Embossing/cutting Machine

[Toga1116]

Hello all...hoping to find some direction on this question; been searching elsewhere for a week and haven't found anything. I'm looking to emboss designs onto a approximately 4 inch by 4 inch square of veg leather between 5-8 oz. I'm looking for a machine that will emboss the design as well as cut out the 4x4 into slightly different shapes (circles, shields ect...think military patches) on the same stroke. I've seen the roller embosser in the Tandy guide and similar, but those rollers are limited to 2 inches wide and they cost a TON of money for new custom rollers. I've also looked at the Randall R-32, but I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for. The Clicker from Tippman looks promising, but I have no idea where to get the dies, if a embossing stamp can be used, and how much each new die/stamp would cost me. Bottom line, I haven't seen anything out there that will emboss and cut on the same stroke with affordable and interchangeable dies/stamps. It doesn't have to be a machine either; a mallet would work as long as I can interchange custom stamps (up to 4 inches square) and without spending a ridiculous amount of money for a small stamp. I've been doing this all by hand so far, which I enjoy, but I'd like to speed up the process a bit so I can potentially sell my items for a reasonable price. Any direction is appreciated!

[Itch]

I do not think that you will be able to find a machine that does it all in one step. You will need a die to cut the leather to shape,and then you will need to have a embossing plate made for your design.. for dies we use http://www.kaspardieandtool.com/index.asp and for a embossing plate try https://www.owosso.com/

[Dwight]

Having worked in maintenance at a production factory for many years, . . . I can see where you would really like to have this machine / tool.

BUT, . . . having said that, . . . I also know it would be a pain to produce for a decent price, . . . and the eventual sharpening of it would be another troublesome spot.

Think in terms of having the design pressed into the leather by a "stamp" that has outside dimensions of the final product you want. If the leather blank was as wide as you wanted it to be, . . . one end squared up, . . . when you "pressed" in the design, . . . you would only have to make one knife cut, . . . along one side, . . . and you would not only make that one piece but would prepare the leather strip for the next one, . . . which again would only take one 4 inch knife stroke to finish the piece.

That design would be far less costly than an "all in one" and because no blades are involved, . . . also much less dangerous.

Presses that cut and / or shear material are absolutely notorious for also doing fingers, hands, arms and anything else which gets in their grasp. Think about not putting yourself in that opportunity for disaster.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Toga1116]

Thanks for the links Itch..helpful! And Dwight...I thought about that same idea using a roller embossing machine; only have to make one cut between patches. But, I used the 4 inch by 4 inch square as the maximum area to be used...not that the end product would be square. See www.flightjacket.com for exactly what I'm thinking of making. I can see how presses that cut would be dangerous; complacency would be a very bad thing while using that! Itch, what type of embossing machine do you use? A clicker?

Edited September 18, 2014 by Toga1116

[Dwight]

Weaver Leather in Berlin, Ohio can make the cutters for you, . . . they will cut the shape out to the "zinth" degree from what I have heard. They are not cheap, though, . . . I have also heard.

THEN, . . . go to the stamp, . . . have it cut from delrin or another plastic, . . . line up the stamp, . . . press it, . . . you should be done. I believe delrin is the name of the plastic I have for my maker's stamp, . . . it has held up well for the 5 or 6 years I've been using it.

May God bless,

Dwight