Laser Pecker 1

[BigBore]

I know nothing about laser embossing leather, but I'd like to get into it.  I'd like to do small, basic things like hat patches, key chains, etc.  Does anyone have experience with the Laser Pecker 1?  Reviews seem good but I'd like to hear from true leathersmiths on the subject.

[Chakotay]

You'll eventually want the ability to actually CUT your leather pieces out, not just engrave. Not sure if the Laser Pecker will do that (someone else can chime in).

For around that price level, there's a whole host of open-gantry style diode lasers that will cut and engrave on Amazon. I have direct experience with the Creality Falcon 10W. It's a good machine for what you're wanting.

[Dwight]

2 hours ago, Chakotay said:

You'll eventually want the ability to actually CUT your leather pieces out, not just engrave. Not sure if the Laser Pecker will do that (someone else can chime in).

For around that price level, there's a whole host of open-gantry style diode lasers that will cut and engrave on Amazon. I have direct experience with the Creality Falcon 10W. It's a good machine for what you're wanting.

While we have your attention . . .  I have been messing with laser GRBL and LightBurn . . . having a real time of it with Lighburn . . . all the videos about it I've seen  seem to be the person wanting to show off his great wealth of vast over abundant knowledge . . . speaking in "laser speak" or "Lightburn speak" . . . that is way above my pay grade.

Do you have any suggestions . . . including other software . . . as I have a 300mw CNC diode laser . . . and it is giving me fits trying to learn how to use it.

I almost think I could use laser GRBL for some few projects . . .  just want to go deeper than it seems to go.

I'm not into cutting anything . . .  just leather engraving is the one and only thing I want to do.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Bert03241]

I have no experience with lightburb or grbl

I do all my design work in Corel Draw and then transfer to laser. Theres a free program called Inkscape that you can design in and then transfer to laser. Don't know what format these diodes need. I don't think any design software is super easy to learn, they all have a big learning curve from what I can see.

looking at this pecker 1 you guys know that for about $400 you can get a Co2 40 watt laser engraver cutter that will do all you want to do and more and probably easier to learn . Theres a ton of people on here using co2 and will be more then happy to help you thru the learning curve. There not hard to use and do a better and faster job then any diodes. just my 2¢

Edited June 21, 2023 by Bert03241

[BigBore]

6 hours ago, Bert03241 said:

I have no experience with lightburb or grbl

I do all my design work in Corel Draw and then transfer to laser. Theres a free program called Inkscape that you can design in and then transfer to laser. Don't know what format these diodes need. I don't think any design software is super easy to learn, they all have a big learning curve from what I can see.

looking at this pecker 1 you guys know that for about $400 you can get a Co2 40 watt laser engraver cutter that will do all you want to do and more and probably easier to learn . Theres a ton of people on here using co2 and will be more then happy to help you thru the learning curve. There not hard to use and do a better and faster job then any diodes. just my 2¢

Great feedback, thank you. Is there one in particular you’d suggest I look in to?

[BigBore]

I should also ask…can these be run without a computer?  I’d prefer to use an app from my iPad. My only computer is one issued by work and I’d prefer not to use it for personal. 

[KYCat]

9 hours ago, Dwight said:

While we have your attention . . .  I have been messing with laser GRBL and LightBurn . . . having a real time of it with Lighburn . . . all the videos about it I've seen  seem to be the person wanting to show off his great wealth of vast over abundant knowledge . . . speaking in "laser speak" or "Lightburn speak" . . . that is way above my pay grade.

 

Dwight- a GREAT resource for learning Lightburn is The Louisiana Hobby Guy on YT. He has a step-by-step on basically any process including getting going with the software. That's how I learned and his teaching style really lends itself to getting me how to think outside the box.

If I can help, let me know...

[Chakotay]

I've only had experience with LightBurn to run the machine. But as Bert03241 mentioned, I don't actually do any design in LightBurn. I create the design in Adobe Illustrator and import into LB just to position and choose power/speed/pass settings. As someone else said, Inkscape is another vector program that's a free download. As always, Youtube is your friend on all of these.

[Ferg]

I have found that many folks who buy a diode or CO2 laser who have never used same or had any experience with them, have a tendency to want someone to tell them how to operate and achieve fantastic results. In over two years of using first a diode and now a CO2 laser I can tell you it takes time and untold amounts of trial and error to find out what you can accomplish. If you have little patience and perseverance to work things out by reading and studying everything available, you chose the wrong endeavor. 

Every laser has it's very own idiosyncrasies get used to it. Apply what you derive from info available and try. 

LightBurn gets lambasted by folks who think since it is highly rated it will be their miracle worker and provide everything they need to make those fantastic items they view with little to no input from themselves. I have used/tried many programs for lasering and found one thing about all of them, they are difficult to learn because they are involved in thousands of scenarios for one. 

My advice to anyone beginning their Laser journey, read everything and study it plus watch videos with many of those being bogus. Sit back when you are exasperated and think what you haven't done correctly or simply try another setting and burn a lot of scrap whether it be leather or wood.

First image engraved on hickory second on leather.

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, Ferg said:

 

It will undoubtedly be a long time . . . but some day I hope to be able to see results like the one above.

Thanks for showing us that it actually can be done.

I'm thinking I would love to see a 12 by 20 or so of the Last Supper . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited June 21, 2023 by Dwight

[Dwight]

Just for kicks and giggles . . .  I have a bunch of really flat faced cardboard in my garage.  A buddy got it somewhere . . .  we use it for target practice out on the shooting range.

Well . . . been burning up my wood . . .  and some leather scraps . . .  trying to figure this laser thing out.

Thought . .  . "Hmm . . .  wonder what ol Lee Ermey would look like on cardboard" . . .  found out.  And it is darn near a perfect duplicate of leather . . .  so now I got a real cheap substitute for starting to check out  a burn . . . but needing to check the settings first.  I can check the settings on cardboard . . . and have a pretty good idea of what I have to do to make it look better on leather.

May God bless,

Dwight

[AlZilla]

On 6/21/2023 at 10:57 AM, Ferg said:

I have found that many folks who buy a diode or CO2 laser who have never used same or had any experience with them, have a tendency to want someone to tell them how to operate and achieve fantastic results. In over two years of using first a diode and now a CO2 laser I can tell you it takes time and untold amounts of trial and error to find out what you can accomplish. If you have little patience and perseverance to work things out by reading and studying everything available, you chose the wrong endeavor. 

Every laser has it's very own idiosyncrasies get used to it. Apply what you derive from info available and try. 

LightBurn gets lambasted by folks who think since it is highly rated it will be their miracle worker and provide everything they need to make those fantastic items they view with little to no input from themselves. I have used/tried many programs for lasering and found one thing about all of them, they are difficult to learn because they are involved in thousands of scenarios for one. 

My advice to anyone beginning their Laser journey, read everything and study it plus watch videos with many of those being bogus. Sit back when you are exasperated and think what you haven't done correctly or simply try another setting and burn a lot of scrap whether it be leather or wood.

First image engraved on hickory second on leather.

 

Curious how deep this laser engraving runs? Is it detectable to the touch? Or is it just flat?

I don't care for laser engraving on firearm because it just seems like flat, lifeless Paint By Numbers.

Maybe laser engraving on leather could be further tooled?

 

[Ferg]

This is 3D illusion. There is very little difference in the level of engrave. I would estimate depth at .10mm to slightly more if power was increased.

This is not intended to be a substitute for carving and stamping. I have been doing leather work for over 70 years. I believe there is room for many different methods of decorating leather. Laser engraving is just one of them.

I have tried line drawing on leather which is actually a pattern for carving. It makes for an extremely accurate pattern.

[AlZilla]

2 hours ago, Ferg said:

 have been doing leather work for over 70 years. I believe there is room for many different methods of decorating leather. Laser engraving is just one of them.

Absolutely, I intended no criticism. The scene itself is quite nice. Just trying to understand.  The whole laser thing is on my backburner as maybe a way to mark or cut out patterns.

 

[Ferg]

I think of it as "augmenting" my normal leather work. Since arthritis and other health issues make my tooling leather a distant memory,

"Tooling" with a laser is my "Happy" place. LOL

Every time I engrave another piece of leather be it with my very own renditions or professionally designed, I am absolutely amazed that this old man of almost ninety years

can still do something of what I love. Broke my left wrist 3 weeks ago. Doctors say if I don't use my arm/hand and mess up the break they will remove the cast next Friday

and maybe they won't put another on me. My wife says quit picking your nose with your left hand.