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.