"Oil it with 1/3"; with what? Which kind of oil should be used here? One Swedish guy used some silicone lubricant/cream/paste after cleaning his stove in his Youtube video.
Hi Hessu, I use sewing machine oil, it's very light and won't gum up over time. It's available at Walmart here, you can purchase online, fave material store or go to your local Sewing Machine service/repair/sales center.
Presumably that's meant to mean 3-in-1 oil. It's a light machine oil that comes in cans with a spout. It seems they've changed the name slightly to '3-in-one' oil. I'm sure it used to be '3-in-1' when I last bought some a few years back. They just can't leave anything alone, can they. Nostalgia? - it ain't what it used to be, that's for sure...
I've been using the light '3-in-One' oil on my pump leathers since the very early 1970's. Keeps the leather very supple, never 'gums up' and gives a smooth easy pump action.
I just read the thread about making your own pump washers. Excellent posts with very helpful pics. If I may add one little note to the thread.....When you soak your leather to soften it, make a mixture of 1/2 water and 1/2 isopropyl alcohol. The alcohol speeds the drying time enormously. Essentially, you have just made your own "boot stretch" mixture to help with tight fitting leather footwear at about 1/8th the ccost. My tuppence Dave
Awesome result of the site search function. THANK YOU ALL!! I may try to make one today. My wife found some leather I can use. I say make one because I buy mine from Sefaudi, but I need one very small one for a blow torch. Ken in NC
G,,day Ken. a suggestion. depending on how you mould the cup, I mould first then punch the hole and cut/trim to depth if you punch the hole first it will stretch out of shape. also if you try to cut to the correct size first it is unlikely to end up the shape you want. hope that helps cheers, kerry
also the tighter fit between outer mould, inner mould and leather the better finish. how tight, experiment, the leather makes a big difference. I look forward to the results of both kerry
If it's a very small pumped blowlamp, cut a circle roughly half as big again as the tube (trial & error) then punch a small mole in the centre & wet the leather a little, place on the plunger assembly & push into the tube, let it dry, take it out reverse it & away you go Stu.
I have used the shanks of worn out army boots as a source for pump leathers and other washers (the washers were not for stove use!).
Thank you for the help I found some leather at my local craft store I just hope it's not too soft The thickness seems to be good about 1.7mm
I use leather sleeve patches for this. Available from most haberdashers. You have to cut away the holes they (sometimes) punch for sewing them on but that produces leather strips which are good for gripping parts with pliers avoiding scratch marks.
Just had a look at my leather box and I find some leather from old discarded couches the correct size for washers/ cups, so had a go at making them. Nearest was a 17 mm drill so used it to make a hole in a nilon cutting board then turned a podgier out of nilon round. It worked well. Cut the leather with a hole punch soaked it then pressed it in, after a wile I took the podgier out and let it dry. Punched a hole in the middle and fitted , so good and easy. So any one that finds an old leather couch cut the leather out of it. Cheers Rob
Nice one. I was trying to find what a podgier was.... sounds like it should be French. Up here we have a Podger - that is a spanner with a round prong on one end to help align the holes in scaffolding. It would be something like the same action to press the leather inside a tube to set it to shape. I fit newly cut and soaked washers reversed on the pump plunger and press them into the pump tube. They sit there for a bit forming into shape. After a while - some hours- they can be withdrawn and turned around and oiled up. They usually pump just fine on the first try. In an emergency I skip the waiting part! Couch or old car seat leather - hmm that is a thought.