We put this project to the test on three different machines: the Eon MIRA 5 with an RF Tube, the xTool P2S with a CO2 Tube, and the xTool F1 Ultra with a Galvo Diode.
-
The RF Advantage: The MIRA 5 allows for incredibly fine detail. We ran this at 1100 millimeters per second proving that quality does not have to be slow.
-
The Bottom Up Secret: Always engrave from the bottom up! If you start at the top your exhaust fan creates a dust storm over the fresh engraving. Starting at the bottom keeps your lines crisp.
Step 3: The Secret Sauce
This is where most makers go wrong. If you leave slate raw finger oils will eventually make it look dull. But if you spray it with a shiny shellac it becomes slippery and non absorbent effectively ruining the coaster.
Our Solution: We use Miracle Sealants 511 Impregnator. It seals the stone without adding shine or slickness. It makes the grays deeper and the white engravings pop all while keeping the stone's natural feel.
Step 4: Presentation is 70 Percent of the Value
A single coaster is a souvenir. A set of four in a bamboo holder inside a windowed gift box is a product.
By spending an extra $3 to $4 on a holder and packaging you jump from a $5 impulse buy to a $45 premium gift set. People want Gift Ready. They want to buy it, turn around, and hand it to their mother in law without doing any extra work.
Step 5: Stop Making Start Marketing
To hit those high ticket numbers you have to be more than a maker you have to be a marketer.
-
Capture the Process: Take videos of the laser in action.
-
Target the Big Fish: Reach out to realtors for closing gifts or businesses for work anniversaries.
-
Use Local Pride: Coordinates, lake outlines, and city skylines consistently outperform generic designs.
Want the Designs We Used
If you are ready to start squeezing stone in your own shop we have made it easy.
-
Make It Mafia Members: Those in our Mastery Tier just received 50 exclusive coaster designs to use right now!
-
New to the Business: Check out the Maker Business Academy to learn how to scale your shop from a hobby to a brand.
The $45 Slate Secret: How to Turn Stone into High Profit Laser Gifts
They say you can’t squeeze blood out of a stone. At Kim and Garrett Make It, we like to prove the old sayings wrong. Today we are showing you how to squeeze $45 out of a stone specifically a slate coaster.
If you have been looking for the Holy Grail of laser projects the one with the highest profit to effort ratio in the shop you just found it. Here is the 5 step breakdown of how we turn a $1 blank into a premium gift ready product.
Why Slate is the Universal Donor of Gifting
From a data perspective slate has an incredible conversion rate. Why? Because it is a safe gift. It is functional, durable, and has a high perceived value. When customers see that crisp bright white engraving against the dark natural stone they do not see a coaster; they see a premium keepsake.
Whether it is a wedding, a corporate gala, or a grumpy uncle’s man cave, slate fits the vibe.
Step 1: Quality Starts with the Blank
Not all slate is created equal. When sourcing your 4x4 blanks look for:
-
Even Thickness: Aim for 5 to 6mm or about a quarter inch.
-
Flatness: Too much variation can cause your laser to go out of focus.
-
The Details: Ensure they have rubber feet on the bottom. If they do not, add them! Nobody wants a gift that scratches their mahogany table.
Buying cheap slate is like buying cheap tires. You will regret it halfway through the journey. Spend the extra few cents for the good stuff.
Step 2: The Technical Build
We put this project to the test on three different machines: the Eon MIRA 5 with an RF Tube, the xTool P2S with a CO2 Tube, and the xTool F1 Ultra with a Galvo Diode.
-
The RF Advantage: The MIRA 5 allows for incredibly fine detail. We ran this at 1100 millimeters per second proving that quality does not have to be slow.
-
The Bottom Up Secret: Always engrave from the bottom up! If you start at the top your exhaust fan creates a dust storm over the fresh engraving. Starting at the bottom keeps your lines crisp.
Step 3: The Secret Sauce
This is where most makers go wrong. If you leave slate raw finger oils will eventually make it look dull. But if you spray it with a shiny shellac it becomes slippery and non absorbent effectively ruining the coaster.
Our Solution: We use Miracle Sealants 511 Impregnator. It seals the stone without adding shine or slickness. It makes the grays deeper and the white engravings pop all while keeping the stone's natural feel.
Step 4: Presentation is 70 Percent of the Value
A single coaster is a souvenir. A set of four in a bamboo holder inside a windowed gift box is a product.
By spending an extra $3 to $4 on a holder and packaging you jump from a $5 impulse buy to a $45 premium gift set. People want Gift Ready. They want to buy it, turn around, and hand it to their mother in law without doing any extra work.
Step 5: Stop Making Start Marketing
To hit those high ticket numbers you have to be more than a maker you have to be a marketer.
-
Capture the Process: Take videos of the laser in action.
-
Target the Big Fish: Reach out to realtors for closing gifts or businesses for work anniversaries.
-
Use Local Pride: Coordinates, lake outlines, and city skylines consistently outperform generic designs.
Want the Designs We Used
If you are ready to start squeezing stone in your own shop we have made it easy.
-
Make It Mafia Members: Those in our Mastery Tier just received 50 exclusive coaster designs to use right now!
-
New to the Business: Check out the Maker Business Academy to learn how to scale your shop from a hobby to a brand.
-
Want the Designs We Used?
If you’re ready to start "squeezing stone" in your own shop, we’ve made it easy.
-
Make It Mafia Members: Those in our Mastery Tier just received 50 exclusive coaster designs to use right now! [Link to Membership]
-
New to the Business? Check out the Maker Business Academy to learn how to scale your shop from a hobby to a brand. [Link to Academy]
Watch the full video tutorial here:
What’s your go-to "sarcastic hospitality" quote for coasters? Let us know in the comments below!