weaselrunner Report post Posted November 11, 2008 I got my wife a laptop for xmas and am thinking about making her a carry case for it. This will be my first ""larger"" project. It's a 17" screen and I am looking for suggestions or ideas. Thanks so much in advance and what a great site !!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete Report post Posted November 11, 2008 I just bought a laptop 13" Macbook. I was going to make a tooled case but realized that I wasn't going to take it away very often and that I could get a nice padded case for $20.00 from OVERSTOCK.COM. If I decide to do one I will get another , cut it up and use it as a pattern. pete Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted November 11, 2008 I make a fair amount of briefcases sized to carry laptops. My personal favorite is a hardside briefcase. I pack my laptop back and forth everyday. On the latest ones I did, the briefcase came with a padded sleeve for the laptop. Otherwise you can buy those sleeves sized to fit about every laptop at most electronics stores. I buy my briefcases at whatever office supply store has the best deal going at the time. I put my computer in the sleeve, and have enough room for the power cord, cellular modem, and mouse. Room enough for some paperwork too. I am attaching some examples of these. One is mine, the old one I carried for several years, and was just getting bored with it. The basket stamp/block stamped border one was a customer order. I attach them with 3/8" high dome engraved conchos. I drill through the front and screw them on. I also do flap over the top brief cases. Some customers like these a lot. I have varied the width depending on laptop size for a close fit. Some like to use a sleeve now. I also put a pad on the bottom. It is a scrap of chap leather over two layers of saddle seat foam scrap, edge sewn like a pillow. Some have a divider and two sections, some people only want one section. They have heavy chap leather or hair on hide gussets on the sides. Hope this helps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pete Report post Posted November 11, 2008 Bruce- that is a pre-made briefcase that you basically covered? pete Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted November 11, 2008 Pete, Yes it is. Mine is off the shelf from Staples, the basket/geo is from Office Depot. I use the "$10 off any $50 purchase" coupons they send me every month or so. I don't like the $29 ones, too thin. There isn't a lot of difference between the $59 and the $99 ones. The $150 ones have better quality insides. I use what the customer wants. I have also done this on the aluminum shell ones as well. I just cover the front, and the little conchos hold them on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PANTHER Report post Posted December 30, 2008 I got my wife a laptop for xmas and am thinking about making her a carry case for it. This will be my first ""larger"" project. It's a 17" screen and I am looking for suggestions or ideas. Thanks so much in advance and what a great site !!!!! I got a fabric case for my laptop, ($10). It is padded. I too am making a leather case for it. I just got out my ruler,measured it and now have the pieces cut out. I clamped the parts togather and sliped my laptop in it and all seems to be well at this point. I haven't tooled it yet because I'm still refining my design. FYI, I got the padding and stiffner from Tandy and the fabric for the inside from a fabric store. It'll be a month or two before I post any pictures but I hope this helps you in making a pattern for yours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weaselrunner Report post Posted December 31, 2008 I got a fabric case for my laptop, ($10). It is padded. I too am making a leather case for it. I just got out my ruler,measured it and now have the pieces cut out. I clamped the parts togather and sliped my laptop in it and all seems to be well at this point. I haven't tooled it yet because I'm still refining my design. FYI, I got the padding and stiffner from Tandy and the fabric for the inside from a fabric store. It'll be a month or two before I post any pictures but I hope this helps you in making a pattern for yours. Your doing what had been an idea in the back of my mind, just wasnt sure if I was going in the right direction or not. We get a lot of "egg crate foam" in at work protecting delicate machine parts and electronics. I was thinking about getting some nice fabric and using the egg crate and swiping some time on my wife's sewing machine and basically making a padded pocket for the puter and building the case around it. I'm still new to this but gotta get my feet wet sometime. Looking forward to see how yours turns out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tashabear Report post Posted December 31, 2008 If it helps, my laptop went around the world in a zippered neoprene cover in my backpack, and never had a scratch. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
