making some Burnishers/Slickers from old wooden spools

[TZHunter]

I tried making some Burnishers/Slickers from old wooden spools, and they turned out great, and easy to do. . . took me less than 30 minutes to do the 2 that are pictured below. Here's the step-by-step process. . .

1. Find some old wooden spools at an antique store (or from your grandmother). I found a whole bag for $1 at a garage sale. Larger ones are stronger and less likely to split.

2. Get a bolt that is as close as possible to the diameter of the hole in the spool. If necessary put a layer or two of electrical tape on the bolt to make the fit snug. . . bolt should exceed spool by 1 to 1 1/2 inches to allow for insertion into chuck of drill or drill press.

3. Put a small washer on first, then the spool, then another washer, then two nuts. . . I used a little super glue on the threads and then tightened the first nut. .. then put a little super glue before tightening the second nut. If you don't use some epoxy or glue, the nuts will loosen themselves pretty quick.

4. Now clamp your drill in a vise and put the bolt in the chuck. You'll now be using your drill kinda like a small lathe. . .with drill on auto-run. . . I first ground off the rims of the spools that keep thread from slipping off the spool. These rims get in your way when burnishing. . . I first use a fine rasp to grind down the rims, then a file to smooth the whole spool.

5. Now you are ready to cut the grooves the size of the leather edges you burnish most often.. .. with the drill running on auto. . . press a round object where you want a groove. . . I used a round rasp and a round file. . . but I also tried wrapping a piece of course sand paper around a pencil and it worked also, just slower ..keep working with the round rasp/file/pencil(with sand paper) until your groove is how you want it. .. .

6. Finish up by turning the drill on auto run. .. and use some fine sand paper and sand the whole thing lightly as it turns.

THAT'S IT ! !

[Mike Phelps]

Great job and idea. Don't have to bother with drilling a hole in the exact center. Now to raid the mother in-laws craft trunks for some spools.

Mike

[Hidemechanic]

Suggestion.

I use my hand drill a lot for simular things and auto run can be too fast for most things(high speed burns leather). One day I grabbed a small strap that had a buckle on it, I wrapped it around the drill handle and triggar and could set the speed with tightness of the strap, can be a little trick but slower speeds usually yield better results. I learned the hard way that BURNishing didn't have anything to do with charred edges, not mention it stinks. Happy trails. G.Hackett

[TZHunter]

Great Idea. . . I'm no veteran at burnishing (since I've only had a burnisher a few days now !) and leatherwork (couple years on and off). . .Until I sprout a third arm and hand, your method will have to do. . . I have heard others mention burning drills up. . . I'll use your idea to control the spead without using a hand to do it. . . Since your post, I've even thought that a piece of rubber tubing or something like that may also work to hold the speed at a constant speed (other than FULL). Thanks again, you may have saved me from burning out a drill (and burning the edges of my work too!).

[gunfighter48]

I bought a $89.00 bench top drill press from Harbor Freight and use 2 in sanding drums to true up belt edges. You could chuck you slicker in it and since it has 5 belt positions for setting the speed, you could set the speed to what's needed. Should work great for slicking edges.