Suede linings

[Gerard Scanlan]

I have lined several boxes in the past with pig suede (from an old coat) and I am now about to buy some virgin hides and I was wondering if anyone who does this regularly could tell me what adhesive works best (in the longer term) I have been using rubber cement glue up until now. I reckoned if contact cement was good enough to attach a heel to a boot it would also work in a box. I also saw a handbag maker on the fantastic 'how its made' use it to stick the various parts of a handbag together. I have not been able to find much literature on how to go about lining boxes so I have just learnt by trail and error up to now. However if anyone could point me in the right direction I would be very appreciative.

 

[deserter]

Not sure for to timber but when i used to make hand stitched books, I used PVA to attach hides to cardboard.


~Nil carborundum illegitemi~

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

You can use either wallpaper paste or scotch. Scotch was traditionally used to stick down leathers and skivers on desks and bureaux, also for lining writing slopes, however most restorers these days use wallpaper paste, it works really well and is "as cheap as chips" as one rather orange antique dealer is fond of saying. If you make up a solution of wallpaper paste, brush on a thin coat to the wood and leave to dry overnight, this will prime the surface. The next day paste on a slightly more generous coat and place your pig skiver on, pat and rub the leather into position with a dry rag, wipe away any excess glue with a damp rag, leave to dry then trim off any excess leather with a scalpel or craft knife.
The advantage of using this glue over any sort of contact or PVA glue is that it will give you more time to position your leather and if it all goes horribly wrong you can remove the leather wash off the glue and start again.
I'm sure if you give this method a try you will never go back to using contact or PVA.
This method is also good for sticking down baize, but I personally prefer scotch.
Hope this helps.
mrpercysnodgrass.

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

Thank you very much mrpercysnodgrass. That is just the kind of information I was looking for. All the information I have been able to find on the internet has been mostly people with not much experience showing how they lined a box as an after thought and none of them look like professionally lined boxes to me!

Gerard

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Your welcome. Good luck with your project.