Alternatives To Tandy Tracing Film?

[Bard Skye]

Thanks Chris! Believe it or not I actually understand most of that, LOL! If a person were to take the time to build enough elements and combinations of elements you could basically "cut and paste" and then modify or manipulate what ever was necessary to tie it all together. However it sounds like more than what I want to try to take on at this point anyway. It's amazing what you can do though and you really fooled me, LOL, I thought the photo was your original! Someone borrowed one of my finger carving patterns to use for a class and he copied the photo and turned it into line art and sent it back to me. I was really impressed and wondered about doing a floral pattern. Anyway...very cool stuff...thanks!

Bobby

That's what I've done with my AutoCadd.

I've built "libraries" of elements that I commonly use, then scale, orient, and place in the drawing I'm working on.

Now I'll have to start putting together libraries of leather carving elements. <g>

It's a bit of work to start with, but worth it in the long run.

Great work, Spinner.

Skye

[r lenna]

Hi There you can find it at Springfield Leather you can get by the yard for $2.30 or by the roll for $20 you can find it here. http://springfieldleather.com/Books%2C-Patterns-%26-Craftaids/product/8086/Tracing-Film%2C10-yards/ most things are cheaper there than Tandy. Rob

[ACarver]

For me I make all my patterns in AutoCad, such as sizes of front and back, stitching lines,...etc. Then I transfer the pattern to photoshop to scale. In photoshop I made custom bruches for flowers, roses, leafs and some shapes. I just set my layout by putting all flowers and other elements in secounds, I can then rotat, flip and scale anyone.... I use my tablet pen to draw all scrolls and vines... at last I print it to transperant paper. If the drawing is bigger than A3, I print it in sections and tape them later... I just starting to use a projector that been hanging from my ceiling. so I do not need to print my drawing in section, I aim the projector to the leather piece., I tape the leather to my bench to prevent it from moving then I trace all lines using a stylus... and believe me I'm starting to like this method alot...

[Lady Roper]

Dennis,

I read all the responses to your question with great interest. There were a lot of suggestions but for my part they were all a little hollow. Yes there are other products that you can draw on for a lot less money, but none of them allow you to trace multiple times onto leather. You can use any of the tracing papers, but you either have to transfer the pattern onto tracing film (which is what I do) or you have to cover the paper with packing tape or with shelf paper. Vellum or tracing paper alone, won't stand up to a stylus during the tracing process, nor will it withstand the moisture from the leather. Most papers won't! You can cover the back side of your pattern with packing tape, but packing tape expensive and somewhat time consuming, especially because you need to cover both sides if you hope to be able to use the paper twice. For me the shelf plastic is so heavy that I can't get the clean clear lines that I need, to be able to cut my pattern without having to do a lot of re-drawing. Sheet protectors also are too thick to do a nice job of transferring patterns. You can cover the leather with plastic wrap which is a real pain, but you still need something to protect your paper from the stylus. So for my purposes, I consider Tandy's tracing film to be cheap. It's large enough to do bigger projects. You can draw right on the film, or trace a pattern onto it. It can be used many times without coming apart. I think it's one of the better products that Tandy has ever come up with and having tried the alternatives, I still prefer to purchase it by the roll. I have patterns on Tandy tracing film that are 30 years old and are in as good shape today as they were the day I drew them. I have the greatest respect for all of you who use alternatives, but I think for the money, time savings and durability, Tandy tracing film is my first choice!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!......

Bobby

[Lady Roper]

I too use the Tandy tracing film. Works great, but was tought to trace my patterns with a pencil which will "rub" off of the film, then I have to redo my pattern. Any suggestions other than a pencil to trace the patterns?

[bkingery]

I too use the Tandy tracing film. Works great, but was tought to trace my patterns with a pencil which will "rub" off of the film, then I have to redo my pattern. Any suggestions other than a pencil to trace the patterns?

I use a sharpie ultra fine point, the white case ones not the new fangled black ones because they bead up and smear.

Bryan

[Lady Roper]

I use a sharpie ultra fine point, the white case ones not the new fangled black ones because they bead up and smear.

Bryan

Thank You Bryan. I will be purchasing the Sharpie.

[DaltonMasterson]

I use a pencil, and then spray it with a clear coat of paint, or some sort of "fix" for watercolors. Hairspray will work too.

I have just been using the clear cheap paint from Walmart and giving it a few light coats over the pencil marks.

This will allow you to erase and adjust patterns before you spray, and then after you can make changes to your original and not destroy your original if you erase.

DM

[Tex]

Don't laugh too hard but I went to Wally World, bought a roll of clear plastic window covering. It works great as a tracing film. I use alot on tracing chap & chink patterns.I just use a felt tip maker & I have a good outline. Just have to keep it pulled tight. So I just tape it down in several places over what I want to trace & go for it. It's alot cheaper than that HIGH $$ Tandy film. 1 roll will last you a very long time.It works good on tracing just about anything cause it's clear & you can see everything you are tracing easily.

Edited November 28, 2011 by Tex

[Eddie Collins]

ST Leather out of St. Louis might have a cheaper price on Tracing Film. I usually use Freezer Paper, with a No.3 or No.4 pencil, No. 2 smudges. I use Tracing Films for names, animals, intricate patterns. I'm beginning to just draw on the leather with a stylist, using a drafting circle jig.