Engraving Leather

[TomG]

Has anyone used a rotary engraver like they use to make plastic signs for leather? I have an old one and can't seem to hit the proper cutter size/depth, etc. to make clean letters.

Thanks

[WyomingSlick]

Has anyone used a rotary engraver like they use to make plastic signs for leather? I have an old one and can't seem to hit the proper cutter size/depth, etc. to make clean letters.

Thanks

Leather is quite a differant material from the firmer bodied materials like plastic, metal, wood, etc. that rotary tools work best in. To cut leather cleanly with such a tool, you would need a super sharp bit with very acute cutting edges. The only bits that I can think might work okay are the structured tooth carbide burrs that look kind of like a prickly burr.

Whatever you use, you are still going to have some trouble with the oils and resins in the leather gumming up the bit.

[Studio-N]

Hello. The real problem is speed versus torque. A regular rotary spins at about 20,000 rpm and has a lot of torque. Compare that to a dental type drill that spins

at 100,000 rpm but has little torque. That is why a dentist has such finesse (some would argue that!) when drilling teeth. The large torque of a rotary wants to take large

chunks which causes a lot of tearing of the fibers. The dental drill which also uses smaller bits makes much smoother cuts. Remember all you're really

trying to do is cut (not tear) thru the epidermis layer of the leather to expose the fleshy part which will then absorb a stain.

Having said that, you can improve your cutting if you use the smaller dental bits like these.

You have to take lighter cuts than with the dental drill but you can still get good results.

Cheers!

[WyomingSlick]

Hello. The real problem is speed versus torque. A regular rotary spins at about 20,000 rpm and has a lot of torque. Compare that to a dental type drill that spins

at 100,000 rpm but has little torque. That is why a dentist has such finesse (some would argue that!) when drilling teeth. The large torque of a rotary wants to take large

chunks which causes a lot of tearing of the fibers. The dental drill which also uses smaller bits makes much smoother cuts. Remember all you're really

trying to do is cut (not tear) thru the epidermis layer of the leather to expose the fleshy part which will then absorb a stain.

Having said that, you can improve your cutting if you use the smaller dental bits like these.

You have to take lighter cuts than with the dental drill but you can still get good results.

Cheers!

LOL Those are a ways from being dental bits, unless you are talking about an elephant dentist ! Dental bits for people are about a 1/16", or smaller.

[Studio-N]

they are there in their store, you just have to sort thru it. But, if you have a local dental supply house that's good too.

Keep in mind these are 1 use only bits, so if you may also persuade your local dentist to same them to you.

[Frank]

A friend of mine does this stuff using a dremel. He's also a tattoo artist. Everything is done freehand.

[nine4t4]

I picked up a handfull of dental drill bits for next to nothing. 3 for a buck. The heads are small, tiny, little things, you can barely makeout the shape with the naked eye. They are great for detail work, BUT, you still need to be careful about tearing (as has been said). The location in town is called Active Surplus. I don't know how to describe it. Surplus, Recycler, odds and ends? The store has everything from pen springs to aluminum ingots, electronic parts and medical surplus. My googling involved the words "dental drill, Gorilla Costume, acrylic and carriage bolts"

1) Be patient, and move the tool as light as posible and as slowly as possible. Instead of carving, it's more like sanding away material.

2)Grab some scraps and prep them diffrently. Some methods work better with those bits than others, and your actual leather is another variable. Use one bit on the scraps to get a feel for the cut and the rate of dulling. Pay attention to your pressure and speed.

3) Some rotary tools have a clutch that can "theoritically" be adjusted. If you are mechanically competent you can open it up and see if there is a way to adjust it. (This will void warranty, is mildly dangerous, and may anger your personal deity). I can't tell you how much you need but my gauge is this:

With it spinning, I touch the bit to my fingertip. It should be light enough that firm pressure will stop it, but will begin to cut (abrade) if you pull back slightly. Or you could use a scrap piece of leather and test your setting (that is probably much smarter)

4) If you can't adjust the tool itself, you can go a bit light on the locking collect. This is not consistent, but it's better than nothing. Either way your tool should get to a point where if its not cutting it will stop (like when it's about to tear)

Have fun. But the more you practice the better off you'll be before attacking an actual project.