laser engraving

[jbird]

What sort of lasers or people using, were can they be found.

Josh

Long Live Cowboys and Cowgirls!

Edited April 27, 2009 by jbird

[gtwister09]

Josh,

Here's a couple of posts where you can see brands of desktop lasers.

Laser Post #1

Laser Post #2

Regards,

Ben

[jbird]

Thanks BEN

Josh

Josh,

Here's a couple of posts where you can see brands of desktop lasers.

Laser Post #1

Laser Post #2

Regards,

Ben

[JohnBarton]

I know I shouldn't feel this way.....but some of the really cool laser work I've seen on leather makes me a little nervous! What's the number for that Silver Engraving School, Bruce,....I might need that!!!

Bob

Believe me when I tell you that there are no laser engraved pieces ever that are "better" than the stuff you do. Someone might pick one over yours at some point but that's just a reflection on their taste and not their knowledge or appreciation level. And also believe me when I tell you that creating something by using the laser that even begins to approach your work requires hundreds of hours of practice and intimacy with the laser and the leather to use it for that level of work. It's a high powered tool with a lot of applications but it doesn't replace the brain and certainly does not infuse anyone with artistic talent.

[King's X]

John Barton

True.........True!

[jbird]

I agree the hole way John

Josh

John Barton

True.........True!

[JohnBarton]

Kowboyboots:

Ok so when I first got the laser, a big ULS model, I was out in Vegas doing a tournament where we were laser engraving people's pool cues and cases and sundry small items like keychains, coasters, pool balls and the like.

A guy gives me his case and wants his name in HUGE letters all down the back of it. So I design it, build of some makeshift jigs to keep it in place and let it burn - well it gets halfway through the job and throws the breaker on the power line taking down the whole row of vendors. So then they get the power back on and I start where we left off and there is a line and it gets halfway through the job and throws the breaker again. Turns out the convention center charged me for the high power line and gave me the normal one. So they get that all rerouted and get me the dedicated power I paid for and I redesign the drawing to account for the lines and FOUR HOURS after I started the job it was done to the customer's satisfaction but not to mine.

Another time a guy wanted a skull on his and I kept going over it and it wasn't coming out right and I kept upping the power - until the guy was watching and asked me if it was supposed to be on fire. I told him it was normal, just flashes and when it was done it looked really great - - - - - - - for three seconds before the whole image crumbled into ashes. Turns out I forgot to focus the laser properly and thought I was properly focused. That cost me about $300 to replace the case with a new one.

And the last one - I did a pair of cues - beautifully - just perfect placement - right color to match the cues - everything great - except I misspelled the guy's name by one letter. That cost me around $1000.

Now I will rarely do anyone else's stuff but if I do I triple check everything before I hit go.

Sorry WRONG place. I meant to put this in the laser thread. Please move it if you can.

John

[kevinhopkins]

Hi Randy,

Basically, veg leather will work pretty well, pretty much all the time if the operator has is ducks in a row. And it looks really good. But if you ever decide that you need to do some lasering on chrome tanned leather, you'd certainly want to make sure that some one did a trial pc first. Not all finishes are happy under the laser!

Kevin

[K-Man]

Here's an example of laser engraving done on veg tan leather. In this instance, took a picture of a diecast car.

The detail on it is amazing. You would not be able to achieve the same kind of detail with traditional tooling IMO.

Edited April 27, 2009 by K-Man

[Kowboyboots]

I totally agree John, nothing is more beautiful then tooling. There is heart & soul in every piece of leather carving & tooling.

Lasering is just another medium that brings cool detail and something different.

My late husband bought the 2nd ULS system they sold, Beta model II, that was nearly 20 yrs ago. He got it to do fret work on the guitars he made. But you know after you have played with lasering everything in the house, even the mouse traps sooner or later you look for something new, LOL.

When I meet him I started the leather engraving but mostly I use hair on because thats what I enjoy.

When they made the first lasers they were not refillable, so one Christmas right in middle of the rush days mine ran out of CO2. Thank goodness the rep here in Washington has his demo for sale & I was only down 2 days.

I don't use mine every day but I can't imagine life with out it. I use it to cut very detailed signs, cad cut for printing t-shirts & hats, etching, burning, cutting things out, make filigree business cards....Its just endless the fun things you can do with it. But there is no soul in the work, its computerized. There is heart in my work though.