Came across a book in a bookstore yesterday and saw something interesting. Unfortunately, the book covers quite a bit of what I need to learn (tools, lacing, stitching) but then also covers a lot of things I don't want to learn (handbag making, etc). So I guess I'm gonna have to spend a few days visiting the store and reading the sections I'm interested in :-)
Anyhow, this is my first attempt at shaping the bottom piece of the covering. Basically, I outlined the drum on a piece of chip board, cut out the circle with a jigsaw, added to a second piece of board raised the approximate height for the overlap required, nailed part of the leather to the bottom board, then pushed the left over cutout down over the leather. Unfortunately, in my haste I did not take into account the thickness of the leather and the thickness of the blade difference, ie. leather thicker than blade, so it was an extremely tight fit trying to get the cutout over the circle now covered with leather. In the process, the one side cracked as it's only chipboard and not very strong allowing a slight fold in the leather at that point and scratching about a 2cm section of the bend. But it looks like it accomplishing what I wanted it to do, so far anyways. I'll only find out tomorrow once the leather has dried and I remove the cut out. But it looks good enough for now, especially for a first try...not folds visible.
For future referrence I'll need to do the following.
1. Make the cutout a little bigger or if possible buy a thicker blade that will accomodate the thickness of the leather.
2. Use a stronger wood like pine or something.
3. Nail the leather done in such a fashion that it creates a "tent" over the shape, then apply the cutout and clamps so that it (the cutout) pulls/stretches the leather into the necessary shape.
