Tips from Uncle Dave

[rdb]

Quote

 

 I did some of these a long time ago, thought it might be time to renew a discussion like this. Please add your versions in the comments. Sometimes the simple thing you do is an amazing discovery to someone else. Share.

 

 Tips from Uncle Dave

 Most useful wax:
 Melt Paraffin, beeswax, and neatsfoot oil. Let cool. Very soft wax. Spread on edges to burnish easily, hardly any effort. Spread on top of leather finish for nice feel, and water resistance. Take a chunk and slap it on your sewing machine somewhere the thread passes. Nicely waxed thread.

 Best working table top:
 ABS plastic. It's the same stuff your cutting boards are made of. You can get it any size up to 4x8 sheets. Mailed to you. Try places like US. Plastics online. Comes in as little as a sq ft, all the way up to full 4x8 sheets. I think mine are like 1/8" thick. If it gets too many cut marks and stains, you can actually sand it down with an orbital sander.

  Keep table top cleaner:
 I buy brown paper rolls at Lowe's Hardware (20 inches or so wide). On my cutoff saw I chop them down to 10 inches. Nailed on the side of my bench is a paper towel roll. Place the cut brown paper in the roll, voyla! Roll out the length you need, tuck the ends under the abs plastic, and you keep leather clean, have a place to draw, daub dye onto...etc, etc

 Best glue dispensers:
 Simple, I just punch a hole in the top of a pickle jar lid. My artist paintbrushes stick through.I use different width/thickness brushes for different tasks. Fill the jar with ordinary contact cement, barge, white glue...your preference. Lid screws on and keeps the glue fresher longer.

  Dye Mix jars and a place for 'em:
 At your local garden center, they sell 3- 4" pots of plants. Those usually come in a plastic container that holds a dozen or so pots. Get some! When I make mixes of dyes, I use the pickle jars (we eat a lot of pickles it seems!). They fit perfectly in those planter containers.   

 Leather storage:
 I buy the round cardboard concrete forms at Lowe's. Cut them in half, and then stack 'em. Buy different sizes for different size rolls. Keeps everything organized, and visible.

  Dye Thinner:
 I use Feibing's Pro dyes a lot. Instead of a $28 qt. bottle of their dye thinner, I use a $10 gal can of denatured alcohol from the hardware store.Works fine for me.
 
 Top finish:
  A good alternative to Resolene, atom wax, tan kote, etc is a simple Kiwi neutral finish found at every grocery store in a plastic dauber bottle. Easy application, and lasts a long time.Rub it on...done.

  Anyways, you get the idea. Let's hear some of yours.

UPDATE:

 I found Part 1 of these tips dated 2010!

 

Edited December 7, 2016 by rdb
Update

[tnhomestead]

Just saved me some money and some new ideas -- thanks!

 

[TinkerTailor]

22 hours ago, rdb said:

 I buy brown paper rolls at Lowe's Hardware (20 inches or so wide).

Look up your local restaurant/commercial food supply places and get a roll of butcher paper, it is not much more than standard brown in cost,  comes narrower and is coated on one side making it more water and dye resistant. They even sell dispensers for it.

Additions-

• Never buy consumable supplies at a leather supplier until you check elsewhere. A six pack of blue nitrile gloves are sold around $5 at tandy,  $8-15  a box of 100 at the local drug store. The dollar store is full of useful things to a leatherworker. I found this set of 10 mini artist palette knives made of plastic for a dollar. All these little shapes perfect for detailed glue applicators.  Low and behold, no kind of glue i use will stick to them. Cleanup involves letting them dry and peeling the glue off in one piece. One set has been going for a couple years. You know those stainless edge paint applicator palette knives at tandy? Butter knife.
• Go to the thrift store and buy those cheezy wall mounted spice bottle racks. Frequently they will still have the spices in them..clean em, throw the spice out..who would use those spices anyways?...,  They make ideal small hardware storage. You can see stuff at a glance. Just grab jars you need for now. The racks usually fit small fiebings dye bottles as well. Spoon collection racks hold awls and leather tools pretty well. Muffin tins make great benchtop hardware storage tins.
• A hammer is a hammer. Its a hunk of heavy stuff on a stick.  A 5 dollar plastic dead blow hammer will work just fine for years. A cheap ball point hammer, and 2 sizes of dead blow hammer will run you 20-40 bux max for all three and set you up for any beating task. Spend your money on the tools that are specific to leatherwork or spend it on leather and thread and things. Overpriced hammers are a joke, unless you really like looking at your hammer....
• Binder clips are super useful. Unbelievably so. Can never have enough. I keep them clipped to the edge of my bench lampshades, right there ready. On the topic of lampshades, if you have metal shades, put magnets inside them. Perfect place to store your sewing needles. I have a magnet for each size, they are super handy and i never lose them anymore. Plus while sewing, I can stick needles to the lamp to hold them temporarily.

[bikermutt07]

Teach yourself how to sharpen your blades.

Even if you are using a utility knife, the blades are a long way from sharp. You will be amazed at how much better they cut after even just stropping them.

I have been using water to dilute my fiebings dyes with good results.

Hope this helps.

[tnhomestead]

Freds and Dollar Tree both have cheap binder clips! I like the spice rack idea, thanks -- would be cheap to make from pine as well.

I have been using trays from microwave meals for storage and dyes. I have some that had a separate tray for sauce, makes a great spot for thinner or just to set a brush in!

Block of 4x4 cut on the diagonal makes a great tool storage -- if some a hole hasnt stolen your tools that is! Just cut and drill some holes!

And dont forget that most hated store of all -- Harbor Freight -- get those cheap hammers and gloves there. Can usually get nitrile gloves for 7.50 bucks or so, and then use a coupon!! 

Oh recycled HDPE can make lots of cool tools, have not tried it yet but saving it up. A maul is easily made on a table saw or lathe, and the plastic for the head is fairly cheap in 3 in rods. Just add weight to your liking!

Rawhide dog bones can be soaked and molded into a nice rawhide maul. Just soak, unroll, reroll into the shape needed, soak in shellac for a while, dry and done -- my next project for a new hammer

Edited December 8, 2016 by tnhomestead
added

[Clintonville Leather]

My local restaurant supply store has disposable gloves for $4.50 for 100.

[Double Daddy]

Sorry to revive an older thread...neat idears!

Everybody keeps going on about cheap binder clips...I go to the local dollar huts (Tree/General) and get the wooden clothes pins by the 50pack for a couple bucks...must have two or three hundred of those things in a bin on my bench for holding holster, portfolio & wallet edges together...just the right amount of tension without leaving serious marks...SO LONG AS one lets the contact glue dry properly on both sides BEFORE assembly.

This can be found on another thread elsewhere...an easy to build stamping surface can be had by going to Lowes/HD and getting a 12x12 granite tile, a same-sized paving stone and a tube of quality construction adhesive. Be generous with the glue...let it "slack" properly before joining both pieces...then allow proper time to dry (preferably in the sun outdoors due to the smell).  I've been using mine for over 4 years for all sorts of stamping, hardware setting, etc...nary a crack to be had.

I'm not a tool/supply snob when it comes to my work bench...Harbor Freight, Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, wherever...it's all got a place, I figure.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Double Daddy

[Grumpymann]

um.... make your own conditioner? I just tried and in 2 iterations I found one that I LOVE! and it's about 3/4th the price of carnauba cream and 1/2 the price of neatsfoot compound. Made from 100% NFO, Bees wax, and 100% lanolin oil and I can use each ingredients on its own for other things. 

Heat the wax in a hot water bath, once the wax is a liquid then add the oil (Make sure the oils are mixed BEFORE you melt the wax). Allow to cool and use as needed there is a thread here that has a lot of info.

[retiredff]

 rdb - Most useful wax:
 Melt Paraffin, beeswax, and neatsfoot oil. Let cool. Very soft wax. Spread on edges to burnish easily, hardly any effort. Spread on top of leather finish for nice feel, and water resistance. Take a chunk and slap it on your sewing machine somewhere the thread passes. Nicely waxed thread.

 

What are the amounts for each?

 

 

[retiredff]

I bought this leather craft maul on ebay, it works just fine and the quality is fine;  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wooden-Leather-Craft-Leathercraft-Hammer-Handmade-Cut-Stamp-Strengthen-Maul-Tool/361550624301?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

 

This item appears to be out of stock, but check frequently.

 

Edited September 26, 2017 by retiredff

[Jimmy McLaughlin]

I purchased a four by eight sheet of canvas for burnishing very cheap, compared to any leather outlet store. Hobby Lobby or any store that sells tent supplies sells it.

[paulw]

Hello fellow crafters, just thought i would pass this on, being on a small pension i am always on the look out to save a few bob, (English for money), after tipping over bottles of dye, work bench is a nice shade of blue, green and brown, i came across a sale of discontinued rolls of wall paper, re tasked an old towel rail on end of my bench slid on a roll always on hand and out of the way when not used, the rolls worked out at 65 cents each and a roll is about 32 feet long

[retiredff]

On 9/26/2017 at 7:44 AM, retiredff said:

 rdb - Most useful wax:
 Melt Paraffin, beeswax, and neatsfoot oil. Let cool. Very soft wax. Spread on edges to burnish easily, hardly any effort. Spread on top of leather finish for nice feel, and water resistance. Take a chunk and slap it on your sewing machine somewhere the thread passes. Nicely waxed thread.

 

What are the amounts for each?

 

 

I made some of this according to your directions. I melted 3 oz each of bees wax and paraffin, then added about 5oz of neatsfoot oil. It's still hard and stained some english bridal . What am I doing wrong?

[DocOwens]

Cheap and classy tool rack....

I pick up circular smoking pipe racks from the antique shops. Usually in the 5-10 dollar range. Handy to use when working on project. Most are round, and hold about 8 of your tools like tooling stamps, awls, etc.