PDA

View Full Version : Digital Embossing?



David Fairfield
12-12-2011, 12:17 PM
OK Engravers, lots of CNC tools to cut and remove material, but (besides 3D printers) what have we got to add material and texture?

I'm told the digital paper cutters can also emboss, but I've looked for demo photos and not found anything convincing.

Who knows more? :)

Dave

Martin Boekers
12-12-2011, 1:09 PM
Not sure about emboss. There are a variety of tools for debossing. Some simulate an emboss by recessing
an area around the text.

I laser wood plates all the time and do an invert so the text appears to be raised off the wood.
These are nice. I stick a piece of engraving metal on the back so it keeps from warping.

Joe Hillmann
12-12-2011, 1:13 PM
Sprinkle sugar on what ever you want to emboss then use the laser to melt the sugar to the object (may have to try that on some cookies) You could always make embossing dies out of plexiglass and use that to add texture to paper.

I would think that with a little bit of playing you could use embossing powder meant to be heated with a hot air gun to work with a laser.

Riki Potter
12-12-2011, 3:25 PM
For a print design project I dabbled with embossing/debossing, although it was only on a small scale so may not be what your looking for. I wanted a debossed cover for my book I was making so I laser cut the shape out of card, stuck that to the top of the cover and glued the finished cover artwork over that, from there it's a case of pressing the top paper layer into all the laser cut gaps to give a debossed effect, there are also some handtools around to help with this bit but their not always necessary.
Quite time intensive but for one offs it's perfect.

Jerry Hewett
12-12-2011, 4:15 PM
We make Embossing Dies out of Delrin for Leather Crafters. I have attached an example of one we just made for using on a 1.5" Belt.

Rodne Gold
12-13-2011, 12:44 AM
It's possible to perhaps make an additive type "engraver" if the additive can be liquid or powder and then solidified by the process (3d printers) , but the problem is that it's impossible to fabricate some stuff , for EG , how would one "fabricate" Wood to print an embossed wood design? So whatever you do , it will almost never replicate the original substrate.
You can always make a reverse die and cast whatever you trying to make if its castable or just use a subtractive type engraving on a thick piece to remove material.

Doug Griffith
12-14-2011, 12:56 PM
Not exactly what you're looking for but an interesting tool for those of us with CNCs: http://www.durable-tech.com/duradot/

I'm thinking that slowing down the table speed and reverse peening thin material on a soft spoiler board would produce interesting results.

David Fairfield
12-14-2011, 3:27 PM
Some neat ideas here, thanks! Actually that Duradot gizmo would work pretty well for me, to punch dots from the reverse, but I don't even know where to begin. I have no CNC experience yet. Maybe I will go over to the neighbor board, and start a CNC noob thread :)

Dave

Martin Boekers
12-14-2011, 6:20 PM
We make Embossing Dies out of Delrin for Leather Crafters. I have attached an example of one we just made for using on a 1.5" Belt.

Is that for "debossing?" That's where it leaves an indentation on the substrate as opposed to leaving a raised area of the substrate.