How Do I Connect Two Tubes?

[hosscomp]

I plan to make a tubular case that will be similar to two dice cups with the bottoms glued together. It could be one long tube with a separator in the center and lids on each end. It is to hold red shuffleboard weights on one side and blue ones on the other. So I either need to make two cups and connect them, or figure a way to sew the bottom in the center of one long tube. I am too new at this to get my head around a good way to do it.

[TwinOaks]

Look up "tool roll" using the search function for an alternate idea - make a tube that opens on the side.

Since you'll be making a tube, you're going to have a seam (unless you build it in a spiral) on one side. Take whatever you're going to use to form the tube and try to get something a little bit smaller, put an over sized disk of wet leather on it. Using your hands, start folding the leather over the blank so that you get a round piece of leather with a lip on one side. To see what size you need, measure the size of the tube you'll form on, then subtract twice the leather thickness to get your new diameter. If you can't get a smaller size tube, don't worry, you can still use the disk, you'll just have to flex it a little to make it fit. Get a strap or some tape to hold the leather in place and set it aside to dry. While it's drying, mark the center point of the tube and offset by half the lip where the divider will be, then mark and punch your stitch lines. You'll need to do this while it's flat so you can maintain a straight stitch. Once you have the stitch holes punched, glue in the (dry) disk, using the stitch holes as a guide to put the center of the lip on the stitch line. Now, secure the bottom half of the tube with a few stitches to keep it in place. Reach in the top of the tube to the divider and support it while you go through the same stitch holes again, making stitch holes in the divider's lip. Start sewing, and be sure to over lap the stitch a few stitches to lock in the thread. Both needles should end up on the inside of the tube before you cut the thread. That secures the divider, and you can start stitching nearest to the divider on both ends of the tube.

OR....if you want something easier....

If the game pieces are a uniform diameter (which I think they are) you could just stitch a welt of leather in place while it's flat. That would prevent them from sliding past a certain point....think of the inside of a PVC coupling- it's got a little lip that the pipe won't go past.

[Nooj]

Hmmm... Stitching or lacing something in the middle of a cylinder would be tough. If you made two cups with outward facing bottom lips, they could be joined fairly easily.

Or you could make two cups, then a sleeve that both cups could fit into (the cup bottoms butted together, and the sleeve covers both end to end), then lace or stitch the outter rim of the cups to the outter ends of the cylinder, and make your caps for each end.

I hope that makes sense.

Good luck- let us know how you go about doing this project :-)

Nooj

[hosscomp]

Thanks guys. Why couldn't I think of that. I think I can do either of those four methods, but will probably use the welt since that seems the easiest and will certainly keep the pucks from passing through. If I do a decent job I will post a picture. I still need a few more things before I start though.

Thanks,

Ron

[hosscomp]

OR....if you want something easier....

If the game pieces are a uniform diameter (which I think they are) you could just stitch a welt of leather in place while it's flat. That would prevent them from sliding past a certain point....think of the inside of a PVC coupling- it's got a little lip that the pipe won't go past.

I am now trying to make the welt, but having trouble getting this doubled 9 oz leather to form into 2 1/2 inch diameter circle. That is the only weight leather I have on hand. Would soaking it, skiving it really thin, or cutting it in half down the length of the welt help? It doesn't matter how it looks since it will be out of site. Or will I have to get a more supple leather or other material?

Edited September 17, 2011 by hosscomp

[hosscomp]

Hmmm... Stitching or lacing something in the middle of a cylinder would be tough. If you made two cups with outward facing bottom lips, they could be joined fairly easily.

Or you could make two cups, then a sleeve that both cups could fit into (the cup bottoms butted together, and the sleeve covers both end to end), then lace or stitch the outter rim of the cups to the outter ends of the cylinder, and make your caps for each end.

I hope that makes sense.

Good luck- let us know how you go about doing this project :-)

Nooj

Nooj,

How would you suggest connecting two cups together, by sewing a short sleeve, or what?

[electrathon]

I would use a piece of PVC pipe covered in leather. The pipe is the form, the leather makes it look good. For the separator, cut a wood circle, slide it in the center, screw it in place. Cover it with leather.

Aaron

[hosscomp]

I would use a piece of PVC pipe covered in leather. The pipe is the form, the leather makes it look good. For the separator, cut a wood circle, slide it in the center, screw it in place. Cover it with leather.

Aaron

Hmm. How about a wood disk attached directly to the leather with upholstery tacks or something similar, since the sleeve is already cut and tooled? Do they make upholstery screws?

[Nooj]

The wood disc in the center would work too. And the tacks may add some decor to the piece as well. I think Aaron's idea sounds pretty good; The trick would be getting the leather to fit tight around the PVC... I really don't know how to do it.

When I mentioned sewing two cups with a sleeve, I meant making two cups that would fit into a leather sleeve (tube), then stitching each outside end of the cup to the outside end of the sleeve. It would use more leather than other methods... but it's kinda simple, I guess. Really- you'd only have to make ONE cup- and a sleeve; The bottom of one cup would separate the two sides of the sleeve... I'm probably making it more complecated than it has to be, lol. My descriptive skills aren't very reader friendly.

Nooj.

[hosscomp]

Hmmm... Stitching or lacing something in the middle of a cylinder would be tough. If you made two cups with outward facing bottom lips, they could be joined fairly easily.

Or you could make two cups, then a sleeve that both cups could fit into (the cup bottoms butted together, and the sleeve covers both end to end), then lace or stitch the outter rim of the cups to the outter ends of the cylinder, and make your caps for each end.

I hope that makes sense.

Good luck- let us know how you go about doing this project :-)

Nooj

I ended up cutting a circle out of some thin plywood, gluing felt to both sides, and using upholstery tacks to hold it it the center. It works well. I posted some pics at

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=34107&view=findpost&p=221868

Thanks,

Ron

Edited November 27, 2011 by hosscomp