Lacing Question

[Bob Blea]

Thanks all! I've learned something about when to use round holes today.

Bob

[electrathon]

  On 12/3/2012 at 3:47 AM, Beaverslayer said:

electrathon,

I have to totally disagree with you on the slits for lacing on the project NJBallslout is doing. A bike seat is a high stress item, as it is being sat on all the time while being ridden down the road. By using slits, you are already "Slicing" the leather, and a "Tear" is already present. This will only lead to future tearing on the edge of the seat where the lacing is.

For bike seats and anything else that is subjected to high stress, it is recommended to always use round holes. The round hole is far less likely to split or tear, as a slit will.

Another point on round or slit holes, is that on wallets and such, certainly the slits look better on the "front" the side of the project you punched the slits from, but on the backside, they tend to almost always look a bit frazzled. Round holes on the other hand, can be punched on the front side, then flip the piece over, lay it onto your back piece, then punch your holes into that. This way you get very nice looking holes on both sides of the project.

As you say, 3/32" holes for 1/8" lace, always use a smaller hole than the lace you are using, this will help ti hide the holes once the lacing is complete.

NJBallslout,

Those 4 prong punches may look like they are the cats meow, but they tend to be somewhat of an annoyance. As Chief said, they tend to come loose and wobble. They also do not work well on tighter corners. I used to have one, and it's now relegated to the bottom of some tool box out in the garage. The rotary punches are okay for belt buckle holes or maybe 10 hole projects, but you will be throwing it at the wall after punching enough holes in a bike seat.

You are far better off to purchase a punch set, that you screw individual punches into it. Mark all your holes on the bike seat halves, then punch them individually. This way, as you are marking your holes around the edge, as you get close to the end, you can adjust the distance of each hole so you don't all of a sudden have a spot where one more hole won't fit and the space between the last two holes is too far apart.

I would suggest that rather than lacing your seat with double loop, you should do the Mexican round, as it is a far stronger lacing, and it will look much better when completed.

................

I didn't see your post about the Tandy Calf Lace....NO...NO...NO...do not use that stuff.

You can either purchase Tandys Kangaroo Lace, or order some from Y-Knot, Kangaroo lace is the strongest lace there is and is much easier than that calf lace to use.

I missed the part that it was a bike seat, focused in on double loop lacing. I agree that on a bike seat round holes are the way to go. Also, double loop is bad, Mexican round braid is good. Almost always when you are using Mexican round braid you use round holes.

I do not agree though about the backside issue. I will post up a few pics showing the backside of a couple projects. I have something in my possesion that I am relacing (not my origional work) that round holes were used on so I will have the backside of how I lace and how it looks when done with holes. The "cleanness" issue is just as big of a deal to me on the back as on the front, To me, slots always win.

Also, ALWAYS use Kangeroo. If you want your work to last, use Kangeroo. Calf lace is good for practuce and not a lot more.

[Jax]

Hi I have read this topic & watched cheif's videos on the mexican basketweave & like the look of it very much, I have a bag I'm making at the moment & am thinking of doing this lacing on it but have a question. As I have lined the bag I want to lace all the edges but how would I do the gusset ends? All the instructions I have found require a complete circuit rather than a different start & finish point is there a way of starting & finishing a straight edge or will I have to stick with a double loop lace as originally planned?

Many thanks in anticipation & advance

Jax

[Beaverslayer]

Jax, Mexican round braid can be used in a straight line, and ended without having to complete a full circuit.

As you have noticed, there isn't anything that shows how to end, just join the circuit. What I do, is once I am at the end, I just continue on, using the last hole a second time as if I were to be continuing lacing. Once the lacing has filled all the holes and been over/under all the stitches so there is no "bald" spots, I just run the tail back under the lace about 4 or 5 rows back, slip it outside the lace, pull it hard and cut the lace off.

You can do the same on the beginning of your lace, just reversing the normal order.

Somewhere I have pictures of what I speak of, I'll try and find them and upload them here.

[Chief31794]

  On 12/4/2012 at 8:01 PM, Jax said:

Hi I have read this topic & watched cheif's videos on the mexican basketweave & like the look of it very much, I have a bag I'm making at the moment & am thinking of doing this lacing on it but have a question. As I have lined the bag I want to lace all the edges but how would I do the gusset ends? All the instructions I have found require a complete circuit rather than a different start & finish point is there a way of starting & finishing a straight edge or will I have to stick with a double loop lace as originally planned?

Many thanks in anticipation & advance

Jax

Jax,

Another member here asked me the same question in a PM, here is the answer I provided Cog.

Cogs, I do open ended runs with the Mexican Braid. It isn't real difficult and looks really good. In my video I started in hole one and left about 1". To do an Open End, start in 1, leave about 1-1/2", when you come out of the back go back through hole 1 from the front, take the end you left out and run it along the top of the edge in the direction you will be stitching. Then continue stitching normally, stitching the end under the braid laying flat. when you get to the end, go in the front of the last hole, come out the back stitch back 2 stitches just as normal, that will complete the 2nd hole from the corner, when you come out the back go under the nearest lace as always then go back into the front of the last hole half-way and come out through the braid a couple of stitches back. If there is no pieces to go through then come completely out the back of the last hole and slide the lace back under the laces on the back side and take it back about 2-3 stitches and bring it out, either way trim off the excess and it will stay permanent. I hope this helps, it's harder to explain than to show. Let me know if you need any clarification on any of these. I would try a small test piece before tackling the holster just to get familiar with the technique.

Jax,

For a gussett, I use this technique on the top of each gusset, then when it is assembled the braid on the gussett and the braid on the edges of the main portion of the purse will look good together.

Chief

Edited December 5, 2012 by Chief31794

[NJBallsout]

Well, I finished the pan, welded the studs in, riveted the leather to the bottom and glued and shaped the seat foam. Now Im just waiting for the kangaroo lace and needles to arrive, then I can finish it up. Ill update and upload some pics as I progress. Thanks for all of the great info.

On a side note, Im using baseball glove leather to cover this seat. Its a beautiful brown leather, just thinner then a tradiational seat leather that would be tooled.

[electrathon]

  On 12/5/2012 at 2:47 AM, NJBallsout said:

On a side note, Im using baseball glove leather to cover this seat. Its a beautiful brown leather, just thinner then a tradiational seat leather that would be tooled.

Seems like a good idea. Baseball gloves are for hanging onto balls.

[NJBallsout]

Well played electrathon... And seeing that its a seat Im making, the LAST thing I need are balls falling off.

[Jax]

Thank you so much for the info Beaverslayer & Chief, Im going to get some scrap out & have a go I love the look of this style of lacing.

NJBallsout good luck with your seat & thanks for starting the post, I'd never considered this lacing if you hadnt asked your question

[ITCL]

I use 1/8 lace a lot in 3/32 holes.The lace fills the hole well and looks good to.