Like those Baskin-Robbins cakes that have icing "printed" by a modified inkjet printer, this idea allows individuals to select the exact design for their tombstone online. A laser would engrave the graphic--or whatever--into the stone.
In my case, I'd use the warped "Bell" logo from my favorite musician: Mike Oldfield.-- boris, Aug 03 2003 (?) Forever Monuments http://fe-mailweb.com/index.htmlNot quite what boris suggests but getting there. [DrBob, Oct 04 2004] Self-designed tombstone http://www.waxy.org.../Harv_Was_There.jpgHarv was there. [snarfyguy, Oct 04 2004] Surely, you can design your own tombstone now, albeit not on the internet.-- snarfyguy, Aug 03 2003 It certainly is possible to get custom-designed tombstones or grave markers, though I don't think they're usually laser engraved. The most common approaches are either to cut sandblasting stencils (for stone markers) or use photo-resist plastics (for bronze markers).
Although some people do order grave markers in their own lifetimes, there are a couple of problems with doing so:
-1- It presupposes that one knows what one will want as an epitaph. If someone buys a grave marker which says "Beloved wife of John Q. Smith", then divorces Mr. Smith and marries Mr. Jones, her second husband might not be too keen on the marker anymore.
-2- People generally don't know the date of their death in advance. While it's possible to add such information to a stone marker after the fact, or use a screw-on plate with a brass marker, making such things match the rest of the marker can sometimes be a bit iffy.-- supercat, Aug 03 2003 Those are good points [supercat] but they could be gotten around by having a virtual design which isn't made into an actual tombstone until after your death and probably after checking with surviving relatives for additions.
It would be possible to have a design appended to a will or included in an internet database after payment of a deposit. It's a bit morbid though.-- madradish, Aug 03 2003 It might be nice to have a favourite picture of yourself etched (or carved, or whatever) onto the stone. If enough people did this, you would be able to walk through the cemetery seeing how faces change over the generations, or see family resemblances between graves.-- friendlyfire, Aug 03 2003 I'd want someone who has better taste than mine to decide on my tombstone.-- FloridaManatee, Aug 03 2003 (Off topic sorta) Reminds me of Johnny Carson’s proposed epitaph, "I'll be right back"-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Aug 03 2003 I ain't buyin' it. What's the scope of this service? What do you mean by "select the exact design"? What makes you think I can't do that now?-- phoenix, Aug 03 2003 .........^ ……..../ \ …….....| Here lies DrBob …….....| Preferred to ‘bake …….....| Than do his Job ……..../ \ ......./...\-- DrBob, Aug 04 2003 . . . ._ -------_. . . . . . . / . . . . . . . .\ . . . .I . . .She . . . .I . . . .I Could Have . I . . . .I . .Written . . I . . . .I . . .More . . . I . . .. I . . . . . . . . . I . . \\\.................///-- k_sra, Aug 04 2003 Here lies Squeak. Died from a surfeit of fishbones.-- squeak, Aug 04 2003 On the tombstone of a hypochondriac: "See, I TOLD you I was sick!"-- boris, Aug 09 2003 Actually, from the tombstone of Spike Milligan: "I told you I was ill."-- friendlyfire, Aug 09 2003 Don't you mean "mulligan"? or am I thinking of Mike Mulligan and his steam shovel...?
At the funeral, I want them to say..."Hey, LOOK! He's movin'!"
But barring that, I want my tombstone to say "Don't look now, but you're next."-- Eugene, Aug 09 2003 Laser etchers that 'print' into stone, glass, wood, etc are commonplace.-- waugsqueke, Aug 10 2003 Well, I confess, I've my tomb and tombstone already, only the tomb is empty and the date isn't engraved (yet). Man, am I weird!.-- finflazo, Apr 23 2004 I'm not going to vote because I hate the idea of being buried. I'd like to have my organs donated or studied to further advance medical technology and help people with failing livers or other organs. And also I don't like worms.-- dead man waiting to happen, Apr 23 2004 I like the idea of giving my organs so somebody can keep on living. Only problem is, all my body is in such a threadbare state, unfortunate the one who's getting any of my spare parts. Keeping that in mind I'd like my body being fed to the vultures. They should be able to obtain some profit from my carcass.-- finflazo, Apr 24 2004 I think I want my grave marker to say: "If my death was suspicious, be sure to question all my ex-husbands and ex-boyfriends."-- babyboomer, Apr 25 2004 You could even have a little icon that shows what will be on your tombstone to post on your web site. People will change their minds alot-- so it could be fun!-- futurebird, Apr 25 2004 While we're at it, can we dig our own graves?-- WordUp, Apr 25 2004 I always thought that the living reserve the right to design anything regarding a person's death ceremony. the matter in question is whether you hold the right to build your post-mortem image or other people close to you do. but tombstone design is baked long time now..-- sweet, Apr 25 2004 Here Lies Xenophile
Age: 92
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Last Words: "Sir, I swear, your daughter told me she was eighteen!"
It doesn't have to be true. I just like the idea that for the next hundred years or so, there will be old men laying flowers on my grave in respect.-- Xenophile, Oct 04 2007 Yeah. Men of 18, or thereabouts, maybe.-- Murdoch, Oct 04 2007 . . . ._ -------_. . . . . . . / . . . If. . . .\ . . . .I . . .You're . .I . . . .I Reading This I . . . .I .Something . I . . . .I. .Has Gone . . I . . .. I .Remarkably. I . . .. I . . . Awry . . . I . . \\\.................///
(Thanks to [k_sra] for the use of the graphic.)-- MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 20 2012 'Hilarity Ensued.'-- Alterother, Apr 20 2012 "File Not Found"-- mouseposture, Apr 20 2012 "What Does This Button Do ?"-- FlyingToaster, Apr 20 2012 random, halfbakery