How To Keep Things Clean When Dyeing Leather?

[ikewineb]

I use the same paper I use for packing to cover my bench. I don't wear gloves. I get a little dye on my hands every now and then. I figure it's a good conversation starter about leather work.

[Dwight]

Gloves at Harbor Freight are about $5 a box if you use their cupon, . . . makes em a nickel apiece, . . . and sometimes they can be used several times.

They'll keep your hands clean, . . . but as for bottles of dye, . . . pouring, . . . mixing, . . . blending, . . . re-pouring, . . . I have a funnel that keeps all that spilling down to a mild roar, . . . rinse it after every use, . . . sits in a little glass jar when not used.

My sink in my dye area is black, green, brown, white, blue, purple, pink, red, . . . and maybe several shades of other colors. It's a plastic sink, . . . some day when it gets so groady that even I cannot stand it, . . . I'll replace it, . . . and work on decorating the next one. They're in the $50 range and change out in an hour or so.

I always do my glueing and dying work over that sink, . . . on a piece of cardboard or corregated PVC, . . . which gets hidden beside the sink when not in use.

You have to be a clean freak to not have some evidence of dye process in the area, . . . and I'm not against that, . . . I just have higher priorities than all that.

May God bless,

Dwight

[HC009]

Thanks again a funnel sounds like a good idea.

[Tina]

I use an old (big, around 5'x3') glass tabletop to cover my dye bench. It's super easy to clean from any dye, paint or glue. To clean up any dried glue and paint I just use an old razorblade or the kind you get for the glass stowe tops is great for this, the dye comes of with just some spirits.

[TXAG]

I usually go outside when I need to do anything with dye...that and wear latex gloves.

Edited December 17, 2013 by TXAG

[ramrod]

great ideas here. here's what i do. i keep the adhesive paper lid on the bottle after i take the cap off of it. punch a pin hole in the paper top and squeeze out the amount you wish to mix. that's the easiest way i've found to do it.

[Ryan Barto]

I do all my mixing over a sink, but my dye area gets covered by a cheap shower curtain liner I buy from walmart. It is just a piece of frosted plastic and costs less than $2. It is thick enough to keep reusing, I just wipe it down after I'm done dying (I spray all my dyes now). The curtain gets stained, but when I want to replace it, it will be really cheap. Each curtain can be cut, I get 3 sheets out of each one. I use a separate one to spray my resolene.

[chiefjason]

Generally, the first thing I do when I'm going to dye something is head out into the garage with my nicest shirt on. And immediately splash dye on it. Come back inside grunting and groaning. Change shirts. And go back out and finish.

I picked up some gloves similar to this recently. I really like them. Waterproof on the palm and breathable on the back. Easy on and off. I like them better than the thin nitrile disposables.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_315096-21760-LW37719-L_0__?productId=4564836&Ntt=gloves&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dgloves%26page%3D2&facetInfo=

As for transferring dye. I find it easier if you are transferring it into a jar with a larger mouth. I just stick the bottle in the jar and dump it out. I bought a box of 8 oz jelly jars today to start mixing dye into. I usually do my transferring out in the yard. Don't have to clean up the grass.

[ikewineb]

That's a great idea Ramrod. I always wind up having to cut the little plastic out anyway. I never thought of just leaving it. I think I'll try that next new bottle I open.