HC009

Sorry, I forgot to also ask - how to dilute the acrylic - I was going to use methylated spirits or isopropyl alcohol - have tested both with the paint but cannot work out which one is better. What do you think?

You are a very kind person - thank you very much for those links. I checked out your shop - do you make leather goods?

Hi DavidL I just looked at the set up you suggested - a cheap compressor is ok but I can only find an Iwata NEO siphon feed brush not an eclipse apparently it does large areas - do all airbrushes fit all compressors? Also you talk about an extractor fan - I have tried looking for one but is that what it is called - airbrush fan - cannot find anything.

Thank you so much for this invaluable information. I will do what you suggest learn the wash technique then if it is laborious, buy a cheap airbrush set up and give it a go if as you say, painting is too time consuming

Hi, thanks David L I think you have replied before to my other posts. I am looking to do this as a business and won't be selling large quantities so I won't be dying that much leather but thinking about it I like the idea of having more control by painting rather than relying on a machine that could break down at any moment and where there is a lot of cleaning. I read somewhere on here that you can get a good finish with the washing paint technique. You say use a sponge which sounds like a better idea than a brush so thank you for that. I don't understand though, what you are saying about resolene to create fade around the edges though - could you explain at all please - I've got a bottle of it in a drawer unused?

Ha, ha! Thank God you replied to this topic today as I am definitely not going to buy one now. The expense I wouldn't mind if it did a better job and saved me a lot of time but like you say, this is not going to happen. I am going to be painting 2 shoulders maybe once or twice a week. I think an airbrush is probably better for spirit dyes not acrylic as with spirit if you over lap you get a darker colour whereas with acrylic it just stays the same. Thank you.

Hi, I am looking to spend about $600 on airbrush equipment to dye shoulders of leather with angelus paint. I have been told it will save me money in terms of paint used - is that true? And also, is there such a big difference to hand painting the coats of paint or is it only minor and I could get away with painting the leather? What I have noticed is that when I tried to paint some undyed natural hide, it took 4 COATS of white paint to stop the hides colour showing through - would an airbrush use less paint and end up with better coverage? Just some questions as I don't want to spend all this money and then find painting it would be a lot simpler. Many thanks.

Thank you David and Spinner you are a genius - I know how to do it now! - cut out the bits first THEN spray them. Definitely going to get this spray gun now and learn how to use it. Many thanks.

Thanks so much for your reply. That's a real help as I was wondering about airbrushing the leather before. I shall check out the makes you talk about. Do you think that painting it is a really bad idea then? I mean I was thinking it's the best bet as how many coats of airbrushing will a hide need? Hey, noone has answered my question yet HOW MUCH PAINT DO YOU USE TO COVER A SHOULDER OR RATHER HOW MANY ML'S OF PAINT PER SQUARE METRE?

Hi, thanks so it is ok what I am doing - if there was a better way I would like to know. I am also using angelus paint they are nice and matte.

I am talking about 2 shoulders of leather and I want to dye the whole thing a pale colour - pale blue. I have a fiebings acrylic dye in white and am mixing it with other acrylic paints to get a nice shade of blue. Am I doing something wrong. Because I need to dye the whole shoulder front and back and then obviously I will cut pieces out of it. I need to make the dyes custom made as the colours that are sold are not to my requirements.

Hi all, I can't find any way of working out how much acrylic dye I will need for 2 hides of leather - does anyone have any tips please?

The diagram is brilliant! Thank you.

Ok, just found some jeweller's rouge on ebay which is cheap so I will give it a shot. Thank you for your help.

Hi, I have a hole punch tool and have hardly used it at all and already, it is loosing it's sharpness. Has anybody found a way of keeping it sharp - could I strop it or should I use something else for making holes?

Hi, thanks for your message. I just had a look at it and I could make one myself if I wanted to. The problem I have is after the edging work - what do you do with the straps to let them dry. Anyway, I figured it out today - I bought a cake cooling rack which is like a wire rack and I will attach it to the wall with wires so it is like a shelf and then hang my straps in the slots so they can dry!

Hi, Once I have cut my acrylic painted leather straps I then have to paint with acrylic the edges. I was just wondering about a better way of doing this than laying the straps on the floor on newspaper and painting them. Does anyone have any other better methods because the leather with paint on gets stuck to the newspaper and you can't peel it off. I thought of hanging the straps up.

Where can you buy them? I can't find any on the internet.

yes, that's what I was thinking too. A bit of an impossible idea.

This is what I was looking for the second seam featured in the video - it' a flat seam. Perfect.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcQfbojcY0w&list=FLS27QYht0VgzD1s7Rrzb2Fg&index=3

Thanks. I suppose you just have to be practical and work it out. I just always imagine that there is some special way of doing things like you would get with the leathercraftsman at Hermes for instance who make saddles and bags etc. They know all the tricks at how to make things look super slick and professional and most importantly NEAT AS HELL.

The first link looks terrible but the second one is how I was envisaging doing it. That's the pattern. It's how to do the seams nicely.

ha, ha! yes.

Hi, thank you for your reply. Yes, I am sewing a leather skull hat / bonnet that is very close to the head and the leather needs to fit around the curves of the head and I just don't know how to get from the pattern to sewing it.

sorry, thanks for the link. That would be great but it's too bulky - it's 2mm thick leather I'm using. I just want to find ways of sewing 2 pieces of leather together sorry for the confusion NOT SEAMS