Need Leather Ideas

[Steve Clarkson]

I met with a guy today that can supply me leather.....CHEAP! He wants to sell me scraps (some are 3'x2' and most are 2'x1') for $1 per POUND. He also told me that he can get me the whole side of a cow (uncut) for $200.....he showed me one....and by God, it really did look like half a cow! Anyway, I think I'll be able to get it for free, since he wants me to make him some business cards out of leather.

Most of the leather he has is dark with heavy oils in it (he wants me to use this stuff, but I told him the contrast wouldn't be very good). But he also has some nice light brown stuff (which is what I told him I wanted), that I think would engrave nicely.

Yes, I know it stinks and I'm not looking forward to that.....but I like free.

So what can I make with all this leather? Here is what I think I can make:

Business Cards
Key fobs
coasters
photo portraits
plaques/awards
belts
guitar straps
bible covers

But, I don't really have any templates for this stuff. Yes, I can cut a circle and call it a coaster, but does anyone have any advice on how to make NICE ones? Glue it to a round piece of wood and THEN call it a coaster? How about bible covers.....yep, I can cut a rectangle and fold it in half, but won't the bible slip out?

So any ideas or files for making things out of leather would be greatly appreciated.

[sean m. titmas]

leather wrapped handles on a tool chest, box, bats, etc.

leather covered inset panels on cabinet doors

desk with leather top insert.

for book covers you need to add a 2" strip on either side of the inside so that the edges of the book can tuck into them.

i would be interested in buying some from this guy if comes in a steel gray color. i have a table and chair job where i need leather cushion seats and writing surfaces.

[Phil Salvati]

Steve,

You hit quite a few ideas....

Depending on the thickness...book and bible covers are going to be tricky.

Watch your heat when making designs on a finished product that has to be flat...ie., coasters and key fobs.... lazing leather is like branding a cow... to much heat will shrink the leather causing it to curl.

A few more ideas for you....

I use it for Dream catchers. We cut odd shapes and tie them in. We distress the edges with a 60 grit sanding wheel, then heat an old branding iron to give the edges some color. Add to it a little brown leather dye.... done!

We have made several Bow sleeves for the local 4H shooting team too.

I also make quite a few name patches and POW-MIA patches for MC vests.

If you have civil war reinacting groups around your area... they will love what you can do! We make ball pouches, Powder horns (you will need cow horns) we wrap the tops with leather and engrave military company insignia's on them. Gun slings, etc...the list is long.

You will get used to the smell.... I happen to like it...but we brand and de-horn cattle quite a bit 'round these parts! If your laser is inside your house.... I would let the fan evacuate the work area completely before opening the cabinet. The smell does linger a while!

[Steve Clarkson]

Thanks for the ideas.

Phil, do you have a pattern that you can share with me for the bow sleeves and gun slings?

Oh......and can leather be glued? Or does it have to be sewn?

[Mike Null]

Steve

I have made and posted a few items from vegetable tanned leather (tan in color) and it works great. An inlay for a box and and inlay for a plaque jsut to name a couple.

[Steve Clarkson]

Yea Mike......I did read the old posts and saw your stuff. It was really nice....like that bible quote on leather mounted on the piece of wood.

That's actually where I got the plaque idea that I posted.

And I GUARANTEE you Bill Cunningham is going to tell me that the color of the leather will "depend on the last meal the cow had before meeting her maker"!!!!! LOL!!!

[Tim Bateson]

Are the cow hides from grain fed or free range cows? :p

[Bruce Volden]

Are the cow hides from grain fed or free range cows? :p

Now I don't care what you say, that there is funny!

Bookmarks are something to add to the list.

Bruce

[Dee Gallo]

Hi Steve,

I saw some really nice leather mousepads - if your leather is heavy enough to lay flat, they'd be easy to make and they were selling for $40 each! (I didn't buy one...)

cheers, dee

[onur cakir]

Lampshades :cool:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=108996&d=1233773186

[Robert Snowden]

Book mark's cut cross and ingrave praying hand's.If you come uo with a good bible cover please let me know.

[Steve Clarkson]

How could I forget bookmarks? And a mousepad is a great idea too. Onur....it's too thick and too small....I think.

Well, the burgandy stuff engraved OK......but the over three dark colors, you really couldn't see. The light brown engraved beautifully, as expected. But I'm having a devil of a time cutting this stuff. Corian was almost easier to cut!

[sean m. titmas]

what about a leather shop apron with a nice custom logo burned into the front?
or some a$$less chaps?

either one would work well in the shop and i would buy the apron.

[Dee Gallo]

Long long ago, someone posted some really nice loose-leaf notebooks. They were for a ranch or something, but they would be nice for real estate companies, wedding pictures, camp albums, etc. You just have to buy a cheap plastic ring binder and cut out the rings, then glue them to the leather cover.

Also, if you get into the glue-construction, you can make CD holders and checkbook holders.

There have been a bunch of clock designs posted in wood lately, but I think a clock face in leather would be rather unique.

There is a new thing for bookmarks where you use a thin magnet and the bookmark folds over the page, so it doesn't fall out, although that might be better suited to very thin leather.

:) dee

[Larry Bratton]

Problem I have had with leather is that the thickness varies. However, the lighter color engraves nicely. Most people that engrave it, put a leather sealer on it first. I use one called Neatlac from Tandy. That will keep the residue from smearing and making your piece unusable. Your right, it stinks when being cut and I don't know a remedy for that.

[Steve Clarkson]

Any idea how to glue leather to metal? I'm not even sure how to glue leather to leather!

Oh, and this leather is just too thick to cut.....the char was really bad when I did get through. But I think if I score it, then it will make it easy to cut out with scissors (I tried it and it wasn't very hard at all......unless I'm trying to cut out 1,000 of them........

[David Fairfield]

Gluing stuff to metal can be a real problem. I think 2 part epoxy should work. Get the clear stuff, its got a little flex to it when dry, which helps it hold if the metal part takes a shock or expands/contracts due to temp. You can also try hot glue, I'm not a fan of that stuff though.

Dave

[Steve Clarkson]

Thanks for the tip Dave.

[Bob Tate]

Tandy Leather sells blank belt buckles. I cut and engraved a bunch of those. I attached the leather to the steel buckle with Silicone RTV. I think that stuff holds forever.
BobT

[Dan Cunningham]

How about Dog Collars? We have been thinking about that recently and have been searching for good sources for leather (at the right price) in the Dallas area. We have been doing personalized wrist bands and "Class of '09" bands for my daughter's school and that has worked out very well. (we used precut bands from Hobby Lobby website store for these). Also have done luggage tags and key fobs with decent success.

[Tom Delaney]

Steve - It isn't Uncle George is it? I bought some from him a few weeks back and have been experimenting with it. One word of caution - IT MOVES A HUGE AMOUNT. I've tried taping it down on all sides and it pulls out from under the tape. I'd bet it moves 20% and wrinkles. I've just visited Michaels (wally world doesn't sell them anymore) to pick up some of those emboidery hoops - going to give that a whirl and see if it works. Otherwise, better be strong glue to hold that steer down when you try to brand 'em. AND I AGREE on the smell - and in upstate NY - we don't de-horn anybody!

[Mike Null]

Whenever I've had the need to glue leather--usually to wood, I used contact cement. After several years it's holding very well.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

How about Dog Collars? We have been thinking about that recently and have been searching for good sources for leather (at the right price) in the Dallas area.

Dog collars are very hit and miss. I've been talking with a leather crafter for years and his daughter convinced him to do the dog show circuit. He sells more Show Leads and Slip Collars then anything else. Those are so thin they are not worth the time to engrave.... and very few people would pay to have it engraved. He showed me several nice collars he made and personalized with some very nice designs, yet they have remained unsold for years. People look at them, but they don't buy them.

There are some people who make some unique handmade leather collars, but these people basically eat, breathe and live for their dogs. They go to all sorts of sporting, rescue & dog events multiple times a week and have become known in those dog communities because they have been involved in them for so many years. (I don't think they make their living solely on those collars either.)

[Bill Cunningham]

There are a lot of 'kids' wearing dog collars now it seems (Goth:confused:)
Contact cement is what Tandy recommends, just coat both pieces, and let it dry until the 'back' of your finger does not stick (the front has oils that will ruin the bond) then press them together ..hard.. they adhere on 'contact' (hence the name) and they will never come apart.. Another thing I have sold quite a few of are custom wrist bands with a memorial photos on them. This might be a Asian thing, because it's only Asians I have had orders from.. Also, I ALWAYS tell the customer that brings me a leather object that I have no idea, what colour the engraving will be, particularly if it's black leather (dyed) Dark brown usually stays dark brown, light brown is the best, and on black, I've had it turn everything from gray to bright white (the bright white was a surprize) I usually tell them colour is all based on the genetics of the cow, and what it had for breakfast on the worst day of it's life:D

[Jim Finn]

Fireplace bellows

[Steve Clarkson]

I usually tell them colour is all based on the genetics of the cow, and what it had for breakfast on the worst day of it's life:D

LOL! Search that quote and you'll come up with atleast 16 hits! I should know, I read them all!!!!!

[Gary and Jessica Houghton]

I have done quite a few leather pieces recently. I too had a tone of mevement form the piece. I countered the movement by "taping" it down mith magnets. The same magnets that I use for name badges are what I use to make the leather stick to my raster plate in the laser. I have never cut leather though.

[Randy Walker]

How about playing card coasters. Aces and kings for the drinks and a giant royal flush for the pitcher.

Randy

[Belinda Barfield]

Steve,

Dee beat me to the mouse pad suggestion. This is a very good "give away" to prospective customers as well, particularly if you're getting the leather for free. People love personalized mouse pads.

I'm with the others on contact cement.

You expressed concern over visibility of the burn. Don't forget that you can color fill on leather also. I did a photo album for a friend and filled the engraving with gold Rub "n Buff.

Back to Dee's idea about fold over bookmarks with magnets - how about money clips?

If you're handy with a needle you could make some really nice tote bags with a simple whip stitched edge holding the two sides together, and decorative whip stitch on the edges of the straps.

[Phil Salvati]

Tried a new leather idea today....

For those of you that have sublimation capabilities....

We coated the left side of the leather twice, right side once.

Left, Dwell time was 60 seconds, Right was 40 sec. Both at 390 degrees.

I am going to run these through the rigors and see how well my logo holds up.

[Chris Pinick]

We have done a lot of things with bookmarks and firemen shields. It takes a lot of work to get them to trun out this way. tell me what do you think?

[Dee Gallo]

Nice work, Chris! What do they use these shields for?

Can you share your techniques? What thickness and type of leather, settings, finishing?

Thanks for sharing and welcome to the Creek!

cheers, dee

[Chris Pinick]

they use them to put on there helemts. I will work on getting the setting put together so you can see how we do it.

[Mike Null]

Chris

Welcome to SMC.

I'm more impressed with your ability to use your graphics program.

[Scott Challoner]

Chris

Those are incredible. I have played with leather a little bit, but had no idea it could look like that. Well done.

[Bob Heltibridle]

Steve
the wife picked this up a few years back. it might be something your looking for.

[Dan Hintz]

Chris,

Very impressive work.. I especially like how you were able to get a sense of depth and shading to the flames of the middle pic.