Leather Bracelets
laser cut and engraved

In the following tutorial, we show you how to laser cut and engrave (imitation) leather. Below, we've prepared different design templates and suitable laser parameters for you.

Preparation

Required material

masking tape
imitation leather
leather
snap fastener
snap fastener pliers
waxed cord

Used Trotec Laser

Speedy 300
80 watts
1.5 inch lens

Tip

honeycomb
cutting table

leather-wristband-JC.zip

ZIP

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ZIP

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csm_leather-wristband_a91bd63b3e.png

PDF

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PDF

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Step by step

Step 1

"Tree" Design - Photo-engraving on Imitation Leather - Step 1:

The design file provided below is already prepared for the laser process. You can also use your own photo if you like. To achieve the desired effect, the image must be converted into a line-art graphic. In CorelDraw®, you can convert your graphic to line art by going to the following: Bitmap -> Mode -> Black and White. A dialog box pops up. Select the conversion "Method Line" and click OK. Further information on photo engraving .

Step 2

Step 2: Laser operation

To achieve the best result, use a honeycomb cutting table. Take a piece of imitation leather, put it in the laser and smooth it down. The material may shift or distort easily during the laser process, so you should fix it in place with masking tape.

Used laser parameters

Engraving: Power: 23% - Speed: 30% - Frequency: 500ppi - Air Assist: ON - High Quality: ON
Cutting: Power: 20% - Speed: 2% - Frequency: 1000Hz - Air Assist: ON

Tip:

In the download section at the bottom of this page, you can get the parameters file and import them directly to JobControl. There is a how-to for importing parameters.

Step 3

Step 3: Finishing

Once you have laser-processed the imitation leather, clean it with water. There are little marks on the ends of the strap, these will help you to position the snap fasteners.

Step 4

"Arrow" Design on genuine leather - Step 4: Graphics

Open our template in CorelDraw or another vector program. Of course, you can also create your own design. Let yourself be inspired by geometric patterns or floral decorations.

Step 5

Step 5: Laser operation:

Take a piece of genuine leather and place it in the laser. As with the faux leather, you should fix the genuine leather in place with masking tape and use a honeycomb cutting table.

Laser Parameters used

We worked with a Speedy 300 (80 watts) and a 1.5 inch lens and used the following parameters.

Engraving: Power: 25% - Speed: 28% - Frequency: 500ppi - Air Assist: ON - Advanced: High Quality
Cutting (arrowheads): Power: 7.5% - Speed: 0.5% - Frequency: 1000Hz - Air Assist: EIN
Cutting (outline): Power: 8.5% - Speed: 0.8% - Frequency: 1000Hz - Air Assist: EIN

Step 6

Step 6: Finishing

Remove any residue with a soft dry cloth. Since it is a natural material, we cannot recommend any cleaner. Aggressive cleaning agents may dry out the area or form spots on the leather. If you want to use a cleaner, please test it on an inconspicuous area or, even better, on a test strip.

Thread the waxed cord through the ends of the strap and close the bracelet with a knot.

Further information
You can find many tips and tricks for laser engraving and cutting leather below.

Tips for laser processing leather

Speedy series
The ideal laser engraver and cutter for personalization.

Discover laser engravers and cutters

Questions about applications or settings?
We're happy to advise you from A for Air assist to Z for z-offset.