Leather machinery advice

[Guest Danielle]

Hi all,

I currently make leather bags by hand (up to 10oz thick) and am looking to buy some machinery to ease the strain on my joints - I've done some research but it's hard to find any UK sellers for most of the things suggested on this forum - I wondered if anyone could recommend any hand presses (for punching and rivet setting), hand clickers (for die cutting), and burnishing machines sold in the UK. Budget is pretty limited, hence the request for hand tools rather than hydraulic. If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks,

Danielle

[Godfrey]

Hi, check out Tandy Leather EU, they should have most ut not all that you need, you can also check eBay, there's plenty of bargain to be had, hope this helps.

Regards 

G

 

 

 

[chrisash]

Welcome to the forum

I think you are better off just using Google and engineering stores like toolstation or your local motor factors. Tandy have massive markups where as toolstation and the like have a better selection and far cheaper, failing that ETSY

Many things used in leather work are also used in other professions and the word "Leather" seems to add a few extra pounds to the price

This is a fantastic forum for help and knowledge with plenty of UK people as well as many other countries

Good luck

[Matt S]

Hi Danielle. There's certainly not as much "small guy friendly" leather machinery available in the UK as there seems to be in the US. I suppose it's a market size thing.

Plenty of simple rivet/eyelet presses on eBay, from about £25. I have the very common/cheap green ones, which take a M8 threaded top die and 19mm bottom die. They really aren't the best but work fine and the price is right. Die sets start at £15. Punches (round or slot) are also available for these machines.

There is very limited choice for clicker presses. The only hand operated one I've found in the UK is the Lucris. Last time I checked the dealer was charging £1300+VAT. Instead I bought a small bearing press for £60 off Amazon. These are hydraulic but you have to pump the lever up and down.

Burnishing machines -- I know Tandy sells one in the UK now but let's just say I wouldn't buy it. I have a burnishing wheel from Nigel Armitage (currently £78) which I fitted to a £25 bench grinder with the grinding wheels stripped off -- the cheapest induction motor I could find. The motor's really not great -- it runs too fast and it overheats quickly but the setup works and works good.