Do You Heat-Dry Your Items?

[JoelR]

Earlier thread prompted this question. Been thinking of building a dedicated box but I'm not sure if I will gain anything as my fan dried holsters are pretty stiff as they are.

[NoName]

Only for rush items. Not for additional stiffness. I will reinforce with another material if stiffness or rigidity is required. I believe that the leather will break down and soften the same with time and usage whether heat dried or not.

[Reaper]

don't see a point in it, imo

[Lobo]

I am in final finishing on 38 items now, and have completed well over 200 pieces since the first of the year. What I gain from heat drying is keeping production moving.

For those making one item at a time there is little to be gained. For those with 10 to 12 (or more) pieces in progress at all times there is much to be gained.

I am presently working on a new drying cabinet to accomodate up to a dozen pieces at once. The time savings will be considerable.

[camano ridge]

Would you please post a picture of the drying cabinet when completed? Thanks

Scott

[Steven Kelley]

Yes, I heat dry. I'm with Lobo on this one. It saves a huge amount of time when working on multiple items. My heat box is basically a plastic storage bin with a hole in one end and a small space heater with fan. I have an oven thermometer in it and it keeps the temp at a constant 120°-125°. The fan also keeps the air moving so the pieces dry very quickly. I would estimate it takes about 40 mins to completely dry a holster in the box. Mine is large enough to have at least 10 items in at once, but I seldom have more than 5 in at a time. At some point I'll make something a little nicer, but what I have works very well for now, and it was cheap.

[Eaglestroker]

I am in the process of building a cabinet similar to this:

http://advancedsurvivalguide.com/2010/11/03/diy-build-a-forced-air-food-dehydrator/

I have tried the oven, heat guns, etc and all have worked well (minus the one time I friend one with a heat gun). I prefer to work in groups so being able to mold 10 holsters at the same time is the end goal here.

[woodandsteel]

I heat dry in a countertop convection/toaster oven. It does seems to harden the holsters a bit more than just air drying, but I could be imagining it. The bigger factor for me is dry time. I live in the humid south, and it would take days to dry otherwise.

[Dwight]

I only heat dry in the winter time, . . . over the wood stove during the day, . . . above the propane furnace at night.

In the warmer months, . . . it all gets hung in the sun to dry.

I will probably build a cabinet next fall, . . . but only if I am successful at building business more than it is now.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Reaper]

Maybe I should clarify. I don't heat dry, I live in Florida and do much of my work in the Sun. That is why I do not see what use in using a drying box.

[katsass]

I use old 'Ma Nature' most of the year. Here in the desert the ground temps can easily reach 150+ degrees and the humidity stays well below the 20% mark most of the time. This week I did have to resort to a small space heater and a cardboard box to dry some things --- it was snowing. I don't like to do much work in this time of the year though. As soon as we hit March or (maybe) April this year, the heater and box get put away. Mike

[Reaper]

Shoot katsass, you could just about make a circle of stones and have an oven out there!

Did some work up at Window Rock in the summer back in 1996 and was surprised at the dryness and heat.

[katsass]

Shoot katsass, you could just about make a circle of stones and have an oven out there!

Did some work up at Window Rock in the summer back in 1996 and was surprised at the dryness and heat.

Reaper, I've eaten more than one Sunday 'brunch' of steak and eggs cooked on a shiny piece of sheet steel laid out in the sun. Got the idea from a similar event frequently done at a little Naval Air Facility in the AZ. desert. Got shipped to the Naval Air Station in Memphis Ten. --- it wouldn't work there --- that was back in the very early '60s. Mike

[Spinner]

I do large wet formed items and while they aren't holsters, another good reason for heat drying is controlling the drying process itself. Many times a larger piece can dry unevenly and if you're working with something like my tank bibs where the reference points need to remain constant, controlling the leather movement as it dries is a big deal. I've had pieces move as much as 3/8" off their marks just due to various things like warm spots in the room, heater vent locations, etc.

[Reaper]

Reaper, I've eaten more than one Sunday 'brunch' of steak and eggs cooked on a shiny piece of sheet steel laid out in the sun. Got the idea from a similar event frequently done at a little Naval Air Facility in the AZ. desert. Got shipped to the Naval Air Station in Memphis Ten. --- it wouldn't work there --- that was back in the very early '60s. Mike

Back in the 70's I worked with my older brother putting together Pool Enclosures down here in Florida. Come summer we would some times knock off around 2:00 because of the Sun and home owners would at times get a bit miffed about it. When one would we would bring in an Egg the next day, crack it and place it on one of the pieces of Bronze Aluminum we were using to build these things and ask how they liked their Egg's?

Kind of put things into perspective for them, it wasn't being in the sun that was a both, but that damn metal could actually cook your hands to blister in no time.

[katsass]

Back in the 70's I worked with my older brother putting together Pool Enclosures down here in Florida. Come summer we would some times knock off around 2:00 because of the Sun and home owners would at times get a bit miffed about it. When one would we would bring in an Egg the next day, crack it and place it on one of the pieces of Bronze Aluminum we were using to build these things and ask how they liked their Egg's?

Kind of put things into perspective for them, it wasn't being in the sun that was a both, but that damn metal could actually cook your hands to blister in no time.

Reaper, you said it! Back some years ago I got a deal on a sand blast cabinet that had been sitting out in the desert for some time. Went to pick it up at about 9:00 am Grabbed that puppy without gloves (like a damned fool) and blistered both hands. Old Ma Nature's smile can be vicious. Mike

[VanHornSaddlery]

I stole my wifes hair dryer and it is hanging by the bench. comes in handy at times for speeding up progress. Other than the initial beating about the head and ears from the wife the hair dryers transition from house to shop has been pretty smooth. I did notice a new dryer hanging in the bathroom the other day which is a good thing cause i have bout wore the first one out. I can feel another one of thses comin on ! Have a good one

Jake

[Eaglestroker]

I thought I would share this with you fellas. I had been working on it when the thread was started and it's held up well. Essentially a hot plate and a bathroom fan. Very simple and stays at a constant 137*.

[triage1998]

Eaglestroker that is awsome. I love DIY stuff.

Could you show some pictures of the drawer open so we can see how you place your leather items and how you have the PVC pipes set up.