Studio-N

In this case, the original artwork was not mine. These were 3d CNC models for woodworking (cribbige board I think). When i find a good model, I try to adapt them for leatherwork. I have made a few 3d models myself (check the Alien and the facehugger and some of my other content). for the regular 2d stamps and plates, I use the laser engraver to make them. These were done on a CNC router and took 10 hours total to do (so hardly a mass production piece). I should point out, that most CNC art is free licenced so long as you are selling something made from the art and not the art files themselves. Cheers!

In my garage. 'tis what I do. Just check my content here for some of my other recent plates or my website for the hundreds of stamps I've produced.

These are a couple of new plates for a roper/checkbook wallet with a warrior male and female. Size measures 3x6" on each. The plates are cut into delrin plastic. These are my favorite ones I've done to date. Probably becuase i love those types of movies and shows (the 300, Atlantis, Hercules). Cheers!

It is done using an embossing plate. It is cut from a 3d model on a CNC machine, so it has lots of curves and depth built in. I'm putting a wallet together right now from it, I masked off the aliens before staining it so they stand out even more in two tone. Cheers!

agreed. it was just for you to see how they have modified the press. They are about $50 at harbor freight. You just have to drill it and tap it yourself. Papaw is RIGHT about beveling since there is no way to walk the stamp, but something like a border where it is normally individual camo stampings is possible. cheers!

The evil empire can not do better on HO leather because they buy it at the same price you and I would directly from HO. they are strictly counting on the ability for the hobbyist to buy 1 hide versus the minimum 10 direct from HO. As for their leather offerings, the are strictly B grade. I got an 8 oz double shoulder which I use strictly for cutting out rosettes for stamping samples for the stamps I make. It looked very good UNTIL I wet the pieces. Then black mold marks showed up on just about every rosette. Not a big deal for samples, but it certainly would be useless for real product.

HERE is an arbor press on ebay where the ram has been drilled and tapped to accept the stamping tools. It should be possible for you to adapt your own arbor press in a similar fashion. Something like that should be usable for borders, and other single press operations. And of course it would be usable for 2d/3d stamps (like mine!). Cheers!

well the answer is also going to depend on WHERE you are selling them. My partner and I always bought sides (in Wichita ks) where we had a lot of call for 'big boy' belts. The largest I made was 96" strap cut to an 88" waist. Can't get that out of a shoulder. I had a couple of customers in Nebraska and Iowa who also bought the biggest sides I had for the same reason. So basically, it helps to know your customer to know what to buy. Cheers!

thank you chris!

Beautiful! I really love unconventional artwork.

thank you and YES I am. wait for my next two. I got a spartan male and female warrior in the works for both sides of a roper wallet. Just need to get some time to work on it. Cheers!

Hello. This is a companion piece to the first FD plate I did which had the fireman with axes. This is one with a hose approx 3.25" x 3.25". This is made from a CNC model normally used for woodworking, the plate is done on delrin plastic. Should look good side by side with the FD plate #1 on opposite sides of a wallet. Cheers!

I'm sure prices at the evil empire will go up much more than HO or Wicket.

Made me smile! bravo!

very nice. I love masks.

thanks Chris. Most of the normal stamps I get to do everyday do press in. most of my other skull stamps like this one press in. The portions that are not pressed in are flat - so overall a 2d look. What I'm trying to do with my new stuff is get those flat areas to 'poof out' a bit and a more 3d look. But the only limitation is the actual depth I can carve out and still get it to bottom out when I press it. Some have worked better than others. Cheers!

Yes, the eyes, nose, outline, etc are raised after the embossing. When making the plates, you have to think in negative. the 'low' spots are what will be raised to give more of a 3D look. Making everything pressed in would have been the norm as with most of my stamps that are laser engraved. cheers!

Not as exciting as some of my others i've done but this is a 3" skull embossing plate cut in delrin plastic which should be good for wallets or flasks and other small projects. I really wanted it skull head to have more depth but the overall depth can't be more than 1/8" or it will never reach the other elements when embossing. Unfortunately, the teeth and nose socket ate up most of the available depth. still, at least it is not totally flat. Cheers!

ahhhh! too much! head....exploding...... Merry Christmas!

Doing large work on an arbor press is quite easy. The trick is not trying to do it all at once. There is just too much surface area. Start in one corner and press it. move the piece over 1" (generally the size of the ram). Press again. Rinse and Repeat until the entire surface is done. I regularly emboss 6"x9" like this. Additionally it often helps on thinner leathers to put a piece of thick leather or rubber underneath the piece to be embossed. The idea being it has enough spounginess to push the leather up into the plate. Cheer and Good Holidays!

Beautifully done!

thank you all

A special thanks to Grey Drakkon for his suggestion that I make the alien facehugger. I think it turned out good and I think it will look good embossed next to the alien xenomorph. Both are roughly 2.75" square. Engraved on delrin plastic as an embossing plate. Cheers! -Nick

You're right Billy. I haven't had a bad day yet. Drakkon - face hugger. Nice idea. It would make a great companion piece for this. thanks.