I bought Paul Long's DVD on Basic Sheath Making and have enjoyed it thoroughly. I do have a question that maybe someone will be able to answer. When Mr. Long is using his contact cement it appears that the consistency is much different than mine. My contact cement is thick, lumpy, and generally very difficult to use. Does anyone know if he dilutes his cement with something? As with everything he does in the video, he makes it seem easy. A true artist.
Contact Cement
- Thread starter Chall
- Start date
Doug Lester
Well-Known Member
It might be just the make of cement that he uses. From what I understand there really isn't that much difference in the contact cements. I would just use according to directions and not worry about any lumps in it. Just try to apply it evenly.
Doug
Doug
Darrin Sanders
Moderator
I'm assuming that he uses Weldwood contact cement because that is what he advised me to use. I took his advice and find that it works great.
Paul Long
Well-Known Member
Just found this thread.
I use Barge Contact Cement, purchased in gallon containers, but Weldwood original formula is very similar. I use a glue pot (teflon), and I do dilute my cement with Barge thinner ( also in gallons) mixed in the glue pot. I want my cement to be about the consistency of table syrup or maybe just a bit thinner. I nearly always use two coats of cement prior to joining the pieces. The reasoning here is to let the first coat really penetrate the fibers of the leather and then the second coat re-activate the first coat and the result is bonding fiber to fiber instead of surface to surface. Much , much more reliable bond. In fact, when it cures the leather will tear before the bond separates. Check the formula of the cement you use and if it contains Toluene, then a store product named Toulene (Paint Dept.) will probably do the thinning job okay. I have never tired it personally, but logic says it should work. Most cements and thinners are available in packaging of less than gallons, but I use so much it's more convenient and less expensive for me to use the larger containers.
Further, the Teflon glue pot available from, Tandy and others, while a bit expensive is well worth it IF you do a pretty fair volume of work and cement quite a bit. The brush with the glue pot makes application a lot easier and more precise than trying to use a tube. The teflon pot also makes a very convenient container for thinning the cement, and the design of the pot is very good for storing the cement between uses as it traps the fumes and makes for pretty long storage capability. Mine is refilled frequently so storage is not a great problem for me, but you might have to thin it again if you go too long between uses
PS: A third DVD is set for release about the end of November or the first part of December. Available from the same source as listed below in my sig line. If I recall I think (?) the cement thickness is discussed and demonstrated in this DVD, but that is IF my memory hasn't failed me.:9: I haven't as yet seen it myself.
PS #2: Yep!, I got to see the DVD preview today and the bit about the thin cement is one of the segments.
Paul
I use Barge Contact Cement, purchased in gallon containers, but Weldwood original formula is very similar. I use a glue pot (teflon), and I do dilute my cement with Barge thinner ( also in gallons) mixed in the glue pot. I want my cement to be about the consistency of table syrup or maybe just a bit thinner. I nearly always use two coats of cement prior to joining the pieces. The reasoning here is to let the first coat really penetrate the fibers of the leather and then the second coat re-activate the first coat and the result is bonding fiber to fiber instead of surface to surface. Much , much more reliable bond. In fact, when it cures the leather will tear before the bond separates. Check the formula of the cement you use and if it contains Toluene, then a store product named Toulene (Paint Dept.) will probably do the thinning job okay. I have never tired it personally, but logic says it should work. Most cements and thinners are available in packaging of less than gallons, but I use so much it's more convenient and less expensive for me to use the larger containers.
Further, the Teflon glue pot available from, Tandy and others, while a bit expensive is well worth it IF you do a pretty fair volume of work and cement quite a bit. The brush with the glue pot makes application a lot easier and more precise than trying to use a tube. The teflon pot also makes a very convenient container for thinning the cement, and the design of the pot is very good for storing the cement between uses as it traps the fumes and makes for pretty long storage capability. Mine is refilled frequently so storage is not a great problem for me, but you might have to thin it again if you go too long between uses
PS: A third DVD is set for release about the end of November or the first part of December. Available from the same source as listed below in my sig line. If I recall I think (?) the cement thickness is discussed and demonstrated in this DVD, but that is IF my memory hasn't failed me.:9: I haven't as yet seen it myself.
PS #2: Yep!, I got to see the DVD preview today and the bit about the thin cement is one of the segments.
Paul
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