Around the shop

Got any great sources for leather? Tools? Machinery? Looking for sources?
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dw
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Re: Around the shop

#101 Post by dw »

Brendon,

I am hunched over. Mostly in the upper body--shoulders and neck. I have to fight it every day.

I have spent 35 years working bent over and sitting down. Now, there are good, good reasons to work sitting down but when I began I worked for several years standing up. In fact, that's where I began to get bent.

I think that for some people...me, at least...there isn't a significant difference in working sitting or standing. But what there is, is worse standing because you cannot naturally bring your whole upper trunk into the work the way you can sitting down.

All seminars at AGM are recorded on video and/or archived as a "paper." There is a list of past presentations...all available to members...on the Guild Homepage.

Tight Stitches
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Re: Around the shop

#102 Post by hidesmith »

We are getting only fickle internet service, so I just got the emails about charcoal filters, etc.
We have just purchased a down-draft table called an "Easy Bench". It takes about 70 lb of charcoal poured into the fine-screened receptacles, has a HEPA (I think) filter on the uphill side of the charcoal canister (air goes through the HEPA before it goes through the charcoal).

As far as how often to change the charcoal, the air purification expert I dealt with told me every six months, or whenever you start smelling the fumes again. Right now, though, there are NO fumes at all, as long as I remember to turn the machine on. Maybe I waited too long for the fume remover!

We investigated the Fume Buster, and even found a reconditioned one from Gateway, but it looked too industrial. Since we were using MY money, Penny decided to buy a much prettier and more expensive one, the aforementioned Easy Bench. It's new and looks much better in the kitchen. Most importantly, it sucks!

Bruce
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Re: Around the shop

#103 Post by relferink »

All,

First off all a happy independence day to all the US readers, happy delayed Canada day for the Canadians and a happy (almost) weekend to all othersImageImage

Thanks for all the info. Reading Erick's and Bruce's posts I have the impression that the activated charcoal comes in granulated or pellet form, not woven into a filter. Bruce, that "Easy Bench" sounds like a nice unit. Looking on-line I see a downdraft bench called "Easy Bench" by Airflow systems Inc. is that the one you bought? Their website is not all that informative, do you know if all models take the activated carbon or is it a special model?
Penny did well in getting that one as it looks a lot nicer than the Fume Buster and takes up less space the way it's designed.

I'm still considering building something myself and with the info I have a good idea on what I can do that is simple and cost effective. A glue bench that has a front and sides to keep the fumes from “falling off” the edge as they are heavier than air. The idea of the rotating grill requires a little more planning. Maybe at the end of the summer I can make space for one and can pick one of those up cheaply. Draw the air with an in-line fan through a canister of activated carbon. If I put the fan after the carbon I will probably not even need a ignition protected fan. A small filter, could be a HEPA filter at the glue table will keep any partials from being sucked up so they won't contaminate the carbon.

I'll be shopping for a canister to hold the activated carbon and put some things together. I'll keep you all posted on my progress.
As for the water based cements, I'm going to give that an other try. Not that I will not get the carbon filter anyway. If not for the toxic and carcinogenic fumes, just to neutralize the strong smells some products have.

That reminds me, is anybody aware of a polyurethane like foam that works similarly without the toxicity during the curing process? I've been seeing an ad from a car company explaining how green they are since they switched to soy based foams. Is something like that commercially available?

Rob
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Re: Around the shop

#104 Post by jesselee »

All, well I finally got my equipment shipped and refurbished it all. Newest piece is a Singer patcher 29K58 (1935 I think). Running a Progressive shoe mfg. company line finisher with a curved needle welt stitcher. I need a manual for that beastie! The shop is small, but John Henry is really into it all. Fixed my needle problem on my main Bradbury stitcher.
We are planning to start with woman's 1860-1880's bootees, simply because we have the lasts available.

So thats mt shop update.

DW
I hear you about being hunched over.. I'm no longer 6'2" because of it, and the computer sure didn't help posture!!

Nasser
You have an invite to come to the shop for a visit next week and see the setup.

JesseLee
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Re: Around the shop

#105 Post by dearbone »

Jesse lee,

Glad to hear your shop is coming together and i appreciate the invite,but it is a busy time for me here at the shop, it would be nice to take the whole summer off,but wasn't born rich,Like to see a picture,if you have a Camera handy.

Nasser
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Re: Around the shop

#106 Post by hidesmith »

Here's a follow-up on the Easy Bench down-draft table.

I used enough Barge to cement 3 soles on. I was fine while I was doing it, but when I put the cement away, I started coughing, and didn't get it under control for two hours.
At that point, I literally stopped making shoes until some venting could be done.

The first thought was to vent to the ourside - down through the floor and out through the box sill, near the dryer vent. Then we investigated and found granite foundation and oak 8x8 sills in our way. We investigated other directions and discovered other barriers.

I am an amateur stone cutter, so the prospect didn't scare me. It's just a matter of a hammer drill, several hours and a few dust masks.

Penny liked the idea of having a bench that could be repositioned to another area without going through all the re-plumbing, etc. so we started investigating non-vented fume removal systems. We found many different units that might work, including the Fume Buster series of purification systems that were developed for the shoe industry, if I'm not mistaken. Gateway even offered us a reconditioned one for a substantial discount compared to new.

We considered building one, and started looking for cannisters for charcoal, AKA activated carbon. I got the same inquiries as mentioned in other posts - what chemicals are you going to be using (I had to take out a can of every chemical in my shop and read the ingredients for them), will there be any aluminium in the mix, will any be vented to the outside, etc. In the end, I decided that a professionally engineered bench had it all over the one that I made, and might or might not work. I decided I'd rather spend my time trying to make shoes than trying to re- engineer a product that's already been engineered by someone smarter than I.

I showed Penny a picture of the three-foot Fume Buster from Gateway and told her of all the benefits of having one in my cement area. She agreed, but mentioned that it looked like an industrial machine. Were there any other options?

I looked in the Yellow Pages and found a company that specialized in Clean Air Technologies. I visited them and after seeing several different options for making air more healthy, I settled on the Easy Bench. Penny approved, as it looked more like a piece of furniture found in a Dr's office than an industrial bench. It was new, white and could be sat at like a desk, making it multi-functional. I think it required 70 lb charcoal.

We set it up in our kitchen, and I haven't smelled ANY chemicals since doing so, nor have I had any reactions to any fumes. It made me happy and it made Penny happy. Life is good!

I don't know how much "advertising" I'm allowed to do here, so I'll just say contact me if you want any morte information. I am very satisfied with both the product and the dealer.
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Re: Around the shop

#107 Post by djulan »

Help,
I need a quick reminder where the instructions are to post pics. I did not find pic posting directions after searching
I have a couple pics of my vented (vented to outdoors) bench, I'd like to share.. .
David
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Re: Around the shop

#108 Post by admin »

David,

Right there to the left...in the left-hand frame...you see a heading "Documentation." Under "Documentation" is "Formatting."

Click on "Formatting" and a new page will appear in the right-hand frame.

On that page, got to ""Other Formatting" and "Images, attachments and clipart."

There you will find the syntax to include images in your posts. Use the "image" syntax. I also suggest doing trial posts in the "Test" section of the forum.

Emmett
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Re: Around the shop

#109 Post by djulan »

My cement bench is just a dedicated bench with a sheetmetal pan and an expanded metal top. The top is removable for cleaning it or the pan, and replacing the a/c filters.
7632.jpg
I use 1" thick air conditioner filters below the expanded metal top just to keep debris from entering the exhaust (not likely at the low volume of air it moves, anyway). There is a 2 speed squirrel cage fan at the vent.
7633.jpg
The motor driving the squirrel cage is past the fan itself and likely gets (little to) no fumes, and is not explosion proof. I purchased the fan from Graingers, and could not find the aitrflow stats, but they are well under 100cfm at low speed and around 100cfm at high speed. I usually use high speed, except on really humid days.

David
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Re: Around the shop

#110 Post by djulan »

Thanks Emmet for the pic posting guidance
marcell

Re: Around the shop

#111 Post by marcell »

This is one of my actual apprentice's blog. Interesting stuff and nice guy. He makes many photos about the course, worth to see.

http://cutandslow.blogspot.com/
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Re: Around the shop

#112 Post by dearbone »

I acquired this channel cutter from a leather worker friend i was visiting in Midland,Ontario this weekend,after sharpening the blade,i realized the tool was make for a right-handed and i am left hand,so what i needed to do is to change the direction of the blade,but the original blade has an up-end curve in it as for not cutting straight on slant,but with a little curve,if you can imagine a spoon cut in half,that is what cutting edge looks like,i made a blade from a last pin and sharpened on one side and being a little flexible metal,i bent the blade up a little.
The bottom part of the tool is the channel opener.
9928.jpg

Nasser
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Re: Around the shop

#113 Post by dw »

Nasser,

I've been cutting my channels by hand...pretty successfully, too. But it is fussy work and I don't like the thought of slipping.

I have a number of different channel cutters (not one like that, however) but I've never have been satisfied with their reliability and the consistency of the results when using them. Of course, that could be me.

How does this channel cutter work? Are you happy with the resulting channel? Does the cutter stay in the leather at a good depth? Is the channel even?

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Re: Around the shop

#114 Post by dearbone »

DW,

The feeling of slipping when cutting channels by hand is mutual,This channel cutter is G.Barnsley made and i am satisfied with it so far on sample sole leather,the blade is adjustable for length and has a roller guide under it and it works by pulling in(toward you) and the depth is cut about 1/3 the thickness of sole on a very good slant on the original blade and i adjusted the curve on my blade for that much depth and the channel is even with exact distance from the edge of the sole because of the guide,the 5mm long blade edge must be sharp.
Please post a picture of your cutters when it is possible.

Nasser
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Re: Around the shop

#115 Post by fishball »

Nasser,

Where to get this channel cutter?
I would like to buy one.
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Re: Around the shop

#116 Post by dearbone »

Alexander,

This tool is an old G.Barnsley made and they are no longer in business,i got mine from a friend,there are probably hundreds of this tool sitting in people tool boxes,eBay might be a good place to look for it or post a request for it on the LOOKING FOR section of colloquy.
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Re: Around the shop

#117 Post by courtney »

I found some channel cutters that I think would work! Maybe.
They are violin purfling tools that can be bought at, www.internationalviolin.com
look under tools/purfling tools.
Also, http://osnesviolins.com/9.Purfling%20&%20Edges.htm shows how it is used.
Let me know if you guys think these would work.
Also I have marked a line on my knife with a marker the depth I want to cut that seems to work without having to guess at the depth.

Courtney

(Message edited by admin on August 15, 2009)
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Re: Around the shop

#118 Post by courtney »

I dont think the link will work to see how its used, but you hold it straight up and down. If its made to cut wood I figure it will cut leather no problem. Theres probably a bunch of different kinds of these.
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Re: Around the shop

#119 Post by admin »

link fixed

Yr. Hmb. Svt.
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Re: Around the shop

#120 Post by dearbone »

Courtney,

The tool (cutter) the violin maker is using to make the groove in wood by scoring the wood with the blade at 90 degrees to the guide,the blade on the leather channel cutter is placed at 45 degrees to the roller guide because it has to cut leather on slant rather than straight down groove,there is a leather groove cutter,but we can't put back the leather to cover the thread.

DW,

The blade on the original channel cutter is straight at 45 degrees to the roller cutter and not curved as i thought earlier,but i made curved and straight blades for this tool to see different angles channels on the sole leather.

Nasser
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Re: Around the shop

#121 Post by jesselee »

Nasser,

Is this for making the split channel for soles on a McKay stitcher or an invisible channel on a welted shoe or boot?

Cheers,

JesseLee
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Re: Around the shop

#122 Post by dearbone »

Jesse lee,

I suppose you can in bed a Mckay stitcher thread in the channel,but it was intended for the holes make by the square sole stitching awl in hand stitching, here is a picture of the channel cutter with original blade with cutting edge hollowed like a spoon.
9934.jpg

Nasser
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Re: Around the shop

#123 Post by jesselee »

Nasser

Its a sweet tool. I hand cut my channel for the McKay as a bevel to be covered up afterwards. Have not stitched a welt in a dogs age opting for the 1860's CW period nailing the welt, as per authenticity, but I have been getting interested in that channel meets square awl type work for about a year now, I just have to date it for authenticity before I apply it. Thanks for the fine piece of information.

Cheers,

JesseLee
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Re: Around the shop

#124 Post by dw »

I've known that channeling tool for years. I think I even had one in a box of old Barnsley tools I picked up years ago. I've never seen one that had much use.

I have three other types of channeling tools...only one of which I am certain was for shoemaking and not for harness or saddle work. They all (including this one) share some similarities, however, and the greatest similarity (in my hands) is that they are inconsistent.

The channeling tool that I have that is similar to the one above is a bear to get started just so and almost impossible to keep cutting at an even distance from the edge and at a depth that is consistent and an angle that remains true.

The same holds true for the bona fide shoemaker's channel knife that I own--it cuts a horizontal channel in the edge of the sole that is near parallel to the surface. I can cut the channel with that knife for about four inches but the minute the sole starts to bend or the edge curves the knife becomes uncontrollable.

For all the work it takes to hold the tool just so and keep it there as you draw it through a hard sole, you might as well use a knife freehand. At least that's the way it is for me.

It looks like replacing the blade may help a lot in controlling the tool, Nasser. It's probably a major upgrade from the blade that comes with the tool originally. I sincerely wish you well with it and hope you can master it. It will be a revelation to talk to someone who has mastered it.

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Re: Around the shop

#125 Post by jesselee »

DW

You mention cutting into the rdge of the sole. Years agoo I had a Blake cutter for this, they became McKay. there was a hand crank on the right and a flat bed on which the sole was placed. The sole was held by a roller adjacent to the blade which could be set to cut into the edge about a 16th from the top or at an angle. 2 spring fed rollers were at the left insuring the sole was pushed into th3e blade and they moved with the contours of the soles. As you know, the Blake stitcher had a stationary horn so the direct front of the sole could bot be stitches as the McKay does. The later McKay sole cutter went all the way around. The soles also were cut by hand using a cookie cutter type iron stamp.

Cheers,

JesseLee
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