Computer Drawing Software For Making Leather Patterns

[LatigoAmigo]

29 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

I thought we were talking about actual scale, actual size

We are talking about actual size, but when working with scanned images, things might get confusing. Images can be scanned in various resolutions, and when viewed the image can be hard to measure. Knowledge of the operating software can help manage that issue, with the end product being the exact size of the original scanned object. 

Edited September 22, 2019 by LatigoAmigo

[mikesc]

"I don't know WHERE you got the idea that "J" is for Jeff. It isn't, and I have never said that it is. But it does rather support my point about some folks' tendency to speak without knowledge. Like you said, not my site, so also not my responsibility. "
When people who know you have called you Jeff, as they do here, frequently, you haven't said that they were wrong..and, as you tell people that they are wrong ( whether they are or they are not ) pretty easily...

I didn't say it was "your responsibility",I did say that for someone who is not this site's owner ( Johanna is ) that you have a habit ( twice at least in the last 10 days this time ) of telling other people what they should and should not say in their posts..and when they should post..on a site which you do not own, and which you are not a moderator..No-one else picks you up on it , apparently because you give away holster patterns..that they could design and make themselves..many do make and design their own..

"It" is very clear cut and easy..but as you thought that being insulting and complaining about other people's posts not giving you the exact answer was going to get it explained to you or a video "how to" on a plate.."ain't gonna happen"..'least not from me*..you are a bright guy apparently..do your own homework..

*I'm one of those guys who buys from and gives help to "vets", and I discount heavily when I sell to them, or give / work for free for them ( whoever they served for, or are serving for, in whichever branch, including police and fire etc and ancien(ne) resistant(e)s ) you have said on numerous occasions that you consider if they have served to be irrelevant, that you want cheap..in this case you want a free video , or free instructions..on something that you do not know how to do, ( but which is pretty common knowledge to any designer ) and you want it "just so"..to your instructions..

We are different ;) ..but I do know that what goes around, comes around.. :)

Edited September 22, 2019 by mikesc

[JLSleather]

49 minutes ago, mikesc said:

When people who know you have called you Jeff, as they do here, frequently, you haven't said that they were wrong.

My name is Jeff.  That has nothing to do with the J in "JLS".  Are you .. advancing in years?

 

 

[Jack Napalm]

On 9/20/2019 at 1:54 PM, LatigoAmigo said:

You might try layin' the gun on the scanner glass, then place a black cloth over the glass to block out light. Press scan, and you should have what you're lookin' for.

This works.  One of my first IT projects was an archiving project using scanners and we scanned real objects with a flatbed scanner.    I just tried it again with crappy scanner and small pistol I have it.  Just to be sure I was remembering correctly.  Not sure I would do this on purpose in 2019 but you can do it.  There are better ways today to get a pistol image that is scaled/sized correctly. 

[mikesc]

"Are you .. advancing in years?"

We all are..from the moment we are born. :)

Hopefully we all will continue advancing in years ( or seconds, minutes, days, weeks, months ) , decades, even ( with sufficient medical progress for the youngest amongst us ) centuries.

It is when we stop "advancing in years" ( and especially in seconds ) that we are dead. :)

"advancing" is "progression", "a forward motion", it is not a fixed point, nor is it an end point.

Edited September 22, 2019 by mikesc

[RockyAussie]

 

1 hour ago, mikesc said:

"advancing" is "progression", "a forward motion", it is not a fixed point, nor is it an end point.

I reakon if we was advancing we'd be using contact glue instead of bullets. Non lethal mostly, better spread over the allowable defending yourself range, no need for rapid fire.........Not so Macho tho I guess or somethin like that... Ya off topic I know.

[mikesc]

"I reakon if we was advancing we'd be using contact glue instead of bullets. Non lethal mostly, better spread over the allowable defending yourself range, no need for rapid fire.........Not so Macho tho I guess or somethin like that..:gun:. Ya off topic I know. "
:)))
I seem to remember that someone ( can't remember who )did come up with a glue gun that did shoot out a kind of Spiderman glue net, think I might have read it in "bootnotes" over at elreg a few years ago..No idea what came of it though..I think the "gun" was flat sided, somewhat like a taser, but larger, thus, being flat sided, easier to scan and make a holster for..
But as you say "less macho"..
Funny thing is though..the vast majority of women are more interested in the quality of the "natural banging machine in the guys pants" than the substitute for it worn in a holster or tucked into a waistband and talked about by those with "confidence issues in their natural equipment and what they can do with it" ..Some guys are more interested in talking with other guys about their guns and related things, and what other guys think of them..nothing wrong with that..but are they trying to impress the girls, or the guys ?

Personally I've always found that designing and making clothes, bags, swimwear and lingerie impresses the girls far more, and like the ability to them laugh, and appreciate them for the work of art that each one of them is, allows far more of the ladies to open their hearts etc .. :)

Being able to cook and do some other things ( including massage ) doesn't hurt with the ladies either..I recommend reading "Time enough for love" by Robert A. Heinlein ..Especially the parts in between the chapters..Not "off topic" at all ..there is nothing more important than the ladies.. :)

Edited September 22, 2019 by mikesc

[LatigoAmigo]

38 minutes ago, mikesc said:

Being able to cook and do some other things ( including massage ) doesn't hurt with the ladies either

How about just doing the dishes every day? Maybe throw in some shopping? Help make the bed, and keep the house picked up? We guys learn over time that there are many things that will help keep a relationship together. 

Boy, have we gone off topic here...

[toxo]

42 minutes ago, mikesc said:

Being able to cook and do some other things ( including massage ) doesn't hurt with the ladies either..I recommend reading "Time enough for love" by Robert A. Heinlein ..Especially the parts in between the chapters..Not "off topic" at all ..there is nothing more important than the ladies..

Now you're talking! The ladies adore the massage. Here's something I knocked up today. Quite pleased with myself actually because it'll take different sized bottles just by tightening the belt. Started out with belt loops hence the holes.  Colouring to follow.

[mikesc]

I do all of that too..Hopefully we all do..I just consider that normal, as for my businesses I work from home, my wife works ( takes care of ) with old people with dementia and Alzheimers , people with terminal cancer etc, in their own homes..long days usually 10 to 12 hours per day 15 days "on" two days "off" ..that kind of load and the additional thing of getting attached to so many of them who die in pain and or helpless etc..you take the "load off" as much as possible..She loves the job, but it is draining emotionally and physically..

But I thought it best to keep "the list" of "dos" short*..and we have enough of those "my pikachu can out gun your pikachu", "this movie star would be faster on the draw than this bad guy" type threads..they are futile and unreal..school yard stuff..we are supposed to be adults.

*There is more " things that are good to do" in that Heinlein book, athough , IIRC, a very small mention of guns and other weapons, some recommendations about kilts, nothing about scanners that I recall.."that" was another guy, Cronenberg.

Computer drawing software for making leather patterns, depends on the platform..and the budget ( free , paid, FOSS, other ) ..friend of mine in Pakistan uses a Chinese software , developed for a laser cutter that they make, he works in leather items production , large runs for export to the USA, EU and almost everywhere else, makes for a lot of the major "Brands" worldwide..It ( I can't remember the name, but I have a version somewhere that I don't use ) scans the skins, then calculates where all the pattern pieces should go, with minimum waste, then laser cuts them out..fast , clean, and can work any size skin up to around 3 metres or so by 2 metres or so..He works with lamb, sheep, goat, cow, water buffalo etc..does garments and motorcycle stuff, bags etc..He does cutting work for others too , gloves, footballs etc.The software ( the name of which I hope will come back to me, because a search over 20TB will, especially as I can't remember what it is called* , take a while, not all the drives are in the boxen ) cost around 8K or 9K around 5 years ago ( there was a basic free version , but very "diminished" ) , but even at probably 10K nowadays..that is nothing to the cost of the machines that it was developed to run..Well over the cost of an average house and land in this village.

*Must be those advancing years.. :) or because I didn't think it was important to remember.. except for that on his recommendation I spent a lot of money on software just to be able to send designs to him, that I'd rather draft on paper / carton by hand and then make "muslins", and scan ( photograph given that most of them are too big for my scanners ) the carton "finals" and send the scans via email, and the sewn prototypes ( masters ) by snail mail / courrier..

[mikesc]

For RockyAussie.. less than a week ago..there ya go Brian.. :)
Might also work on Roos.

USA police-test-spider-man-device-as-alternative-to-taser
and

spider-man-type-restraint-touted-for-use-by-uk-police

There has to be a market for the holsters for this..if one knows how to scan 3D objects..or not. :)

Also for "impromptu" Shibari and Kinbaku :)

Edited September 23, 2019 by mikesc

[chrisash]

8% of US americans have a licence for concealed weapons that means 92% do not feel the need and happy not to carry, must say something

[Clintock]

@chrisash means there’s some fabricated numbers. And a lot of non licensed carry. Then there’s open carry. No need to have a permit. Several states have open carry. Carrying a license means nothing. How many folks drive without license. Your comment is like saying there’s no drugs out there because it’s against the law. 

Even if your numbers are correct which they aren’t, you failed to mention the amount of folks that want to carry but are still going through training, becoming familiar with their weapon, learning to be proficient with their weapon etc. So the 92 cents bullcrap just became a lot less. 

I find it ironic how MOST people from overseas think they know more about the US than actual US citizens. 

[LatigoAmigo]

15 hours ago, chrisash said:

happy not to carry, must say something

Most people probably don't carry, but the real concern is... are those (good guys) carrying guns ready to shoot someone (bad guys) when the time comes? Shooting and/or killing someone is a pretty heavy burden to bear. Certainly a "blink of the eye" moment one won't soon forget, no matter what the circumstances (this is from someone who has had guns drawn on him more than once. Luckily, the "bad guys" chose not to pull the trigger).

[Northmount]

Let's get back on topic.  Computer drawing software.

Tom

[JLSleather]

I think I got something like this fer bout .. maybe 85 guns ...  Above the guard is a sketch.  Below the guard is in ACTUAL SCALE.  Not sort of.  Not 'ballpark'.  Not 'close-ish'. 

Always thinkin  bout faster mode to this.

[JLSleather]

Like, not even kiddin'...

[RockyAussie]

22 hours ago, JLSleather said:

Above the guard is a sketch.  Below the guard is in ACTUAL SCALE.  Not sort of.  Not 'ballpark'.  Not 'close-ish'. 

I hate to admit I am not understanding what above the guard means? Are the pictures above good and the type of thing that you want to be able to do for other guns? Would it matter if there was more detail as when taken from a photo? Is this only for the purpose of arranging the bottom leather piece patterns or ......  I am only wanting to understand if these pictures are what it is that you want to achieve or not and if so, do they need to be done on what size paper if that matters etc.

Brian

[JLSleather]

Above the trigger guard area in the pics the way they are oriented.  So, the grip area basically.  For a holster maker, the grip area isn't entirely immaterial, but it need not be as regarded as the rest of the pistol.

Detail isn't required, just the size and shape of the contour.  I put in enough details to distinguish it from others, but only where that detail makes an actual difference.

So when somebody suggested a 'scan' of a gun, that interested me.  Certainly faster than measuring and drawing.  But, turns out this scan is to be taken as about as 'precision' as a photo.. which would be useless. 

The drawings above, if in proper scale 1:1, are all that is needed.  Of course, you would need to know the thickness of the parts as well to make a 'case' that fits, but a 3d full model render would be excessive for this (though I suppose it would be good for instigating more useless conversation).

I actually have the drawings (1:1) for quite a few guns.  And I can continue to do what I've been doing.  This thread (I didn't start) suggested a more efficient way -- but that appears to have been a dead end.  No loss .. I'm not out anything there.

[RockyAussie]

11 hours ago, JLSleather said:

Above the trigger guard area in the pics the way they are oriented.  So, the grip area basically.  For a holster maker, the grip area isn't entirely immaterial, but it need not be as regarded as the rest of the pistol.

Detail isn't required, just the size and shape of the contour.  I put in enough details to distinguish it from others, but only where that detail makes an actual difference.

So when somebody suggested a 'scan' of a gun, that interested me.  Certainly faster than measuring and drawing.  But, turns out this scan is to be taken as about as 'precision' as a photo.. which would be useless. 

The drawings above, if in proper scale 1:1, are all that is needed.  Of course, you would need to know the thickness of the parts as well to make a 'case' that fits, but a 3d full model render would be excessive for this (though I suppose it would be good for instigating more useless conversation).

I actually have the drawings (1:1) for quite a few guns.  And I can continue to do what I've been doing.  This thread (I didn't start) suggested a more efficient way -- but that appears to have been a dead end.  No loss .. I'm not out anything there.

Thanks for that. I assume that you wanting this drawings to go into a cad drawing program on your computer for printing out further hard copies? I seem to remember you used auto cad in the past. What I have done sometimes is take some pics and then measurements and drop the pic into auto cad and squish the scale up down etc untill it matches my measurements and then draw the lines over the top. I do that only if I am wanting to go on a pattern up a project.

Another way that may be of interest goes back to when I made shoes and the orthotics for them. For a relatively low price you can buy these casting foams which are for doing the feet impressions like these in the pic below-

They come as you see with a foam either side to do both feet. I think if a gun were pushed down halfway into one side and again for the other side of the gun on the other foam, you would be able to cast either a plaster of paris or resin to get yourself 2 halves of the gun. This half would then be very easy to get you a 2d outline and have the advantage of having a blue gun of sorts when you tape or attach them parts together. A scan of this outline can then also be put into your drawing program and should true  to size if done correctly.

What do you think?

[JLSleather]

Well, a "casting" would give you a 2d 'view' of the item, but it seems inefficient to make a casting if you already have the item - guy could just measure the actual item and enter in the drawing.  In a CAD program a guy can use inch or mm measurements, and in a vector or raster program a guy could use pixels.

The reason behind it is the same reason for a pattern of any other item you make a 'case' for.  I can manipulate the same drawing over and over, and if the pattern gets worn or ruined it's simple to print another (assuming you have a backup).

Some of it isn't that manual.  Having checked, I can tell you that the Glock 19 is the SAME as the Glock 17, but about 12mm shorter on the 'business end'.  So, obviously some models can be sped up by altering the drawing of one to make the other (not reinventing the wheel).  Takes some of the tedious out of it.  

[Hildebrand]

Has anyone used one of the programs like Adobe Illustrator with some thing like a microsoft surface with the pen and traced around the firearm?  Just wondering how close this would be to actual dimensions.

Todd

[JLSleather]

11 hours ago, Hildebrand said:

Has anyone used .. some thing like a microsoft surface with the pen and traced around the firearm?  

Todd

Nah, I aint.  But I wouldn't think that's drastically different than tracing on paper and then scanning the paper in to file.  Couple issues with those- always has been.  

• Ya hafta keep the "pen" (or what yer usin') vertical.  Any tilting/angling of the 'pen' and your pattern is off.

• Guy has to consider parallax error, particularly when you're tracing 360° around.

Illustrator (and others) certainly will work to make patterns.  Just "offset" by some number of pixels (just have to be aware the resolution yer using).  But the pattern will be no more accurate than your original shape (gun contour).

'Course, a guy could just make a line on paper where you know it's quite close, make the rig and test, adjust the lines as needed, then scan the finished result that works (which many of us have done for years).  The advantage of having the GUN contour in digital is that I can (and do) then use that same file to make the "pancake" holster.  And the "avenger" holster.  And the SOB, and the pocket, and the shoulder..... or whatever else you wanted to make... much more easily.

Like manufacturing 'stuff', the first one takes the longest and costs the most.  Once the R&D is done, it costs less time and trouble to make the subsequent ones.  I have been asked to sell these files on more than one occasion, but I don't know that people could afford what I would want for them.  Then, if somebody was ALSO doing this, I might be persuaded to SWAP one now 'n' then ...

[Bayou Bengal]

On 10/9/2019 at 7:06 AM, JLSleather said:

'Course, a guy could just make a line on paper where you know it's quite close, make the rig and test, adjust the lines as needed, then scan the finished result that works (which many of us have done for years).  The advantage of having the GUN contour in digital is that I can (and do) then use that same file to make the "pancake" holster.  And the "avenger" holster.  And the SOB, and the pocket, and the shoulder..... or whatever else you wanted to make... much more easily

You can literally spend an hour and a half trying to perfect curves stitch lines. I tried the scan method, but it was too shadowy to get an accurate scan

[JLSleather]

7 hours ago, Bayou Bengal said:

You can literally spend an hour and a half trying to perfect curves stitch lines. I tried the scan method, but it was too shadowy to get an accurate scan

By the time I've tested it, seen the result, adjusted the pattern, made another test, .... I have spent DAYS getting a pattern right.  But it was RIGHT.  Not "close", not "sorta".  Not 'acceptable" or "okay".  Not box, not fox ...

Do a search on WHYtube and you'll get a JILLION "leather holster making" videos.  Each one line up to draw around the gun, like they don't know that HUNDREDS of other videos show that exact same thing (some people make 20 videos that ALL show that same thing).  Yet .. NO video of this "very easy" stuff