Im really interested in getting a Bell Skiver for leather working. Hand skiving is time consuming and risky. Is there any budget and desire for this machine? Im a bag maker so i really need it. Thanks y’all
1 Like
I am moderately sure that Leather has some sort of skiver.
2 Likes
The skiver they have is for splitting for straps. The bell skiver is for seam allowance which you cant do on big bag pieces on that small hand tool. It’s apples and oranges.
1 Like
I would suggest going to the Creative Arts committee meeting to ask for this.
It will need to be voted on by the committee, then approved by the Treasurer or BOD depending on the cost.
It’s best to be prepared. IE justification for buying, where it’s going to reside, classes for it if required, Etc
This is the link to the next meeting.
https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/events/view/23190
4 Likes
I have two concerns about a bell skiver . One is expense , the other is safety . I have been trained and have used a bell skiver a good bit and understand how to use one safely . However , they can be very dangerous machines without some extensive training and experience . That spinning bell blade can strip a finger to the bone in a split second . I am not sure that DMs is a good place to have a bell skiver on a bench even though I would love to have access to one for my projects. Tim is right about the process with a committee meeting etc .
1 Like
I mean, it’s kind of a Jointer for leather. I have not used one, so I do not understand if it is inherently more dangerous than our wood joiner. And I’d love to see one in use- even if not in our shop.
Cost seems to be 900-1600 depending on new/used.
CA’s Rubric for new tools looks like this:
How many ppl already know how to use one.
How many additional ppl want it and have actual use cases for it.
The ppl that are driving the ask should make the class for it/gather the class materials.
It will also need committed teachers w/ a track record of teaching at DMS.
THEN:
Size
Cost
Maint Cost
Durability/Fragility
Difficulty to train
1 Like
Just adding my 2 cents here.
I’ve sat in over 12 CA meetings and haven’t heard this brought up.
But back to Kevin and Amelia’s responses, we need all that info before we can vote on it.
The cost is a big investment and definitely need enough members willing to commit to using it, taking classes and committed teachers as well as safety training.
I can already sense the “I didn’t know” situation when a finger gets cut off cause they thought they didn’t need training. #adults
Plus with Kevin’s concern for safety as our Chief Legal Officer weighs heavy for me in not investing in one right now.
Gena
1 Like
The other significant thing is – where does it go? It sounds like it couldn’t just be put on a table, based on the safety/training concerns.
It comes in its own table and like ALL the other equipment it would need to have a trained member oversee it etc. goes with leather making. Its essential for leather bags. There are piles of opportunities everywhere.
Actually no the problem isn’t organizing. We have a lot of equipment and items used for several classes with lack of room in CA studio.
Easels for art classes
Looms for fiber
Warping tools for fiber
Bench already taking up space for leather
We are 1 committee that have several SIGs, special interest groups that have a lot of items that have been donated over the years for our members and classes. We have a lot of classes that use these tools so it’s not organizing. That’s where they belong since our space is limited.
As the fine arts Sig leader, i keep inventory in our cabinets and also store our easels together for members classes and our painters who use the workspace at night. We don’t have closets big enough.
So please tell me where this will go. Plus this isn’t an overnight decision. We need more than 1 member who works with leather to ask, we need a set place, and we need a committed teacher… board discussion.
Are you eligible to teach and commit? Right now we have 1 leather teacher plus 1 chair of the committee.
Also the safety as our legal officer mentioned.
You’re welcome to come to our CA meeting but we’re not going to get anywhere in talk. There are processes and votes/approvals as well as due diligence to present to the board.
3 Likes
Wow i touched a nerve. As a newbie I apologize. Just figuring things out and trying to share my love of bag making by teaching in sewing area.
If it were me id get rid of gifted materials that hang around too long. You gotta love your materials to invest time with them.
I want to make leather bags. So for me a Bell Skiver is essential. I assumed there was already one because I saw “leather working”. Ill come and try and figure out how we can grow in the leather work area.
Thanks, Lizzy
3 Likes
I would love if we had a bell skiver. I ended up getting my own 206RB5 and would definitely have use for a bell skiver. Expect a lot of resistance, on getting it, beyond hand tools our leather working stuff is lacking. We have the Thor, but that thing is useless for 95% of the leather projects we’d do at the space.
I’ll keep an eye open for any bag classes if you decide to do one!
2 Likes
Most helpful reply! You won one free simple mending! For your kindness!
Would love to meet you and see what you are doing!
Don’t get me wrong, I too would love to have a bell skiver . I could train folks on how to use it safely, but it would have to be locked down tight. I am just pointing out that it would have to be locked with a rfid reader and be linked to an authorized directory of trained users like similarly dangerous machines elsewhere in the makerspace . I am not sure what else in CA has an rf interlock . I also do not see our current board of directors authorizing the expenditure without a plan for how it would drive more users to the space .
2 Likes
Or retain the ones already here?
2 Likes
Agreed with everything. A Skiver plus the Thor cylinder is a sweet combo for bag making!! Could be amazing. Without the skiver the Thor sits.
Nothing currently, but once Rich is ready, I’ll be adding one to Thor.
Bell Skiver, super useful tool like mentioned, I would also love to have one. But like has been mentioned, there has been little to no solid argument for one. Just the occasional “Wouldn’t it be nice if…” comment once a blue moon.
Personally I equate the options along with, “How does this help DMS educate” which is really our primary goal. “What skill can folks take away from this”.
The bell skiver is really just a means to an end, thinning leather edges quickly and neatly. Something that could be (albeit tediously) done by hand.
And like mentioned above, it is for sure a pricey (and very feral) beasty and so having one in Creative Arts would take some serious discussion, as well as a dedicated commitment from a group (not just one or two) of trainers / maintainers / first aiders. (As well as a cage for the beast)
Don’t get me wrong, we’ve purchased worst tools in the past and I’m not saying we won’t ever get one. We just need a very solid foundation to justify its place at the leather table.
NGL Kinda hurt a little but you aren’t totally incorrect and i’m a big boy and I can take it 
What you most likely saw the other day was a fairly recent donation of materials that have not made their way to their forever homes yet. We get donations a lot, but not many volunteers to help me sort through them (not to mention the time to do it). The helpers I do have are amazing, and i’m always looking for more. (Please don’t take this as a sign to just go do it. I do actually need to be involved so I can actively find homes for things)
Organizing the room is constantly in flux, as things come and go, as well as the waves of focus. Some weeks we’re all focused on painting, the next might be leather, or airbrushing, or weaving. We change modes as often as we change socks.
Hopefully that wasn’t too gibberish, its late and i’m sleepy.
Thanks for setting up your class, I wish I could learn zippers! (but i’m another 9-5 worker)
4 Likes
I dig the tandy safety skiver for easy skiving. they if you want super detailed their pro tools, or other expsive ones are good. you get what ya pay for with the detailers.
I’m a newbie here, but would love to have a skiver as well. As a home-business leather owner I am aware of how expensive some of these machines can be for a single user - is there a possibility of donating a machine to the space in the sense of maybe splitting costs for a machine and having DMS cover some of it? I would certainly consider it.
Just a thought!
Excited to be here!
1 Like