Tool bag lining?

[MADMAX22]

Hey guys just wondering what you all use to line your tool bags with. Gonna be doing a project soon and wanna make sure I make it right the first time. Thanks

[Ian]

Corey, I use whatever upholstery leather I have on hand (the picture is of some phony croc embossed leather I have)- using spray adhesive. I cut the lining away from the edge where there is going to be a seam. I'm thinking of doing future bags with vinyl lining.

[Roger]

i use whatever upholstery leather i can find on sale. 2-3oz is what i use.

i have also done thinner bags when i'm outa 10 oz and lined them with 3-4oz veg tan

vinyl would make it more waterproof inside

[MADMAX22]

Thanks for the input guys. Will have to pick up some stuff like that on my adventures this weekend.

[Bree]

i use whatever upholstery leather i can find on sale. 2-3oz is what i use.

i have also done thinner bags when i'm outa 10 oz and lined them with 3-4oz veg tan

vinyl would make it more waterproof inside

Not sure that will help. It might hurt. Unless you can keep moisture out completely you may just stop the breathing of the leather and cause damage inside because it can't dry out.

I have found it VERY difficult to keep moisture out of my toolbags. I just ash canned one which was made of heavy leather and had braid all around the bag. The braid on the round ends caused so many holes that the leather tore once it started to rot. The weight of the tools was a stress that the seams simply could not bear over the long term. The rot came from moisture trapped on the inside of the bag. I am thinking of putting drip holes on my next one with a little shield to prevent water from coming in but it will allow it to escape.

I have to protect my tools from moisture, encasing them in something that is waterproof, because I have never been able to keep that tool bag sealed on the front forks. The y get wet and rust. The protection may exacerbate the problem. So you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. At least if you do any riding in the rain!!

[TomSwede]

On my camerabackpack there is an pocket underneath it and it is held together with velcro and inside there is a raincover that just pulls outand I pull it over the bag and there is a string sewn into the raincove so I can tighten it around the bag.

It'd be lots of extra work but I was thinking more for your own personal use like with Bree it might be a good option. If you find a customer willing to pay for it..fine, you now have the experience with it.

I just love my camerabackpack for this. Really rain proof ones costs three times the price of my bag and so it might be if you're gonna find a solution to actually seal the leather like discussed, maybe??

I've been thinking if I one day make seats for Swedish people I'd have the raincoat as an option maybe. People here is a little scared with leather seats and rottingproblems so probably a good marketing gimmick for me, IF it is possible to make the cover invisible when not used.

Tom

[MADMAX22]

Tom that is a great idea. Im planning on making my girlfriend a camera bag, a bigger one for all her stuff for the longer outings and that would be perfect. I could sew a extra pouch on the outside and be good to go.

Thanks a bunch for the idea. She will definatly like it. Also up here on the coast of northern Washington state (US) it seems to allways be raining or about to rain.

[TomSwede]

Best is to place the pouch underneath the bottom so the rain won't run down and soak into bottom. Downside with this on my bag is that the bottom is not very flat so I can't set my bag upright down. It falls over but with shapeable leather this can be worked around.

Let us now bout the result if you get to it. Never seen it around here before.

Tom

[MADMAX22]

Will do but it may be a couple of months before I get to it or get it done. Have about two other projects I need to finish/get done and christmas is coming up in a few months so need to make some gifts also. But I will definatly post it up when I get around to it.

[ramrod]

i had to respond to this - especially to bree's comments, despite the fact that this thread is pretty old.

it has to do with waterproofing a toolbag. i've noticed that most (if not all) tool bags have the straps going through holes in the top cover (like the one that ian has pictured - beautiful by the way). this is automatically a place for rain to enter. and based on the size of the punch used, a LOT of water will enter there. this can rot it out or possibly delaminate the lining from the outer leather.

what i've done to mine is this: (and i really apologize for not having pictures of this, so i'll try to describe it as best i can) i attach the 2 straps to the face of the bag where the top lip is. i punch 2 holes for the straps in the lid and as the lid is pulled down, you can thread the straps through the punched holes and secure it with a buckle or snaps on the bottom of the bag.

another wat to do it is to have "d" rings on the leading edge of the lid and have some straps secured to the bottom of the bag. close the lid, run the straps through the rings and snap it closed with snaps (or buckle, or velcro) to the bottom of the bag.

this way, there is no opening in the lid for rain to get in.