Laying Out Stamped Border On A Belt.

[paris3200]

I'm working on a new belt. This will be the first time I have ever done any stamping. I've come up with a simple pattern that I like. However I am having the hardest time getting it to line up. I saw on reddit that a guy used pencil lines when laying out his patterns. I gave that a try on a test piece, but I didn't measure right and got off. Plus the pencil lines showed up after dying. Not sure if I was suppose to try and erase them or not.

Any ideas on how I can layout the pattern so everything will line up top to bottom?

[Chief31794]

There are many ways to do things, this is my way, others may have better or different methods.

I never make lines pencil or otherwise for layout. I use a Tsquare and a wing divider. I set the divider to the width of the stamp (looks like a veiner in your case), I then use the divider to put a dot at the beginning and end of each stamp location by moving the divider to the first dot and then aligning the divider to the Tsquare at what ever distance you want from the edge (normally 1/4"), these will be eradicated when the veiner is stamped. Once I have my alingment on one side, I don't use the divider on the other side. I line up each dot with the Tsqare on the dot across the belt and the 1/4" mark on this side and make a small dot with a scratch awl this keeps the stamps in perfect alignment and doesn't leave any marks, try it on some scrap till you get the hang of it and make small adjustments on the wing divider to make sure the marks are accurate. I place the "Toe" of the veiner in the first dot, then align the other toe up to the next dot, set the divider so that only the first dot is irradicated and the next in line is kept in tact, takes a little adjustment to get the dots right, then move the veiner and insert the toe in the next dot and continue on until you reach the end, turn the piece around and do the other side, the veiners will be perfectly aligned with each other on opposite sides of the belt. The 1/4" is arbitrary it can be any distance you decide from the edge just make sure both sides are the same.

Hope that helps, some others may have better ways, this one works for me.

Chief

Edited August 8, 2014 by Chief31794

[electrathon]

If you are using Fiebings dye you can draw all over it with a red ball point pen and the ink will disappear when you dye it.