To reuse patterns that are on tracing paper

[Cecil]

This is a little trick I have found. To reuse patterns that are on tracing paper:

• Copy the pattern onto the tracing paper.
  
• Cover both sides of the tracing paper with Scotch or another brand of clear Mailing and Storage Tape. (You may apply several layers.)
  

Hope this is useful.

[Randy Cornelius]

Use clear shelf paper, it'' actually a clear plasitic.

[Roger]

i have used clear sheet protectors

[electrathon]

I "copy" the patttern onto transparancy sheets (clear plastic) on a copy machine. It works great, fast and easy. You can not use an ink-jet printer, it needs to be a laser printer to work.

[pete]

I tried that. The problem was that when I went to trace the pattern, the trasparency film was thicker than vellum or tracing film and the stylus made a wide mark on the leather instead of the really fine line that I get with tracing film. Am I using a film that is too thick? Was the leather too wet, are there different thicknesses of film?

pete

[Don]

I use a paper that I found at a printing shop here locally. I think the stuff is called "Mylar"...but I could be wrong. It is used in the drafting industry for transfering blueprints. It is somewhat like the tracing film you buy from tandy but you can draw on it much easier with a pencil. I bought a whole roll of it in partnership with a friend and it ran us $350 total. That sound like a lot of money...okay it is a lot of money...but I still have a lot of my half left and we bought it about five years ago or so. The roll is 36" wide and there is no telling how much was on the roll when we got it. If you are interested in getting some ask a local printing/copy company if they have Mylar...maybe even Velum...our shop had to order it for me but it was worth it. When I get a pattern carved into the leather the way I want it then I use this to make a perminent copy of the pattern for later use.

Hope this helps.

[Peter Ellis]

I "copy" the patttern onto transparancy sheets (clear plastic) on a copy machine. It works great, fast and easy. You can not use an ink-jet printer, it needs to be a laser printer to work.

I don't know why you say it has to be a laser printer. I've printed a number of patterns onto transparency sheets using my inkjet printer with quite acceptable results. But... the transparency sheets are expensive compared to pretty much any other option.

[Luke Hatley]

well i for one printed some patterns on Transperency Paper

with my Ink Jet Printer and i had INK EVERWHERE..

i WONT DO THAT AGAIN

[Chitin]

There is transparency paper made for inkjet printers and transparency paper made for laser printers. It's generally best never to confuse the two

[CitizenKate]

Actually, you can use an inkjet printer. You just need to buy the transparencies that are made for use with inkjet printers. If you prefer to impress the leather with the design using a modelling tool, you need to wait until the ink dries good. Or you can just turn the design over and rub the ink right onto dry leather. Just make sure it doesn't move once it's down on the leather.

Kate

I "copy" the patttern onto transparancy sheets (clear plastic) on a copy machine. It works great, fast and easy. You can not use an ink-jet printer, it needs to be a laser printer to work.

[CitizenKate]

Yeah, the frosted mylar (which you also can buy at art supply stores - never thought to check printing services) is excellent for transferring patterns. You can also print on it. I used it for a long time, but decided to look for something less expensive to use. Velum is more of a paper, and is subject to buckling if you transfer your patterns onto damp leather, but is relatively inexpensive compared to plastic sheets and works pretty well with smaller projects.

Kate

I use a paper that I found at a printing shop here locally. I think the stuff is called "Mylar"...but I could be wrong. It is used in the drafting industry for transfering blueprints. It is somewhat like the tracing film you buy from tandy but you can draw on it much easier with a pencil. I bought a whole roll of it in partnership with a friend and it ran us $350 total. That sound like a lot of money...okay it is a lot of money...but I still have a lot of my half left and we bought it about five years ago or so. The roll is 36" wide and there is no telling how much was on the roll when we got it. If you are interested in getting some ask a local printing/copy company if they have Mylar...maybe even Velum...our shop had to order it for me but it was worth it. When I get a pattern carved into the leather the way I want it then I use this to make a perminent copy of the pattern for later use.

Hope this helps.