granite or marble for leather toolingbest stainless steel tubing cutter

Luckily I could find this little shoemakers anvil online. Now I have slicked the edges with gum trag and sealed them with beeswax. PS. My name is Tony. There are times that we strike the leather a bit too hard and we wonder if the slab can handle it. I am looking to build a workbench like this, and I have a piece of granite that is ~1/3 thick, if I were to use a router to inlay it into the butcher block, would that be strong enough for hole punching, or would I need to worry about the granite cracking? Thanks Chuck, I bought that block several years back on the big online retailer whos name is unmentionable here. Leatherworkers use a slab for several reasons, mainly for protecting the surface of their work tables and workstations while they are busy honing their craft or working on some leather pieces. The free template for the Coffee Sleeve for Reusable Starbucks Cups can be found here:https://www.tonyneedshobbies.com/plans/leatherworking/. I tested out a little stamping on the granite and realized the bounce issue needed more work. The surface on the black one is pretty clean, and I'm pretty sure it's granite, but I don't know a brick from a paver, so doesn't make much difference to me. Tips On Finding The Best Leatherworking Slab, How to Make A Leather iPad Case: The Case You Need, Terms and Conditions for Tinkers Tool Box. If you did, then let me know by hitting the like button and please also consider subscribing to the channel for more content like this in the future. Almost anything is better than the 3/16" piece of Masonite that Tandy sold and I'm sure a lot of us started out with. It basically absorbs the shock. I can put this last into the piece and then flatten the stitches without damaging the piece. Heres a closer view of how the granite block fit. A thick stone gives a solid platform for a tool to hit once without bouncing back. I must have measured and remeasured many times then double checked those measurements too! I went slow and things went fine. Now that we saw the different merits of using both marble and granite as leatherworking slabs, let us compare them based on a few focus points. Whatever type of stone you want to use Mike. Leather Lady Productions all rights reserved 2006-2022 But the Grinch says to me she has to go outside and see what they have. I have to work on my depth which is much better than it was and proper casing which I'm not totally clear on how to do properly. Ooh, and while youre still here, there are two other videos right there and there that might be interesting for you too. A heartfelt thank you goes a long way in these days where so many seem to just take things for granted. So plan B, which should have been plan A was to use the track saw on a track and gently ease into the cut, getting as close as possible to the drilled holes. It's certainly a place to start! I like to try out new hobbies and create stuff. I tried to pm someone that mentioned an archived thread on casing here but haven't heard back and I can't seem to find it. They are both beautiful materials and they can both bring different types of beauty and aesthetics on it. Pasted as rich text. The track saw made easy work of cleaning up my first unfortunate cut with the other saw. Still, there are other people who choose to use granite slabs for their leatherworking activities. Cutting granite is also challenging since it is so hard and tough, but these properties are exactly why I chose granite over marble. So when I'm really ready to do my swivel knive work, I just remove the 12x12 in. It is now officially a leather tooling table / tank. As you can see, tooling is not a problem on this big granite table. So I had to built a sturdy table with 4x4 legs and 2x4 cross braces and a plywood top surface, to this day I still use the table, but the granite is outside getting ready for an outside table, so I could tool outside when the weather is nice. This article will discuss the pros of using marble as slab for leatherworking. This actually turned out to be a very bad idea you will read why in another post next week. If I could find an affordable one I would have used it instead you can cut right on top of those tops with ease. I wanted to make sure I got the measurements correct because there would be no going back. 3. Let me tell you something invest in a nice long, fine toothed hand saw you will thank me later. It probably weights about 20lbs. But its also expensive. So she asks me if I'm looking for a broken piece? Now I tried two new skills for the very first time today: carving and tooling leather and butt stitching. Thus, it will fall and damage the table. Granite easily wins in this one because it has a lot more advantages than marble. Nice guy he is he bought them for me. Yeah you are going to want space on either side of the tooling block for tools and for larger leather pieces to fit. Yep, that dark one looks about like what I got. I drilled two holes at each of the corners where the granite would go to help prevent overcutting. Remember that slabs are very heavy, and if placed on a flimsy table with weaker materials, it will not be able to hold up the weight of the slab. Attaboy Mike!!! (Mine's on a tiny metal bistro table until spring). I am going about building one for my self, and was wondering what dimensions is the granite block apart from the thickness? The bottom line is this it should fit right around the granite block and the block should reach out barely past the edge. Here are some cool tips and tricks on finding the best leatherworking slab. For example, if someone spills some chemicals on it, the spill would be noticeable because of marbles paler colors. Make Sure Your Wallet Gets There Too. With the maple butcher block top delivered, I decided to finish building my leather tooling table. I'd take whatever at that point. Either way, it is a must to have a slab for reducing inertia and putting the leather in place. Bye, bye. http://www.leatherworker.net/Bob%20Park/Casing%20Leather.pdf. In the image above you can see the third leg I added with an additional crossmember. Marble countertops last a long time for a reason, and that also applies to marble slabs in leatherworking. Cutting the back section was the hardest since it was a plunge cut and I was apparently too lazy to set up the stop to keep the saw from jolting backwards during the plunge. 2. We all know that having a good quality leatherworking slab is important as it affects the quality of a leatherworkers craft. If your surface bounces, you will have a hard time getting good results when tooling leather. I believe Grizzly tools also sells several of these block options too. Granite provides the leatherworker assurance that it will not break down or sustain any damage because of the chemicals being applied to the leather on top of it. I like the doughnut idea. Having a leatherworking slab of good quality is very important when it comes to having good quality work. Even though marble is a very durable material for leatherworking slabs, none can ever match the durability of granite as a leatherworking slab. What Im making will be a coffee sleeve to fit reusable Starbucks cups to shield the heat and provide grip. Certainly not as chincy as these ones from the kit I got recently. I was a little wary of cutting my brand new maple top. I previously marked the locations for the holes, now lets punch them using this diamond shaped awl. The Deep saw cut on the Granite one can be a place to stash a tool that has a tendency to roll off. There are more tutorials on his website http://www.paintingcow.com just sign up for his newsletterI see he also has books and video lessons there as well. I'd guess it's about 2 inches thick, and a bathroom sink size cut out. After tooling and drying its time to prepare the edges. Granite is stain, scratch, and heat resistant. It is also sturdy and gets little damage from long time use. That is the usual purpose of leatherworking slabs but granite does it even better, showing how it can be an indispensable piece in a leatherworking workstation. Granite and marble are two very durable materials. Upload or insert images from URL. It was a manmade product that was cement based, looked like granite. Here are some of the reasons why. The best natural stone for that purpose is either marble or granite. And as a person who appreciates manners in everyone thank you for being polite and making the gal smile. Buckaroo equipment, helping and getting told off usually. She comes back and tells me she can cut me a piece from scrap unfinished granite 2" thick 2'x2' for $250! So please check them out. Here is the tutorial by hidepounder on casing. And thats all there is to it, now lets see whether or not it is an improvement. As far as i can tell they are almost bullet proof. My name is Tony and I have been trying to develop my leatherworking skills. To help keep the tools organized and add more space I drille holes in a plank and attached to the wall with L-brackets. I don't begrudge anyone trying to make a buck but this seemed a bit off to me considering I could buy a perfect 1x1 from tandy for 50 bucks or something. I haven't learned to stamp yet, so I'm just practicing cutting straight lines, half circles and esses on a couple of really small pieces of scrap right now. Good job, perhaps you can go back with doughnuts and ask to poke around their dumpster again for a larger one? I attached the top to the apron using small L-brackets placed in the center of the table. Magnetic tool racks are really handy to store some of the smaller items like needles. You can post now and register later. As a final touch I sanded up the edges to clean it up. She tells me go take what you want from the dumpster out back. Lastly, we will also provide some tips leatherworkers can find in handy when looking for a leatherworking slab. Thats where the angle grinder comes in. Thanks for clarifying. Wow, never imagined such a fast response! (No bounce at all) My husband went to a granite counter top place and got me a sink cut for free. I typically wont switch them out often, so its probably ok. Heres my old stamp holder I made in a hurry a few years back. You can find Part 1 of this build here. I've read all the negative comments about the tools in the kits so I'm going to buy them separately. Most of the time, they give it to the leatherworker for free since it will not be functional for them, anyway. :D Have you tried it yet? Now its time to try out another totally new skill to me, which is butt stitching, where you stitch the edges together without leaving a line of stitches at the back. Before they buy a leatherworking slab for their workstation, a leatherworker should check if the table can handle the additional weight of the slab. Then switch the grinder on and try to cut as straight as possible making a back and forth motion to let the blade cut as efficiently as possible. Your previous content has been restored. Lets see how that turns out. For leatherworkers, having a durable slab where they can do their leather tooling and other leatherworking techniques is an essential. One can easily go to the nearest Home Depot and ask if they have marble or granite cutouts they can buy for cheap or get for free. Among the many known materials for slabs used in leatherworking, marble and granite are known to last for a long time. Good luck! But dont forget that the main topic of this video was finding a cheap piece of granite and cutting it to size to be able to do all the other stuff. Granite is more likely to resist heat resistance compared to other materials. Of course, the leatherworker is responsible for preparing the slab they got for free in the hardware store, which is a good price to pay for a high quality slab they can use for their craft. What Im currently working on is carving and tooling leather. I said thank you no problem and left. Thanks for reading! What color is the "micro fine? Although I am wondering if the single diamond awls might get their edges damaged from taking them on and off. This is important because sometimes, heat can develop especially if there is friction between leather and the slab where it was lying down while the leatherworker works on it. each. By Maybe a dumb question to someone used to building stuff, but as a beginner: would the design of this bench change significantly if the recessed portion was dropped? The only bad thing is most of their scrap will probably be broken pieces and it'll cost more to cut it into a square than it would be to just buy a pre-cut piece from somewhere. So you need to bring out the Swivel Knife Sharpening Jig and work out the nick on the blade. It will certainly get you started. I was wrong, first time this year, it is only 4" thick. And while you do that, Im going to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee. It does not need sealing or any other special maintenance technique because we will not eat on top of it. It is also a good option for those who appreciate aesthetics in workstations. People, Nature, Cosmos, Leatherwork, Woodwork, Metalwork, Fly Fishing, Computers, Music, Art, Crafts, & too many others to list. I'll start by saying I'm just getting started in learning leather working. Take a look in a Cemetery at the older marble stones the names and dates will be hard to read because their worn so bad and that's just from the weather. There's a couple of saw cuts at the top on the granite piece which there's nothing I can do about, but do I need to get too crazy trying to buff out the scratches? My piece was a dresser top that I found on the Dutch equivalent of Craigslist. , Archery,leatherwork,tinkering with anything. There is a reason why most kitchens prefer having granite countertops rather than any other material. The tools are obviously well used but they're in pretty decent condition and certainly good enough for a beginner. I do this by simply beveling all the edges with the smallest edge beveler. Slabs are heavy so make sure that the table where the slab is going to rest is stable enough to handle the sudden weight. Hi Mr. Lentz! The supplier at the grave yard broke a 3-4 inch thick piece by 18x36, I got 2 pieces free around 18x18 in size, but they are at least 100 lb. As you can see, its finished. As I was getting in my car, I decided I had to go back in and thank this woman again, and I think I surprised her by going back in there just to say thank you (especially because it's about 2 degrees out today) but it made my day when she smiled. It is known as one of the hardest materials available for leatherworking slabs. The why includes 4 stitches! To allow for a bit of error I measured things just over 1/8 wider than for a perfect flush fit. A tiny piece in the size that I currently own can be bought at Tandy for 20 US dollar, a piece twice that size goes for 35 dollars. Best Leather Perforating Tools For Fashionable and Functional Holes, Leather Gloves Perfect for Your Leatherworking Needs, Best Paints You Can Trust For Your Leather, Five Best Leather Pyrography Kit For Your Burning Needs, Pros Of Using Marble As Slab For Leatherwork, Pros Of Choosing Granite Slabs For Leatherwork. A heartfelt thank you goes a long way in these days where so many seem to just take things for granted. I have heard a lot of bad things about the chincy tools in the kits so I'm glad I put off buying them as long as I did. Attaboy Mike!!! The tools all have Craft tools USA on them. I got mine from a grave yard supplier. Which One Is The Better Leatherworking Slab? Also, marble slabs are usually polished and more refined to look at compared to other slabs used for leatherworking in general. Your mileage may vary on price but either way you will notice a considerable difference in sound and bounce no matter where you put the granite. You can mar the surface of marble with steel tools. I have this beautiful half hide of deer tanned cow that I want to make moccasin boots out of but I am afraid to cut it. Some leather workers take advantage of the hardware stores when they trash marble or granite cutouts from the tiles and flooring were cut. If you got a kit, I recommend watching the DVD if yours came with one or go onto Tandy's site and click the banner for "80 free how to videos" I think these "foreign made" stamps in the kits have an issue with being flimsy from what I've read here so holding them properly will help keep them from bending and breaking. Marble slabs are known to handle the striking from the mallet to the leather tools due to its very hard and solid composition. Display as a link instead, Marble and granite are undeniably beautiful rocks, and houses use them to decorate their spaces for a reason. I did not get a kit. Not only did you get yourself a couple of pieces that look like they will do fine, you also demonstrated that you are a good person. ", I had been practicing tracing and carving and was about to buy some stamps when my father-in-law called me about a set of tools he found for 150 bucks. LOL you sound like me. It is way too big and heavy, 35 kilograms, so it has to be cut into a more usable size. There are times that the leatherworker would apply glue to attach two pieces together. With something 3D shaped this is a bit more challenging. But it's heavy like 30#'s for a 19x17 oval 1" thick, and hard it sounds like your hitting a steel plate when your working. marble from the table and carve on the rubber mat, this prevents the swivel knife blade from getting in contact with the marble. The things I like to do are very random so I try to try out as many hobbies and crafts as possible and take you with me on that journey by making these videos. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. The side that has been cut will be very rough, so with some wet sandpaper of different grits I am going to clean it up and make it nice and smooth. In this video I am going to try leather carving and tooling for the very first time. Between the two, granite requires lesser maintenance compared to marble as a suitable leatherworking slab. Both have different qualities and both are widely used in leatherworking. The thickness helps with countering vibration due to its mass. Should I buy a thicker block of granite, such as the 3 one you used? In order to be able to stamp and tool I need a good working surface. Oh and needles, books and what not. BTW.. Mike516, January 1, 2012 in Getting Started. This was worth every second to plan and execute. I dont punch the hole chisels all the way through because later Im going to cut all the stitching holes individually at an angle, since this is going to be butt stitched. Your email address will not be published. Normally I flatten stitch lines by hitting the piece with a small hammer. So I figure - ok, ask because you're here and get out before you waste too much time with the second grouch. I am going to show you where to find the cheapest piece of granite and then cut it into the dimensions according my own specifications. Granite is also heat-resistant, and is also resistant to chemicals, dyes, varnishes, paints, and other liquids that can already dent a marble slabs outer appearance. The one behind it was purchased recently and while it takes up a bit of space, its much easier to see the stamps. Everyone is entitled to at least one a year. If we are aiming for a workstation that is pleasing to the eye but does not compromise the quality of work that we will be doing there in the future, using a marble slab might be the best idea for us. However, for some, they sell it to a much cheaper price, cheaper than buying a newly cut slab. I love coffee and leather, so why not combine the two? Thank you all again for the advice. True butcher blocks are glued together with the end grain facing up. After cutting butt stitch it up using a regular saddle stitch, but instead going from front to back, go from side to side. The leatherworker will not experience any bounce or whatsoever to the striking tools. They kind of get in the way of accessing the shelf below and I am sure there is a better way to engineer it with less! I really like what you have made and am really gratefull that you shared it with us since it makes it much easier for someone like me that is new to this craft and needs to built something without much experience with leatherwork and how the table should be built. If I decide to try and find something bigger later, I can spend more time looking since I already have something to use if someone chases me away while I'm looking through their garbage. Most leatherworkers want a slab that does not require them to spend a lot of time in maintaining it, so granite is the more suitable choice for this one. I really just started this week. The white one with the scratches can be a pattern weight if you want. Thus, it can be a bit hard to choose between the two because they seem to offer the same qualities. Marble is hard but soft at the same time. Old saddles Powered by Invision Community, Leather sewing machines Granite is more durable. I'm going to go to a stone place I know of near me and I'll take whatever scrap piece they'd be willing to give me, but given a choice And what's a good size if I'm not making a whole table out of it? Way Above Ordinary: Leather Groomsmen Gifts, Unique Gifts for a Special Guy: Handmade Leather Gifts for Fathers Day 2022, Going Somewhere? If you can't find the videos on there search Youtube for Tandy leather there are a few videos on there too. I would like to thank you for watching. Marble might be heavier than granite slabs but we can assure everyone that we can see ourselves using the same marble slab for the years to come. (wish I could afford them), I'm looking at this one right now http://paintingcow.cial-2009-10.pdf. Where did you find the tooling block I got piece that was left over from my kitchen counter top but like thickness of yours much better. Granites rock formation is more compact and solid compared to marble. In leatherworking, granite is more durable than leather because it can withstand consistent hitting and striking. I'm pretty sure they're sink cut-outs so that's probably about the size they all were in there. To cut the final inch or so on each edge I used a fine tooth hand saw. I looked around the forums and saw a lot of threads devoted to setting up a shop, and different types of slabs used to work on. It may crack over time, but the bigger problem would be that the stone would not have enough mass to mitigate bounce. Hi Simon that block measures 18 x 12 x 3 inches. Hello ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Tony Needs Hobbies. Let me know in the comments. Here are some of the reasons behind their choice. Before I got that, I had a 1 1/2"x 12"x 12" and thought that was great. I went to a couple of granite/marble places and right away, first place I go to, I find the Grinch that stole Christmas. It came with 2 swivel knives (not great but they work) several stamps, a holder and some projects that were started like I said. This allows for the normal expansion and contraction of the wood along the table apron. It is important to remember that this tip is to prevent the additional price and struggles in shipping for the granite or marble slab. Any brand will do. Granite resists easily to heat up to temperatures of 248C, and can even likely withstand temperatures shooting up to 650C. I've found a pretty good tooling surface if your limited on space like myself. Marble slabs come in so many colors from the usual white to black to gray and even green and light blue. That old style of table top was actually commonly used in leather shops in the past. Before cutting those holes I will finish the edge by slicking them it with gum trag and a piece of cotton before sealing it with beeswax and a slicker. There are several headstone makers around here also so that's a possibility but 6" thick? This material is very hard, but this 30 millimeters or 1 inch thick piece can be relatively easily cut using an all-purpose diamond cutting disc. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. You cannot paste images directly. Due to its lighter color compared to granite, marble tends to show its flaws and imperfections much more prominently. I start with 40 grit, move up to 100 grit and finish with 240 grit. And no I am not sponsored by any of the tools shown on these posts! Sometimes, the leatherworker would also apply dyes to enhance the appearance of the leather hide. I am a guy from the Netherlands who speaks bad English with an even worse Dutch accent. Marble and granite are two of the most common choices among leatherworkers and enthusiasts for different reasons, but mostly due to durability and stability. Good luck! Your link has been automatically embedded. Although it is my first go at this craft, I think it doesnt look too horrible. So I find another place not far from here. Granite is much better to use because aside from being a durable material, it is also resistant to so many factors and it requires little maintenance to the leatherworker without compromising the appearance of it. Paste as plain text instead, About an 1/8 to 1/4 above the table surface. Required fields are marked *. Marble is also more susceptible to damage from heat. The result doesnt need to be a shiny polished surface, but all the sharpness needs to be gone to prevent the granite scratching the leather. She says to me; "you mean you want me to cut you a 1 foot square from one of my big slabs out there?" First some background on granite while I pick up my cheap piece. I need to get a Walmart money card. Both are made of rocks, but granite is more durable than marble. I am not the biggest fan of how many legs there are currently on this table. Hi Zach, thats a good question actually and if you are putting a heavy marble slab on top you want to make sure you do it right the first time! Hopefully they message me back and let me know where they saw it When I get the rounders I ordered I'll be able to practice more. I don't have any heavy duty tools so I couldn't cut it myself. I would go with the largest block you can get. There's a place in my area where I bought all the pavers for my patio - I'll just mention I'm a returning customer . I think one or both are edgers but I haven't gotten past stamping with a camouflager yet. Meanwhile this leather, which was soaked in water to prepare for stamping, has to dry for 24 hours before the next step, edge finishing and butt stitching. Now lets find out if this larger and heavier work surface improves the toolability and my capability of turning this into something nice. There's got to be at least 60 craft tool stamps, a rawhide mallet, an old old swivel knife and a bunch of patterns and scrap leather. I am not sure myself, but I would try posting that question in a woodworking forum like sawmillcreek.org there seems to be a lot of experienced people on that forum. Hi Nick, I would say 1/3 thick is definitely too small. Basically, these are pics of what I ended up with. Have fun watching. It is a resilient material which is perfect for leatherworking, especially leather tooling. Then I will make a coffee sleeve, suitable for reusable Starbucks coffee cups. There are other leatherworkers who also apply varnishes and other chemicals to improve the overall quality of the leather, and most of the time, they do it on top of the slab they use for leatherworking. He did it in a PDF file so you can download it and print for your file. I will donate when I get enough cash. I will tell you where to look and how to turn it into a reasonably sized and usable slab so that I can turn this piece of leather into a tooled coffee sleeve. The white marble has some scratches on it (it was in a dumpster after all) but I think it's ok for leatherworking, no? They'd only be an issue if they were deep like gouges right? This isnt a true butcher block of course, its the modern cheaper kind that most are familiar with. Now I hope this video was useful for you and that you enjoyed watching it. Imagine I go get myself a 6" thick piece of granite and I'm like; "hey look at this pic of what I got guys!!!" So, I go back there, and not to be greedy or dawdle before someone came out back and told me no, I grab the first 2 pieces that look reasonable and take off. It can withstand consistent striking and close contact to the leatherworking tools. Having a thick leatherworking slab will make a better choice in leatherworking, given the amount of striking and blunt force it is going to sustain while the leatherworker is working on his piece. I used a piece of granite that was about a 1 inch thick for several years and it worked fine but a 3 or 4 inch thick works even better. Granite is magmatic rock that is massive, hard, tough and dense. Many years ago I only used the cheapo ones from the big box store and had a hell of a time making clean cuts.