Laser Pecker 1

[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.