Leather rounder

[rawhider]

I need to find a tool that will turn flat leather strap into round leather straps for cores. Any advice? I've used my edgers, but it doesn't get it perfectly round.

[TomSwede]

Pull it through a hole punch in someway??? Maybe it is not sharp enough for that but maybe there's way to sharpen those??

Just a thought that struck me!

Tom

[ArtS]

Here is a rounder on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...I:IT&ih=016

ArtS

[greg gomersall]

The most consistant way to go is using sewing machine belting. Not cheap but making your own is time consuming as well. Panhandle leather in Amarillo keeps a selection of different diameters. Greg

[bigprairie]

I need to find a tool that will turn flat leather strap into round leather straps for cores. Any advice? I've used my edgers, but it doesn't get it perfectly round.

Smuckers Harness Shop sells rein rounders for $95

http://www.smuckersharness.com/pg64.html

[TwinOaks]

Pull it through a hole punch in someway??? Maybe it is not sharp enough for that but maybe there's way to sharpen those??

Just a thought that struck me!

Tom

No, Tom, the trick is to punch a bunch of holes then glue all the dots together!!!

[TomSwede]

Oh yeah, finally all those punched holes I've been saving can come to use..well not the holess but the punced out leather pieces

Tom

[Ian]

My rounder doesnt go small enough to make thinner cord, but I found that if I wet the leather and pull it through holes punched into a couple of layers of heavy leather it makes a pretty good round cord. Start with a hole that is big enough to pull your lace through fairly easily, and then move to a smaller hole, and then a smaller one.. Works pretty good.

[rawhider]

No, Tom, the trick is to punch a bunch of holes then glue all the dots together!!!

HAHAHA! Thats funny! Never thought of that before...

Well, I think with a couple of pieces of tool steel and a drill bit set, one could be made pretty easily, so I'll give it a try.

Edited September 6, 2008 by rawhider

[JohnD]

I would think drilling some different sized holes in some hardwood or metal and counterboring them would do the trick.

John

[oldtimer]

I need to find a tool that will turn flat leather strap into round leather straps for cores. Any advice? I've used my edgers, but it doesn't get it perfectly round.

Try putting a sharp round punch in a vise and then pull a strap of heavy leather through it, and you will end up with a round string

[Arthur]

the old time reata braiders used a hardwood plank with various hole sizes drilled in it and pulled materiael through from largest to smallest.

[OutBackP]

Thought it reminded me of something from woodworking. Would something like this work?

http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionID/JPW/p...lates-20396.htm

Used for making doweling. Shouldn't be to hard to make. Next time I go to Axminster I'll have a look at it.

[Hilly]

Make your own. There's a "how to" in one of the Stohlman books "The Art of Making Leather Cases II"

Hilly

[pilgrim]

I made a tool for rounding braided stuff out of an old pipe flairing tool. jusst had to file down the grooves. they have graduated holes.

[carr52]

I wonder if a flaring tool for copper tubing might work.

Tom

[Luke Hatley]

CARR.. THE PIPE FLARING TOOL WILL WORK WELL. I USED ONE FOR A LONG TIME

UNTILL I FOUND MY OSBOURNE THAT I USE NOW.

BE SURE TO POLISH THE HOLES WELL. I HAD TO ON THE ONE THAT I HAD.

[Merrik]

Another possibility might be jewellers Draw plates. Some examples here

They are used for reducing the diameter of wire. The only issue would be there are probably far more holes than would be required, however the D shaped and Square hole plates might produce some interesting effects.

I made a hardwood drawplate for finishing some round chains made using various techniques as it maintains the shape of the wire whereas a metal plate would eventually flatten the outer surface of the wire.