hi syd... lots of questions here....
1. flat, 1/8" or 3/16" roo is the strongest
2. depends on the hole spacing but, 4 to 6 times the total legnth. i use shorty legnths and splice it.
3. i just lace
4. never use a pen pr pencil! use a scribe like you would to trace a pattern on to the leather.
5. it is best to glue the top to the foam to keep it in place.
6. it would be best to not soak your tooling and the dyeing should be done after it's fitted. refer to my thread post above and let me know if i can answer any other questions