How To Make A Craftaid

[wolvenstien]

Before the crash, we had a topic going about how to make your own craftaid for carving patterns that you would do over and over....

I have gotten ahold of some exposed x-ray film and an up and down engraver.... not I just need to know the technique to do it....

[IndianaLeatherWorker]

I was told by a friend that to make a reusable craftaid. Use overhead projector stock (clear plastic like your school teacher used) trace your pattern into the plastic.

Should be able to print directly onto itsince it is available in printer paper section. Check your printer manual.

I have been meaning to try it.

Let me know if this helps or works.

[Hilly]

There's also a method that I learned from a Chan Geer video for designs you intend to use over and over. It also saves time in the long run. It's called making a "tap-off". Basically you carve your design as a mirror image (do not tool it, just carve it), let it dry, and then use something like super sheen or other sealer/water proofer on both sides of the leather. When it dries it will be quite hard and water-proof. You can then just turn it carved side down onto your cased leather for the new project, and tap it all over with a flat hammer, and your design transfers over onto your cased leather. It transfers in the correct orientation, and saves you the time of tracing your pattern over and over.

It transfers your design as raised lines, which you carve as if they were traced on. Pretty neat idea for those of you doing the same stuff repeatedly.

[wolvenstien]

There was a method of using the engraver on the xray film..... thats the one I am looking for...

Indiana, you mean for the ink to transfer from the plastic to the leather?

Hilly, not a bad idea... those would have to be deep cuts wouldnt they?

[IndianaLeatherWorker]

Indiana, you mean for the ink to transfer from the plastic to the leather?

Use transparency film(plastic). Trace on it and it will hold the scribe almost as well as craft aids. Instead of printing on paper, load your transparency film in the printer tray. You can print directly on the transparency film with your printer. Then trace with stylus onto leather.

Hope that makes more sense.

[rharris]

The trouble I have printing on a transparency is when I am tracing it on to the leather the ink rubs off on my hand and I end up getting the ink on the leather. Lately I have been covering my transparency with clear packing tape. No more ink on my project.

RussH

[Brandon]

Before the crash, we had a topic going about how to make your own craftaid for carving patterns that you would do over and over....

I have gotten ahold of some exposed x-ray film and an up and down engraver.... not I just need to know the technique to do it....

Wolve,

Someone did mentioned LDPE: Low Density Polyethelene the last time but I don't have that.

I tried on an x-ray film this afternoon, it didn't rise high enough to give you a good impression on the leather. Then I used a piece of plastic that someone from NC gave me, it did pop up a little better and produce quite a visible impression.

As this is my first time trying it out ( not a pattern ), this is what I can say; if you'll to trace directly onto the plastic, you need a very fine marker pen as the engraver (mine) is pin pointed. After tracing, you turn the plastic the other way so that you're engraving a 'mirror' image. Later I found that it maybe better if I'll to trace it on a tracing paper then turn the paper around and place the plastic over it for engraving. It's almost midnight over here, too noisy to try it. If I find the time tomorrow, I'll tell you more.

At the meantime, maybe our friend whom he received a piece from Verlane can tell us how he did it -

Brandon

[electrathon]

The trouble I have printing on a transparency is when I am tracing it on to the leather the ink rubs off on my hand and I end up getting the ink on the leather. Lately I have been covering my transparency with clear packing tape. No more ink on my project.

RussH

The trouble is that you are using the wrong printer. Inkjet ink does not stay well on transparancies. I do this all the time, but I use a laser printer. I have great success. I rarely use any other way of tracing since I was told how to do this.

Aaron

[rharris]

Aaron

That is what I have heard. Do not have a laser printer only inkjet. So make do with what I have.

Thanks

RussH

[Peter Ellis]

Before the crash, we had a topic going about how to make your own craftaid for carving patterns that you would do over and over....

I have gotten ahold of some exposed x-ray film and an up and down engraver.... not I just need to know the technique to do it....

There was a thread that discussed Verlane's method for making "Craftaids" using an engraver and plastic, I think it was LDPE but as I recall there was never a mention of what weight/thickness of plastic was needed.

I seem to recall one of the Clay's having started the thread.

[ClayB]

It wasnt this Clay, so if it was one of us, it must have been Mr. Miller.

[Cecil]

Indiana, you mean for the ink to transfer from the plastic to the leather?

Use transparency film(plastic). Trace on it and it will hold the scribe almost as well as craft aids. Instead of printing on paper, load your transparency film in the printer tray. You can print directly on the transparency film with your printer. Then trace with stylus onto leather.

Hope that makes more sense.

I pushed the wrong button. I ment this to be a reply to this topic. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=1047

[howardb]

I can't help with the thread, but your mention of the tools gets my engineering brain going. I think you just need the right thickness of plastic. It's going to have to be stiff, thin, and reasonably clear (though probably not a requirement...).

I havent' seen anything as heavy as the craft-aids in the stores (even the local education/art supply house). Try industrial plastic supply houses. You might even get them to send you some scraps/samples to figure out what you need.

Guessing: 0.5mm thick material, PVC or similar vinyl compound. It need to be flexible, but stay "bent" when deformed.

Method: trace your design onto this material. put the sheet on a rubber or soft vinyl (like for punching) base, or even some leather. Use a dull point (like a ball point pen) in the engraver (and it should be the kind that reciprocates like a jigsaw, not just the vibrating kind) and trace the design. The engraver would push the plastic down, deform it permanently and whammo - instant craftaid.

There are other sheet materials that would be stiff, yet soften under heat. for that one, you could carve the leather deep, heat the material and then simply trace with a stylus over the carving. Once cooled, you'd have a craftaid (whammo again!).

I have a plastic engineer at work. I will take in a craftaid and see if he can make any recommendations...

Brent

[barra]

What you can do is find a carving template you like. As an example go to ClayB's figure carving step by step post. Print off the picture and run it thru an office document laminator. When the picture has been laminated you can run it thru a sewing machine with fairly large needle but with no thread. This will leave lots of tiny little pushed out bits of plastic from the needle punching thru.

Lay the laminated pic onto leather and rub firmly with your fist. This will leave tiny little marks on the leather from the pushed out bits of plastic. You can then tidy up and play join the dots with a stylus or tickler, making any aesthetic eye pleasing changes as you see fit.

I also make lots of patterns this way.

Find pic you like

blow up to correct size with photocopier

laminate

no thread stitch

lay on leather

I then usually dust the template with a bit of shearling and talc. Bits of talc fall thru the holes. I then tidy up and re trace with the tickler or stylus and brush off the talc and give it a final clean off with a damp cloth to get rid of the last of the talc residue. On really large patterns eg a saddle fender I make up the pattern in segments and have reference marks to join up how ever many laminated sheets I had to use to get the final size. Laminator sheets run thru the laminator with nothing in them give you clear, firm plastic sheets you can make all sorts of patterns from.

Barra

[kimberangel]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am a teacher and just wanted to warn you to be careful using the overhead transparencies on all printers. The film has a tendency of heating and melting , ruining your printers. It is also thicker than paper and will jam constantly. Make sure the printer you use is transparency capable. Just my two cents of educational knowledge. Hope no one minds.

kimber

[krauter]

Once upon a time, Tandy would do custom craftaids it you sent them a carving with the lines and beveling marks cut. Don't know how it was done back then. Maybe a letter or two to them would clear the problem up.

[HollyNelson]

I want to do small, simple original forms for using as repeated patterns on edging and such, and just bought a tube of this: http://www.amazon.com/Pebeo-Porcelaine-China-Cloisonne-20-Milliliter/dp/B00266D8UK

I've gotten a couple of small pieces of glass, will be trying a woodcut phoenix pattern on the weekend.

[WyomingSlick]

Something that might work is to use one of the printer pens like this one on eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-quality-Authentic-3D-Stereoscopic-pen-printer-3D-Drawing-Printer-Pen-3D-Pen-/321525984921?pt=COMP_Printers&hash=item4adc712e99#ht_7952wt_1821

to make raised lines on a compatable sheet of clear plastic

[HollyNelson]

That looks pretty cool, might have a look at it.

My first attempt with the baked cloisonné paste above was pretty disappointing. Oh, it made a dandy image on glass and baked on nicely, but wouldn't imprint onto the leather. Just a few shallow dents here and there, even after being laid on the cased leather overnight with some canned goods pressing it down. Back to the drawing board...