Selecting material, newb alert

[Arborigine]

Hi, first post. I am a total newb, haven't worked leather since childhood other than making hood straps for early cars.

I am a machinist/mechanic/welder and can probably make any tool you use.

I know almost nothing about leather. I wish to make a highly ventilated biker-style vest for motorcycle use to hold patches, pins, etc with some deep front pockets to hold things on very long rides. It does not need any resistance to road rash as i wear a proper armored riding gear, but would like maximum venting, something like 1/4 inch holes every 5/8 inch or so. I need the wind to cut through it in hot weather. It would take a lot of time with an arch punch to do it manually.

What kind of leather would you recommend, and what is available with large perforations?.

Edited April 23, 2009 by Arborigine

[CitizenKate]

Glad to have you here. There are several people here who can help you with your project (I, unfortunately, not being one of them - I'm just the greeting committee!), so I'm sure one of them will be along soon to help you out.

Kate

[kevinhopkins]

I've seen a lot of leather in my day... And I've seen some perforated leather. Actually, I probably have some, but I don't know off the top of my head if it's black or not. But most perforated leather has a very small perf pattern, and looks pretty much like old headliner in a car. To get something with larger holes like you're describing will be difficult, if not impossible, unless you do it your self. And actually, since you're only doing a vest, I don't think it would be too bad.... You've gotta have some patience, since you said you're a machinist...right? I think you could select the leather that you felt was the right thickness for your vest, and just punch the holes. A template would be a pretty simple thing, and altho it might make you see spots for a day or two, I think you could punch all the parts in an evening.

Kevin Hopkins

[Arborigine]

Thanks. Would drilling with a sharpened tube (gasket punch) work well on leather, or is pounding it through the best way? I can set the leather on a milling machine on a hardwood board and get a precise hole layout.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Arborigine

[whinewine]

Thanks. Would drilling with a sharpened tube (gasket punch) work well on leather, or is pounding it through the best way? I can set the leather on a milling machine on a hardwood board and get a precise hole layout.

That could work:

just make sure there are no rough spots on the drilling tube to catch the leather (1),

don't let the tube get too hot or the speed too fast (2), and

(3) you may want to coat the board with rubber cement beforehand & let it DRY COMPLETELY. This will help add adhesion to keep the leather in place from the backside, and,

MOST IMPORTANTLY (4)... TRY IT ON SCRAP FIRST!!!

russ

[TwinOaks]

I think trying to drill it with a punch could cause some probs, depending on the thickness of the leather. If you're using lighter weight leather, and don't have it secured like whinewhine said, you could end up twisting the leather. Worse, if it snags, you'll end up wrapping the piece up the shaft, or twisting to the point it tears. Granted, that'd only happen on REALLY thin leather.

But, you got me thinking.....(dangerous thing)

.25 inch holes, spaced out...... sounds like 00 buckshot at 20 yards. The pattern would certainly be unique, and I remember a fad a couple of years back for "shotgunned jeans".....

well, it'd certainly be ventilated.

[strapt]

I like twin oaks shot gun idea. Sounds pretty cool. (I might have to try that on some of my own projects)

But if you're looking for something a little more uniform you might consider using a piece of peg board as a template to help with layout. Heck I guess you cold even rubber cement the leather to the peg board itself, then punch your holes...

[Dwight]

Hi, first post. I am a total newb, haven't worked leather since childhood other than making hood straps for early cars.

I am a machinist/mechanic/welder and can probably make any tool you use.

I know almost nothing about leather. I wish to make a highly ventilated biker-style vest for motorcycle use to hold patches, pins, etc with some deep front pockets to hold things on very long rides. It does not need any resistance to road rash as i wear a proper armored riding gear, but would like maximum venting, something like 1/4 inch holes every 5/8 inch or so. I need the wind to cut through it in hot weather. It would take a lot of time with an arch punch to do it manually.

What kind of leather would you recommend, and what is available with large perforations?.

Arbor, . . . go to a Tandy leather store, . . . their vest pack of patterns is on sale for $7.00 now, . . . get it.

Buy some of their leather for your vest, . . . the manager can show you what you need. It'll cost you probably in the neighborhood of less than $50.

Cut your pieces when you get home, . . . and using rubber cement, . . . cement the edges together, overlapping about a half an inch everywhere, . . . and overlap it so it lays flat, not having to be bent back.

Try it on and make sure it fits. You can take the rubber cemented pieces apart and re cut, adjust, etc until you get what you want.

Then comes the fun: take a piece of quarter inch copper tubing, . . . about 2 inches long, . . . put it in your small lathe, . . . and take a cut on the INSIDE edge of the tubing so the outside edge becomes the sharp edge. You want to make that a long slow bevel like the edge on a butcher knife, . . . not like a chisel.

Take your vest apart, . . . lay face side down, . . . use a straight edge and mark off a grid on all the pieces (stay 1 inch from all edges).

Chuck up your copper leather chopper into a battery drill, . . . push the speed button to high, . . . and start cutting your holes in the back side. You will want the leather to be on a very smooth, pine 1 x 6 or something similar.

You will probably have to re-sharpen several times, . . . or if you have it, . . . stainless steel works even better.

After you have all the holes cut, . . . glue it back together and stich it, . . . VOILA!!

I use the copper tube for holes in leather, plastic, foam, etc. and it works great for me.

Good luck, . . . post some pics when you get it done.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited April 29, 2009 by Dwight