Vacume Forming Leather Goods

[chrisash]

Still very new to leatherwork and enjoying it very much

I notice on YouTube some are now forming their leather shapes using food processing vacuum machines to mold the leather around every day objects

Just wondered if any on the forum have tried this

I imaging you can get some fantastic shapes from household goods

One question is once you take it out of the film/bag does it hold its shape whilst it dries

[fredk]

There are some holster makers on here who have used this technique.

Have a read thru these;

http://leatherworker.net/forum/search/

[Halitech]

I have, works great. Only issue, if you want to call it that, is you are limited to the size of the bag as to how big a project you can do. The other thing you will notice, the inside of the bag has a pattern so that will be transferred to the leather.

 

Front of the phone case was done with it, so was the magnesium firestarter holder on the knife sheath.

[Sonydaze]

I have just started to experiment with vacuum molding.  I have gotten pretty good results with this kind of bag:  https://www.veneersupplies.com/categories/Vacuum__Press__Items/Vacuum__Bags/

Things will straighten out a bit while drying. 

[OLDNSLOW]

for Holsters that is all I use, I had also for a very short time made kydex holsters, so the vacuum table was a needed tool for that.  I did build my own vacuum table after obtaining all of the items needed to build it.  If you have a source for the items sonydaze posted those work great, the only thing that might be a problem is deciding what you will use for a vacuum source.

[thunter9]

not sure of the vacuum system your using. and it depends on what you want to spend. 1 type is gast i got one off ebay for 80 a while back this was a 1/4 horse. plenty. you can set it up direct or run into a  holding tank first.by using the tank you get vac fast. 

you will need a check valve. so it doesn't bleed back when you turn off the motor.  if you put a vac regulator on it [spendy] 145  you set the inches of mercury and it kicks on when the level drops. i've used this for years and wondered way no one else did. i made custom leg,arm,foot braces for years. all you need to remember is you need a wick as in pull a womans nylon over what your going the mold. i'll explain more if you need it

 

gast is the best and you can work on them

 

[thunter9]

vac table is easy to build

if your vac kevlar you should run through a holding tank first. i'd us a pc of 8'" or so plastic pipe. cap the ends drill and tap one hole for the check valve and the other for a shut off valve. 

you can reheat kevlar if it wrinkles just don't burn it

you want to get vac fast

 

[thunter9]

so simple it's scary 

[thunter9]

 

one other type of vac system is one that runs off of air . can't quit remember the name. its starts out cheap but by the time you get all you need it can even cost more. because in the end for that to work you need all the bows and whistles . the compressor and the check valve the control box .  where as the gast is a rotary type and they aren't sealed so you can open them up to replace the rotors or just clean them w/acetone drop of oil and put back together

 

[garypl]

I have done small projects with a food sealer.  Works well - I put a smooth piece of thin plywood or another piece of leather between the project and the textured side of the bag to prevent the bag pattern from marking the leather.  Experiment a bit - you will have fun with it!

Gary