What To Make Patterns Out Of?

[philip7]

look for ideas to make pattern out of.. paper??? not sure what to use and what holds up good... thanks any help would be get..

[colttrainer]

look for ideas to make pattern out of.. paper??? not sure what to use and what holds up good... thanks any help would be get..

I use alot of poster board. For more patterns I don,t plan on changing I use a hard 1/8" board product. I believe it is made from compressed paper, usually found in the backs of cheap old dressers & cabinets.

Al

[bex DK]

Cutting patterns or tooling patterns?

[Wyvern]

I make my cutting patterns out of flexible cutting board from the kitchen section at wally world

[Double U Leather]

For cutting patterns, I use the cardboard that comes on pallets of feed. I've got a friend who runs a feedstore, and all of the pallets have square cardboard pieces that cover the top of the feed. The pieces are about 3 o4 foot square and they work slick.

[UKRay]

Try Vinyl flooring - it bends like leather and cuts like leather and you can use it for years and it doesn't look any different... It works for me!

Ray

[wvcraftsman]

Try Vinyl flooring - it bends like leather and cuts like leather and you can use it for years and it doesn't look any different... It works for me!

Ray

That's a great idea Ray. I have a couple pieces that are too big to throw away, but not big enough to cover any floor.

[wvcraftsman]

Another option is using the clear film from back in the day of overhead projectors. I'm sure there is a ton of this stuff laying around offices that have obsoleted the overheads.

[bulldogcrafts]

I use the plastic for sale signs, they are thin but work not to bad just have to be careful when pound hole in them. also i use poster board once draw out the pattern i use box tape to cover the pattern then cut it out.

[AndyL1]

I buy sheets of 1/8" plexiglass and cut some of my patterns out with a jigsaw. These work great because they are transparent and rigid enough to cut against. I like writing on them too with a Sharpie for measure points or drill holes in them where rivets go and that sort of thing. They also never wear out like paper does.

-Andy

[dbarleather]

I use manila folders. Cheap and easy. I use an old round knife or exacto to cut them out.

[SquireHobbs]

When I worked at Tandy in Indy, my good buddy, "Epona Leather", used the Tandy purse stiffner...it works great, that's all I use now...check it out, not expensive at all...another great Tandy product. Don

[DaveT]

What you make your pattern out of depends on how long you intend to use it. For one off patterns I use manila folders, poster board, even construction paper (Watch out, the color bleeds when wet!). For patterns I want to keep, I glue two or three layers of poster board together. I get larger sheets from a friend who works at a printing plant. They are the samples and extras that get run off on an order. You can also purchase partial rolls of very heavy paper/poster board from printers, then cut off what you need. These come in all widths from 24" to 72". If you have a pattern that you use a lot, plastic is the way to go. Thin Polyethylene is available from plastic suppliers in large sheets. This is the same stuff as the flexible cutting boards. Plexiglass works too, but spring for the poly carbonate (i.e. Lexan) type. The regular acrylic plexi is pretty fragile and will crack and break when cutting or drilling.

Dave T.

[Timd]

The patterns I keep I make out of Quilter's pattern plastic. It's around $4 for 3 12"x18" pieces. For larger patterns I use clear packing tape to put the sheets together.

[Tkleather1]

When I worked at Tandy in Indy, my good buddy, "Epona Leather", used the Tandy purse stiffner...it works great, that's all I use now...check it out, not expensive at all...another great Tandy product. Don

This is the same stuff I use. Its called bontex and it works pretty well if you take care of it.

When I worked at Tandy in Indy, my good buddy, "Epona Leather", used the Tandy purse stiffner...it works great, that's all I use now...check it out, not expensive at all...another great Tandy product. Don

[BustedThumb]

I have a large roll of red rosin construction floor paper hanging on the underside of my work table. I pull up a section to do my dying, staining and gluing, then cut and toss it when it's all crappy. And it also works great for temporary patterns or ones you're still working out the kinks on. For more rigid patterns, I'll use anything that's less than 1/4" ; masonite, plywood, pressboard, matboard, foamcore, plexi, anything that's flat and stiff enough to not bend too much.

[RML Leather]

Hello fellow craftsmen, Here is what I have been using to make patterns for years. The product is wallpaper liner that you can pick buy from most wallpaper outlets. Sold in single and double rolls, and is not that expensive for the amount you get. Wallpaper liner primary use is for just that, lining walls that have imperfections before applying the actual wallpaper.

To get started unroll what you will need and then press with a dry iron (no steam needed) Then you can draw and make notes on the liner. You can cut, punch etc. fairly precise details, and it keeps its shape. This material is thin yet very durable, and can be used over and over again. When storing your patterns if they are folded, or what ever just iron them again when you want to use them.

I am sure no one will be disappointed it they give this a try.

[hushnel]

Among some of the materials already mentioned, I use the plastic that comes in bacon packages and the cardboard that 12 packs of canned soft drinks come in. I don't like or use corrugated cardboard.

[Runner]

Try Vinyl flooring - it bends like leather and cuts like leather and you can use it for years and it doesn't look any different... It works for me!

Ray

Hi Ray

Yep. That's what you taught me to do. Works for me too! Been pestering flooring/carpet layers ever since.

Regards