Sizing Cuff Bracelets

[JustWakinUp]

Ok, I've been working on a few things with cuffs just to wet my whistle making them.

I'm interested in a precise way to make a very nicely fitted cuff.

I made up one this evening but I think the ID ( Inside Dimension ) is shorter than what

I was sizing it for.

I decided that I wanted a nice fit for someone with a 6.5" wrist.

I cut the leather 7.25" long adding 3/4 of an inch to the diameter for overlap & snap height.

****WRONNNGGG - I think the ID of the Cuff now is only 6"

So my question is this, what is the best way to size a cuff for a nice fit?

I know that using buckles and such would be somewhat easier because you can adjust to

length etc, but when using snaps is there a default percentage of an inch to add?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[CitizenKate]

Oo! Oo! I figured that one out! (After some bad mistakes, mind you! ) I'm not sure why a 7.5-inch strip of leather doesn't fit around a 6.5-inch wrist. I've just accepted that it doesn't and have moved on. Here's what worked for me:

Take a piece of poster board, and cut a 2 or 3-inch wide strip about 12-inches long. Then take a ruler and mark a 1/8"-inch grid along one edge of the strip. It helps to put major divisions at the 1-inch and 1/4-inch marks. This is your size model.

Now, when you want to determine what length of leather (allowing for snaps, etc.) will fit a particular wrist size, just wrap your size model to the size you need, then wrap a piece of leather around it. Works every time!

Kate

[JustWakinUp]

oooohhhh that's good KATE. I'll try that method tomorrow.

I think that one is going to be hard to top,but im interested

in others thoughts too.. DANG KATE THAT"s GOOD !

[AgronZoti]

The thickness of the material is

what shortens the length when you wrap something around an object.

We can start with a box shape. If

u have a lid u want to make for a box shape that’s 10x10 cm. and the thickness

of the material is 0,4 cm the total length of width has to be 10 cm plus 2 times

the thickness So, 10 cm + 0,4 +0,4 = 10,8… as u can se its rather substantial

deferens of 8 % in this case. And the thinker the material is the greater the

difference is.

So we come to the round shape.

Now don’t get scared of math terms tend to do that to people. The formula is

rather basic… Total Length = (Material Width * Pi) + object length.

Lets add some numbers well use

the same ones as in the box.

The object was 10 cm and

thickness of material was 0,4 mm..

(0,4 * PI)+10 = 11,25664 cm

and if u don’t have Pi function

on calculator

(0,4 * 3,14)+10 = 11,256

The Math Pi can be substituted by using the number 3,14 witch is a rounded value of PI

So all u gota do is measure the

wrist, the thickness of the material and multiply the thickness with 3,14…

It might look complicated but

it’s a rather simple straight forward formula.

The problem is that this holds

100% true in solid materials like metal… but leather is rather odd and changes

shape by working with it… to ensure the least amount of material trickery… color

and treat the material as much as u can before making the final cuts…. This will

minimize the shrinking or loosening of the material. Stiching can also realy shrink the length.

Hope it helps…

[JustWakinUp]

hmmmmz, I tried the math thing with the cuff i was goofing with last night and

it would've fell wayyyyyy short of actual length.

Material = .11" * Pi =3.14

Wrist = 6.5"

6.5+.345 = 6.84

If I would've cut the leather that short it wouldn't fit a 5.75" wrist

** Try it and let me know, im interested in this math thing but in this case

it didn't work out

Edited January 28, 2009 by JustWakinUp

[Lace]

I have made alot of little braclets for work with brass plates or names stamped in them with snaps on the end and I just add 1.5-2 inches( 1.5 for thinner braclets and 2 for thicker materals) to the direct measurement of the wrist. 1 1/2'' to make the braclet a little loose and 3/4'' for the snaps at each end.

It always works for me and is alot more simple than Pi haha. My wrist measures 6.5 and so I add 1.5'' making my braclet and so my braclet should measure 8'' totally (from end to end, including the snaps and all, the total piece). And it does.... and It fits with a little wiggle room. I don't liky my braclets so tight because they usually have brass plates on them and they are rigid so the people usually want more room so it can spin around their wrist if they turn it, not so it always falls that way.

Good luck hehe. I made alot of goofs before I got this right and alot of complicated explainations

Edit: Also, I used to make leather measuing tapes. I used the same thicnkness I usually used for leather braclets and made the marks on it for each inch and so when you measure the wrist it takes into account the thickness and I usualy overlaped 3/4 for the snap and then however loose the person wants it on their wrist. It works well too

Edited January 28, 2009 by Lace

[AgronZoti]

hmmm... thats odd it works on finger rings made of metal...

ill look at the numbers... might be the inch thing that at foult or the bigger scale from rings that at foult...

But math sould be ok... ill look at my notes from when i worked with silver rings....

[AgronZoti]

Looks like I forgot to add the

multiplier

I made a drawing to help

illustrate it.

[Randyc]

I made a couple of test bracelets today. I used a 1.5" belt of around 8/9 oz. cowhide. The first one was a little looser then I like. The second one started out a little tight, but loosened up a bit after wearing it for awhile. I think I'm going to lean more towards the tighter fit bracelets unless the customer requests a looser fit.

Randy