Gluing And Distortion

[wyomingcowboy]

I have had problems in the past with my pieces distorting while stamping. I have heard of people gluing their stuff down to something to prevent the distortion so I tried it. The "board" I used was glorified cardboard - think clipboard type material. The issue I had was when I tried to pull it off it got distorted worse. SO, what kind of board should I use and what type of glue? And how do I get it off without stretching it all out?

I have also heard of taping the backside too......

what are the different ways you all do it?

[wyomingcowboy]

furthermore, how do you do it when it is cased "properly"? Does it affect the glue? What type of glue is best?

I did get a piece of once without distorting it, but it had pieces of the back board still glued to it because it just skinned it off.

[pete]

use RUBBER CEMENT, not contact. when you pull of the piece, put it face down and pull the backing off of the leather keeping the leather as flat as you can. Don't need much cement either. I have even used a light spray of elmers in a can with no stretch problems.

[dragonspit]

• the thick corregated cardboard does not work well with this. your really looking for really thin single sheet type of stuff. the tape works fine, packing tape, but it leaves a glue residue, so you need to remember that if say you are doing a belt without a lining, and you expect to dye it. the dye wont take well. Pete has the answer on the glue.
  

[wyomingcowboy]

where do you buy the cardboard stuff? Got any pics of what it looks like? Surely its not regular box type cardboard? That stuff wouldn't allow stamping well I would think

Edited May 7, 2013 by wyomingcowboy

[pete]

take a really thin piece of cardboard- like a cereal box-and cover it with packing tape. Now you have a smooth, shiny surfae. THEN..squish a little RUBBER cement around and put your leather on it.

With good leather with a smooth back, it will stop the stretch and will leave very little rubber on the back. Get a gum rubber erasure to get the little bits that are left.

I have a firm piece of cardboard from a 2x3 foot artist drawing paper easel that I have taped on one side for this, and use the other for dye and antique-ing. Used it for 2-3 years now- very little rubber cement sticks to it.

pete

[dragonspit]

take a really thin piece of cardboard- like a cereal box-and cover it with packing tape. Now you have a smooth, shiny surfae. THEN..squish a little RUBBER cement around and put your leather on it.

With good leather with a smooth back, it will stop the stretch and will leave very little rubber on the back. Get a gum rubber erasure to get the little bits that are left.

I have a firm piece of cardboard from a 2x3 foot artist drawing paper easel that I have taped on one side for this, and use the other for dye and antique-ing. Used it for 2-3 years now- very little rubber cement sticks to it.

pete

that thin type of cardboard is what we are talking about, I never even thought of cereal boxes (thnx Pete), but thats exactly it. I never bought any, but I did make the mistake of that thicker stuff, horrible to use for this..dont do it. I mostly use packaging tape, but like I said, that will not allow a nice finish or even dye.

[bizbeblu]

I tried taping the back which worked but the tape really tore at the leather fiber when it was pulled off. Best trick I've found is to get laminate (Formica) scraps, cut them to roughly the size of your workpiece (one for bill folds, one for purses, one for various saddle parts, etc). Then rubber cement the BACK of the piece to the laminate with rubber cement or other lightweight adhesive. You definitely don't want "super glue," contact cement, Barges, or anything that claims to make a "permeant" bond. I've found this technique to reduce deformation by at least 90%. I have it left over from various jobs, but you can get relatively small pieces pieces from the "big box" stores like Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

Robert

[Northmount]

Yup! Use stationery store type rubber cement. Barges rubber cement won't pull off! Have to cut it off. Don't ask me how I know!

Tom

[PcCowboy]

My wife tooled purse sides by gluing them down with rubber cement on plexiglass . Of course you still can't hammer to hard.

[Cyberthrasher]

I've been having excellent results with some cheap 3M packing tape from China-Mart. It's really low adhesive so it doesn't leave a bunch of sticky on the flesh side, but still holds the leather in place.

[Bob Blea]

I second Cyberthrasher's 3M packing tape. I use it to tape the back of most everything. Recently I've started using clear shelf liners from the dollar store. It comes in big rolls, is clear (but any color will do) with a peel away backing, and it is cheap. I use Con-Tact brand, and it doesn't seem to leave any residue on the leather either. I think the 3M tape actually works a little better but it sure is a lot easier to cut the shelf lining to the size of my project and put it on all at once, versus putting multiple strips of the tape across the back of a notebook.