Fred's ramblings

[Handstitched]

3 hours ago, fredk said:

Has anyone tried one?

One of my fellow marketeers has  a similar one, from  brand name tool company  , she got it for free. As far as I know , it works quite well. Mostly used on icy cold mornings while  setting up our stalls. Not sure how long the battery charge lasts for, but being a heating 'element'(?) not long I'm guessing ? 

HS

[fredk]

I ordered a Tippmann Boss in the early hours (my time) of Tuesday and I received it at 12.25 today, Very speedy indeedy

Whilst I'm happy it has arrived its missing several items which I ordered with it.  I've emailed the Tippmann contact, Chelsea, but as this is a holiday weekend goodness knows when I'll get an answer and get the missing items

I'm truly disappointed that they could not pack the order correctly

Edited November 24, 2022 by fredk

[fredk]

Finally got a response from Tippmann

They want me to pay again for the items which I have already paid for and which they forgot to pack!

[Burkhardt]

8 hours ago, fredk said:

Finally got a response from Tippmann

They want me to pay again for the items which I have already paid for and which they forgot to pack!

Sounds like the fun I'm having. Been waiting for a order from Tandy and according to UPS they said it was delivered at 12:30. I looked at the email at 12:45 and thought it was weird it said it was delivered to the back door. The even crazier thing was it had been snowing for a few hours and there wasn't a footprint or anything on my property so the whole someone took the package was out of the question. 1 hour of automated phone waiting before I ever got to speak to a human being. 4 hours later I got a call saying they were going to track down the delivery guy and try to figure out where my package is. But somehow yours still sounds worse, like I'm pissed they would actually ask you to pay for their screw up. We are the sheep consumers that places don't give a damn about. Oh and the best part I forgot was mid afternoon I looked out the back door and there was a delivered box. Problem was it was from the USPS and was the neighbors 2 houses over.

[fredk]

Do you ever start one of those projects which at first seems quick and simple then turns into something more involved?

I had this idea to make some pen/pencil cases for the members of my Knit & Natter group.

I thought just to use some chrome tan, folded over and with some sort of flap at the top. After considering this and discarding the idea as not good enough I've ended up doing wet-moulded veg-tan ones

I asked the librarian for the first & last initials for everyone in the group so I could personalise the cases. Not everyone turns up every week so I see only about 8 to 10 members each week that I'm there. 

8, 10, or even 12, easy-peasy. 

Ah, but no, there are 19, including the 3 library staff. I can't leave them out

After carving up some scrap wood, I started. 

Leather is about 1 -1.2 mm veg tan. Afair, it came from Tandy. A 'belly' leather. I wet the leather, not a really long soak, but a good wetting under a running tap (faucet?), in very warm water. Then I stretch it just using my hands.

Step 1; wet mould over the wood former, using bulldog clips and lolly sticks (aka popsicle sticks) to hold in place. I stretch the leather over the former as well, so the clips are re-positioned a couple of times

Step 2. Before the case has completely dried a flat iron bar with some scrap leather glued to it is slipped between the former and the leather and 3D picture and letter stamps pressed in. (this case needed the top edge trimmed, as by the marked line)

Step 3. The wet-moulded case is glued to the back & flap piece, after the top edge is trimmed. if necessary. Bulldog clips and lolly sticks again, but lolly sticks front and back so the bulldog clips don't leave marks. A different wood former is used to make sure the case retains its shape whilst being glued up and the case continues to dry out

Step 4. After the glue is dry, the cutting lines are marked in. For the sides and bottom I use a piece of 6mm thick MDF board used on edge, pressed up to the sides. For the flap shape, a simple carboard pattern shape

Step 5. Waste cut off. Holes punched for the snap, and an 'access' V is cut away. Not really necessary, but it looks nice. On some I've been punching the lacing holes at this stage

Step 6.  Tan dyed and KAM snap installed. I like the KAM snaps. They are easy to open, come in a range of colours, easy to install. But only usable on leather less than 1.4mm thick

 Step 7. Holes for lacing (1.5mm round coloured lace) punched

Step 8. Laced up

Step 9. Contents added. a pencil, a coloured gel-ink pen and regular pen which I've had printed up (20 pens for £20, cheap as chips)

So far I have 14 finished. with 3 more at different stages. I have until December 14th to get them all done.

They are actually quite easy and quick to make, especially in a 'production run'. No fancy edge finishing or nuffin.

I've priced these and including the pens & pencils but not time they work out at £3.20 each. Not very expensive at all.

 

 

 

[Klara]

Lovely gifts! I can see that the cases would be fairly quick to make, but you still can only make as many per day as you have wood formers, can't you? (And I do hope that even after Brexit and inflation you get more than 20 chips for £ 20  !)

[fredk]

No real leatherwork in this, just the main strap. Pictures attached using double-sided sticky pads

My Christmas hat band;

 

 

[fredk]

Whilst wasting time watching those DiY videos on youtube I came across one made by an Eastern European chappie in which he dissolves expanded polystyrene in acetone to make glue and in xylene to make a waterproofing coating

I've lost the actual video I was watching  

The things that interested me was that when the white poly was dissolved in the xylene it made a clear liquid. When the chappie applied it to some cardboard and cement floor it was seen to  be clear. But it was also flexible

I'm wondering if this could be applied to certain types of our leather items to make them more waterproof. Say, on bicycle tool bags, or motorcycle kit, or even shoulder bags?

I'm for trying to make some and see what happens

[chuck123wapati]

9 hours ago, fredk said:

Whilst wasting time watching those DiY videos on youtube I came across one made by an Eastern European chappie in which he dissolves expanded polystyrene in acetone to make glue and in xylene to make a waterproofing coating

I've lost the actual video I was watching  

The things that interested me was that when the white poly was dissolved in the xylene it made a clear liquid. When the chappie applied it to some cardboard and cement floor it was seen to  be clear. But it was also flexible

I'm wondering if this could be applied to certain types of our leather items to make them more waterproof. Say, on bicycle tool bags, or motorcycle kit, or even shoulder bags?

I'm for trying to make some and see what happens

i would like to see too. I love experiments. 

[fredk]

I've ordered a bottle of xylene. I can't get it locally

I wonder if it would be safe to use inside a water/wine bottle