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on mine i put strap of leather across the front top of the kindle, then attached a tongue behind where the kindle sits, which then folds over the top of the device and tucks in between strap and kindle. My Kindle (other post) adam

yeah...i've been thinking how my next one will be incorporating some brass extras. I already have a bag of tin watch cogs that could be used, but i need to develop my ideas before jumping straight in (which is usually my problem!)

Having just bought my wife a Kindle, i decided to make the protective cover myself rather than buy the rather naff Amazon cover. Whilst thinking of a theme, i felt that the steampunk thing was really apt for an electronic book...so designed the stamping to reflect that. Its coloured using a few different Fiebings dyes - my favourite is most definitely the English Tan. Since i took the photos, i have adapted it slightly with a tongue at the top to stop the kindle from sliding out if the cover was carried upside down. My wife is really pleased with her kindle and cover, and i'm really proud of the finished item... love to hear your comments... adam

looks really nice, but i do have one question...Do the credit card pockets get progressively deeper or are they each a specific depth to prevent the cards from being pushed too far in? will have to post a pic of my latest wallet as soon as i get in snapped! adam

thanks Tony...looks like i'm better start saving!

very nice. What size hide do you find you need to be able to make a decent sized bag such as that? Its something i fancy a go at, but the initial cost of the leather is rather intimidating. adam

or these in Manchester... Joseph segal

hmmm - i would probably go for larger size. I haven't made a quiver, but i do know the arrows i have are about 32/33" long ( I have quite a big draw on my bow!) As for the background - its a reversible one with white on one side and a soft gey on the other (well it is on mine!). Just a thought - I'd be tempted to get a bit arty for stuff like archery kit. Rather than a sterile white tent, why not find an old mossy log and lay it on a sheet which is pegged up at the back to give an endless cove effect, then lean your quiver against the log. You can still light it with the bulbs and reflectors you get. Should give you a much more interesting image that is in keeping with the romantic ideas of Robin Hood and his band of murderous thieves! For the sake of spending £15 on bayonet mounts from B&Q and a couple metres of electrical cable, you could have all you need to get started with your lights. It might not look as professional to you, but as long as the photos are well lit, the viewer will have no clue how you lit the shot. And its the end shot that really matters.

Hi Chavez - this is the one i have and it costs a bit less than the one on Amazon but looks almost identical.... Calumet Portacube For lighting i built a frame that stands around the outside of the cube and has 6 bayonet mounts attached (2 on each side) . I then use daylight balanced fluorescent bulbs (make sure to get the same mount as your holders) which i bought off ebay a couple of years back.. I think i paid about £12 for 6 bulbs. I don't use all the bulbs at once though. I tend to vary the positions of the bulbs to help add some depth to the models i photograph. Photos taken using Portacube - These are not leather goods, but wedding cake toppers my wife sculpts. The principals remain the same though! I have found that to really lift the images, I will have three or four bulbs in the holders (I also prop white foamboard behind the bulbs to bounce as much light back into the cube as possible), I have also mounted a bayonet holder onto a spigot that fits in a "Manfrotto Magic Arm" which allows me to position a lamp in front of the cube, and re-position it really easily. As for portability - i keep the bulbs stored in a box safely removed from the frame, the Cube folds flat, and the foamboard is stored inside the flat cube. The Frame is pretty flat, apart from the feet. Depending on the camera you use, you will be able to improve the images by learning how to use the manual modes. My little digi cam is mainly auto, so i can't really set exposure or aperture, and have to rely on the auto features to try get the shot i want. Because o this i tend to stick to using a DSLR. As the model being photographed is not moving, and my camera is on a tripod, i can have a long exposure and a smaller aperture. This helps get a deeper depth of field. The biggest giveawy that something is small is a shallow depth of field. And don't forget to white balance your camera to the light being used. adam edit:- forgot to say, the curtain method will probably work fine as long as you are a reasonable diy'er, and dont mind a fair amount of mucking about. The cube i have is great because its so quick and easy to put up and fold away. If you go the shower route, be careful to pick a pure white, as any kind of tint in the fabric will affect the overall colour balance of your lights. Also, be wary of the plasticised materials as these could be affected by the heat given out by the lamps.

no stains used - just rubbed in some beeswax after the sanding. Being a hard wood helps it to work as a slicker (i think!).

i made myself a folder/slicker from Black Walnut - shaped on a belt sander before a final smoothing with sandpaper - works really well, and no ants required!

thanks Ken, i did read the article months ago, so will have to go back and read it again. I will be trying the overnight method tomorrow as i have been experimenting with using bicarbonate of soda to darken some leather by dunking it for an hour before removing it. I'll be tooling it tomorrow, so looking forward to seeing what its like. rgds Adam.

Ken - why do you leave it overnight in the bag? I assume there are benefits to this method and Its one of those things i see many mention, but as i have only ever wet the leather then left it a few minutes to return to its normal colour before tooling, and never had a problem with the tooling i'm intrigues by the need to leave it so long. adam

Welcome..no you're not alone. Although she doesn't do the leatherwork, my wife does plenty of other non-lady hobbies such as sculpture, wood turning, metalwork. I feel sorry for those blokes who don't get to share the pleasure of visiting a tool shop with their partner and having them be as keen on buying new tools!! adam

Hi Matt, its worth phoning Le Prevo and having a chat. I did and learned mor ein 15mins than in the weeks of web trawling. I bought my first proper piece of leather based on the guys advice, and i'm really happy with the leather i got. As for tools - one way is to buy on eof the Tandy starter kits. It comes with various projects and tools and some dyes etc. The tools may not be the worlds greatest but they provide you with a starting point. Often the kits are on sale at a price that is lower than just buying the tools alone. be ware though...leather work is addicitive and you may find yourself finding excuses to buy more tools and leathers. I have spent loads since my wife bought me a starter kit this christmas!

come on in...the waters lovely!

thanks Chavez. I know what you mean! i've just finished a different billfold today that has some sections with 3 layers of the same 2mm leather used on this wallet - because i punched the holes with an awl in each piece separately, relying on the overstitch wheel to mark the holes, i did find the odd place where the holes werent quite lined up and did take some pulling to get the needle through. I am definitely getting neater with my stitching on every wallet i have made. I'll get some new pictures up once i finish it properly.

Great, thanks....sounds worth knowing about. Although i'll have to wait a while...gotta buy a chuck for the lathe tomorrow and thats about £100 !!

I'm interested to know what your opinion of this place is... what are the prices / products like? is it worth a drive out?

if you are referring to the darker edge around the item, i have a feeling that is a rolled edge. KK has done a really good tutorial about wallet guts (its a sticky on the How its made forum) which shows how he does them. I tried it myself on my first wallet last week and it works really well.

its a good place to store your next leather wishlist and maybe a couple of homeless moths! and thanks for the link - wasn't aware of that company.

Thanks Domino, the reason i used punch holes rather than a nail is i wanted a round cut to prevent the knife cuts from tearing and getting any longer with use. A nail or awl hole would not give that kind on edge and so i steered clear of those. The Columbo side is really nice...I was nervous about getting it because its my first bit of "proper" leather. I had used a couple of tooling bellies i bought dirt cheap in Tandys sale, but its pretty crappy stuff. I phoned Le Prevo and spent 15minutes chatting with the guy who selects the leathers. He was extremely helpful and knowledgable and gave me a really good explanation of the differences with the leathers. Call him - you wont regret it. As for the lining, i used strong double sided sellotape to hold the lining in place so i could trim the edges a couple of millimeters from the outer edge of the leather, then it was sewn between two layers of leather all the way around. Its loose inside out of choice. I prefer the look, and i think its a little easier on the liner if it can move to accommodate its contents and the folding of the wallet (of course i could be totally wrong about that!). That violene sounds interesting! I don't think there are many original ideas anymore, just variations on older designs - plus i'm convinced northerners have a well developed sense of design!!

finally posted the results of my previous post - My first bi-fold wallet oh, i also just made a little pouch for my car door actuator as its knackered and falling apart!