JLSleather

At last, no longer own any houses in Minnesota

Blueprint only necessary if you are mass-producing something. Stick a piece of wood in a drill chuck, and make some grooves with a gouge or file, sand it right in place. Obviously, for mounting on a bench or pedestal grinder, you'll need an internal thread to suit the arbor.

HEY thanks, Bruce. But neither of them looks like much compared to this one of YOURS! Great color there.

It would depend on what shape you are trying to wet form. Most wouldn't require any "extra" (though if you have an inside and outside forms, an entry radius would be nice)

Maybe I should have bought Don's e-book? I just watched tolerated 16 minutes of some 35 minute video about using Illustrator to lay out patterns . At that point, I really couldn't take any more. PUH LEEZE . it's a 6x4 card holder, and you have a $600 software program, add a silly accent, and a voice that sounds like you're apologizing endlessly for something -- to draw 3 rectangles (two identical pockets, so maybe that's actually TWO rectangles). I think I just failed (yet another) idiot test

Agreed.. lots of poo out there with a pretty story attached to it As for holster patterns, anybody not satisfied with the cost + shipping on those free designs is entitled to a full refund, plus 5% for your trouble.

Talking about that $20 thing on his web site? $20 doesn't seem like a life-altering investment. I did watch parts of a couple of his videos. Seems like a decent fella, but the videos were a bit long-winded. In fairness, that could be just an honest desire to make his point clear to his viewers. Again, only way to really know would be to spend the $20 -- since it's instant download, fella would know soon enough. https://dgsaddlery.com/product/introduction-leather-floral-design/

My fancy-smancy method of trimming involves a utility knife with a new (or close) blade dragged along the edge with the belt in the air... rather like cuttin a piece of jerky, or peelin' taters. Maybe I should make a video? Don't know any fairies I can get to be in it tho ... so there's that to consider

Lazy -- I cut teh liner 1/4" or so too wide, stick it n trim it. Bevel edges, burnish, dun.

I tried draftsight a while back, found it to be quirky. I see they have a newer version, maybe it's fine now.

Im a bit intimidated by the symbols in AutoCad. Like this one: $$

4" shouldn't be a problem "leaning" the angle a bit. Longer guns become a pain -- more it's angled, the more likely that it "sticks out" and is less concealable. As a rule: dropping the slots lower causes the rig to ride higher. To maintain the angle you have, would require dropping BOTH slots down. You have the opposite issue -- you want it to ride LOWER. Which would be done with a lower belt, or an angled belt, or a drop loop on the holster.

PM me an email, and I'll send you a file I use as a 'start point' -- and we'll know if it's useful in inkscape or no.

I like PrimoPDF for making the pdf files. It's very similar to Acrobat Pro (do they still call it that?) -- makes files quickly and reliably, and free. There is a paid 'version', but i haven't needed it.

I think you got a right fine start!

Quick 'google' shows that Inkscape WILL work with .ai files, though don't know just how well. I miss those days when I had teh space to have 3 computers - one just to install and test software I wasn't familiar with. And drives imaged so WHEN (not if) I booger it up it can put itself back while I have lunch

HEY I like it! Very much the same type of thing I'm doing, only the buttons look different in that software. I'm gonna hafta read it again, even though what you're doing is very similar to what I'm doing. It's a bit embarrassing that it never occurred to me to use the guide lines for that (I do use them for other things, so can't say I didn't know they were there!). Just for pointing that out I'm gonna whine about something really petty --- you threw me off when you said "flesh out" ... my brain auto went to flipping the leather, turning the "flesh (side) out", AND you misspelled "alternatively". So there. Now I'm better That software looks more recognizable than I thought it would. Though, I'm not familiar with "outset" (I do get "offset"). Bruce G told me other day that Adobe suite is just over $600/year, translating to about $1.75 per day. So I guess I need to decide if I re-up the Adobe stuff or scratch my head for a while. I'm at least as cheap as you, but I don't like it even when the "copy" button gets moved from 3rd down to 5th down! For those who haven't already committed to learning PS or IL, Inkscape looks like a clear choice. Does it open and work with PSD and/or AI files? Hate to see it not use the files I already created! Is there a "stroke" command, or something comparable? I sometimes use that to portray the leather thickness (just for me - it doesn't come out in the patterns to keep them clear). Have to go over it again after the first coffee is down, but I do like the way you photo-ed and scaled the firearm for your "original" layer. I never did it that way (I'll try it now, though) but I like that better than the old (and not very reliable) "trace it with a pencil" routine (which ends up with some built-in "offset" due to teh thickness of the pencil, operator error and parallax. 'Preciatecha puttin' the time in here -- I'll pop in to check (and perhaps comment) as others chime in. OH-- what did you make the pdf with? Wondering why it wouldn't reduce to a Pdf (the "P" is for "portable" - )

See, that's what I was thinking, but he said he "did" the timing. In this video, the position of the bobbin / shuttle is clearly not the same as the OP's pic. Compare position of the shuttle ...

Sold. Them other folk dont' know what they missed QUICK and easy belt I just made for one of my boys yesterday - celtic design and contrasting stitch, lined suede. I've made them all tooled belts now and then, but the boogers outgrow 'em pretty quick. This particular boy may be done growing for a while now.

Well, that's sorta what I was talking about. Maybe start with taking it out and making sure there's nothing behind it "shimming" it out and into the path.

Make that FIVE. I came across one a tad shorter like 46"? long, celtic design already dyed black, 1 1/2" wide with 1/4" borders. Throwing it in just for ease. All 5 $50.

Yeah, I'm with this. I do custom work, and it's generally the OTHER person(s) who don't like to use the phone. Maybe they see the phone number, maybe not. I have on occasion pointed out a phone number they can call. And I've offered to call THEM if they're concerned about the cost of the call - just let me know the number and a good time to call. Even when they want custom, and have all that information, some STILL prefer to type it. Guess it's the text generation (the ones on the phone are often the over 30 (or 40) crowd. Now, I did once have a guy and his grandson come walking up my sidewalk with a pistol in hand (he called and found I don't have a Buckmark to mold with). This is also NOT recommended

Me too. WIth a solid color "plain" belt, doesn't matter if I trim a tad. But a carved belt, trimming really takes away from the look -- especially if there are carved or stamped borders.

If on the other hand, you prefer to have less contour in the back, most or all of teh molding on the outside, then you would split the leather more like this. Which would then look a bit like this. Since the distance AROUND the cylinder is unchanged, what you add to one side should be subtracted from the other side. So in the discussion of "how to" make these 2-piece models ( http://www.jlsleather.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Holster_Theory.pdf ) if for example you wanted your holster fully flat in the back, all the 'form' in the outside, then (Height) + ( LEFT / 2) +( RIGHT / 2)+ (Leather)+( Leather) for each piece becomes instead (Height) + ( LEFT ) +( RIGHT )+ (Leather)+( Leather) for the outside, and (Height) + (Leather)+( Leather) for the inside. This is oversimplified, but enough for this conversation.Where most people "booger" it is often under the trigger guard, which should be treated the same way (and sometimes isn't). You can, of course, do like MANY others and make holsters WITHOUT ANY pattern at all - it's done all day every day. This, though, leaves you molding, allowing to dry, THEN stitching, which limits how close you can stitch (often "fixed" with a story to the buyer that it's somehow their responsibility). Oh, I assume tha's a G17 in a G19 holster - looks about right for that. I don't know how you got that color, but I rather like it.

I back stitch - I DO think the lock-in is better. Some "over" stitch. To do both likely is a bit much.. probably drawing attention to the thread more than the leather.