Making The Insides First?

[HARVEY]

I'm throwing this question out to see how others make their notepad holders.

I normally do my outside piece first; carving, tooling, staining, etc. (Outside 4/5 or 5/6) Then I proceed to building the insides (2/3). A friend with tons more experience than me said the way he builds them is to make the insides first, and then he does the outside. OK, that's new to me. But maybe I've just been doing it backwards. Since leather is a pretty solitary activity, we do things as we do things. But all you folks out there, how do YOU make your notepad holders. Outside and then insides, or insides/outsides?

Thanks!

Harvey

[bruce johnson]

Harvey,

I make my outside first and then do the insides.

[BillinOK]

I made the outside first then the inside. The outside had a lot of tooling, then a name stamped on it. I then made the inside with my maker's stamp on it. Dyed the outside, then the inside and then stitched them.

[Double U Leather]

On my bigger notepad holders (8 1/2 x 11 or 5 x 8), I do the outside first, then the insides. Typically, those are tooled covers. However, I'm in the middle of an order of 40 pocket notebook holders (3 x 5), and I'm basically doing them all at the same time. I cut 40 outsides 3 1/2 x 11 1/4, then cut 80 inside pockets 3 1/2 x 5. I purposely cut the insides a tick bigger than 3 1/2 to make sure when I sewed them together I wasn't short on the inside. I'm now to the sewing step, and I've had to trim the tick off of the insides. It may have caused a bit more work, but it makes me more comfortable knowing I won't be having a few stitches sewing air. Anyway, I'll post some pics of them when I'm done. This is the second order from this company, so apparently the first time around they were pleased.

[hidepounder]

I always make my exterior first because there are several steps where drying time is involved. During those down times I can work on the interior which generally (not always!) takes me less time to build than the outside does. I make a hard template of everyting I build and that is what I use to cut out my leather with, so it is not necesary for me to build the exterior in order to get the interior correct...for me it's a matter of steps and timing.

Hope this helps.....

Bobby

Edited March 3, 2010 by hidepounder

[gtwister09]

Harvey,

Outside then inside but I guess if there are templates made it's six one way half dozen the other. So far it appears that most do it that way.

Regards,

Ben

[HARVEY]

Harvey,

Outside then inside but I guess if there are templates made it's six one way half dozen the other. So far it appears that most do it that way.

Regards,

Ben

Fellas,

Thanks!, One and All. I too work from outside to in, as I tool/carve first. What Bobby says makes sense (having hard templates to work from), and I'm progressively doing that. It was just when this other pro said he built them the other way, I got to thinking, "Well, Ollie, you've done it again. (Ass backwards."). And what Ben says also makes sense; if you're using templates, maybe there ain't much difference.

Thanks again!

Harvey

[Double U Leather]

OH DUH!!! I use templates for everything else I do, why wouldn't I do that on these things? I tried to square off an edge of the hide, then use a square for each piece. Geez, is it any wonder I'm still a "rookie"!