• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

How do I Store Leather in a Small Shop?

March 28, 2019 By Nadeem Muaddi 1 Comment

The Hog Ring - How do I Store Leather in a Small Shop

I’m planning some workshop improvements and one thing I want to look at is how the hides are stored.

At the moment, they’re draped over beams that act as “horses,” but these take up a lot of room and often the hide I want is at the bottom! On the plus-side, it keeps the hides nice and crease-free.

If I had the space I’d have more horses and not worry about it, but things are never that easy.

I’m looking at the possibility of hanging the hides from hooks high up, but I’m not sure if that would lead to creases in the leather. Storing them rolled is another option, but it seems difficult to tell at a glance what the hide is and how much there is left of it without unrolling the whole thing… So how should I store hides in my trim shop?

— Dean McConnell of Trimworks in Leicester, Leicestershire, UK


Hi Dean,

Thanks for your question. Hide storage is a big issue for a lot of our clients, especially when shop space is at a premium.

You highlighted three common storage options. In our experience, the best option when space is available is to use a horse for storage. This method allows the leather to relax and stretch naturally over time. This helps to remove small folds and creases that may have formed in handling and transport.

Now, understanding that you have space issues, I’ll add my thoughts on your suggested options:

1. Hanging on a hook is an option that we tend to avoid. It looks good for display purposes, but over time will create an uneven stretching of the hide as a lot of stress will be in the area near the hook. We would only recommend this as a short-term solution to let the hides relax.

2. Leaving leather rolled is also an option, but the caveat is that the cardboard tubes used for shipping can sometimes affect the leather. The edges of the hide can also leave an impression in the layers adjacent to it in the roll.

Also of note, all plastic should be removed from the leather so that it can breathe. We have seen cases where the roll has gone from one climate to another, and then has either dried or formed mold while inside the plastic wrap.

3. If space is an issue, I feel the best solution could be to hang a PVC drainage pipe from the ceiling (like those used in ditch drainage). We use a 12” (30cm) diameter pipe in our shop and it works well. It’s a relatively inexpensive solution. I think we paid about $95 for a 14’ long pipe.

If height permits, you could also create a pulley system to raise it up.

Then add a conventional style horse on wheels beneath it. The leather can then be moved from one horse to the other when needing to get to a buried hide.

I realize this solution may not work in all circumstances, but this is what worked for us in the tight confines of our shop.

I hope this helps in your storage needs.

Aaron


Aaron Laithwaite is founder and CEO of Hydes Leather. To ask him a question about automotive leather, email info@thehogring.com. Learn more about Hydes Leather at HydesLeather.com. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Filed Under: Archive, How-to, Site Sponsors Tagged With: Ask Aaron, Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, Genuine Leather, Hydes Leather

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Saverio Armogida says

    February 21, 2021 at 11:27 am

    Hello Aaron, I am interested in knowing more about the pulley system you had mentioned previously for storing leather and materials in rolls. Would you have anymore information as well as pictures or diagrams which could illustrate what you are talking about. I own a photo lab and we make albums with leather and other materials that come in skins and rolls. Our area is not as big as I would like but we have to make the best of it for now. Please let me know you thoughts and or ideas about this.

    Thanks,

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation RIght Rail - Ad 2
Top Down Group
Apex Leather
  • GAHH Automotive
  • Hyde Leather
  • Moore & Giles Ad 1
  • Keyston Bros
  • Albright's Supply
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Premium Auto Fabrics

THR Favorites

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Chevrolet Chevelle Door Panel

Design Studio: 1964-67 Chevelle Door Panel

In continuation of our door panel series, … [more] about Design Studio: 1964-67 Chevelle Door Panel

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Faurecia flat-seam stitch

Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

Faurecia, one of the largest automotive … [more] about Faurecia Introduces Flat-Seam Stitching

The Hog Ring - How to Upholster a Steering Wheel

This is How to Upholster a Steering Wheel

Want to learn how to upholster a steering … [more] about This is How to Upholster a Steering Wheel

The Hog Ring - What You Need to Know About Fleet Work

What You Need to Know About Fleet Work

Repairing vehicle seats for fleet service … [more] about What You Need to Know About Fleet Work

How to Sew Hexagon Pleats

Last month there was a lot of talk within our … [more] about How to Sew Hexagon Pleats

Is Auto Upholstery Under-Appreciated?

How often does this happen to you? A customer … [more] about Is Auto Upholstery Under-Appreciated?

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • The Genesis GV60 has a Crystal Sphere on its Console
  • Mississippi Auto Trim Shop Destroyed in Fire
  • Find a Job in Auto Upholstery
  • There’s a New Bitchin Stitchin Class for Building Consoles
  • Enter to Win Hydes Leather Build of the Month!

Recent Comments

  • Izet on Find a Job in Auto Upholstery
  • Janice Lamp on Impacted by Coronavirus? Apply for a Forgivable Loan
  • markspencer on 2019 SEMA Show Hosts Student Career Day
  • Jerome on Convertible Tops in Any Color You Want!
  • Christopher Collins on Custom Dashboards Made to Order

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.
anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in