zippered rifle case

[Hilly]

Howdy all. I'm planning (in the near future) to attempt a zippered rifle case, and I have questions about installing the zipper... I'm still in the planning/pattern making phase, and I'm in no real hurry.

I've been reading in Al Stohlman's "The Art of Making Leather Cases" vol. II about installing a zipper. I do understand the basics.

The case I want to make will be sort of like a long tooled taco with a zipper and handles, a couple of pockets and a shoulder strap Instead of stitching the zipper directly to the case, I would like to install the zipper into a narrow gusset, and then lace it in, instead of stitching. What weight leather would you recommend for this gusset material? My first thought would be something around 3 oz? Would you use something like chap hide, or something else? I would like something that doesn not look out of place with the veg tan I plan on using for the case. The zipper will be about 6.25ft. long (a large and roomy case for a large rifle).

I plan on working on this (among other projects) over the next year or so, as I have a lot to learn along the way.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks,

Hilly

[Rawhide]

Howdy all. I'm planning (in the near future) to attempt a zippered rifle case, and I have questions about installing the zipper... I'm still in the planning/pattern making phase, and I'm in no real hurry.

I've been reading in Al Stohlman's "The Art of Making Leather Cases" vol. II about installing a zipper. I do understand the basics.

The case I want to make will be sort of like a long tooled taco with a zipper and handles, a couple of pockets and a shoulder strap Instead of stitching the zipper directly to the case, I would like to install the zipper into a narrow gusset, and then lace it in, instead of stitching. What weight leather would you recommend for this gusset material? My first thought would be something around 3 oz? Would you use something like chap hide, or something else? I would like something that doesn not look out of place with the veg tan I plan on using for the case. The zipper will be about 6.25ft. long (a large and roomy case for a large rifle).

I plan on working on this (among other projects) over the next year or so, as I have a lot to learn along the way.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks,

Hilly

Hilly, I'd use 3-4 oz veg tan and stain/dye it when you do the cover, that way it's a perfect match. How wide will the gusset be? It could stiffen the case a bit. If you don't want that, use a lighter maybe 2oz veg tan. Or you could use the chap leather as an accent piece on the outside of the case and then a chap leather gusset won't seem out of place.

Marlon

[bruce johnson]

Hilly,

I can only think of one item I ever did where I sewed the zipper directly to a case. I sew to gussets. I don't much like to use vegtan for most gussets. You either use thin enough leather that the integrity might be an issue or score it for the sharp crease to stand up. And that score might be the weak link. Another downside is they stand up once you do that and can be a pain to get things in and out of unless the piece opens flat. I like to use something flexible. On planners I go down to thinner chap. On bigger things like briefcases I like to use either heavier chap - 4/5 or so, or hair-on hide. I did one for a guy who is liking Diamond Tan better. For rope bags I use the heavy chap if they want a bag that collapses or my preference - Siegel's Diamond tan. The DT has a little more body and doesn't slouch like chap, but not as firm as latigo. Holds its shape, but you can reach into it and it moves out of your way. All of these can be had in a color that either matches pretty close, complements, or contrasts depending on what you want. Remember if you want a match, your vegtan will age and darken faster than the chap or DT.

[Hilly]

Thanks for the replies. I don't want a wide gusset; only wide enough to have enough room to lace the edges, so not much wider than the zipper tape. I was thinking of chap hide because it is flexible enough for my needs.

I will be using brown zipper tape, and dark brown lacing, so I guess a dark brown gusset would look okay. Now all I have to get is some chap hide!

[barra]

Hilly. Whatever method you use to instal your zipper, eg making the gusset in 2 seperate halves or what is sometimes called letting it in, before you have totally enclosed the zipper there are 3 rules.

1. STOP

2. THINK

3. ZIP RUNNER

I think most of us have made the oopsie of not attaching or moving the runner inside the stitches before we close it up. It's kinda not a zipper then but only some pretty cloth tape with teeth.

Barra.

[ramrod]

o.k.....wow! this is a real oldie, but i had to resurrect it. hilly - or anyone for that matter - how did the rifle case turn out? i am thinking about making one in the near future (i tried my hand at one a few years ago and it was a disaster) and i'd love to see some pics, leather weights, etc.