Cutting costs the UK way

[fredk]

There have been a few threads about cutting costs or getting stuff cheap but they were by and for the US cousins so I thought I'd start one for the UK-ers

I can't see anywhere else but here to run the thread

1. Granite chopping board. From Home Bargains = £4.99, exactly the same one sold by Argos is £9.99. Size is 40 x 30 x 1.3 cm. It may be thin but I've been stamping on it and it hasn't cracked yet. Certainly good enough for edge skiving if you don't want to chance the stamping on it

2. Next we visit the Poundland shop, so all these items cost.... ?? How much? anyone? Bueller?

UHU glue. Look for the solid box. There is one with a window in the box, that tube is far smaller [half the contents afair]. Its a good contact glue, Easy to apply because it is a tube - and in my case you don't waste a load cos the rest of the glue in the tin has solidified. UHU is also available at some Home Bargains for... 99p a tube. Home Bargains sells a Bostick type glue in their own brand name; its good too, at £1 a tube.

3. Stainless steel roasting tin. I use these for dip dyeing. Holds enough dye and easy clean up

4. Compartment storage box, About 20 x 20 x 4cm. Divided up into twelve 5 x 5cm and one 10 x 10cm sections. Many of the partitions are removable making the areas longer [or wider, but not both ways]. Handy for keeping and segregating small things like small rivets, Chicago screws or Sam Browne buttons

5, Black box with lid.This one is just under the size of half of a folding crate. I throw scraps into a number of these, then sort out the stuff that can be used from the real waste. I make board games so any piece from which I can punch a 6mm disc is still good for me

6. Need to see better close up? I wear reading glasses. Available in powers from 1 D to 4 D. I have several in 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 powers for various tasks [not all leather work] They're cheap enough to have several pairs kicking around. My eye specialist [I can't spell her fancy title!] put a pair on one of her machines and she said the lenses were fine; almost as good as the ones she gets for customers.

7. A new style of reading glass on the block. With LED lights, one each side. I'm still checking these out. In low light they help but if you have bright working lights they don't seem to make much difference. These cost me £1.09 from China via ebay

8. Back home - to Home Bargains actually. A medium sized clear storage box, £1.69. I keep things that I use more frequently in these as I can see the contents better

9. At many discount stores; small spring clamps, usually about £1 to £1.50 for six or eight. Their jaws will mark leather so I use lolly sticks between the jaws and the leather, both sides. Not only does this prevent the leather from getting marked but it spreads the clamping force. And, yes occasionally the stick will leave a flat impression on the leather but it never looks bad. Normal lolly sticks at The Works; 50 for £1, or some craft stores 100 for £1, and wide sticks; 100 for about £1.50 Don't use the coloured sticks; the colour comes out and will stain the leather, it even stained some chrome tanned upholstery leather I have.

10 Another bargain. I'm currently 'remodeling' [ahem....clearing out, tidying, sorting the mess of, or as we say here 'redding it out' ] the room I do leather work in. I went to Homebase to look for another tool box and got this; £40, discounted from £160. It was a stock clearance sale. It pays just to keep yours eyes and ears open. I already had two drawer units [the top bit of this] from Halfords for my tools. Sometimes they discount the tool boxes too.

Right, that's all from me for now. Over to youse.........

Edited December 1, 2017 by Northmount
Replaced broken photo links with photos saved here

[zuludog]

Thanks for the tip about the lollipop sticks. I have been using scraps of leather under my clamps but, as you say, the lolly sticks will spread the pressure more evenly

I glue small patches of 600 grit wet & dry paper to the sticks which turns them into very small files or wands to polish the prongs on my stitching chisels

But I don't buy the sticks, I pick them up in the street; just give them a quick wash then let them dry

[LumpenDoodle2]

Fredk, you are my long lost twin, and I claim my £5.

Pound Shop, or poundland purchases are wonderful, I buy my UHU glue there all the time.  

May I reccommend the cotton pads used to remove makup.   Perfect for applying and wiping off dye or conditioner in small areas, and they don't  leave thise little cotton 'bits' behind.

A5 hardback lined page books £1 each.   Perfect for writing your orders, stock, important addresses/numbers, or instructions for making up your leather items (hate getting halfway through a project, and finding out I've missed a step out).

Visit the Poundshop garden section, where you can buy the lolly sticks cleverly disguised as plant name markers.

Cotton buds for applying dye and edgekote.   Three big boxes (100 per box?) for £1.

 

[Matt S]

3 hours ago, zuludog said:

But I don't buy the sticks, I pick them up in the street; just give them a quick wash then let them dry

How Northern! Do you peg your teabags on the line between uses? 

My UK-based money-saving tip is regarding strap cutter blades. Bloody fiddly to strop (i think that's the idea) and 50p+ each. Schick injector blades are even more, and double-edge razor blades don't snap cleanly enough to fit. But No10a scalpel blades work out 10p each and fit just fine and I buy them anyway for other leather uses. And they can be stropped more easily.

Need a quiet motor for your burnisher? Silverline bench grinder for £25 including delivery. Pull all the safety junk off and put a felt wheel on the spare end and you have a power strop too. Just remember it's the most dangerous tool in the place (except for Yours Truly). Plus you end up with two 6" abrasive wheels you can put to other uses.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Matt S

[LumpenDoodle2]

And if you time it right, you can buy the Silverline bench grinder for £18 (insert smug emoticon here).

[HENDREFORGAN]

Though Tandy has been a popular chioce for newbies to leather-working here in the UK I do feel that the absence of competition to them, together with the unattainable mouth watering offerings from North American retail/wholesale outlets, has meant that we are a resolute and inventive bunch of crafts-persons here in the UK . . I'm sure we would rate highly in any International competition for the most unlikely source of leather-working accoutrements adapted and used.

[YinTx]

21 minutes ago, HENDREFORGAN said:

Though Tandy has been a popular chioce for newbies to leather-working here in the UK I do feel that the absence of competition to them, together with the unattainable mouth watering offerings from North American retail/wholesale outlets, has meant that we are a resolute and inventive bunch of crafts-persons here in the UK . . I'm sure we would rate highly in any International competition for the most unlikely source of leather-working accoutrements adapted and used.

And here we are all ordering stuff from Abbey England....

Great pointers, and a lot of these or similar items are available here in the US - awesome lolipop or "tongue depressors" tip!

I've used the metal clips as they have more strength and wider gripping area than the small clips.

YinTx

[LumpenDoodle2]

I blame Blue Peter myself.........

[fredk]

3 hours ago, YinTx said:

Great pointers, and a lot of these or similar items are available here in the US - awesome lolipop or "tongue depressors" tip!

I've used the metal clips as they have more strength and wider gripping area than the small clips.

I use loads of the small office bulldog clips as well, with the lolly sticks. For a thinner stick is a McDonalds [not the farmer chappie - the fast 'food' place] stirring stick. I do not advocate taking a big load from them as that is stealing, but an extra one or two every time you're in and you'll soon have several hundred......

1 hour ago, LumpenDoodle2 said:

I blame Blue Peter myself.........

I thank Blue Peter. John, Peter, Val et al. They say you can age someone by who their favorite BP presenters were and their fav Dr. Who. I confusethose who want to know my dob with; fav Dr. Who is Patrick Troughton and for BP its Konnie Huq 

Sticky back plastic rules!

[LumpenDoodle2]

Valerie Singleton every time, with Tom Baker (then David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi in second joint second place).

 

[LumpenDoodle2]

In fact, I remember making a 'Dougle' out of 4 corks, a washing up liquid bottle, and some wool.

They were the days........

[Rockoboy]

On ‎27‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 10:18 PM, HENDREFORGAN said:

Though Tandy has been a popular chioce for newbies to leather-working here in the UK I do feel that the absence of competition to them, together with the unattainable mouth watering offerings from North American retail/wholesale outlets, has meant that we are a resolute and inventive bunch of crafts-persons here in the UK . . I'm sure we would rate highly in any International competition for the most unlikely source of leather-working accoutrements adapted and used.

If you have a Tandy Store ... Luxury I say. LUXURY!! We have one single Tandy store in Australia, and its about 4000kms from where I live!

If we want leather, we have to go in ta field, in dead of night and catch a cow with our bare hands. Then we skin him with a broken beer bottle, and we love it! Luxury!

[LumpenDoodle2]

A broken beer bottle?   

Wouldn't it be easier to just look for the zip?

[paulw]

Hi Iam a newbie been going for about 6 months, I live in Suffolk.  If you are looking for leather try leatheronline.com, based in Italy, it took 5 days from ordering online to postman knocking on door and they do a huge range, tried some of their 3rd grade calf I was not expecting good stuff, but if their 3rd grade was like I recieved its dam good stuff, their 1st must be out of this world and the price is brill.

Look on youtube for leodis leather and Nordic badger, you will be up and running in no time

[Juttle]

For really good quality try Metropolitan Leather. Excellent veg tan and a very quick delivery. No affiliation, blah, blah...

[Matt S]

3 hours ago, paulw said:

Hi Iam a newbie been going for about 6 months, I live in Suffolk.  If you are looking for leather try leatheronline.com, based in Italy, it took 5 days from ordering online to postman knocking on door and they do a huge range, tried some of their 3rd grade calf I was not expecting good stuff, but if their 3rd grade was like I recieved its dam good stuff, their 1st must be out of this world and the price is brill.

Look on youtube for leodis leather and Nordic badger, you will be up and running in no time

What sort of veg-tan? I presume you're falling you mean russet top-grain for tooling? If so, JT Bachelor does some pretty nice buff-back russet shoulders for £3.50/foot plus VAT and they are only as far as Dalston. (They do mail order too.)

[HaloJones]

When you have a blood test, if they use disposable rubber straps on your arm for pressure: keep it as they are great for holding rolls of leather nice & tight.

i have also used them for holding wet leather on a form

[fredk]

1/12/17 update

1. Granite chopping board. From Home Bargains = £4.99, exactly the same one sold by Argos is £9.99. Size is 40 x 30 x 1.3 cm. It may be thin but I've been stamping on it and it hasn't cracked yet. Certainly good enough for edge skiving if you don't want to chance the stamping on it

This was working out ok until I gave it to one of No.1's workmen. I wanted 10 cm cut off one end for use on another table. I told him I needed that but I forgot to say I wanted the remainder too. He's Latvian with a very basic understanding of English language nuances. He cut off and kept the 10 cm bit but broke the other bit up!

10 Another bargain. I'm currently 'remodelling' [ahem....clearing out, tidying, sorting the mess of, or as we say here 'redding it out' ] the room I do leather work in. I went to Homebase to look for another tool box and got this; £40, discounted from £160. It was a stock clearance sale. It pays just to keep yours eyes and ears open. I already have two drawer units [the top bit of this] from Halfords for my tools. Sometimes they discount the tool boxes too.

I was in a local Halfords last week and saw a set like this but larger for £120, marked down from £200 for a 'Black Friday' sale

11: More storage boxes. all from Poundland/World

A. Clippy box, a nice size. Two variations of lid; this one with handle clips on, another has two captive flaps which interlock for the lid. If getting this one check the end latches actually work, I've checked out some and 7 out of 10 do not latch properly

B. Actually a two level sandwich lunch box.

C. Costing £2, this box comes free with a filling of chocolate brownies or strawberry cupcakes  or other treats. Box shapes and sizes vary

12: For thread or lacing. Have you got a load of lacing which is not on a spool and keeps getting tangled? Three options; the first two on the left are out of Poundland had garden string, the glass cost 69p in Home Bargains, using the straw is optional. Put lace or thread in one of these, draw up through the hole, lace/thread stays clean and helps keep it from tangling

 

Edited December 1, 2017 by fredk

[Northmount]

1 hour ago, fredk said:

I've been asked to replace the photos in the first posting here.  They suffered removal by Photobucket.

I can't edit that first posting so I'm reposting the lot with a few extra notes.

Thanks for updating this thread. I have copied these photos into your first post.

This was a prime example of what happens when using 3rd party photo hosting sites instead of uploading photos to this site.  Anytime a photo on a 3rd party site is changed, moved, deleted, permissions changed, etc. the photo disappears here and is replaced with a broken link symbol.  I recommend that all photos be uploaded to this site so they don't get lost out there in cyberspace.  If you resize photos to 800 x 600, (which is usually adequate for most viewing purposes), you can upload many photos in a single post.  It is also an assist to those people living on the fringes of the internet as they don't have to wait hours for a post loaded with large images to be downloaded before they can view them.

Tom

[mikesc]

Not in the UK..but there are not many here who are in France..so ..as like many Irish I spent many years in the UK, I'll tag along.

Lot of us with machines have a lot of cones of thread around, if they're not stored in boxes or in a cupboard they can get dusty and contaminated and they wont unwind nicely when put on the machine, and most of us "store" at least one cone permanently on a stand on each machine.
To protect from dust..get a plastic mineral water bottle ( that you've drunk the water from ) that has a diameter bigger than the cone diameter..cut the bottle around ( approximately half way up ) so that it makes a "cover" for the thread..leave the screw top on if the cone is not on the sewing machine, leave the screw top off ( and feed the thread upwards and out to the "eye" on the thread stand ) if the cone is on the thread stand behind the machine..This will keep them dust ( and other contaminants ) free.

Only use mineral water bottles..or if you do use soda bottles make certain that all the sugaryness is washed out thoroughly first.

re Blue Peter* and Dr Who..Val Singleton..and Tom Baker.
*Biddy Baxter, Val and the rest of the "team" at the time sent me a very nice letter and a "Blue Peter Badge" when I was a boy, I was the one who named their cat Jason...Didn't get to go on TV to receive it though..

Tom Baker was my favourite, but I am old enough to have seen Dr Who since the very beginning with William Hartnell..he resembled one of my teachers ( a very stern man ) a bit too much to be my favourite.

Edited December 1, 2017 by mikesc

[Talaman]

Brilliant thread! Thanks.

Geoff

[Orangeleather]

@fredk

Thank for the home bargains link, very useful.

reference desktop storage, of which mine is always needing improvement I just purchased a Vonhaus 12 multi drawer organiser, I was struggling to source a small one for less than £10 (poundword plus are doing very smallmulti drawers too).

£9 inc delivery.

Ebay number: 272142662315

 

Hope it helps someone.

[battlemunky]

For bigger granite slabs you may want to try a cabinet/countertop maker. I stopped by our local place here and he litterally opened up the back door and pointed to a 20 ft tall heap of it and said "take all you want." Mine is about an inch thick.

[Orangeleather]

22 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

For bigger granite slabs you may want to try a cabinet/countertop maker. I stopped by our local place here and he litterally opened up the back door and pointed to a 20 ft tall heap of it and said "take all you want." Mine is about an inch thick.

I’ve a few kitchen & bathroom suppliers near me so I intend to exploit th3m first before going the general retail route.

patience is virtue like many things for the right item.

[battlemunky]

If they are anything like ours around here, they look at the sizes we desire as waste and are happy to lose some. I started off offering the owner $20 for a chunk and he said he wouldn't charge me for what they consider garbage. Even at $20 it is a steal. And I had the run of the pile, could took it all, had my choice of color, size, shape.