How to keep leather/Patterns flat while cutting.

[Littlef]

I wondering what people use to weigh down their leather and patterns to keep them from curling while tracing.  I've seen actual Leather weights to buy for around 50 bucks, which seems excessive.  I have a foam yoga block and place a small plate weight on it, which works, but its huge and its really in the way while cutting.  I was thinking of buying some ball bearings and sewing them into a bag or a thick coaster.   Has anyone come up with a simple cheap alternative?  I have other stuff, but I'm trying to not mark up the leather.

[chuck123wapati]

6 minutes ago, Littlef said:

I wondering what people use to weigh down their leather and patterns to keep them from curling while tracing.  I've seen actual Leather weights to buy for around 50 bucks, which seems excessive.  I have a foam yoga block and place a small plate weight on it, which works, but its huge and its really in the way while cutting.  I was thinking of buying some ball bearings and sewing them into a bag or a thick coaster.   Has anyone come up with a simple cheap alternative?  I have other stuff, but I'm trying to not mark up the leather.

some folks go to thrift stores and buy those old glass paper weights. or you can make sand bags. 

[Littlef]

2 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

some folks go to thrift stores and buy those old glass paper weights. or you can make sand bags. 

yea, the paperweight is a good cheap option.  My previous employers use to give those out as little awards.  I might still have one or two in a box somewhere.  Otherwise, I might just make a bag.   - Sand would be cheap.  Good Ideas Chuck, thanks!

[DwightT]

I saw somewhere that a guy had taken a scrap leather circle, folded it in half to make a taco, then filled it with pennies and stitched it shut.  Seemed to make a pretty good weight and he claimed that for the weight the pennies where less expensive than ball bearings.  Dunno how that would compare to the cost of sand.

    /dwight

[Littlef]

3 minutes ago, DwightT said:

I saw somewhere that a guy had taken a scrap leather circle, folded it in half to make a taco, then filled it with pennies and stitched it shut.  Seemed to make a pretty good weight and he claimed that for the weight the pennies where less expensive than ball bearings.  Dunno how that would compare to the cost of sand.

    /dwight

 

3 minutes ago, DwightT said:

I saw somewhere that a guy had taken a scrap leather circle, folded it in half to make a taco, then filled it with pennies and stitched it shut.  Seemed to make a pretty good weight and he claimed that for the weight the pennies where less expensive than ball bearings.  Dunno how that would compare to the cost of sand.

    /dwight

Nice, that's a good thought.  I have a jar of pennies taking up space.   - and pennies don't leak sand.  

[tsunkasapa]

I have several old cast iron flatirons that I glued scrap leather to.

[Littlef]

44 minutes ago, tsunkasapa said:

I have several old cast iron flatirons that I glued scrap leather to.

Good call adding the leather.  I was trying to think of things I had around the house, but anything I have with a good weight, also has sharp edges.  Adding leather would solve that problem.

[Tugadude]

 

These  can be had in sizes from 1.2 lbs up to 4.5 .lbs.  You can find them on Amazon.  Another method is to gather up some lead and melt it down into the size and shape you desire and then encase it in leather.  If you don't know of a cheap source of lead, companies sell ingots of lead that aren't terribly expensive.  

 

[jcuk]

Some use these.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174677736974?hash=item28ab9abe0e:g:EmAAAOSwV3tjSVH5&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAwDCBl4gwB21b393%2B6%2FhjQ%2FtXTjJdNa6qOqQzX62kXMu3Bac2BLeKgcgCS5eHkxULQZhShGtkHTFRKZsxmT9kFPZWRSeMR5TJ3YGC0sjtCeAU5n0dZ00qDhoJDuIJ%2BTClHG7LZjpXFiUlV%2B9oY6lJFSEPJue2tZ3z%2B%2FT3RYCwlDqpvApLy18u1qMShSRt163E5Q%2BK7u%2B4KB6pR9EzRTAUm9dPRtkOpyjv7G%2B3QSQcOEyO6FCPR8pWCyQ%2FZ2zel5E6GQ%3D%3D|tkp%3ABlBMUIL87bfdYQ

Hope this helps

JCUK

 

[chuck123wapati]

there was a guy on here that made these really cool hockey puck looking weights, if you search you may find it. he was from Europe, maybe  Greece i think.

[MikeRock]

Sad irons/flat irons are nice because of the varied shapes, pointy, rounded and straight.  Leather faces keep the iron from discoloring the leather, moist or not.

[chuck123wapati]

there was a guy on here that made these really cool hockey puck looking weights, if you search you may find it. he was from Europe, maybe  Greece i think. here ifound them !!

 

[Littlef]

19 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

there was a guy on here that made these really cool hockey puck looking weights, if you search you may find it. he was from Europe, maybe  Greece i think. here ifound them !!

 

Yea, those are cool.  That's kinda what I envisioned if I have to make a weight on my own... except his leather skills far exceed mine, lol. 

[Fraulein]

I use one of those old fashioned cordless irons from the 40's lol. Picked it up at some auction for less than a buck. Dunno if it's an option for you but thought I'd share lol

~Frau~

 

[Frodo]

Find some old car speakers and salvage the magnet,

I use vinyl as my pattern material 

and magnets. Works great 

or buy a jar of BBs pour into a sock then cover with leather 

[Littlef]

9 minutes ago, Fraulein said:

I use one of those old fashioned cordless irons from the 40's lol. Picked it up at some auction for less than a buck. Dunno if it's an option for you but thought I'd share lol

~Frau~

 

yea, an old cast iron, iron would do the job, if I come across one cheap. Thanks!!

10 minutes ago, Frodo said:

Find some old car speakers and salvage the magnet,

I use vinyl as my pattern material 

and magnets. Works great 

or buy a jar of BBs pour into a sock then cover with leather 

I like the old sock idea for a liner. keeps it simple.  good ideas, thanks!

[Hags]

I have a couple of denim bags filled with BB's I use for carving and tooling. And I found 4 old sad irons at a garage sale for 3 bucks each. I hitthemwith a wire wheel and glued some scrap on bottom for patterns.

[fredk]

I use; glass paper weights, lead blocks of various sizes/weights made of slavaged lead (car wheel balance weights mostly) two 2kg bar-bell weights I was given, a couple of iron /steel bars. Never use iron directly on the leather, theres a chance of staining, my bars are painted

[BlackDragon]

5 hours ago, Tugadude said:

 

These  can be had in sizes from 1.2 lbs up to 4.5 .lbs.  You can find them on Amazon.  Another method is to gather up some lead and melt it down into the size and shape you desire and then encase it in leather.  If you don't know of a cheap source of lead, companies sell ingots of lead that aren't terribly expensive.  

 

This is pretty much what I use. I'm a scuba diver so I have a couple 3lb weights laying around. I put 4 of those litte felt furniture feet on them and they work well.

[Burkhardt]

A really cheap and easy one to get is if you have somewhere near you that does stone countertops and get the cut outs from the holes for faucet and water handles.

[Littlef]

5 hours ago, Hags said:

I have a couple of denim bags filled with BB's I use for carving and tooling. And I found 4 old sad irons at a garage sale for 3 bucks each. I hit them with a wire wheel and glued some scrap on bottom for patterns.

 - yea, demin would work well.  I got some old jeans in the back of the closet that could be used.  Thanks!!  I keep a look out for an old Iron.

3 hours ago, BlackDragon said:

This is pretty much what I use. I'm a scuba diver so I have a couple 3lb weights laying around. I put 4 of those litte felt furniture feet on them and they work well.

that would do the job, thanks!!

[Littlef]

16 minutes ago, Burkhardt said:

A really cheap and easy one to get is if you have somewhere near you that does stone countertops and get the cut outs from the holes for faucet and water handles.

I've been mean to stop by a granite shops, looking for a cut out to use for stamping, etc.   - The hole cut out are a good idea too.  Thanks!

[Littlef]

4 hours ago, fredk said:

I use; glass paper weights, lead blocks of various sizes/weights made of slavaged lead (car wheel balance weights mostly) two 2kg bar-bell weights I was given, a couple of iron /steel bars. Never use iron directly on the leather, theres a chance of staining, my bars are painted

I think I have an old paperweight in a box - good call.  I don't have a source of scrap lead.  Tire shops around me are all corporate.  They collect and sell back all the lead.  I tried to find lead when I started reloading. Good call on the painted or covered iron.  

[Handstitched]

Depending on the pattern , I have used drawing pins in the leather where its not going to be seen, dyed  or its going to be ' stamped out ' .

HS

[Klara]

A cheap source of lead is your tire shop (assuming they mount the tires): Mine was more than willing to give me old wheel balancing weights.