Studio/Safety: Setting up a Crafts studio, Part 2--Cobbling, Leatherworking, & Distressing Equipment

[labricoleuse]

Here's the second part of my four-part studio setup series, but first i should give you guys a heads-up on a couple of very exciting things i've got coming up.

First up will be an in-depth report on the exhibit, What We Wore in North Carolina, a huge exhibit at the NC Museum of History in Raleigh, the first installment (of a planned two) of which just opened and runs through February 19, 2007. The exhibit covers over 200 years of fashion and reputedly has an excellent collection of antique pieces. I'll let you know all about it!

And second, admittedly exponentially cooler: I've swung backstage access to the wardrobe department of The Lion King. Reportage will be most assuredly forthcoming late next week. I'm so excited i might as well be doing the pee-dance. I did work on the rebuild of Julie Taymor's King Stag that the American Repertory Theatre did a few years back, and at that time i had the singular opportunities of being able to observe milliner Denise Wallace rebuilding those hats with the then-new thermoformable felt Fosshape, and myself refurbishing masks Taymor herself built originally around twenty years ago. Being able to see inside Taymor's TLK designs, particularly the ones that came out of the Michael Curry Design Studio...wow. I can't wait!


Now, to return to my series about setting up a crafts studio, today's focus is on shoe repair, leatherworking, and costume distressing supplies.


Let's start with industrial equipment and power tools. (Ideally, you'd have all of these in your craft area, but that's going to be a rare situation.)

Industrial patcher machine--this is a free-arm industrial machine with an oscillating shuttle. With one of these you can turn shoes into boots and do many repairs down inside of shoes and boots.

Industrial walking-foot machine--wonderful for stitching leather.

Airbrush (compressor or canned-air models)--useful for very fine toning when distressing, or creating an ombre effect with paint instead of a dye process.

Palm sander--will save your arm muscles a world of hurt if you have to break down new shoes and boots.


Here is a suggested supply list specific to leathercrafting:

Strap cutter
Jiffy/"hit-to-fit" rivets
Poprivets + gun
Industrial snaps/setters
Grommets/setters
Awls/punches
A range of leather dyes
Daubers
Leather Weld
Leather Cement
Lexol conditioner
Lexol cleaner

These should allow your craftsperson to make a range of leather items, from belts to armor parts.


Here are some shoe-specific inventory suggestions:

Magix/Nu-life paints (sprays)
Angelus/Tarrago paints (brush-on)
Edge dye for shoe soles
Shoe rubber
Shoe iron & boot iron
Rubber or poly-head mallet
Adjustable shoe stretchers (M & F versions)
Shoe-Stretch spray
1812 adhesive

Are you going to be doing in-house distressing? If so, you'll probably want to stock these things:

Acrylic paints
Fabric medium
Textile paints
Preval sprayer bottles
Scalpels
Rougher
Sandpaper/sanding blocks


The following products are indispensible, but are considered respiratory hazards, so should only be used by craftspeople who have been trained and fit-tested for respirators and using the proper cartridges:

Acetone
Denatured alcohol
Barge adhesive & solvent

There you have it, my recommendations for inventory and equipment, if you plan to do shoe repairs, leatherworking, and distressing in-house! Next in this series, I'll address millinery supplies, and the fourth installment will be a mishmash of everything else that falls into the craftsperson's lap, as it were.


Lastly, unrelated to upcoming posts here or setting up a studio, I recommend checking out Entwinements, the blog of the shibori studio of Karren K. Brito in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She's got a ton of really informative in-depth posts about her shibori artwear creations. Fascinating, creative, inspiring stuff!

Comments

[dethany.livejournal.com]

Can you recommend a good brand of leather cement? Is it and online order thing only?

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

Depends on what you want to use it for. I like to have these 3 kinds of leather glue around that have different properties:

Leather Weld is a water-based white glue, slowish to dry, easy to clean up, dries kind of shiny and hardish.

Tanner's Bond Leathercraft Cement is also a water-based white glue, slightly quicker dry-time, thicker in the bottle, dries more flexibly.

Barge you know about. Stinky, dangerous, contact adhesive, dries boogery and rubbery.

Tandy carries those 3 brands and has retail locations all over the place--it's probably the most convenient and if there's not one near you, they do mail order off their website. If there is one nearby though, it's worth it to keep an eye on their sales and pick stuff up from the store to save on shipping. They also will sell you stuff at a cheaper cost sometimes in-store if you mention you are using it in a business instead of hobbyist situation.