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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
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    Perth
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    10,810

    Default

    Thanks Glenn

    I purchased leather this Saturday from Leather Direct in Perth. Gorgeous stuff ... dark blue. My wife approves!

    It is 1mm thick and blemish-free. I also purchased a roller knife to cut it to size.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

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  3. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2001
    Location
    Langwarrin, Victoria, Australia
    Age
    55
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    677

    Default

    Good luck with it Derek !
    Glenn Visca

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Brisbane
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    1,809

    Default A word of warning: leather isn't always what we think of as leather

    Hi Derek,

    You may be well aware of this and therefore can ignore it, but just in case: increasingly the leather that is available for sale is a manufactured product rather than straight animal hide. i have been told this is partially because there is avery high demand for leather in China and therefore "real" leather has become harder to get. It is also because manufacturers can slice leather very thinly, press a "grain" pattern in it and coat it with a plastic finish to look like leather. They even grind up the scraps of cut-off leather, mix them with glue and roll it out, once again with a plastic finish and still call it "real 100% leather" - but it is not what most of us think of as leather.

    I bought some full grain, whole hides recently from a wholesaler here in Brisbane. He had a whole set of the fake leathers to show clients what to avoid. The full real hides cost me less than half what one of the leather shops here in Brisbane charged for the stuff with a pressed in grain and a plastic finish. The wholesaler had a large warehouse full of leather and walked us around it pointing out the different types of leather and what they were suited for. It was a real education. The leather we bought was for upholstering foot stools so it needed to be tough and we wanted the natural grain look. Other leathers he had were for different purposes.

    So, it is worth asking what the shop/seller is really offering you to make sure that you are happy with the product and that it is suitable for the use you have. For example, full grain hides often have blemishes from damage the animal sustained while alive (barbed wire and such like) and that may not be suitable for you. The pressed-in grain and plastic finish may be perfect because it is a very even, overall finish. But be sure that you aren't paying a price for something that isn't what would suit you.

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    10,810

    Default

    Thanks for the warning.

    I am confident that what I purchased is real, high quality leather. It was not cheap.

    These were small pieces cut from a larger hide. I went through the pile, choosing clear pieces and discarding those with small flaws. If they are imitation, then they are amazing imitations!

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  6. #20
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Central Coast, NSW
    Posts
    3,330

    Default

    At 1mm thick it's definitely a split. The process is that they start with rawhide, split the top off and chrome-tan it preserving the natural skin surface. The bottom layer is the 'split', which in a thick hide can be split several more times. Splits are daggy on both sides, so need some type of surface treatment - scuffed up for suede or embossed (stamped) and coated to give a polished look.

    Nothing wrong with any of this - the way it's always been done.

    Yes, it can be coated to extremes with various plastics too - think patent leather.

    Or embossed to extremes - think modern chagreen.

    I had not heard of scraps being reconstituted. Doesn't surprise me though, and Something to watch out for.

    Do you intend to mould this? If so, is it vegetable tanned.

    Cheers
    Arron
    Apologies for unnoticed autocomplete errors.

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    I was just browsing through some old posts and found this one. I was curious about the post that Alex put up. If you read this Alex might you be so kind as to expand on your method/procedure of using this pig skin suede fabric,,.......in regards to the glueing to the foam and then the joining to the timber.

    Does the foam sit on another base?,,....is the pig skin suede tucked under?,...

    and the expansion part of it also,..?

    Maybe others can expand on this also, I think Woodpixel might use a similar method.

    Thanks again,
    Paul

  8. #22
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Central Coast, NSW
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    No doubt Alex will answer you but in the meantime here is my method.

    This has worked very well with pigskin, kangaroo and calfskin splits, and even reconstituted leather.

    This is for flat surfaces, not moulding.

    It’s simple.
    I just lay the hide on a flat surface face down. Cut a piece of cardboard the exact size required. Cover one side with a thin layer of Selleys Quickgrip or Parfix Fastgrip- all over. Place it on the leather and smooth it down gently, not too much. Flip it over and trim the leather about 30mm bigger all round. Cut the corners on a diagonal, so the cut is about 3mm wide of the very corner. Spread fastgrip around the edge of the cardboard. Fold the leather edges over and press down, stretching it a bit on the corners to make sure the 3mm overhang is pulled under and secure. Spread fastgrip over the drawer/box/whatever surface you are gluing too, place the leather over and press down. Done.

    Some hints

    The reason for using Fastgrip is twofold. You can get all the steps done at once, no waiting for things to dry. Secondly, the big risk with all this is getting glue on the face of the leather. Once you do,it’s ruined, no way to get it off without leaving some kind of trace. The Fastgrip tacks up immediately so its much less likely to get spread around. Also, there is a problem with thinner glues penetrating thin leathers right to the face surface if you’ve inadvertently left it a bit thick in places. A fast tack contact glue doesn’t do this.

    When finally placing the leather inside the drawer, use a couple of ‘handles’ made of masking tape stuck to the face of the leather. You only get one shot so it must go in right.

    I found getting a tiny bit of glue on my fingers and not realising was the big danger. Keep a small saucer of turps (dissolves contact) and a rag handy and wash your fingers frequently as you work. Also, I started with a thick pile of newspapers as a work surface and after you do each stage just pull a couple of sheets off before you do the next regardless of whether you can see mess or not (use butchers paper for pale leathers).

    The other main problem was getting the cardboard to the exact right size. Well, the exact size less the width on the folded leather. I had guillotines for cutting both the leather and the cardboard so it wasn’t really difficult - just cut a bit big then sneak up on the exact size while test fitting. I guess even with a rotary cutter the process is the same, just more patience required.

    For the glue, a squeeze bottle and a broad plastic scraper with notches cut in it was best.

    Cheers
    Arron
    Apologies for unnoticed autocomplete errors.

  9. #23
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Hi Arron, and thanks for your very detailed reply, much appreciated. I have been using a velvet fabric which I buy from Spotlight, it's an upholstery fabric, very easy to work with, lovely and soft,...BUT, the colour I have been buying for my boxes (Camel) is now discontinued from their range. I have a few other colours of the same fabric, but the Camel was perfect for darker boxes, eg, blackwood. Prior to that I was using the double velvet also from Spotlight, used to sell at $47 a metre, then they discontinued that completely and had what they had left marked down to around $20 a metre, so I bought what they had left, think it was about 5 or 6 metres. But the upholstery fabric was by far easier to work with.

    So my thoughts with your process are,,....is it really necessary to cover the full side of the cardboard with the glue and not just fold the fabric over and only glue the piece of fabric that goes under the cardboard. Or is this process mainly to keep the fabric in tact whilst cutting the diagonals etc. Do you ever use any padding under the fabric (between fabric and cardboard) to give it a nice cushiony feel. Perhaps this is what Alex was referring to with his thin craftfoam. And lastly is it really necessary to glue the finished product to the bottom of the box if everything is a nice neat snug fit.

    My brain ticks over far tooo much,...….

    Thanks again
    Paul

  10. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Sydney
    Age
    37
    Posts
    2,703

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    If you search for Leather co in Sydney and call or visit (speak to Jean Claude if you can) he’ll put you on the right track as far as the material goes. He has quite a range, in fact he moved to a much larger building a few years ago and the stock he has is incredible.

    I got my method off Alex, who will probably chime in. But I like to have the panel with suede on it sitting inside the groove for the drawer, tray or whatever you’re doing. That way you don’t have to worry about getting everything perfect and worrying about gaps etc. I’ve also covered the underside of the tray as well, and find it to be a really nice and unexpected touch.

    From memory I use 3mm MDF, then 2mm foam and pig skin suede. Just apply glue to the surfaces, wait a bit for it to dry then iron over the top. I use an old tea towel or butchers paper to protect the surface, and it works perfectly. Then trim off the excess foam and suede and insert it into your rabbet.
    IMG_2076.jpg

  11. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    5,124

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    Good tips all.

    Arron, is this the Parfix Fast Grip you're using? https://www.bunnings.com.au/parfix-1...esive_p1232739

    I'm off to Bunnings this arvo, so I'll grab some

    I'm still using the 3M Super77. It is now (re-available) from Eckersleys and Office Works: https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/...67g-3m62443749 .... it works well, but is pretty damned sticky! One must be careful to apply it properly.

    With sprays, I've found that upholstery suppliers to be excellent. A few conversations and youtube videos have shown me that thier methods are superior. One product I've been meaning to try is this: https://www.actfoam.com.au/product/t...tery-adhesive/ and this: https://www.actfoam.com.au/product/t...tack-adhesive/

    Ive found some methods of holding complex shapes are almost impossible with sprays and glues, so I've resorted to these amazing tapes that are used in the electronics industry: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5mm-...622031350.html This stuff is so amazing as to be unreal. It is ultra thin, 1-billion fold sticky and absolutely will never come off or apart. It is used for sticking mobile phones, batteries, screens and other thin electronics together. One puts down a layer, cuts to shape and peels of the backing. You'd better get that lay down perfect the first time, for there is zero repositioning or time... it grips and sticks instantly and permanently.

    I used the tape on a whole range of storage, display and serving trays for jewellery for Myers. They were complex! Hundreds of little compartments all lined with suede. The tape saved my bacon


    On leather supplies, its still LeatherCo for all my suede splits. Though, I've found an amazing new product range from United Leather. Its a good range of coloured thin leathers: https://unitedleather.com/shop/suede-all/pig-suede#/ and https://www.microfiberleather.com/su...fiber-leather/ and best of all is ....

    Novasuede by Majilite. http://www.majilite.com/ This stuff is absolutely incredible. Expensive, but really amazing. I like the fact it is an engineered product. I'll put some photos up.

  12. #26
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Valla Beach
    Posts
    1,184

    Default

    Thank you chaps, this is becoming rather interesting. Groeneaj, in your photo you have lined that tray inside the box. So you would have made a bottom for the tray, say it was 4mm. Rebated the sides for the bottom, added another 6mm for the MDF, foam and pig skin, total 10mm. How do you protect the pig skin when doing final sanding and oiling etc,..Thinking of one my boxes, I rebate the groove for my bottom after doing my dovetails. I come up 6mm, then do a 4mm rebate. (3mm of the 6mm is routered off for the small legs leaving 3mm of timber). From memory I think I have about 35mm left down in the bottom section after making a ledge for the tray to sit on. This 35mm would then shrink down to say 29mm, and once again how is it protected

    .All very interesting so far,

    Just rethinking here, maybe you don't need the MDF, and the foam and pig skin goes direct onto the actual base.

    Paul

  13. #27
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Central Coast, NSW
    Posts
    3,330

    Default

    Yep, Evan, that’s the Parfix I used.
    Apologies for unnoticed autocomplete errors.

  14. #28
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Central Coast, NSW
    Posts
    3,330

    Default

    Yep, Evan, that’s the Parfix I used.
    Apologies for unnoticed autocomplete errors.

  15. #29
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    Central Coast, NSW
    Posts
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    Replying to your questions above, Paul.

    Yes, you can stick the leather direct to the surface of the box but it’s a major pain as you are doing inside surfaces. Also, you will probably end up with a cut edge visible.

    I didn’t use any foam or similar simply because it was the look I was after. It’s solely an aesthetic thing.

    I used cardboard, mainly because I could guillotine it but couldn’t guillotine mdf.

    I covered the entire surface of the cardboard (or mdf or whatever) with glue as well as the entire surface of the box base because I don’t like surprises. You may end up with a bubble or wrinkle effect otherwise. If a fabric is fully glued down it can’t misbehave.

    I glued the bases in rather then using a press fit because oftentimes the box was posted and the press fit may be dislodged with rough treatment. Also, the sides of the box or tray were usually lined as well as the base, same method.

    I never used a method where the leather/fabric was trapped in a rebate or anything similar because if you are making heirloom-quality boxes then worn out lining should be easy to replace without risk of damage to the box. I have been asked to reline several much-loved old boxes and naturally its easy where the maker thought about disassembly.

    I forgot to mention that the base of any lift-out trays etc was done by glueing on a thin black felt that is sometimes available in Spotlite etc. Again, cover entire surface of base with glue, stick on felt, cut off overlap with very sharp scalpel. Remove any glue on felt or box side with turps.

    Talking strictly personal taste here, my favourite fabric lining material is ‘butter suede’. It has wonderful subtle colours which are updated regularly according to fashion. Most importantly it drapes well. Check a fabric for drape, that’s what makes it easy to work.

    I used Birdsall Leather in Botany and highly recommend them. Good stock and prices, but most interesting is that they are an actual leather processing factory and you can see the massive old splitting machinery and oak leather dying drums in action while you shop.

    Cheers
    Arron
    Apologies for unnoticed autocomplete errors.

  16. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    5,124

    Default

    How good are Birdsall Leather in Botany!

    Arron, great tip. They have some nice coloured ones, which I like Thank you ��

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