byfbo Report post Posted March 16, 2010 Hello. I've been wanting to get into leather work for some time now just didnt have the funds to get started. I have been at it for almost 6 months now. I have a few different tools in my toolbox than most. I work at a "laser chop shop". I cut program parts and cut them from steel and stainless steel, as well as wood, acrylic, mylar, cardboard, you name it. I have been experimenting cutting leather with it and it works just fine. I program all my cuts and holes and they cut perfect every time (unless I program it wrong lol). I will attach a few pics of stuff I have done since getting started. To see some videos of the lasers I use go to www.smidgensinc.com if your interested. I havent put up any vids of cutting leather yet. I am grateful to have found this forum, and am looking forward to learning all I can, as well as good and bad feed back. Roy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TimDreamer Report post Posted March 16, 2010 Welcome to LW! Looks like you've got some great ideas in how to use leather for projects already. Especially like the arm band with the iron crosses in it. Keep us posted on your progress, we'd love to see more pics of your work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
abn Report post Posted March 16, 2010 Roy, It looks like that laser is a bit more precise than my leather shears! As Tim mentioned, you've got some great ideas, so please continue to post pics as you progress. Good to have you here. Regards, -Alex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
byfbo Report post Posted March 16, 2010 Roy, It looks like that laser is a bit more precise than my leather shears! As Tim mentioned, you've got some great ideas, so please continue to post pics as you progress. Good to have you here. Regards, -Alex Thanks I really appreciate it. There are so many things that I want to know how to do, but time and patience have to be checked. The laser is great to have in your back pocket, and as long as I can make up some patterns and then mock em up out of like cardboard or thin plastic I know I'm on the right track. Ive got some more pics I can post later on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joet Report post Posted March 17, 2010 Hello. I've been wanting to get into leather work for some time now just didnt have the funds to get started. I have been at it for almost 6 months now. I have a few different tools in my toolbox than most. I work at a "laser chop shop". I cut program parts and cut them from steel and stainless steel, as well as wood, acrylic, mylar, cardboard, you name it. I have been experimenting cutting leather with it and it works just fine. I program all my cuts and holes and they cut perfect every time (unless I program it wrong lol). I will attach a few pics of stuff I have done since getting started. To see some videos of the lasers I use go to www.smidgensinc.com if your interested. I havent put up any vids of cutting leather yet. I am grateful to have found this forum, and am looking forward to learning all I can, as well as good and bad feed back. Roy Until about a month ago I wasn't aware that lasers could be used on leather. While at a guild meeting a Tandy employee, who does sporans in his spare time, showed the guild members what he was working on. It had been laser cut by a friend of his and it looked really good. At first I thought that the work on the sporan front had been tooled with some very fine bevelers. Then I remembered that he is just a beginner in the tooling aspects of leather and didn't have any such beveler in his tool box. Keep up the fine work and keep the pictures coming. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hivemind Report post Posted March 17, 2010 Hey Roy, welcome! Where you at in upstate? I live in Utica. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
byfbo Report post Posted March 17, 2010 Hey Roy, welcome! Where you at in upstate? I live in Utica. A little town called hemlock, I live by hemlock lake. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
byfbo Report post Posted March 17, 2010 Until about a month ago I wasn't aware that lasers could be used on leather. While at a guild meeting a Tandy employee, who does sporans in his spare time, showed the guild members what he was working on. It had been laser cut by a friend of his and it looked really good. At first I thought that the work on the sporan front had been tooled with some very fine bevelers. Then I remembered that he is just a beginner in the tooling aspects of leather and didn't have any such beveler in his tool box. Keep up the fine work and keep the pictures coming. Yeah about the only thing that lasers shouldnt cut is vinyl. It gives off gas. Were I work we have 4 lasers, one is a 3000w trumpf its our big steel laser, the other three are about 200-300w lasers. We also have two galvo lasers for marking. We have been looking into a new italian galvo laser thats lightning fast its good for textile work. Ive been using a laser wood engraver to work on leather. This is an idea ive been kicking around for a dead musician guitar strap its not finished yet because my buddy ive been showing how to do the basics on is working on it. I got the musicians he wanted off google images and photoshopped em then engraved them onto the strap Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joet Report post Posted March 17, 2010 Yeah about the only thing that lasers shouldnt cut is vinyl. It gives off gas. Were I work we have 4 lasers, one is a 3000w trumpf its our big steel laser, the other three are about 200-300w lasers. We also have two galvo lasers for marking. We have been looking into a new italian galvo laser thats lightning fast its good for textile work. Ive been using a laser wood engraver to work on leather. This is an idea ive been kicking around for a dead musician guitar strap its not finished yet because my buddy ive been showing how to do the basics on is working on it. I got the musicians he wanted off google images and photoshopped em then engraved them onto the strap How much do one of these laser units cost, and can anyone use them or are they mostly found in certain shops? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
byfbo Report post Posted March 17, 2010 (edited) How much do one of these laser units cost, and can anyone use them or are they mostly found in certain shops? well they are out of the reach of personal use i would think. I just happen to work in a place with several lasers. I get to do my own projects on the side for free. I think that a new 3000 to 4000 watt laser would be around 600,000 depending on the options, and the 250-300 watt lasers would be around 220,000 depending on options. Galvo laser engravers might be around 175,000 im not to sure. So yeah they cost. This video is of our 50 watt wood engraver, its not marking leather but it would look the same. There are way better machines for doing this though. If you found a place similar to where I work at and you provided your own artwork and dimensions Im sure that there would be no charge for programming just laser time and maybe materials. Edited March 17, 2010 by byfbo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kowboyboots Report post Posted March 17, 2010 You only need a 30 watt to cut leather, about $10,000 for a nice one from Universal Laser Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
byfbo Report post Posted March 17, 2010 You only need a 30 watt to cut leather, about $10,000 for a nice one from Universal Laser yeah it doesnt take much I have to run ours at 20% power or less, but still they cost. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joet Report post Posted March 17, 2010 well they are out of the reach of personal use i would think. I just happen to work in a place with several lasers. I get to do my own projects on the side for free. I think that a new 3000 to 4000 watt laser would be around 600,000 depending on the options, and the 250-300 watt lasers would be around 220,000 depending on options. Galvo laser engravers might be around 175,000 im not to sure. So yeah they cost. This video is of our 50 watt wood engraver, its not marking leather but it would look the same. There are way better machines for doing this though. If you found a place similar to where I work at and you provided your own artwork and dimensions Im sure that there would be no charge for programming just laser time and maybe materials. Neat video. I have never seen how the laser worked except on human surgery to correct vision. It looks like I'll have to find a place here locally that does the sort of work that you do. The price range is a little out of what I can currently afford, and I would have to re-wire the house to handle that sort of wattage. It's surprising what all lasers can do and the technology has come a long way. Keep the video's and pictures coming. You only need a 30 watt to cut leather, about $10,000 for a nice one from Universal Laser Still out of my price range. What kind of facility would I have to look for locally to find someone who does laser work? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbird Report post Posted March 17, 2010 glad you found us have fun here! Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
byfbo Report post Posted March 17, 2010 Neat video. I have never seen how the laser worked except on human surgery to correct vision. It looks like I'll have to find a place here locally that does the sort of work that you do. The price range is a little out of what I can currently afford, and I would have to re-wire the house to handle that sort of wattage. It's surprising what all lasers can do and the technology has come a long way. Keep the video's and pictures coming. Still out of my price range. What kind of facility would I have to look for locally to find someone who does laser work? I guess just google custom laser shop and see what you come up with. I would be happy to see what you have and get it programmed up and see what we could come up with. I dont think it would be too expensive. Its all based on speed the faster we can cut the cheaper the part. At the end of the day though its worth it if you have like 1000 holes you need punched. Lasers love repetition. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
