I thought it might be unseemly to watch Mr. Woods' headstone being engraved without knowing a bit about him, so here's the obituary I found... Harold Richard "Butch" Woods, 85 of Arlington passed away on Monday, January 10, 2022 at Blanchard Valley Hospital. He was born in Findlay on August 21, 1936 to the late Harley and Myrtle (Steinman) Woods. He married Virginia L. Goodart and she preceded him in death. On February 12, 1987, he married Shirley E. May-Zechman and she survives. Also surviving are children, Phillip (Marilyn) Woods, Bethann (Tony) Ray, Jim (Janet) Woods, Jason (Chris) Woods, Terri (David) Williams, Kim (Bill) Kennedy and Todd (Amy) Zechman; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren and two sisters, Ann Riker and Kathy (Jim) Loy. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Ed, Joe and Bob Woods. Butch retired from Cooper Tire and Rubber and was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers fan. He also leaves behind his faithful companion "Charlie" (his dog). Butch loved spending time with his family and will be greatly missed by them.
Growing up in Northern Ireland I had a friend who's father carried out all of these steps by hand with just a hammer and chisel. Regardless of the weather, all year round he would sit on a simple wooden ‘stool’, sometimes working inside, sometimes outside through rain, snow, and wind. He always wore his battered trilby and a heavy tweed sports jacket, and he chain-smoked his roll-ups. Given all of this low-tech equipment, he never missed a letter, made every line perfectly straight, and text was perfectly centred, and if the client wanted text with serifs, depth, shadow or anything else you could imagine, the Carver would pull out a dog eared catalogue for the client to choose from. Gone now but never forgotten.
My mother passed in 2006, and she wanted certain things on her headstone. We inquired about the design and the guy stated he only had letters, but if we could find an artist in the next 24 hours, have them do the design and he would put it on. I'm an artist, so I drew it all up. It seems like a demanding job, I mean, it's granite. The designs came out Amazing ! An angel on the left upper with feathers falling down Christ in the middle, arms welcoming, "I'll fly away" with the music notes/bars on the upper right corner. Thanks for what you do. It really means a lot to people.
My dad did this back in the 50's in North Carolina. As a kid I would often spend the day with him during the summer. He cut the stone with a wire saw from a larger block which came from a quarry in Mt. Airy, NC. He then cut it to shape, polished it or chiselled it as requested by the customer, applied the rubber sheet, cut out the lettering and sandblasted it by hand. 3D designs of roses, vases, etc. required several layers of rubber with more sandblasting - it was a real art. When the stone was finished, he loaded it on a truck and drove to the cemetery where he installed the stone (they weighed hundreds of lbs) by himself with just a basic boom and winch on the truck. He taught me how to cut and shape stone - I put 7 tons of it on a house I built back in the 80's. Good memories from days gone by...
Thanks! Hasn’t changed much at all since I had this gig back in the early 1970s when I was still a university student and worked part time doing this exact process. Our working conditions were a bit rougher as we did our work in a big open metal shed with a dirt floor and the wind blowing thru - freezing your butt off in winter but cool in summer when it was near 100° outside it was still cool and damp in the shed. We had overhead cranes moving multi-ton chunks of granite over and around while we worked and giant cable saws running cutting granite down into slabs. But the process of making markers and monuments was exactly like this. I worked at that job while I went to art school and left there to work in an ad agency downtown in a high rise. Thanks for the memories!
I have spent countless hours on youtube watching just about everything but this is the first time I have seen how a headstone is made. Excellent work. Thank you....
I have ordered five headstones over my lifetime for relatives. Beautiful work you did there. The ones I ordered and were shipped to me were awesome also - flawless. I had always wondered how they did it. You should be very proud of the work you do as it will outlast any of us, and the assistance it provides relatives who need to find and see their passed on loved ones and kinfolks burial location and marker. Hats off to you!
I worked for a monument company almost 50 years ago engraving and installing monuments. The methods have changed a bit but it’s still the same thing. Good work sir and all the best.
Thank you! That brings back memories. My family was in the monument business from 1842-1971. They closed it when I was 16 because I did not wish to continue in the footsteps.
It is amazing that the granite is cut to depth with just 1 1/2 passes of the nozzle. What type of blasting medium is used? It really came out looking awesome! I am sure the Woods family was pleased not only with the headstone but also how it was made.
Our neighbour was a stone mason and he worked from his workshop at the botton of his garden. All you heard from him was the light tapping from his mallet,,,The work he produced was outstanding all carved by hand ..He even carved a small head stone for our cat when she passed away,,,,He hated cats ..Bless you Nigel..
That was amazing...the time and precise cutting, lining up of every aspect of this person's job is outstanding. Knowing where this is about to go, the family relying on every detail for their love one who has passed. A standing ovation for the people that do this job.
My parents owned a monument company when I was young. It was significantly smaller than this shop, but the amount of time and attention to detail required to do this job is the same. Good job, sir, and thank you for taking me back to my childhood.
Crazy to think there’s someone out there who’s gonna engrave your headstone one day. Crazier to think that you might meet them as well and never know it.
My dad did all this by hand back in the 50's. I often spent the day with him at work watching/learning. He would make the entire stone; cutting it from a larger block with a wire saw, polishing it by hand, cutting out the design and sandblasting it. Then he'd load it on a truck and we'd drive out to a cemetery where he would set the stone by himself. He was an artist. I'm still impressed.
Harold Richard "Butch" Woods, 85, of Arlington passed away on Monday, January 10, 2022 at Blanchard Valley Hospital. He was born in Findlay on August 21, 1936 to the late Harley and Myrtle (Steinman) Woods. He married Virginia L. Goodart and she preceded him in death. On February 12, 1987, he married Shirley E. May-Zechman and she survives. Also surviving are children: Phillip (Marilyn) Woods, Bethann (Tony) Ray, Jim (Janet) Woods, Jason (Chris) Woods, Terri (David) Williams, Kim (Bill) Kennedy, and Todd (Amy) Zechman; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and two sisters: Ann Riker and Kathy (Jim) Loy. He was also preceded in death by three brothers: Ed, Joe, and Bob Woods. Butch retired from Cooper Tire and Rubber and was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Lions, and Detroit Tigers fan. He also leaves behind his faithful companion "Charlie" (his dog). Butch loved spending time with his family and will be greatly missed by them.
Thank you, I always wondered how they did this on my parents and siblings gravestones. What you do keeps their memories alive for those of us left behind.
My mom and dad are gone now and we went through the whole funeral home thing and was absolutely shocked with how much everything costs. This process is probably expensive too. I’ve always wondered how they did the headstones!!! I’m so glad I watched this. Very interesting.
I have a lot more respect for the headstone engravers after this video! I had no idea it was this much work. A few years back I bought a headstone for myself and above my name it says Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius and at the bottom under the border it says ACME HEADSTONE COMPANY and the guy I ordered it from said the guy who engraved it said it was the coolest headstone he’s ever done 😂
Thanks for sharing this. Yesterday I received pictures of my Dad’s headstone from the Funeral home. I was wondering how they did the engraving. My Father missed his 94th birthday by 20 minutes. RIP Dad miss you
The headstone companies here have machines that actually engrave into the stones. Not just names but gorgeous pictures of things they loved. My mother has Tweety Bird on one side of her name and a rosary and cross on the other. My father-in-law and mother-in-law have a dual headstone. He has a Miami Dolphins helmet and she has a cat. My nephew has the Batman symbol. I’ve seen even more intricate ones with actual portraits and one even has the shape of a guitar. All of which are laser cut.
I knew there was lot of work that is put into headstone preparation but never knew how much until saw this video. Definitely have come long way from the old hammer and chisel days for sure.
You make it look easy but I can tell many years of experience just to lay the protective film so quickly and precisely. I imagine a big fear is not getting those hauling straps on far enough and the stone slipping out while moving.🫣 Great video and nicer work!
My father was in the monument business for forty years last century. I remember watching the guys in the shop do this, most all of them died of lung related issues due to the radioactive granite dust along with smoking filterless camels or lucky strikes. I got to set the finished product in the cemeteries and can appreciate the skill and artistry involved.
as a jeweler of 50+ years I love seeing how tech has changed our chosen occupations have changed. one of my customers was the number 1 stone cutter in Austin, at his funeral it truly was a who's of famous texans. It was nice to see talent appreciated even if it was at his funeral. keep the skills honed.
Where I agree that the cost of interment is unrealistically high (at least in the US) I do appreciate a place to go and connect or reconnect with family and loved ones. No matter what your beliefs are about an afterlife the memory of someone gone is powerful, sometimes healing and often strengthening. I for one have traveled across the US seeking information on my ancestors, finding much satisfaction on headstones dating back to the early 1700’s. I’ve ’connected’ with 2nd and 3rd grate grandparents from the Ozark’s, pre Revaluation Virginia farmers and early Oregon pioneers. This has given me a better understanding of who I am and the history that brought me here. My father was cremated and placed at his special spot but there is no ‘sign’ that he existed. Only in the memory of us his children and maybe a few of his grandchildren. In a 100 years what will be remembered? Again, I agree that the current burial traditions are too costly in both $$ and space. I don’t know the answer but we need someway to help honor and remember our families for generations to come.
You sound like a very respectable man. Not many preserve or value their ancestors these days. I agree it's very costly. I personally plan to be cremated do to the high cost and the fact most funeral homes do shady stuff with plots after however many years. I'd rather my kids spend what I leave them on their children's future and enjoying life. Also shout-out to the Ozarks. I'm from Missouri.
@@wthomas5697 give it time and you will. I have spent many quality hours with those around me (the living) learning about ancestors. It’s a favorite for my children, now grown and raising the next generation. It’s something that brings families together. What a joy it is to have a grandchild ask me, with a recorder in hand, about how I met grandma. Or get emails from young family members with a list of questions about the ‘good old days’. My wife and I have worked with 100’s of university students on how to learn about their ancestors. Never have I been disappointed as a student learns some details about some ‘long dead’ ancestor. Such as the young man struggling with his business classes thinking maybe it was a waste. He discovered (1910 census) his great grandfather was struggling as a young man trying to start a trucking business then 10 years later (1920 census) he had a wife and 2 children owned a successful business, a nice home. My young friend went away with a new confidence and feeling he to could succeed.
@@DL101ca From that name on a rock a lot can be learned… with a little effort. It shows they existed at a time and place, and if it’s your ancestor they’ve influenced who you are.
My wife & I very recently had our stone made & set. I knew the process used STENCILS & SANDBLASTING, but I had no idea HOW MANY STEPS were involved. WOW!
Brilliant workmanship, at last now i know how a headstone is engraved, and its taken 67 years to find out, hope i dont need one quite yet. Thank you for your video.
I had a double headstone done for my parents. It was about $2400, including delivery and setting the stone. I thought it was a steal, all things considered. It was harder to choose the design than anything else.
Always impressed to see a skilled craftsman and artisan break down a complex process of creation. Admittedly, the product evokes a bit of uneasiness, but it is nonetheless a vital part of the lifecycle of many of us. I think Mr. Woods and his family would have been comforted and impressed by the thought, skill, and craftsmanship that went into this final testament to his existence. Well done, Al.
@@night_al No problems Al. I genuinely didn't know how much work went into the creation of a headstone. You've helped to educate an 'ignorant' LOL. Keep up the amazing work!
Very interesting. I will never look at a headstone the same again! P. S. Ignore hateful comments. People like that don't realize ... "It's better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Blessings 💙💜
Thank you for watching! And you are right, I should let fools just be fools. Occasionally, it just rubs me the wrong way and I have to comment. As a youngster, I learned to stand up to bullies. Old habits die hard.
@@night_al You did nothing wrong by replying to them; I just wanted you to know that their opinion doesn't matter. One can make a comment, but if it's going to be rude and hateful, then they need to learn to just keep it to themselves. I have no time for rude people. There's too much hate in this world to lower ones self to being a part of the problem. God bless you sir. 🙏🏼
Im a mason in the UK for 25 6ears now. Its interesting to see the difference. For example we dont add eztra glue when blasting on granite, was that just PVA glue you were paitning on? Out stencil has a glue backing and are cut on a laser bed. Our blast cabinets are manually operared and are contained so no need to cover up and be in the grit and dust. We only recently switched to spray paint aswell, using enamel paint and a brush, plastikote spray has sped up the process immensely. Though i feel you should wear a mask with those fumes buddy. Alao we use a rubber roller to press the stencil down where as you hammered yours down. Nice job.
I suspect the extra glue is there to prevent wicking of the paint between the sandblast mask and the granite. My technique is to spray in clearcoat into the engraved parts to seal them, then put on the enamel paint.
@@joelbagodonuts1241 man working with an overhead gantry, a computer cut layout, an automatic blaster and spray painted letters. Its a lot more efficient than me marking out the the letters by hand, first roughing then out, then cleaning off the marking then recutting to tidy up the letters and then painting each letter in by hand.
Fascinating viewing, thanks for taking the time to share. I’d imagine the job satisfaction is immense knowing your work will still be there 100+ years from now. A similar video on the preparation of the stone before this process starts would be interesting. Thanks again.
Да и пескоструйные аппараты с тех пор не просто компрессор и сопло, а полноценный закрытый аппарат. Надеваешь встроенные перчатки, респиратор, смотришь через окошко и работаешь. И не нужно бояться за своё тело и легкие
While in high school in 1965 I worked part time for Bottinelli Monument Co. in new London, CT. ON Saturday I would make the vellum with the information going on the stone. Thank you. I knew how the final process was done. This is first time I saw it. Wow!
Nice shop, bridge crane and all. I like how the doors are cut out to fit around the roller tables, the 2X4 cradles to hold the stone, a lot of thought to make things easier. Do you also set the stones?
Of all the things I've wondered about, I've never wondered how a headstone was made. Stumbled upon this by accident. There is a lot more to it than I would have guessed.
In the early 1970s. my brother joined the Job Corps to learn how to carve granite, which is a much harder stone than marble. He went to Barry, Vt, where skilled granite carvers ran a school to teach apprentices to keep the art from dying out. Unlike present carving, which is done with templates and sandblasting, the master carvers did all the lettering by eye using miniature jackhammers. My brother had a ball, making Greek egg-and-dart patterns, small sculptures and a bird bath.
I would love to entertain this pun, but this is deathly serious. It may not be carved in stone, but jokes like this are dirty and will put you in a hole
My family has a monument shop that's been in our family for 4 generations. This dude is legit. Double processing (frosting the background first). Quality workmanship!
@@SandmanBiker thank you! I appreciate that so much. This shop is now 4 generations deep as of the past few months. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!
Hell yeah! How in the world people can come up with negative comments just from you showing this is beyond me. Ignore the trolls! If all the "experts" were really experts, they'd understand too and have nothing but good to say. Truly a craftsman!@@night_al
In our family owned monument shop we not only frosted off the polish first with the same abrasive used for the actual deep engraving.....then put the monument in a separate blast room and then peened it again using steel shot, which leaves a smoother and whiter finish.......less need to "paint" the letters for contrast before peeling off the stencil......we never used any type of paint......except for when doing cemetery lettering and needing too use paint to match existed painted lettering.........
I made markers and earned my way to a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA. I’ll never forget the kindness of the owner, his son and the book keeper. They were super nice human-beings! I owe them a great debt. Which I no longer owe. I am now retired, having eventually become a High School principal. I will see my former boss again some day in Heaven. God rest you in peace, Don.
That's an amazing memory. Thank you for sharing! I only wish I could say the same for the company I worked for. Apparently the years of knowledge I acquired was expendable over their favoritism. I have no ill will regardless. It was an awesome experience nonetheless. Thank you for watching!
Impressive! I would be very pleased if someone puts in that much time and effort on my own headstone! Thank you for caring enough to do the job...well, BETTER than it likely had to be. That matters in this world and the next, I imagine.
Wow, you have to wonder how much that cost - even though the engraving is so shallow. Being British I regularly see churchyards with 200-300 even 400 year old headstones that are still legible I doubt that a bit if sandblasting to write someone's name and then painting it black will stand the test of time, sadly.
I used to do this for my families business. We did it slightly different. We would whiten the stone as the last step. We’d use a putty in the letters to protect the paint
Ended with the same results. I always feared doing it that way would round off the crisp edges of the letters. So I frost it first in a double process. It's how I was taught
@@night_alyou are correct, we whiten first as well why take the risk of rounding out the letters. My family has been in this business since 1870, so we might know a thing or two.
Thanks that was interesting. All my family want headstones but not me. I hated mowing and trimming grass while I am alive...I don't want someone else to do it around my headstone. Throw me into the sea for me! Great job on this stone and helping families have somewhere to grieve.
Having overseen tens of thousands of these inscriptions, I can assure everyone that this is difficult detail oriented and exacting work done in many cases, in punishing environments. Nothing but respect for the people that cut these grave markers. 👍🏻
Fascinating. I never expected something like this used sandblasting. I was always under the impression that a carver would use a hammer and chisels or some kind of mechanical engraver like a Dremel to work each element. I guess old school is a fading art, much like sign painters and pinstripers. Although with the sandblasting it goes faster.
@@davidu4758 supply and demand. Before, hand carving was feasible because of death rate. Now, with the population soaring, death rates occur faster and headstones are more in demand. I appreciate the comment and thanks for watching!
To everyone who knew Butch Woods I’m sorry for your loss. Had a headstone mad for my mom last November. Interesting to see the process. Somehow another step of closure. Good video.
Cool process, thanks for the upload. People just suck these days, too many comments on here bitching and moaning. You provided a service for the family of the deceased and uploaded an interesting video and all these keyboard warriors are complaining. Why not just either be thankful for the upload or just move on. Everyone is so quick to condemn and slander. Manors and etiquette are out the window. Appreciate the work and you sharing the process.
It seems to me that there are many ways to more fully automate this process. A CNC machine would greatly reduce the labor required. They did a good job. Butch would be proud!
Interesting video. I was in many funerals and cemeteries in my short life, but never was interested how the headstones and writings are made. It's very interesting 👍🏻
Butch is buried an hour north of me. For some reason I have a desire stop and pay my respects if in the area after watching this. Seems a good guy from his obit. Nice work.
Some people knock this process, and think (thought) that it was still done by hand. There are many things now done by machines that was once done by hand, you are not yet aware of. Skill is still needed no matter the task. Imagine the cost if he got it wrong. Fascinating to watch.
Curious why you sandblast the "background" by hand and then CNC blast the lettering? Is the lettering blaster more powerful to etch deeper, so harder to control by hand?
It is more powerful. The background panel only needs very little pressure to remove the finish and make that area look frosted which is why I do it by hand. If I used the automatic blaster, that panel would be deeper than it needs and way more frosted.
The letters are precut. I start from the right side. I'm right handed and doing it that way just seems more comfortable for me. I've tried starting top left and working right but it feels odd lol Thank you for watching!
I hand carved a tombstone for my mother’s dog, hammer and a chisel, gray granite. It took me about 20 hours to get down the name Tanja and a lily to only a few mm depth. It was really interesting to see this. May I ask how many hours in total it took? It looked like a lot of work and it turned out beautifully!
@@night_al Thank you, sir. This was at least 15 years ago now, and in a different part of the country. If I remember it next time I’m there I’ll send you a photo of it.
@@garry1214 good question. Depth is controlled by the amount of passes the nozzle makes over that area. For the video time, I edited out about 5 passes both up and down. Normal 1" letters require that depending on the hardness of the stone. Last names being 1.5" to 2" tall require at least another 2 to 3 passes. Thanks for the question and thanks for watching!
I found it interesting reading a little about whom this headstone was for: Harold Richard "Butch" Woods, 85 of Arlington passed away on Monday, January 10, 2022 at Blanchard Valley Hospital. He was born in Findlay on August 21, 1936 to the late Harley and Myrtle (Steinman) Woods. He married Virginia L. Goodart and she preceded him in death. On February 12, 1987, he married Shirley E. May-Zechman and she survives. Also surviving are children, Phillip (Marilyn) Woods, Bethann (Tony) Ray, Jim (Janet) Woods, Jason (Chris) Woods, Terri (David) Williams, Kim (Bill) Kennedy and Todd (Amy) Zechman; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren and two sisters, Ann Riker and Kathy (Jim) Loy. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Ed, Joe and Bob Woods. Butch retired from Cooper Tire and Rubber and was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers fan. He also leaves behind his faithful companion "Charlie" (his dog). Butch loved spending time with his family and will be greatly missed by them. He had a good innings as us Aussies would say.
I used to own a company called Capital Harvest. It was a tile, glass and stone carving studio using these exact techniques. The we had a laser engraver that did the detail cutting if the masks along with a plotter blade cutter. No automated sandblasting though--we did it with gloves hands in a vented booth. This brought back lots of memories from 2 decades ago!
I thought it might be unseemly to watch Mr. Woods' headstone being engraved without knowing a bit about him, so here's the obituary I found...
Harold Richard "Butch" Woods, 85 of Arlington passed away on Monday, January 10, 2022 at Blanchard Valley Hospital. He was born in Findlay on August 21, 1936 to the late Harley and Myrtle (Steinman) Woods. He married Virginia L. Goodart and she preceded him in death. On February 12, 1987, he married Shirley E. May-Zechman and she survives. Also surviving are children, Phillip (Marilyn) Woods, Bethann (Tony) Ray, Jim (Janet) Woods, Jason (Chris) Woods, Terri (David) Williams, Kim (Bill) Kennedy and Todd (Amy) Zechman; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren and two sisters, Ann Riker and Kathy (Jim) Loy. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Ed, Joe and Bob Woods.
Butch retired from Cooper Tire and Rubber and was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers fan. He also leaves behind his faithful companion "Charlie" (his dog). Butch loved spending time with his family and will be greatly missed by them.
RIP Butch!
That's awesome! Thank you for sharing
Thank you for doing that.
Thanks for posting this...
TY. That was thoughtful.
Growing up in Northern Ireland I had a friend who's father carried out all of these steps by hand with just a hammer and chisel. Regardless of the weather, all year round he would sit on a simple wooden ‘stool’, sometimes working inside, sometimes outside through rain, snow, and wind. He always wore his battered trilby and a heavy tweed sports jacket, and he chain-smoked his roll-ups. Given all of this low-tech equipment, he never missed a letter, made every line perfectly straight, and text was perfectly centred, and if the client wanted text with serifs, depth, shadow or anything else you could imagine, the Carver would pull out a dog eared catalogue for the client to choose from. Gone now but never forgotten.
A lost art, to be sure.
Soon they will be 3d printed
@@tripackdroned4626 Sounds like he was excellent in his craft.
My mother passed in 2006, and she wanted certain things on her headstone.
We inquired about the design and the guy stated he only had letters, but if we could find an artist in the next 24 hours, have them do the design and he would put it on.
I'm an artist, so I drew it all up.
It seems like a demanding job, I mean, it's granite.
The designs came out Amazing !
An angel on the left upper with feathers falling down
Christ in the middle, arms welcoming, "I'll fly away" with the music notes/bars on the upper right corner.
Thanks for what you do.
It really means a lot to people.
The company I worked for had an artist even offered shape carving pretty wild
My dad did this back in the 50's in North Carolina. As a kid I would often spend the day with him during the summer. He cut the stone with a wire saw from a larger block which came from a quarry in Mt. Airy, NC. He then cut it to shape, polished it or chiselled it as requested by the customer, applied the rubber sheet, cut out the lettering and sandblasted it by hand. 3D designs of roses, vases, etc. required several layers of rubber with more sandblasting - it was a real art. When the stone was finished, he loaded it on a truck and drove to the cemetery where he installed the stone (they weighed hundreds of lbs) by himself with just a basic boom and winch on the truck. He taught me how to cut and shape stone - I put 7 tons of it on a house I built back in the 80's. Good memories from days gone by...
Thanks! Hasn’t changed much at all since I had this gig back in the early 1970s when I was still a university student and worked part time doing this exact process. Our working conditions were a bit rougher as we did our work in a big open metal shed with a dirt floor and the wind blowing thru - freezing your butt off in winter but cool in summer when it was near 100° outside it was still cool and damp in the shed. We had overhead cranes moving multi-ton chunks of granite over and around while we worked and giant cable saws running cutting granite down into slabs. But the process of making markers and monuments was exactly like this. I worked at that job while I went to art school and left there to work in an ad agency downtown in a high rise. Thanks for the memories!
Thanks for watching!
I have spent countless hours on youtube watching just about everything but this is the first time I have seen how a headstone is made. Excellent work. Thank you....
Thank you and thanks for watching!
I have ordered five headstones over my lifetime for relatives. Beautiful work you did there. The ones I ordered and were shipped to me were awesome also - flawless. I had always wondered how they did it. You should be very proud of the work you do as it will outlast any of us, and the assistance it provides relatives who need to find and see their passed on loved ones and kinfolks burial location and marker. Hats off to you!
I definitely take pride in my work. Thank you and thanks for watching!
I worked for a monument company almost 50 years ago engraving and installing monuments. The methods have changed a bit but it’s still the same thing. Good work sir and all the best.
Thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching!
Thank you! That brings back memories. My family was in the monument business from 1842-1971. They closed it when I was 16 because I did not wish to continue in the footsteps.
One of the coolest videos I've ever seen. Thanks for sharing. RIP Mr. Woods.
Thank you and I appreciate you watching!
Very interesting indeed. I had no idea that's how it was done.
Thanks for doing the video.
@@lfeco I appreciate you watching! Thank you!
It is amazing that the granite is cut to depth with just 1 1/2 passes of the nozzle. What type of blasting medium is used? It really came out looking awesome! I am sure the Woods family was pleased not only with the headstone but also how it was made.
It was way more passes than that. I edited it for time. 8 or 9 actually. And thank you and thanks for watching!
Our neighbour was a stone mason and he worked from his workshop at the botton of his garden. All you heard from him was the light tapping from his mallet,,,The work he produced was outstanding all carved by hand ..He even carved a small head stone for our cat when she passed away,,,,He hated cats ..Bless you Nigel..
That was amazing...the time and precise cutting, lining up of every aspect of this person's job is outstanding. Knowing where this is about to go, the family relying on every detail for their love one who has passed. A standing ovation for the people that do this job.
Wow, thank you! Thank you for watching!
Don't know why this popped up on my suggestions but still cool to watch. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
My parents owned a monument company when I was young. It was significantly smaller than this shop, but the amount of time and attention to detail required to do this job is the same. Good job, sir, and thank you for taking me back to my childhood.
Wow! I can imagine it takes quite a while to reach this level of craftsmanship. What a beautiful headstone and tribute to Butch. Nice work!
Thank you! Being a finish carpenter for 30+ years was a huge help for me, I'll just say that lol. Thank you for watching!
Crazy to think there’s someone out there who’s gonna engrave your headstone one day. Crazier to think that you might meet them as well and never know it.
My dad did all this by hand back in the 50's. I often spent the day with him at work watching/learning. He would make the entire stone; cutting it from a larger block with a wire saw, polishing it by hand, cutting out the design and sandblasting it. Then he'd load it on a truck and we'd drive out to a cemetery where he would set the stone by himself. He was an artist. I'm still impressed.
That's amazing. True artisan
True skill and talent unlike the person who posted this video with their machine doing all the work
back when they were real craftsmen
Harold Richard "Butch" Woods, 85, of Arlington passed away on Monday, January 10, 2022 at Blanchard Valley Hospital. He was born in Findlay on August 21, 1936 to the late Harley and Myrtle (Steinman) Woods. He married Virginia L. Goodart and she preceded him in death. On February 12, 1987, he married Shirley E. May-Zechman and she survives. Also surviving are children: Phillip (Marilyn) Woods, Bethann (Tony) Ray, Jim (Janet) Woods, Jason (Chris) Woods, Terri (David) Williams, Kim (Bill) Kennedy, and Todd (Amy) Zechman; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and two sisters: Ann Riker and Kathy (Jim) Loy. He was also preceded in death by three brothers: Ed, Joe, and Bob Woods. Butch retired from Cooper Tire and Rubber and was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Lions, and Detroit Tigers fan. He also leaves behind his faithful companion "Charlie" (his dog). Butch loved spending time with his family and will be greatly missed by them.
RIP Butch. Beautiful headstone.
Fascinating, thanks very much.
I won't be needing a Headstone because I'm going to live forever, so far so good.
Move to Alphaville, forever young 😂
Thank you, I always wondered how they did this on my parents and siblings gravestones. What you do keeps their memories alive for those of us left behind.
I made this job for 40 years...But at hands....This Is very beauty job , bravo ! From 🇮🇹
Thank you! And thank you for watching!
I looked up Butch's obit. He seemed to be a good dude! Lots of kids and grandkids as well.
so lots of kids equals good dude, there you go.
My mom and dad are gone now and we went through the whole funeral home thing and was absolutely shocked with how much everything costs. This process is probably expensive too. I’ve always wondered how they did the headstones!!! I’m so glad I watched this. Very interesting.
@@michaelknapp8961 I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching!
The world needs more people like Butch, hard working, family man. Enjoy the after life Butch, 😊
Great work, a masterpiece for all time.
Congratulations!
Our Mother passed away on December 12, 2023 and I received the video right away.
Rio-Brazil.
My mother also passed this year. February 8th. I'm so sorry for your loss
I have a lot more respect for the headstone engravers after this video! I had no idea it was this much work. A few years back I bought a headstone for myself and above my name it says Wile E. Coyote, Super Genius and at the bottom under the border it says ACME HEADSTONE COMPANY and the guy I ordered it from said the guy who engraved it said it was the coolest headstone he’s ever done 😂
I would have loved to do that one!! Awesome idea! Might steal that one for my own 😉
Thanks for sharing this. Yesterday I received pictures of my Dad’s headstone from the Funeral home. I was wondering how they did the engraving. My Father missed his 94th birthday by 20 minutes.
RIP Dad miss you
RIP Mr.Woods
The headstone companies here have machines that actually engrave into the stones. Not just names but gorgeous pictures of things they loved. My mother has Tweety Bird on one side of her name and a rosary and cross on the other. My father-in-law and mother-in-law have a dual headstone. He has a Miami Dolphins helmet and she has a cat. My nephew has the Batman symbol. I’ve seen even more intricate ones with actual portraits and one even has the shape of a guitar. All of which are laser cut.
I knew there was lot of work that is put into headstone preparation but never knew how much until saw this video. Definitely have come long way from the old hammer and chisel days for sure.
You make it look easy but I can tell many years of experience just to lay the protective film so quickly and precisely. I imagine a big fear is not getting those hauling straps on far enough and the stone slipping out while moving.🫣
Great video and nicer work!
Thank you so much and thanks for watching!
I had a stone slip... it was my error and I had to buy a new one. No more slips since lol
My father was in the monument business for forty years last century. I remember watching the guys in the shop do this, most all of them died of lung related issues due to the radioactive granite dust along with smoking filterless camels or lucky strikes. I got to set the finished product in the cemeteries and can appreciate the skill and artistry involved.
Granite, marble, stone dust can be very dangerous over long term. But it is not radioactive.
Granite has a high level of radiation,so surely the dust carries some of that ?
as a jeweler of 50+ years I love seeing how tech has changed our chosen occupations have changed. one of my customers was the number 1 stone cutter in Austin, at his funeral it truly was a who's of famous texans. It was nice to see talent appreciated even if it was at his funeral. keep the skills honed.
Great video of something most people never get to see. Thanks!!
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Thanks for the insight on how headstones are produced I enjoyed watching this!!😊😊😊
Thank you for watching!
A great teacher gets the pupil interested in something about which he never thought before. It's art
Where I agree that the cost of interment is unrealistically high (at least in the US) I do appreciate a place to go and connect or reconnect with family and loved ones. No matter what your beliefs are about an afterlife the memory of someone gone is powerful, sometimes healing and often strengthening. I for one have traveled across the US seeking information on my ancestors, finding much satisfaction on headstones dating back to the early 1700’s. I’ve ’connected’ with 2nd and 3rd grate grandparents from the Ozark’s, pre Revaluation Virginia farmers and early Oregon pioneers. This has given me a better understanding of who I am and the history that brought me here. My father was cremated and placed at his special spot but there is no ‘sign’ that he existed. Only in the memory of us his children and maybe a few of his grandchildren. In a 100 years what will be remembered?
Again, I agree that the current burial traditions are too costly in both $$ and space. I don’t know the answer but we need someway to help honor and remember our families for generations to come.
You sound like a very respectable man. Not many preserve or value their ancestors these days. I agree it's very costly. I personally plan to be cremated do to the high cost and the fact most funeral homes do shady stuff with plots after however many years. I'd rather my kids spend what I leave them on their children's future and enjoying life. Also shout-out to the Ozarks. I'm from Missouri.
Who cares? Remembering long dead people is a waste of time and energy. Pay attention to those around you right now.
True...a name on a rock that nobody knows or remembers will not respect the memory of anyone.
@@wthomas5697 give it time and you will. I have spent many quality hours with those around me (the living) learning about ancestors. It’s a favorite for my children, now grown and raising the next generation. It’s something that brings families together. What a joy it is to have a grandchild ask me, with a recorder in hand, about how I met grandma. Or get emails from young family members with a list of questions about the ‘good old days’. My wife and I have worked with 100’s of university students on how to learn about their ancestors. Never have I been disappointed as a student learns some details about some ‘long dead’ ancestor. Such as the young man struggling with his business classes thinking maybe it was a waste. He discovered (1910 census) his great grandfather was struggling as a young man trying to start a trucking business then 10 years later (1920 census) he had a wife and 2 children owned a successful business, a nice home. My young friend went away with a new confidence and feeling he to could succeed.
@@DL101ca From that name on a rock a lot can be learned… with a little effort. It shows they existed at a time and place, and if it’s your ancestor they’ve influenced who you are.
This business will definitely never be in crisis.
It'll thrive during crisis
It did
I wish that all craftsmen were as thorough as this gentleman. It’s nice watching someone who knows what he’s doing.
Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it
My wife & I very recently had our stone made & set. I knew the process used STENCILS & SANDBLASTING, but I had no idea HOW MANY STEPS were involved. WOW!
Thanks for watching!
Great to see a craft master.
Brilliant workmanship, at last now i know how a headstone is engraved, and its taken 67 years to find out, hope i dont need one quite yet. Thank you for your video.
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
Excellent craftsmanship. Thanks for the glimpse behind the scenes.
I love the critical comments... This process is incredible. I have a new appreciation for what goes into making something like this. Great video!
Thank you, I appreciate that! Thanks for watching
Now I understand why they are so expensive. A real work of art by a master!
Thank you so much for the compliment! And thanks for watching!
Thank you for showing this. Rest in peace Mr. Woods.
I had a double headstone done for my parents. It was about $2400, including delivery and setting the stone. I thought it was a steal, all things considered. It was harder to choose the design than anything else.
Out prices are similar.
Thanks for watching!
Always impressed to see a skilled craftsman and artisan break down a complex process of creation. Admittedly, the product evokes a bit of uneasiness, but it is nonetheless a vital part of the lifecycle of many of us. I think Mr. Woods and his family would have been comforted and impressed by the thought, skill, and craftsmanship that went into this final testament to his existence. Well done, Al.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. I take pride in what I do. Thank you for watching
I had absolutely no idea how time consuming and precise this process was. A brilliant look at a real master craftsman at work!
I appreciate the kind words! Thank you for watching!
@@night_al No problems Al. I genuinely didn't know how much work went into the creation of a headstone. You've helped to educate an 'ignorant' LOL. Keep up the amazing work!
Very interesting. I will never look at a headstone the same again! P. S. Ignore hateful comments. People like that don't realize ... "It's better to be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." Blessings 💙💜
Thank you for watching! And you are right, I should let fools just be fools. Occasionally, it just rubs me the wrong way and I have to comment. As a youngster, I learned to stand up to bullies. Old habits die hard.
@@night_al You did nothing wrong by replying to them; I just wanted you to know that their opinion doesn't matter. One can make a comment, but if it's going to be rude and hateful, then they need to learn to just keep it to themselves. I have no time for rude people. There's too much hate in this world to lower ones self to being a part of the problem. God bless you sir. 🙏🏼
Thank you “Butch”, for helping inspire a great video
I had wondered how this was done for so many years and now finally saw how. Nice detailed process.
Thank you for watching!
We just ordered my daughter’s tablet stone. Very interesting to see this process and comforting too.
So sorry for your loss 💔😔
Im a mason in the UK for 25 6ears now. Its interesting to see the difference. For example we dont add eztra glue when blasting on granite, was that just PVA glue you were paitning on? Out stencil has a glue backing and are cut on a laser bed.
Our blast cabinets are manually operared and are contained so no need to cover up and be in the grit and dust.
We only recently switched to spray paint aswell, using enamel paint and a brush, plastikote spray has sped up the process immensely. Though i feel you should wear a mask with those fumes buddy.
Alao we use a rubber roller to press the stencil down where as you hammered yours down.
Nice job.
Their process doesn't seem to be very efficient.
I suspect the extra glue is there to prevent wicking of the paint between the sandblast mask and the granite. My technique is to spray in clearcoat into the engraved parts to seal them, then put on the enamel paint.
@@joelbagodonuts1241 man working with an overhead gantry, a computer cut layout, an automatic blaster and spray painted letters. Its a lot more efficient than me marking out the the letters by hand, first roughing then out, then cleaning off the marking then recutting to tidy up the letters and then painting each letter in by hand.
Fascinating viewing, thanks for taking the time to share. I’d imagine the job satisfaction is immense knowing your work will still be there 100+ years from now. A similar video on the preparation of the stone before this process starts would be interesting. Thanks again.
Thank you for watching
Thanks for putting this up, I have always wondered how it was done.
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
40 years ago I cut the stencils by hand. When plotter/cutters came out that made things faster. Use the tools available.
Да и пескоструйные аппараты с тех пор не просто компрессор и сопло, а полноценный закрытый аппарат. Надеваешь встроенные перчатки, респиратор, смотришь через окошко и работаешь. И не нужно бояться за своё тело и легкие
While in high school in 1965 I worked part time for Bottinelli Monument Co. in new London, CT. ON Saturday I would make the vellum with the information going on the stone. Thank you. I knew how the final process was done. This is first time I saw it. Wow!
What a craftsman and what a craft. This is one job that's pretty much has job security category.
Thank you for watching!
Nice shop, bridge crane and all. I like how the doors are cut out to fit around the roller tables, the 2X4 cradles to hold the stone, a lot of thought to make things easier. Do you also set the stones?
I'm a finish carpenter by trade and did all the finish work to the building as well. It was definitely thought out. And yes, we set them
Of all the things I've wondered about, I've never wondered how a headstone was made. Stumbled upon this by accident. There is a lot more to it than I would have guessed.
Thank you for watching!
Wow I've always wondered what was involved in that! Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for watching!
In the early 1970s. my brother joined the Job Corps to learn how to carve granite,
which is a much harder stone than marble. He went to Barry, Vt, where
skilled granite carvers ran a school to teach apprentices to keep the
art from dying out. Unlike present carving, which is done with templates and sandblasting, the master carvers did all the lettering by eye using miniature jackhammers. My brother had a ball, making Greek egg-and-dart patterns, small sculptures and a bird bath.
Nobody gives a single fuck about your retarded brother.
My dad worked at a local monument company for years engraving and setting stones. I have watched this being done many times growing up.
Seeing this video makes it clear not to take things for granite.
Making puns around deaths is a very grave matter
I would love to entertain this pun, but this is deathly serious. It may not be carved in stone, but jokes like this are dirty and will put you in a hole
Funny story. I had a pillow fight with Death. I suffered the reaper cushions. Dead serious!
@@AndYetThereAreIdiotsAmongUs 🤦🏻♂️
This is a grave matter
My family has a monument shop that's been in our family for 4 generations. This dude is legit. Double processing (frosting the background first). Quality workmanship!
@@SandmanBiker thank you! I appreciate that so much. This shop is now 4 generations deep as of the past few months. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!
Hell yeah! How in the world people can come up with negative comments just from you showing this is beyond me. Ignore the trolls! If all the "experts" were really experts, they'd understand too and have nothing but good to say. Truly a craftsman!@@night_al
In our family owned monument shop we not only frosted off the polish first with the same abrasive used for the actual deep engraving.....then put the monument in a separate blast room and then peened it again using steel shot, which leaves a smoother and whiter finish.......less need to "paint" the letters for contrast before peeling off the stencil......we never used any type of paint......except for when doing cemetery lettering and needing too use paint to match existed painted lettering.........
Not what I was expecting but very interesting to see how it's done. What a lovely looking stone
Thanks for watching!
@@night_al was very interesting keep them coming
I made markers and earned my way to a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA. I’ll never forget the kindness of the owner, his son and the book keeper. They were super nice human-beings! I owe them a great debt. Which I no longer owe. I am now retired, having eventually become a High School principal. I will see my former boss again some day in Heaven. God rest you in peace, Don.
That's an amazing memory. Thank you for sharing! I only wish I could say the same for the company I worked for. Apparently the years of knowledge I acquired was expendable over their favoritism. I have no ill will regardless. It was an awesome experience nonetheless.
Thank you for watching!
I had no idea, thanks for uploading and showing a behind the scenes look at it 👍
Absolutely! You're welcome and thanks for watching!
Impressive! I would be very pleased if someone puts in that much time and effort on my own headstone! Thank you for caring enough to do the job...well, BETTER than it likely had to be. That matters in this world and the next, I imagine.
Wow, you have to wonder how much that cost - even though the engraving is so shallow.
Being British I regularly see churchyards with 200-300 even 400 year old headstones that are still legible I doubt that a bit if sandblasting to write someone's name and then painting it black will stand the test of time, sadly.
Depends on the size of the letter. And of course the paint will fade after many years
I used to do this for my families business. We did it slightly different. We would whiten the stone as the last step. We’d use a putty in the letters to protect the paint
Ended with the same results. I always feared doing it that way would round off the crisp edges of the letters. So I frost it first in a double process. It's how I was taught
@@night_alyou are correct, we whiten first as well why take the risk of rounding out the letters. My family has been in this business since 1870, so we might know a thing or two.
Thanks that was interesting. All my family want headstones but not me. I hated mowing and trimming grass while I am alive...I don't want someone else to do it around my headstone. Throw me into the sea for me! Great job on this stone and helping families have somewhere to grieve.
Wow... I never knew the process was this elaborate.
Good work as the stone need to last for centuries...
Thank you for watching!
This was fascinating and also a nice tribute to Mr. Woods.
Thank you for watching!
Having overseen tens of thousands of these inscriptions, I can assure everyone that this is difficult detail oriented and exacting work done in many cases, in punishing environments. Nothing but respect for the people that cut these grave markers. 👍🏻
I totally agree. Thank you for watching!
Fascinating. I never expected something like this used sandblasting. I was always under the impression that a carver would use a hammer and chisels or some kind of mechanical engraver like a Dremel to work each element. I guess old school is a fading art, much like sign painters and pinstripers. Although with the sandblasting it goes faster.
@@davidu4758 supply and demand. Before, hand carving was feasible because of death rate. Now, with the population soaring, death rates occur faster and headstones are more in demand.
I appreciate the comment and thanks for watching!
Now I understand why those things cost so much money! This is a lot of work!
After reading this and viewing your display picture i can say "i love you" ❤
Used be done with hammer and chisel
@@johnwilcox231 times change
@@bbtwoldieent3880 wow
To everyone who knew Butch Woods I’m sorry for your loss. Had a headstone mad for my mom last November. Interesting to see the process. Somehow another step of closure. Good video.
Thank you and thanks for watching
Cool process, thanks for the upload. People just suck these days, too many comments on here bitching and moaning. You provided a service for the family of the deceased and uploaded an interesting video and all these keyboard warriors are complaining. Why not just either be thankful for the upload or just move on. Everyone is so quick to condemn and slander. Manors and etiquette are out the window. Appreciate the work and you sharing the process.
Absolutely welcome and thank you for watching!
It seems to me that there are many ways to more fully automate this process. A CNC machine would greatly reduce the labor required. They did a good job. Butch would be proud!
Thank you
Interesting video. I was in many funerals and cemeteries in my short life, but never was interested how the headstones and writings are made. It's very interesting 👍🏻
Thank you for watching!
very cool
I had no idea what went into making this.
Awesome job,I'm going to watch the slow down version next.
Thank you! And thanks for watching!
Very well done, very much a hands-on process.
R.I.P Butch
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Some of My wife's family worked at the Rock of Ages granite quarries in Vermont... thanks for the demo of how the printing works.... 👍👍
Thanks for watching!
Can you imagine how much effort must go into hand-carving two 6' angels?
I think that is fine with cnc tooling or they are casted from a mould
Great! Now I know exactly what to order one day. RIP Butch.
Butch is buried an hour north of me. For some reason I have a desire stop and pay my respects if in the area after watching this. Seems a good guy from his obit.
Nice work.
Thank you and thanks for watching
So, how did you get the letters engraved into the stone????? Did I miss something?
At 6:04 it's sandblast engraved with aluminum oxide
Some people knock this process, and think (thought) that it was still done by hand. There are many things now done by machines that was once done by hand, you are not yet aware of. Skill is still needed no matter the task. Imagine the cost if he got it wrong. Fascinating to watch.
4:32 So it doesn't show the pre-printed fonts in the paper layer that he's lifting from the paper, would of been nice to see that step
I thought he was making those perfectly formed letters by his own skill.
Curious why you sandblast the "background" by hand and then CNC blast the lettering? Is the lettering blaster more powerful to etch deeper, so harder to control by hand?
It is more powerful. The background panel only needs very little pressure to remove the finish and make that area look frosted which is why I do it by hand. If I used the automatic blaster, that panel would be deeper than it needs and way more frosted.
Glad to see such great meticulous care in honoring the deceased.
Very interesting to see this process. May I ask why you write/cut the name and date backwards rather than forwards?
The letters are precut. I start from the right side. I'm right handed and doing it that way just seems more comfortable for me. I've tried starting top left and working right but it feels odd lol
Thank you for watching!
Ah, I’m a lefty so that makes sense! Thanks for answering me so quickly, I enjoyed your video.
@@Ben-xl7ft I appreciate that.
I hand carved a tombstone for my mother’s dog, hammer and a chisel, gray granite. It took me about 20 hours to get down the name Tanja and a lily to only a few mm depth. It was really interesting to see this. May I ask how many hours in total it took? It looked like a lot of work and it turned out beautifully!
Wow! That's amazing! I would love to see a pic! @dopeshow, now that's dedicated. Kudos
This process took roughly 2 hours, start to finish
@@night_al Thank you, sir. This was at least 15 years ago now, and in a different part of the country. If I remember it next time I’m there I’ll send you a photo of it.
@@DopeShow no hurry. I appreciate the comment, the compliment and the view!
Interesting. Seems pretty simple, but more steps than I thought. You have a steady hand while cutting the vinyl so straight. Good job.
lol
Very interesting process. How is the letter depth controlled in sand blasting, so all are the same?
@@garry1214 good question. Depth is controlled by the amount of passes the nozzle makes over that area. For the video time, I edited out about 5 passes both up and down. Normal 1" letters require that depending on the hardness of the stone. Last names being 1.5" to 2" tall require at least another 2 to 3 passes. Thanks for the question and thanks for watching!
I found it interesting reading a little about whom this headstone was for:
Harold Richard "Butch" Woods, 85 of Arlington passed away on Monday, January 10, 2022 at Blanchard Valley Hospital. He was born in Findlay on August 21, 1936 to the late Harley and Myrtle (Steinman) Woods. He married Virginia L. Goodart and she preceded him in death. On February 12, 1987, he married Shirley E. May-Zechman and she survives. Also surviving are children, Phillip (Marilyn) Woods, Bethann (Tony) Ray, Jim (Janet) Woods, Jason (Chris) Woods, Terri (David) Williams, Kim (Bill) Kennedy and Todd (Amy) Zechman; 18 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren and two sisters, Ann Riker and Kathy (Jim) Loy. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Ed, Joe and Bob Woods.
Butch retired from Cooper Tire and Rubber and was an avid Ohio State Buckeyes, Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers fan. He also leaves behind his faithful companion "Charlie" (his dog). Butch loved spending time with his family and will be greatly missed by them.
He had a good innings as us Aussies would say.
I used to own a company called Capital Harvest. It was a tile, glass and stone carving studio using these exact techniques. The we had a laser engraver that did the detail cutting if the masks along with a plotter blade cutter. No automated sandblasting though--we did it with gloves hands in a vented booth. This brought back lots of memories from 2 decades ago!
Did the employee or owner cut out the letters and dates by hand or were the letters already there and he just followed the lines. Great work.
The letters were precut.
As a geologist for 37 years, I can say with confidence that it is a tombstone.
Technically, he was buried in a casket. Tombstones indicate a tomb, headstones and gravestones indicate all other types of burials 😉
@@night_al who mentioned burials? Not me.
Semantics
Non big 10 graduate. 😊
@@sawingstrings lol. confirmed