Advise on Drying Leather Fast

[dprezgay]

I work with Scouts mostly on small projects.  I have at most 4 hours to complete all the requirements for the Leatherwork Merit badge. The 1st hour or so is discussions on various related topics and tool demonstrations.  So 3 hours is the time they have to complete their projects. Including hand sewing.  

What can I do to really speed up the drying time between tooling then dying then applying  top coat then sewing. There is definitely not enough time to allow the proper time for each of these steps.  I normally use Saddle Lac because it dries super fast but if I teach in California I'm not sure I can use it since it's not available for sale there.  I've been using the Tandy Professional dyes instead of the All-in-One type of finishes because of the color options. 

I live in Las Vegas and can leave it in the sun after each step.  But there are issues if the weather isn't cooperating, especially if it's windy, and I use fans for indoor classes.

I'm wondering about other options available no matter how crazy.  Here are some ideas I'm spitballing:

Microwave

Convection oven

Food dehydrator

Warming mats like the kind used when starting seeds in the winter

Heat lamps or heat emitters like the ones used for reptiles

Build something that uses a combination of 2 or more of the above.

I don't have any idea how the leather would react to any of the above ideas. We don't want to end up with leather that gets too hard or curls too much

I'd like to get you opinions along with any additional ideas you have.

Thanks,

Dale

 

 

 

 

[GrampaJoel]

Why not just treat the tooling with an oil and let the tooling just age naturally? If you are using Vegtan then a hour in the sun even by an inside window should darken it some.

it would be a lot quicker and maybe not so messy if the group is rowdy, or crowded for space.

 

 

[chuck123wapati]

What Joel said is a good idea.

 The bottom line is to teach them to do it correctly so..... you just cant do some things in 4 hours correctly. They could also tool and apply acrylic paints then a sealer in 4 hours with the help of a blow dryer. 

[Hags]

I use a hair dryer on low if I have to "push" some thing along..

[Gezzer]

Not knowing exactly the projects , maybe once the pattern is cut go ahead and punch stitching holes , just mist the leather for tooling . No you won't get the best results for tooling but maybe acceptable . You can also dye slightly wet leather and to be honest I do that quite often  ( I find it helps to even out the color ), having pre-punched stitching holes you could move to stitching with minimal drying .

I am assuming you are teaching the basics and not an advanced class , all this just to say do as much as can be done before wetting the leather and then wet only as much as is absolutely necessary  .

+ 1 on the hair dryer

[Dwight]

What I would do is match the number of students with the number of prepared pieces.  Say you are doing a coin purse . . . 3 inches by 3 inches.

Have a block of leather you can cut the pieces from.  

Show them how to punch the stitching holes or lacing holes.

Allow them to wet the front so they can add a few stampings . . . (you have determined what the stamping will look like . . . everyone is the same)

Allow them to stamp the pieces . . . 

Gather up the dampened and stamped pieces . . . put them in a freezer plastic bag.

Out of another freezer plastic bag . . . take out the now dried out front pieces done by your last class . . . 2 weeks before or so.

Help them stitch the edges  or lace the edges.

Edge and burnish the edges once stitched.

Antique the pieces and rub until dry enough to go into a pocket.

Send the kids home with their projects.

You also now have the stamped and dampened fronts that will be dried before you start with the next bunch.

May God bless,

Dwight

[rleather]

On small projects , as mentioned above a hair dryer will be all you need . I have used this method for years without fail.

[dprezgay]

Using a hair dryer is a great idea. 

I should have been clearer on the projects.  Currently we use a Leatherwork Merit badge kit sold through the BSA trading post.  The kit comes with with a neckerchief slide that is laced.  The 2nd is a small knife holder with a belt loop.  

Everything is prepunched.

 

[Klara]

I am impatient, don't need dye most of the time and don't even own topcoat. Here are two pouches from natural veg tan shoulder which I simply rubbed with leather grease (from Decathlon, originally bought for my saddles and shoes).The big one is from about two years ago, the small one from last week.

I don't know how that would look with tooling, and I don't know whether the look is acceptable to you, but it would eliminate part of the problem. You might even send the kids home with the still humid, ungreased poeces - I am pretty sure that cooking oil or any other grease would work in a pinch which they should have at home.

Btw, these pouches are on my dog walking belt and outside in all weather for 1 to e hours every day. 

[Handstitched]

18 hours ago, dprezgay said:

What can I do to really speed up the drying time between tooling then dying then applying  top coat then sewing.

A hairdryer same as  @dprezgay said and the same as @rleather . 

I use one all the time in  the cooler months, and also for time purposes . In Summer , dyes  dry in no time. My dyes are mostly water based with a little bit of alcohol  for drying  purposes. I use water based, and some chemical based sealers . 

HS

[YinTx]

Here in the South, humidity is regularly over 60% inside.  So sometimes I run a dehumidifier, and if I have tooled or stamped leather I need dry fast, I just set it in front of the dehumidifier.  One or two hours later even fairly thick leather is pretty dang dry.  No heat, just really dry air blowing over it works wonders.

On the thin leather kits you mentioned, would probably be dry in 30 min or less.

[tsunkasapa]

I was the MB councilor for the Leatherworking MB for decades. I can't think of ANY way to complete the requirements in 4 hours if done properly.

 

[fredk]

Fast drying; I have three things which I use, a, as others a hairdryer, b. a small air-blow room heater, usually used either on cold or only the lowest of warm heat, c. I have a spare car in my driveway. I put items in it. Even on a cloudy day it gets very warm inside it and really speeds up drying

Average humidity here runs at 88 - 90% all year round so I often need that car

[Klara]

On 9/17/2023 at 7:32 PM, dprezgay said:

I have at most 4 hours to complete all the requirements for the Leatherwork Merit badge. The 1st hour or so is discussions on various related topics and tool demonstrations.  So 3 hours is the time they have to complete their projects. Including hand sewing.  

Another idea: How about NOT starting with one hour of theory? Obviously you need to demonstrate how to use the tools before they do it, but the discussions of the related topics could take place during drying time. 

[fredk]

Don't dye, use shoe/boot polish to colour the parts after they are assembled.

Just sponge case the leather for stamping/tooling. Then it will dry faster. In fact you (the scouts) may have to keep sponge wetting the leather as it will dry as they work on it  

I sometimes use coloured shoe polish just for an alternative finish. Apply with a cloth, work into the seams and tooling, buff with a clean soft cloth or shoe brush. Takes just minutes, 10 or 15 minutes at most. How long does it take you to polish up one shoe?

On 9/17/2023 at 6:32 PM, dprezgay said:

Microwave = Definately a big NO, it cooks the leather till its like dried burnt steak

Convection oven = with great care and low heat it does work but not worth the effort

Food dehydrator = no, takes too long

Warming mats like the kind used when starting seeds in the winter = takes forever long

Heat lamps or heat emitters like the ones used for reptiles = can work, but slow, I use a lamp with a bulb that gives off lots of heat for speeding up the drying on small items,  it cuts drying time from two days to 2 hours. It needs to be slow or - see Microwave

Build something that uses a combination of 2 or more of the above.= for other work I had a wood box fitted with 6 x 250 watt infra-red heat bulbs. That gave a lot of heat and dried things from dripping wet to damp-ish in about 1/2 hour, but that weren't leather, I'd not use that with leather

I don't have any idea how the leather would react to any of the above ideas. We don't want to end up with leather that gets too hard or curls too much

 

 

[Charley1]

I lay the items out on a shelf, then position a small fan a couple of feet away to blow air on them. Speeds drying time considerably, and doesn't affect the leather.

[Burkhardt]

Use Hi-liter or Goof Proof, it's recommended for kids so there's no worry about clean up or anything. The stuff dries really fast so you can seal and sew.

[Handstitched]

When molding leather, I put the molded items near the wood stove in the house in the cooler months, or in front of my heater in the workshop,  but not too close. 

4 hours ago, fredk said:

Microwave = Definately a big NO, it cooks the leather till its like dried burnt steak

Do you apply seasoning as well? ....lol......sorry . 

HS

Edited September 19, 2023 by Handstitched

[dprezgay]

 

 

It.      

On 9/18/2023 at 9:36 AM, tsunkasapa said:

I was the MB councilor for the Leatherworking MB for decades. I can't think of ANY way to complete the requirements in 4 hours if done properly.

 

I had this discussion with with the Grand Pubaa of our council about many years ago.  I was disappointed about the quality of the merit badge classes my son was taking at camp.  I sat in on some of the classes and was shocked at what I saw.  It was a whole big thing. 

Back then we only had 3 hours with the kids.  Prior to me they worked mostly with scraps of suede donated by a company that had a lot of it.  They used rounders and sometimes mystery bracelets.  I got them started using the kits from the Scout store. Then I started bringing 4-6 different dyes and the saddle lac. 

It took me about 8 classes to get everything finished within the 4 hours.  But I need 2 helpers and enlist the parents to help with making the lanyard.  I follow strict time management for each task and have specific stamping designs they have to use. Did I mention that they schedule 20 scouts per class, 2 classes per day over a Saturday and Sunday.

It is very rushed and by the end of the weekend I'm totally drained.  I've been planning to teach the classes outside the merit badge events and either doing an all day class or break it up over 2 days. This way we will have the time to make the projects without a kit.  I should have it all worked out by next spring. 

[fredk]

Two thoughts. 

1. is there any small  things you can do on the kits to prepare them beforehand?

2. use a stop watch to time every step, including the gaps between. 

3. write your spiel down, edit it, look for where one or two words can replace 4 or 6 words

I've been asked to do a 'class' to make my key-ring coin purses. I'll have approx 1 hour 20 minutes. I've timed each step. I've made adjustments to the making and I've taken the spiel about types of leather and threads from the beginning to the time the ladies will be sewing the purses up. I've cut 1/2 a minute here and there and took off 1/2 an hour. I've prepared the thread by making wenzels with the needle already threaded, I've pre-made up the key-ring part so they won't have to do that, but as they fit it to the purse its then I'll explain the parts

[dprezgay]

Keep them coming. 

I'm seeing a lot of good ideas and I want to thank you all.  So keep posting your ideas as I'm sure others will benefit from them. 

[toxo]

+1 for the hair dryer. The newer one has a permanent place in my work room. For myself, I still use the same ole Phillips that I've been using for at least 45 years.

I've even been known to put wet moulded in the oven. Common sense and experiment along with not many rules is what makes this stuff joyful.

[DJole]

Rather breaking out the bottles of dye, can you use alcohol pens instead? Sharpies make a great black, for example.

And rather than dye the whole surface, just dye the edges perhaps. I have a set of 5 alcohol art pens I use (Red, Green, Blue, Black, Yellow), with dual tips (brush and chisel) for this purpose. Nice contrast, especially when burnishing. And a lot less messy (or potentially messy, when working with Scouts).

 

[msdeluca]

You could make a scout project out of building a drying box.  Mine will dry leather in an hour.

You can see the write-up here.

 

 

Edited September 23, 2023 by msdeluca

[Klara]

I second the sharpies. I've used them on a checkbook sleeve (natural leather) and on a results book sleeve from leather dyed red (or possibly coated red), both are over a year old, in frequent use and looking good.