Tips To Making A Notepad

[bhansen05]

I'm planning on making a notepad for my dad for Christmas. I'm new to leather work and have never attemped one before.

I was wanting to no what would be a good weight of leather to use and were your spine meets up with your leaves do you skive the edges to make them join up smoother. Also when you glue in a liner how do you make it so its tight when its open but dosent bunch up bad when its closed.

If you have any other tips to save me some trouble I would really appreciate them. I love this site and have learned so much. I have also gathered a lot of project ideas like this notepad to push me to get better.

Thank you for your time.

[pete]

I'm planning on making a notepad for my dad for Christmas. I'm new to leather work and have never attemped one before.

I was wanting to no what would be a good weight of leather to use and were your spine meets up with your leaves do you skive the edges to make them join up smoother. Also when you glue in a liner how do you make it so its tight when its open but dosent bunch up bad when its closed.

If you have any other tips to save me some trouble I would really appreciate them. I love this site and have learned so much. I have also gathered a lot of project ideas like this notepad to push me to get better.

Thank you for your time.

Hi and welcome! Great people here and lot's of knowledge (decades and worldwide!)

Depending on how big and sturdy and style and usage of the notebook will determine the weight of leather. Soft might be 4/5oz whereas firm and stiffer and larger might be 8/9oz. We need to know more to help you the most.

Regarding the structure

1-I wouldn't try a 3 pc (2 sides and a spine) for your first attempt. It's much easier to make a 1 piece and simply groove the center and thin with a french edger to get a nice fold. Try to thin the center to about 1/2 the thickness if the sides.

2-cut your liner oversized and either start attaching form one side, let it( the notebook) fold gently over your hand and lift the liner up to it-or- lay the notebook on the table, start the liner on one side, and as you work the liner across, gently bend the other side of the notebook upwards to ABOUT a 90* bend making sure that you get good contact with the spine area. Once you're done, take a wooden dough/pizza roller and work the wrinkles outwardly towards the edges. As you work it and gently fold it open and closed it will get the results that you are looking for.

3- more information would be helpful but most importantly SEND PICTURES!!!!!

Hope that this helps.

Chan Geer has a great video on making a notebook.

pete

[LNLeather]

Hi

One other thing you can do is just scroll up to the top of the page here and type in notepad into the search box.

You will see a list 3 pages long - of all posts with the word notepad in them. Quite a few of the posts have pictures

of different kinds of notepads people here have made...

It took me a while to figure this Search feature out - I am fairly new here and there is soooooo much to see and learn here.

Anything you might have a question about - probably has been discussed, so that is another really good way to find information.

Plus you get to see a lot of different design ideas....

There is so many pictures and so much Really Great information lurking in the old posts on...

Good luck with your project & happy tooling!

Edited November 10, 2010 by LNLeather

[bhansen05]

Thanks for the advice Pete and LNLeather. Sorry it took me so long to thank you. I haven't been able to get online in the past week.

As far as what I'm trying to accomplishe is for like a 5 by 8 (I think) notepad. My father will probably either leave it in his pickup or on his desk so I don't think it really needs to be extra heavy but all I gave for leather is 8/10 Wicket and Craig skirting leather. I mainly only make spur straps and belts and that is what I use for them. I just want it to gave a slot on the right side for the notepad and a sleeve on the left side for loose papers with a business card holder on top of that. The front will be Sheridan tooled and the back will just have a border. Do you think that this leather will work or should I buy some lighter weight stuff.

[Somawas]

I think that if I were going to make a notepad, i'd use paper, or take a papermaking course, instead of using leather. Especially 8-10 oz.

If I were making a notepad cover, I'd use leather. but that's probably just me.

[Ferg]

I think that if I were going to make a notepad, i'd use paper, or take a papermaking course, instead of using leather. Especially 8-10 oz.

If I were making a notepad cover, I'd use leather. but that's probably just me.

Somawas,

I am upset about the misuse and miss-spelling of words also, your posting is totally uncalled fro IMHO!

ferg

[pete]

Somawas,

I am upset about the misuse and miss-spelling of words also, your posting is totally uncalled fro IMHO!

ferg

spot on ferg.

pete

[DaveJohnson]

Hi There

Not sure what type of notebook you have in mind, but the PSLAC site has a public section where you can download a wealth of info in the form of their RawHide Gazettes - really great Thanks Guys !!

The March 2001 issue has a pattern and instructions for a Flip Type Note book which is real easy to adapt to any size pad and can even turned sideways for a book type notepad.

http://pslac.org/table_index_rawhide.htm

Cheers Dave

[Somawas]

Somawas,

I am upset about the misuse and miss-spelling of words also, your posting is totally uncalled fro IMHO!

ferg

spot on ferg.

pete

I was attempting to be funny, not mean.

Sorry myt effort failed and for any offense that anyone took.