Tooling Custom Design Transfer Tutorial

[Kevin King]

Again, I am not sure where to put this. Please feel free to move to the appropriate section.

I did a tutorial on transfering a pattern that can be found by clicking HERE.

I mentioned that I use the same technique when transfering designs for tooling.

Here is the response to that question.

I grabbed whatever design I had up on my computer at the time, which happens to be my 143 logo.

Be sure to print in mirror image because you're going to be turning it over to transfer to posterboard.

Print a pretty thick black line so it'll transfer well.

Tape face down on posterboard.

Burnish image. I use a pencil so I can see where i've been.

Image transfered.

Tape to leather, use stylus or pen to transfer to leather.

Tool and finish however you see fit.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Kevin King

[capnmeow]

neat but i like the method of grabbing parchment paper then tracing my image on there with a ultra fine tipped sharpie then putting it on the leather and putting those 2 in a clear skin of binder plastic and that works pretty well for me

[DoubleC]

Again, I am not sure where to put this. Please feel free to move to the appropriate section.

I did a tutorial on transfering a pattern that can be found by clicking HERE.

I mentioned that I use the same technique when transfering designs for tooling.

Here is the response to that question.

I grabbed whatever design I had up on my computer at the time, which happens to be my 143 logo.

Be sure to print in mirror image because you're going to be turning it over to transfer to posterboard.

Print a pretty thick black line so it'll transfer well.

Tape face down on posterboard.

Burnish image. I use a pencil so I can see where i've been.

Image transfered.

Tape to leather, use stylus or pen to transfer to leather.

Tool and finish however you see fit.

Thank you Kevin. I have a design I really need to transfer and i tried using my laptop as a light box and put it on acrylic and tried cutting it out, on and on, and I haven't had a bit of luck with that. I could get one sheet of poster board and do fifty of them, LOL. Then I guess i could invest in another piece of poster board :-) Now all I have to do is make myself believe I can't hand draw them forever.

[HellfireJack]

Thanks for the explanation Kevin!

[Kevin King]

neat but i like the method of grabbing parchment paper then tracing my image on there with a ultra fine tipped sharpie then putting it on the leather and putting those 2 in a clear skin of binder plastic and that works pretty well for me

Thank you Kevin. I have a design I really need to transfer and i tried using my laptop as a light box and put it on acrylic and tried cutting it out, on and on, and I haven't had a bit of luck with that. I could get one sheet of poster board and do fifty of them, LOL. Then I guess i could invest in another piece of poster board :-) Now all I have to do is make myself believe I can't hand draw them forever.

Ya gotta do whatever works best for you. I like to try to eliminate as many steps as I can. I'd print directly to the posterboard if my printer would handle it.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Kevin King

[radar67]

Ya gotta do whatever works best for you. I like to try to eliminate as many steps as I can. I'd print directly to the posterboard if my printer would handle it.

Have you tried printing to card stock? Most printers will handle that (100 LB paper).

[Cameroo]

Just curious - Why does the image have to be on posterboard? I've been printing my tooling patterns out on normal paper, placing it over the cased leather, and using a scribe to go over the lines to transfer to the leather.

[Suicide]

Just curious - Why does the image have to be on posterboard? I've been printing my tooling patterns out on normal paper, placing it over the cased leather, and using a scribe to go over the lines to transfer to the leather.

Then I tried just a normal paper, I either always accidently cut it through with stylus or it gets damp from the leather's moisture (and actually finally rips under stulus point anyway) .

[Kevin King]

Then I tried just a normal paper, I either always accidently cut it through with stylus or it gets damp from the leather's moisture (and actually finally rips under stulus point anyway) .

^^what Suicide said.^^

I don't know about you, but I press prety hard to get a good line. Regular paper, (and even card stock) tears. If you're having luck with regular paper, then more power to you.

This is not the only way to do it. Just how I do it. You've gotta find the best way that works for you.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Kevin King

[chancey77]

It looks like you have also been doing it the hard way and the wrong way for some time...

So here is your solution,

20 bucks for 100 sheets of Transfer Plastic sheets is the answer!!!!!!

Just print it out on Clear plastic sheets that are 8.5x11 you have the picture and a tough material that won't pierce! You can see through the design and properly line it up where you want it with out best guessing...

You can use the same one many times, DO NOT PRINT IT MIRROR!!!!!!!!!!

Use it ink side up not down! If you do it ink side down it will leave black ink on the leather wherever you push down with the stylus and just another step pf time that is not necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clear Transfer sheets are the best!

The same ones they use for overhead projectors...staples or any craft store should have them or even a teachers supply store....

Wax paper like oven paper works good as well, and is better than good tracing paper.

It is wax so= water resistant, and it is at every single grocery store and sells like 20meter rolls for 3 bucks....

Things you might use all the time like stars and triangles or whatever... I make out of heavy card stock. and keep those.

Edited February 15, 2012 by chancey77