Laser cut text on leather

[Steven Wallace]

I have a customer that would like to have text cut (not all the way through) into leather. This is because the leather is a dark color or colour and regular raster of the text is hard to see. I know that if I change the settings I can keep from cutting through the leather. However, does anyone know how I can set it up to change to vector the text rather than raster. I appreciate any suggestions on this.

[Frank Corker]

Click on your text, right click, choose convert to curves. Then at the bottom right of Corel you will see a bucket with None, click on that and further up on your right side you will se a white box with a cross on it. That is no colour, choose that. Further underneath you will see a pen. Click on the pen and choose hairline. That will allow you to cut the text rather than raster it. The text will appear clear with a black hairline. That's it.

[Scott Shepherd]

Frank, do you need to convert to curves? I just click once on the text, go to my color palette, right click on the red, left click on the "X" for no fill and it's done (unless I got the clicks backwards).

I didn't know you could right and left click on the colors until I saw Ed Lang drawing something when I was at his place. Thanks Ed!

[Frank Corker]

If it's in one block I guess you don't. Just the way I've always gone about doing it.

[Mike Null]

Steven

I have the impression that you want to vector the whole thing. The methods described will only give you a vector outline (hairline). Is that what you're looking for?

[Joe Pelonio]

On thick leather such as used for belts, it looks pretty cool to do both. Vector cut partway the outline of the letter, raster them with a pattern fill.

[Scott Shepherd]

If it's in one block I guess you don't. Just the way I've always gone about doing it.

Okay, thanks! Wasn't sure if I wasn't doing something I was supposed to be doing.

[Steven Wallace]

Thanks to all for the help and suggestions. I will try it this week and see what results I get.

[Dmitriy Kumets]

I have been doing the same thing with very thick leather and have actually gotten remarkable results just using raster settings at high power/low speed. I'll see if I can open up the dat file to get settings later today.

The results have been wonderful. I have done both deep grooves and burned away a ton of the leather to create raised text. The only issue is the beefy smell and a little bit of smoke settling on the edges.