Anybody experience with a laser cutter/engraver?

I have access to a laser from my local makerspace, and I find it useful to cut leather and patterns for prototyping, but I wouldn't invest in my own. I only use veg tan (I've read that cutting/engraving chrome tan can release unsafe fumes, but I don't really know) and, as others have said, it smells pretty terrible, even with a good vacuum system. If you use the same patterns over and over again, you might be better off investing in a die cutting system.

As a bookbinder of long standing I use a ‘vintage‘ blocking machine for embossing leather with or without foils (even real gold). We create the typographic or other graphic files, and either use loose type or send the pdfs to our engraving company. See photo:

I have one and use it predominately for engraving wood and slate. I have used it on leather, rather smelly! He is an example I did on an A5 journal cover

Hello,

I have a pretty good knowledge and first hand experience with both the CO2 Lasers and the smaller more portable and affordable ones you are mentioning.

Will I ever use one to "engrave" leather? Not even if my life depended on it. The look is just soo ugly!

But, you can use it a lot for patterns (whether acrylic or cardboard), and you can also use them for packaging (depending on the size of course). Something that can give your packaging an extra wow factor is custom cutting foam padding to the exact dimension of your wallet so that it sits perfectly inside the package.

In my opinion, buying such a machine as a Leathercrafter is a pure waste of money. However, buying it because you like to tinker and use it for many many other things AND also use it for leather could be fun.

Knowing little about them, I'd only consider it for pattern cutting personally. I just don't like the look of laser engraved leather. Something unnatural looking about it to my eye.

Hopefully someone on here has some experience using one.