LatigoAmigo

Good question. To minimize smoke residue, I adjusted the settings as I cut the leather. I started with a pass using 50% power / speed 40 mm/s, then step it up to 75% and slow down the speed to 20 mm/s for the next three passes. Finally I turn the power up to 95% and slow down the speed to 10 mm/s in order to really finish the edges and make sure the cut is clean. The power settings, speed and number of passes is dependent on the leather that I'm cutting, and, surprisingly, that varies quite a bit, and not necessarily on the thickness.

It is a used "homemade" laser cutter that I found on Craigslist. It was made with parts from LightObject in Sacramento, CA, so it is no particular brand. A ventilation system is a necessity.

Just finished this for a benefit as an auction item. Edges, lacing holes and engraving were done on a 100 watt CO2 laser cutter.

FYI: Here is Bob Park's product flyer. Parkway Products Flyer.pdf

Like HaloJones, I too am a hobbyist and "my knife work is poor as is my drawing / tracing" so I have to depend on software, in this case Adobe Illustrator. I purchased a 100 watt CO2 laser a sometime back, and it has taken me a while to get it to perform the way I want. This wine tote is my latest project. Not as perfect as I'd like, but like I said, there is bit of a learning curve with a laser cutter.

I used it to order two patterns. Download was easy, and the files contained all of the parts as promised. Seams, stitching holes, and fold lines were all indicated. A few dollars well spent.

There are many pattern templates out there, but free and with good instructions? Here is a site of inexpensive templates with a wide selection of patterns. Not sure about the quality of the instructions, but the site displays a photo of the finished product. http://www.lzpattern.com/

The American Craft Council has a show in San Francisco that has hosted some high-end leather workers, including shoe and boot makers, plus many bag makers. Truly a feast for the eyes. https://craftcouncil.org/shows/acc/american-craft-show-san-francisco

I have spent many years in wet boots, but not as many years with wet feet. After experimenting with many products, I finally found a silicone spray called "Camp Dry" (by Kiwi) that helped to keep the water from fully penetrating the leather. Being porous, leather will always allow some water penetration, and you can only do so much to slow it down.

That is amazing detail -- and beautiful.

Or, to put it another way, 1 oz. equals 0.4 mm. Here is a handy conversion chart. Leather Weight Conversion Chart.pdf

I have used these adhesive sheets before with success, but was rather disappointed when I discovered that the adhesive would not stick to some Horween Chromexcel leather that I used for a project, leather that is heavily oiled and referred to as "stuffed." Of course glue didn't stick very well either.

By using the Google Advanced Image Search, images free of licensing requirements can be found, just look under "Usage Rights" towards the bottom of the page. The images may be fewer than in a normal image search, but do exist. Link found here: https://www.google.com/advanced_image_search

Looks to me like that "top" side is going to become the "bottom" side that he glues the card slots to, then he stitches them together along with the alligator on the outside of the wallet (so then it becomes the "in" side), and he skives it because he wants that edge to be as thin as possible.

You don't really need to put a scope on your inverter output, because you should be able to get that type of technical information from the company that built the inverter, or possible the company that installs it. Or, very likely, a forum or blog site where solar users discuss such topics. This type of information should be very available these days.

You might see if you can determine what the solar inverter's output looks like, i.e., the sine wave viewed through an oscilloscope. Some inverters don't put out a true sine wave, but rather a modified sine wave (sometimes even a "square" sine wave), and this could be the basis for the problem. I have seen solar installations with optimization filters that had to do with the quality of the inverter output, so you could contact your customer's solar installer to see what they know about this issue. (Point of clarification: In my former day job I was an electric metering systems technician for our local utility, and have visited thousands of solar installations. I'm now retired.)

Why not try a table saw?

Oh yea. The adhesive is "repositionable" so it does not have that much tack. Pulls right off. I have been using this method for several years.

I'm not sure that this will work for your needs, but I cut leather with a laser so I need for it to lay flat during the process. So I purchased some stencil board (a very thin, hard type of cardboard) from a local art supply store, and sprayed the surface with "repositionable" adhesive, then pressed the leather onto the adhesive.

Found this link that you might find helpful: http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/76632-standard-sizes-for-making-belts/?tab=comments#comment-506249 Also, this PDF. Dress Belts size chart.pdf

Like TomSmith, I use a battery powered "thread zapper." Am very happy with the results, especially that the ends of the thread do not fray.

So does Amazon...

My two favorite suppliers are Maverick Leather in Bend, Oregon and The Hide House in Napa, California. You should have pretty good luck with either one. http://maverickleathercompany.com/ https://hidehouse.com/

Thanks for the lesson.

Any updates to this adventure in laser cutting and engraving? I've been on the edge of my seat waiting to see something happen!