Replies

1. 
   Windwoodtrader | Feb 26, 2003 07:30pm | #1

   Hi, Creekwood-

   I use fine grain leather for the faces of my bench vises, both faces. I got this from Frank Klaus one of the premier furniture makers. He told me to use good quality leather and apply it with white glue. If you ever have to remove the leather, a thorough soaking with water will loosen it up.

   Good luck!

   :-)

   Windy Wood

   From the Helderberg Mountains

1. 
   creekwood | Feb 28, 2003 08:24am | #2

   Thanks, Windy Wood. Sounds like a good way to handle it. One question, does it matter how thick the leather is?

1. 
   Windwoodtrader | Feb 28, 2003 05:40pm | #3

   Hi, Creekwood-

   I don't think that the thickness matters a lot. The thicker the leather the more you will pay. When I got mine I ordered top grain tooling grade cowhide from an outfit in Texas that I located on the 'net. The leather is probably about 1/8" thick. I will try to look around for the receipt and if I find it I will send you the name. I added some remnants to my order that I used to make knife sheaths and chisel guards. The price from these guys definitely fair.

   I did a search while I was writing this and although I couldn't recognize any of the dealers as the one I dealt with I did come up with this one which may suit your needs.

   http://www.twleather.com/

   My suggestion would be to avoid Tandy as just being way too expensive.

   Good luck!

   :-)

   Windy Wood

   From the Helderberg Mountains

   Edited 2/28/2003 10:00:15 AM ET by Windy Wood

1. 
   creekwood | Feb 28, 2003 09:47pm | #4

   Thank you so much for your help. I'll check it out.

   Hope I can return the favor sometime.

2. 
   booch | Feb 28, 2003 11:34pm | #5

   I built the "davenport" FWW in 1998? desk a couple of years ago. I built 3 of them for my sons. The top of those is leather.

   I adhered the leather to the top of the plywood with contact adhesive. Butter up each piece align and adhere. I used a metal straitedge to place under the edges where the recessed leather met the wooden frame. Then I got one of the roll type leather cutting knives and trimmed the excess. This is pretty critical as the leather is a bugger to trim to size with a common knife. Tandy has those too.

   My leather was aprox 1/4 inch thick. Find a Tandy leather store in your area and you can find your own piece. They know lots about leather but diddle on coloring it (at least the clerk I ran into) Think of the tanned unstained leather as watercolor paper. It is alcohol (analine dye) stained. Then you get a spray glaze from Tandy for the finish. To color it you need to wet the surface with alcohol (not rubbing type, ) I think it is Methyl. (answer back if you are going to do this) Then you float the dye (in liquid form of course) on the wet leather. At that point move fast as you'll leave lap marks like you never saw before if it isn't wet all over. The alcohol eventually evaporates and the dye stays. Wipe up the residue with a dampened rag (alcohol again) and then rub/buff it to an even color. after a few days glaze it with the tandy spray.

   I wrote this improperly in that you color the leather first, rough trim to size, adhere, final trim. Then you finish the woodwork. Don't mask the leather with tape as you might lift the glazing.

   Jack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?
1. 
   BertJ | Mar 01, 2003 01:14am | #6

   Creekwood,

   Booch's technique is a Catch-22 because you can't use masking tape to ease the task of finishing the wood. A common technique is to rout out a hole (rectangular in this case) to an appropriate depth and attach the leather to a 1/4-inch ply insert, with final dimensions (after gluing the leather/ply insert) such that the leather is snug all around and even with the final wood surround. This way you can finish the wood and the leather independently and avoid the masking problem.

   Of course, if the entire top is leather it might not matter. Whatever.

   BJ

1. 
   creekwood | Mar 01, 2003 04:01am | #8

   Interesting solution. The top is a semi-circle, and dropping a thin substrate on to the main top just may do the trick. Thanks.

2. 
   booch | Mar 01, 2003 06:03pm | #13

   I replied to creekwood that I think your panel idea has serious merit. The trimming is the rub. As for adhesive I stick to the contact adhesive as it has held for 6 or 7 years w/o any problems. It looks pretty permanent.Jack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?

2. 
   creekwood | Mar 01, 2003 03:59am | #7

   Thanks for the response. Working with the leather on wood is a new experience. I'm not sure of the final color yet, but I believe it will be black. Maybe there is finished leather in the desired color.

   Anyway, thanks again.

1. 
   booch | Mar 01, 2003 06:00pm | #12

   A couple of reflections on the leather finishing.

   First on the shoe polish. The difference between that and the analine dye is the difference between Thom McCann shoes and Alan Edmonds shoes. I've owned both the trendy TM style and the Timeless AE style. My problem with the TM style is that it is a skin deep crust that is the coloration. I sell Industrial controls in the same environment. Walk past a stack of 10 GA steel or any machine under construction and you find there are steel "fingers" that reach out and ruin clothes and knick your shoe leather. The sprayed on color that TM shoes provide is a crust 1/32" deep that when knicked never is recolored to match the original. Similarily it wears off. The AE style dye job is penetrating to the depth of the leather. Sand or trim with a sharp knife and the surface is marked for sure but the color is intact to a surprising depth. Your call, but there is a quality issue here. Talk leather and the Allen Edmonds method is the best. And it is easy. Just do your dyeing outside. The alcohol fumes are overwhelming but the job is done in 10 minutes. PS go thick. It costs a bit more for thicker leather but it covers a host of ills including a soft backing board material.

   Finished leather is ok but not your choice or work, it is a compromise. Look for depth of color if you find the thickness and color you desire. Really, look up TANDY in the business section of the major metro phone book in your area. It is a good learning experience.

   Second on the Glue and trim. I like the plan of fitting the panel then fitting it to the frame. I still think the final trim needs be done with the rotary knife (fabric shops and leather stores all carry this.) The knife is 20 or 30 clams and the replacement blade is 80% of the total. The edge needs to be smooth. A Table saw might cut leather smoothly but I'd surely do a mock-up first.

   Final thought (I'm doing a road trip with my 17 year old on a college visit so I have to run...) is the marking of the leather. Perfection of the surface is not what you want. Pens that glide off the page, marks in the leather, and spills are marks of the usage and memories of what has been. These inglorious markings are the history of the piece you are making, not imperfections. There is a history in our lives and work that should not be erased or prevented. It is how our work accepts the marking of time that determines its character.

   Jack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?

1. 
   creekwood | Mar 01, 2003 06:52pm | #14

   Thanks for your input. I believe the dye is definitely the way. It's a pastor's pulpit, so there won't be much writing, just a place to lay his bible and  papers. I've used some awesome quarter-sawn white oak, and the flake is unreal. The leather will be the finishing touch.

3. 
   MichaelLomax | Mar 01, 2003 04:08am | #9

   I haven't done this myself but a friend has and right now I am reading from a sheet that came with his last piece of leather.

   The manufactuer, Dave Turner?, suggests using wallpaper paste to lay the leather down.  My friend has used this process and says it works great.

   Reference  Professional Refinishing April 2001

   Good Luck

4. 
   jase | Mar 01, 2003 06:07am | #10

   I wil agree with Bert to finish the wood and leather separately.

   My favorite supplier of leather is Roden Leather (http://www.rodenleather.com). They are located in Royal Oak, Michigan. I would use tooling leather; something heavy, at least 7-8 ounce would be good. I haven't made any furniture with leather, but I use tooling leather in various weights at work nearly every day. You could also use soling leather which comes in 7 iron(>1/8"), 14 iron (about 1/4"). Soling leather is very similar to tooling leather but it is more dense, making it heavier and harder.

   You can get black shoe dye for the leather at any shoe repair shop. Fiebings is a good brand.

   Finished leathers are generally a lot softer and would not be good for a writing surface

   Tooling leather is easiest to cut with a razor sharp knive and a steel straight edge. You can cut it on the bandsaw also but it leaves one side of the edge hairy.

   Oh yeah, contact cement to hold the leather down.

    

   Jase--Is there a better way?

   
   

   ---

   Edited 2/28/2003 10:08:48 PM ET by jase

1. 
   creekwood | Mar 01, 2003 06:56pm | #15

   Thanks for the info. I checked out the site you gave me. Nice looking product. My hope is to find a smaller order minimum, as they only sell full hides. My need is only about 8 sq ft. I will contact them and ask.

5. 
   dwyates | Mar 01, 2003 08:11am | #11

   I used 3M spray adhesive (Super 77 ?) on suede - worked very nicely. No bleed-through to worry about. It was on a lap-desk for my daughter so it did get a fair amount of use.