Leatherette Laser Comparison: Which Laser Creates the Best Hat Patches?

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Today, we're here at the OneLaser Showroom to showcase one of the best leatherette materials on the market. We have our Laser Hyde material here.

For those who do not know Laser Hyde, we are a top-level leatherette company focused on superior quality materials. We officially entered the market about a year ago, but we have been in the industry for a long time.

When it comes to products and materials, we understand what end users are looking for.

Today, we are going to test the capabilities of the new Cobra laser. This machine features a 100W tube.

We are also going to compare the quality of this machine against the Hobby laser. In addition, we will demonstrate the capabilities of the OneLaser XRF.

So, go ahead and get ready because we're about to take off right now.

1. Understanding Leatherette Engraving Settings

a. Why Dialing In Your Material Matters

One thing we see a lot, when it comes to leatherette engraving, is that people don't take the time to dial in their material.

Every color of leatherette you use in these machines will make a huge difference on power percentages that you use.

Some materials may require DPI or lines per inch adjustments. When you lower the DPI settings, for example from .065 to .050, you create tighter lines. This also creates a stronger engraving effect, allowing the material to burn more solidly.

In those cases, when you lower your DPI levels, you can actually lower your percent levels as well.

b. Avoiding Charring

This is important because when you're laser engraving your material, you do not want to produce charring. As we're going to show here today, if you're seeing charring, you're not doing it right.

You want to find the perfect balance where the material engraves cleanly without any charring. Once you achieve that level, you know you have found the right settings.

2. Initial Engraving Test Results

a. Adjusting Power, DPI, and Speed

In this test, we're lowering the power settings. We reduced the power from 24% down to 20%. We also changed the DPI from 0.050 to 0.065 and increased the speed to 750.

Big difference between the two. You see here a lot of charring here, zero charring over here, but you're still catching all that detail. This will be a lot easier to clean versus this one.

b. Optimizing the Settings

Here, we were able to optimize the settings at 0.060 DPI. We left everything else the same, except we reduced the speed to 700.

The slightly slower speed gave us the detail we needed, and I think that was the winning setting.

That’s the key. You take time to experiment and fine-tune the settings. This helps you achieve the quality and results you want. In the end, you create better patches and a higher-quality final product for your clients.

3. Testing the OneLaser Cobra 100W

a. Precision and Detail Performance

As a leatherette company, one thing I can say is that machine quality and precision are very important. You need a machine that can deliver the level of quality you need with the right type of build.

With this glass tube machine, I was actually very shocked by the precision quality, especially in the small details. That is even more impressive considering we reduced this graphic down to a 2-inch design.

So, once again, we've been able to tackle this task here with the OneLaser Cobra 10 and I'm really digging the results.

b. Expanding the Logo Test

As we expand the logo, we can start seeing more of the details in the design. Based on the tests we did earlier, we were able to lock in the precise quality we wanted for this patch.

One thing about Laser Hyde material is that it engraves very nicely. It produces a very soft engrave, burns very easily, and delivers consistent engraving results.

c. Cobra 100W Results

What we have here is the design we created using the One Laser Cobra 100W machine.

The details came out very nicely. Considering this is a glass tube-based machine, the precision is very impressive and feels very high-end. I’m very pleased with the results.

4. Testing the Hobby laser

a. First Impressions

All right, you guys. Here we're jumping into the Hobby laser.

One thing I'd like to highlight right away is that this machine does not utilize LightBurn software. Since I had never used this machine before, it felt a little different.

As I started getting used to it, I immediately noticed some limitations in the built-in software.

b. Software and Workflow Limitations

One issue is that we can’t really control the air the way we would want to.

So far, I can see that being a limitation, at least when it comes to patches. I’m sure you can eventually dial the settings in correctly.

Another thing I noticed is that when you use a function from the computer side, you still have to walk over to the machine to initiate it.

That means double the time spent. I have to set everything up on the computer, then go all the way to the machine just to start the job.

c. Running the Leatherette Test

That’s what we’re doing now. We’ve dialed the settings in as close as possible to the Cobra test we just completed.

Now we’re going to run the same leatherette material with those settings.

Let’s go ahead and test it now, and then we’ll show you the results.

5. Testing the OneLaser XRF

a. Compact RF Laser Advantages

All right, you guys. Now, we're jumping into the OneLaser XRF.

One thing that is great about this machine is its versatility. It is one of the most compact desktop-style systems you can buy today.

You get RF tube technology, and the fact that it runs on LightBurn is absolutely amazing.

So, let’s get into it and show you the results right now.

b. XRF Settings Used

Here, we are running at 24% power with a speed of 700 and a DPI level of 0.045.

The machine really liked those settings. It picked up the very thin text in this graphic extremely well.

Notice that there is zero charring on this graphic. That is the key. This is the performance level you want when creating patches and designs with nothing to clean up.

We officially ran the power at 24%, the DPI at .043, and the speed at 700.

c. XRF Engraving Quality

This type of quality on the RF laser is just stunning. I see absolutely zero charring in this graphic, and that is exactly what you want.

If you are running a full sheet of patches for clients, reduced cleaning is a huge advantage.

The graphics look stunning, and that is what this is all about. Spending time to dial in the settings helps you achieve better results while saving production time.

d. Final XRF Results

Oh my god, this came out clean, guys. Take a look.

This is the XRF 38W. There is absolutely zero cleaning required on this piece.

Right now, this sample is the dirtiest on the leatherette material, while the Cobra had a little soot that we cleaned off earlier.

But so far, the XRF absolutely smashed it when it comes to detail and precision on this sheet.

Again, the quality of our leatherette material is phenomenal. Coming from experience with other high-end laser machines, I can honestly say this is absolutely stunning.

I’m super stoked and happy with the result. This is something I would personally send out to my clients.

6. Why Clean Engraving Matters

Really, what this is all about is making sure your clients get the best results possible.

That’s what brings customer retention. That’s what makes clients come back for more.

When you combine clean details with the right material, you get the right results.

Now, we’re going to quickly clean up this xTool graphic and then officially compare all of them side by side.

7. Comparing the Results

a. Cobra Performance

The results on this machine were very impressive.

If you are looking for a glass tube machine that is capable of handling many different products, this is a great option.

This machine uses LightBurn. Many other laser machines also use LightBurn, so the workflow feels very familiar.

You do not have to spend time learning completely different software.

b. XRF Precision and Detail

I’m absolutely proud of these results.

• The thin details in the horns, text, and lines came out extremely clean.
• The 0.01 dot size makes the engraving much cleaner overall.
• This is the type of quality clients notice, and it’s what keeps them coming back.

Great results overall. The XRF was the clear winner, and I highly recommend this type of engraving quality.

This is exactly where you want to be for hat patch production.

8. Final Verdict on All Three Machines

a. Cobra Final Thoughts

The Cobra did an amazing job for what it is.

This is a glass tube machine, and the engraving detail was absolutely impressive.

If you take a close look at the sample image, you can clearly see the engraving quality the Cobra produced with the graphic we used.

b. Hobby laser Final Thoughts

When we moved over to the Hobby laser, there was definitely a learning curve.

I’m sure that with more time learning the software, we could improve the settings and dial it in better.

However, coming directly from LightBurn, it felt difficult to quickly understand where everything was located in the platform.

One issue for me was not being able to fully control or completely turn off the air for engraving.

Another issue was the workflow. You have to set everything up on the computer, then walk over to the machine to activate it.

For me, that slowed things down.

Overall, I wasn’t very happy with the engraving results from the Hobby laser.

c. XRF Final Thoughts

The RF laser was the clear winner.

The OneLaser XRF absolutely dominated when it came to precision and graphic detail.

I was extremely impressed with the results.

For a desktop laser system, this is the type of machine I would recommend for people entering the market.

Its portability is excellent. You can fit it inside a small shop, garage, shed, or almost any workspace without issues.

Most importantly, it delivers the clean engraving quality shown in these tests.

You can confidently run patch after patch and expect professional-looking results every time.

When it comes to hat patch graphics, RF is where you should be.

9. Leatherette Laser Comparison Table

Closing Thoughts

Laserhyde.com, a leatherette company, is where you should look for your leatherette materials.

If you want precision quality, you can take this leatherette material, run it on the XRF, and end up with a true win-win combination.

There you guys go. My name is James Faytol.

Peace out.

Follow James at:

• Website: Laser Hyde
• Youtube: ESENTL LASERHYDE
• Facebook: Laserhyde
• Instagram: @laserhyde