Airbrush Or Airbrushing

[Oldtoolsniper]

JLS,

Same tool and we achieve something completely different. This is really where I wanted this thread to go. There are way more ways to use the same tool than can be imagined by one person. It's kind of like unrolling a side of leather, what I see it becoming is not what the next person sees. The airbrush is the same way, everyone uses it differently. Its just another aspect of this hobby to me that adds to the enjoyment of the hobby. Now here is another difference you are running a business and I have a hobby and give the stuff I make away to friends.

[bullmoosepaddles]

Oldtoolsniper,

Thank you for your explanation. I am going to sign up for the Hobby Lobby Coupons before the night is out. I do have an air dryer at the compressor. And the hose stretched across the floor. The ironing board is an excellent idea. I noticed the salvage store I frequent had a few against the wall the other week, as well as a rack of food colors, both excellent ideas. I buy the brown floor covering paper at Lowe's to use for both wrapping paper and surface covering.

I have a question on the topcoat for leatherwork while adding layers of color. What do you use as a sealant between the coats? The lacquer I use between coats on wood will not work well on leather. I doubt its very flexible. So if I may pick your mind I do appreciate it.

As an aside. Do you ever dye any of your wood vibrant colors? If so try a bit of your Fiebings thinned 50/50 on your light tone woods, such as curly maple or ash. TransTint Dye is also excellent at dying wood. The two ounce bottle of TransTint makes up to sixty-four ounces of dye. It can be mixed a few ounces at a time in denatured alcohol or water, and it last seemingly for ever. I have yet to try it on leather.

Thank you both for all the information.

[Oldtoolsniper]

Bull,

I use future floor finish cut 50/50 with water between layers. Saying this will open up a can of worms but I use it on lures too. Here is the deal with me, 23 years as a Marine and one thing we can do is shine boots. For twenty-two and some change years I have used the floor finish on my boots to get that shine. You really have to spit shine them in Boot Camp so that's why I'm missing a few months. I really can't think of a better test than what I did to them by wearing them every day. To much and they crack not enough and water will saturate them in no time. I'm the type that has no illusions that leather will last forever but I've had boots that I've replaced the soles on three and four times before the leather gave out. Is it a perfect finish no, but in my opinion no finish will survive everything. The trade off is being able to repair the finish. Polyurethane compared to shellac one can be repaired while the other cannot. One remains flexible and one does not. One is impervious to just about everything and one is not. Choosing the finish based on expected use is what I use for a guide. I don't really care what the can says, I care about what the finish actually does.

I was a gunsmith in the Marine Corps and I worked everyday in a secure environment I wore a black tankers shoulder holster almost every day for over twenty years and I still use it every fall on the trap line. It looks like hell but has survived since it was issued to me in used condition in 1982. Same finish Fiebing's black dye and future floor finish. Funny thing is I never even heard of USMC black dye made by Fiebing's until I started leatherworking. I never saw it for sale on a base either, just the plain old black. It's all I ever used.

It works for me.

On the wood. I've not used the trans tint but now I'm gonna get some. Ive used a lot of the alcohol-based aniline dyes and the water based too. I have some gel that is so old it's become liquid like water and it still dyes whatever it gets on. It's even been frozen a few times. That may be why it turned to liquid but who cares, it still works. I also pick up walnuts in my yard and make alcohol stain from the hulls. Water works but then you have to fight mold.

Test everything on scrap. Test everything on scrap, and you should test everything on scrap!

Edited July 14, 2015 by Oldtoolsniper

[bullmoosepaddles]

My experience is, either test it on scrap or you may be testing it on scrap. Thank you for the ideas. I did sign up for the 40% off coupon. Its printed and I am going shopping one evening this week.

[Oldtoolsniper]

If you have a smart phone hobby lobby has an app then you always have the coupon.

I refer to those sorts of learning experiences as "Fancy Firewood"

[Oldtoolsniper]

I really do work with wood. In this case it's some cedar logs I milled for a free form edge picnic table. I built the jig to mill the wood and went to work. I also do the fine woodworking but sometimes it's fun to go rustic. Right now slab tables are all the rage. I heat my house with wood so I can make a lot of slabs.

[Oldtoolsniper]

Here is my pony and a couple of awls I made.

[bullmoosepaddles]

Oldtoolsniper where do you source the vice for the awls? If you don't mind sharing.

JLS seeing as we are discussing airbrushes do you use one to do the black backgrounds on your belts? Or is it still traditional brushing?

Thank you guys.

[JLSleather]

As a rule, the dark background on my dyed belts is done with a brush. Red sable hair, actually -- just personal preference.

Reason is, there's quite a bit of relief in the belt carvings -- pretty good depth. It would be very time consuming to dye those background areas with an airbrush, while keeping the dye off of the raised carving areas. You can AIM the airbrush, but there will always be some "blow back" that really isn't well suited to depressions. It CAN be done, but considerations need to be made.

By way of example, turn on the kitchen sink, just a little. When the liquid hits something solid, there WILL be some splash back ...

Another example? Put a little sand on the table. Blow it off. No problem, since the concern is not where it's ending up. Now, put that same sand in a bowl, and blow in the bowl ... and there you have the problem

And in the case of a tooled belt, this "overspray" would be on the sides of the carved surfaces.

[Oldtoolsniper]

EBAY just type in double pin vise. Rawcustom another member here gave me the idea. Just hacksaw the tube in half and the rest is pretty simple if you have the tools.

I was skeptical about. $3 vice holing up but have been pleasantly surprised. I also have a few starrett ones I've used as well. Nice thing about making them yourself is the fit thing. They fit your hand because they were made to fit.

Edited July 14, 2015 by Oldtoolsniper