Leather Writing Surface

I have seen some good work from:

http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/Tangle

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I would think contact cement would be one way to attach leather.

-- Maplewood, MN

contact cement is what I use. Use special care to bond the center first and take great care to work your way out. bubbles are a bear to get out.

-- making sawdust....

Hi there,
You need to decide what kind of leather you what on the desk top. Take a trip to your local Tandy/Leather Factory store and look at leather. You will probably want a thin smooth leather of the uphostery/ garment type. I’m going to guess you want about 3 oz. leather. The chrome tanned upholstery leather. I’ve got a customer here. so will be back later.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Thanks guys. I found the Tandy store on-line, and they have one over in Wichita (about an hour away).
Thos.Angle, thats the exact info I was wrangling for, appreciate it.

I’ll more than likely wait until the weather gets warmer before I take the trip out there.

Any tips, tricks or gotcha info would be great. Never done this before and really don’t
want to mess it up, specially after putting in all the time and money into it.

-- Still learning everything

Hi
It’s been awhile since I have put a leather top on one of my desks but I would be careful about the use of contact cement because it is very difficult to adjust the fit and I find it impossible to mate exactly as needed.I believe some are better at it.I would tend to use an epoxy glue,but not a 5 minute mix type.

Sorry it took so long to get back you. The customer was a rancher I’m building a saddle for. Anyway, usually the leather on a desk top is not veg tanned ( Oak) which is carving leather. Nor is latigo used because of the wax. Harness or bridle have the same problems. Many old desks have a rolled on gold leaf inlay pattern on the edges. I would suggest you glue the leather to a substrate of MDF because of the density and smoothness. The glue you want is Barge Contact Cement. Be sure to get some thinner for it as well. Cut the piece of leather larger than the MDF and coat both MDF and leather with the glue. Let it sit until it is dry. Lay pieces of waxed paper on the substate and start to lay the leather in the middle. Fold the leather in half with the glue out. Pull it tight and lay it across the MDF on just the center of the board. Start in the middle and press the leather flat across the board. Move the waxed paper a little and press the leather down from the center out. continue until the side is done and do the other side the same way. Slow is best here. Hold the leather up off the board and press it down with out wrinkles. With Barge you can lift and reset if you need to. When you get is all layed use a laminate roller to finish the seal. I would suggest you wrap the leather over the edge of the board. This will take some careful planning at the corners. To trim use an Exacto knife.
I am intending to do desk with a carved leather top but will put glass over it. Pencils and pens will indent this type of leather. Good luck. If you need, contact me by PM and I will try to help you.

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Thos. Angle seems to be the leather guy! That was great information!

-- making sawdust....

Fantastic information from all, and a special thanks to Thos.Angle!

I’m getting excited about this project and may end up heading
over to Tandy’s this weekend or next if I can get some time away
from all my other projects/chores around the house.

This will be used in a portable writing desk, similar to the old civil
war era styles of military writing desks. I want to step it up a bit
and make it a bit more higher-end and think that some quality leather
as the writing surface will really set it off.

I will of course post the progress on it when it begins (with pictures).
Still in the design/thought stages and have not yet decided on the
wood species (leaning towards cherry and mahogany).

Gold leaf and inlays are a definite maybe.

Thanks again all!

-- Still learning everything