Ebook Cover - Laser cut, dyed with vinegaroon

[stormdevil]

Here's a set of firsts:

1st time using the laser to engrave a design

1st time using vinegaroon to dye the leather black. I did end up going over part of it with oil based dye.

I've still got some experimenting to do with the laser, the 2nd cut of the same design was better - but I've still to finish that one off.

 

[Sheilajeanne]

Very nice! Is the eagle done with paint or dye, and did you do it before or after applying the vinegaroon? And how did you apply the vinegaroon?

We wants DETAILS!  

[bikermutt07]

Nice job.

[battlemunky]

Nice control on the vinegroon. I want to know about the blue also.

[ComputerDoctor]

What in the world is 'vinegroon?'

Just for the fun of it, what does a 'Laser' machine cost?

Beautiful work:)

Sam

[Sheilajeanne]

Here's the answer to your question. I had to use Google, as the search function on the site only returned this same thread!

http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/73637-my-guide-to-the-best-vinegaroon-youve-ever-made/

[Duane1]

I would like more info on the model of laser you used?   Love that blue on the black.

[stormdevil]

Ok - more details:

Laser is an LS3020 desktop laser: http://hpclaser.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=92 It's a hobby machine.
My husband bought it for doing laser cutting /  engraving on wood. I knew it was possible to use on leather - this is my first time trying.

I used the newly made vinegaroon all over - instructions as given here: http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/73637-my-guide-to-the-best-vinegaroon-youve-ever-made/, but it took a lot longer to make than the thread suggests. I started it off in the garage, but at this time of year - it's cold, so I moved it into the kitchen. The thread says it reached full strength after a few days - try a couple of weeks! My second batch has been sitting on my kitchen windowsill for 3 weeks now, and from testing it's ready to use. I used the threads suggestion of neutralizing with bicarb of soda before dyeing the piece. That leaves gritty bits of bicarb all over, but I just washed it off.

Applying the vinegaroon - I swabbed the neutralised solution on with a dauber - front and back - though I didn't need to do the back.

The blue is Angelus pealescent paint - Pacific blue, applied after the vinegaroon.

[Sheilajeanne]

Stormdevil, chemical reactions are highly dependent on temperature, so it's quite likely that's what slowed down the chemical reaction of your vinegaroon solution. Your window sill is probably pretty chilly at this time of year!

[HaloJones]

Ohh i have looked at that exact laser before, do you use an extract system with it, does it smell when cutting leather, what software do you use?

 

[stormdevil]

17 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Stormdevil, chemical reactions are highly dependent on temperature, so it's quite likely that's what slowed down the chemical reaction of your vinegaroon solution. Your window sill is probably pretty chilly at this time of year!

I did try speeding it up by heating it (water bath with almost boiling water), and the window sill is room temperature, but it still took a couple of weeks to get to full strength.

[stormdevil]

6 hours ago, HaloJones said:

Ohh i have looked at that exact laser before, do you use an extract system with it, does it smell when cutting leather, what software do you use?

 

Yes - we have an extraction system. It doesn't smell badly when cutting leather, but it does smoke some which needs the extraction. I use the laser on pretty low power. The software is what comes with it. We use Adobe Illustrator  for preparation but any vector graphic software would do - the AI files can be imported into the laser cutter software.

[OLDNSLOW]

summer time is the best time to brew up the groon then let it set and the odor from it will dissipate with time,  as far as the laser I had one and sold it.  If you go one step up in laser you gain so much more area to work with as well better software, but everyone will experience it differently. 

[LederRudi]

Great looking ebook cover!

Awakened my interest in such a laser-machine. But ist price made me hyperventilating!