ChiefFilipino Report post Posted July 14, 2015 Hello All! So I am happy and not happy with my current project. I am heading on an unexpected trip and was looking to buy a travel bag when I realized I could make my own. This is the product, but I had to rush it because I literally had a few hours last night and today to get it done. It's not perfect but for my first bag I am fairly happy with it! It is predyed goatskin from Tandy's. They had a sale and I liked the color for a wallet and finally found a project to use some more of it. I started with the concept using paper bags to do a mock up, then made the templates from poster board, then moved on to the final product. I am the most happy with the handle, I think that is the best part of it. The lid is by far the ugliest but that's because I started with the idea that I would use straps to keep it closed and then switched it to a zipper so it totally threw off my measurements, plus stitching the zipper on also skewed it a bit. Oh well, it's for my use only Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Windrider30 Report post Posted July 14, 2015 I personally like it, and the zipper would hold better then the straps I would think. how hard is it to do a cylinder? I have yet to try that! And how well did the goatskin cut? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChiefFilipino Report post Posted July 14, 2015 Thanks Windrider! The cylinder wasn't too hard except for the top and bottoms. Those were harder. It was hard for me to determine how big to make the circles to make sure I had enough to stitch them on. The bottom came out pretty well but as you can see on the top it didn't. I used a strip of skin to cover and hold together the cylinder walls but you could also overlap them which would also change your circle's diameter. If you are going to try it I recommend figuring out the circumference you want, make the rectangle for that and put it together, then that will help you to measure and eyeball a better circumference for your top and bottom circles. I cut all my pieces out first then put them together but I think I will do the cylinder walls first next time. The goat skin cut easily but you do need to place a ruler or something to hold it down. It is pretty thin I think like 2-4oz or something really thin like that so if you try without the ruler it begins to lift up and move too much. I also found that at the end I would have to try to chop it like a vegetable instead of slicing through it. At the end the skin would move with the blade and I would end up with a little triangle that I would have to go back and cut off. Other than that it was like a hot knife through butter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldhat Report post Posted July 14, 2015 Hey chief have you tried a rotary cutter for the thinner leathers, because it rolls over the leather as it cuts it tends not to pull like a knife does especially at the ends. I think you are being a bit hard on yourself about this project as it is a hard thing to work out, the main thing is if you learnt a lot doing it, that is where the value of a project like this lies. All the best. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Windrider30 Report post Posted July 14, 2015 Thanks for the idea chief will have to give it ago, and as oldhat said a I use a rotary cutter myself for the thin leather and it works like a charm. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChiefFilipino Report post Posted July 15, 2015 I don't have a rotary but it sounds like that is what i need to add to my tool kit. I know i shouldn't be hard on myself Oldhat you are correct that i should focus on the learning process, i just know I can do better. The bag definitely works though! I was able to get almost everything into my bag except a few things but I am happy with the outcome i just wish the top came out better so i could show it off to the general public. Oh well live and learn. Thanks for the input and encouragement! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldhat Report post Posted July 15, 2015 No problem Chief , you might also want to check out the Al Stohlman series of three books on leather case making, i cannot recommend these books highly enough, they are jam packed with info and are quite cheap to pick up these days. I would definitely recommend buying a rotary cutter for thinner leathers, they are also useful if you ever decide to line a project with fabric or pigskin. All the best. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Windrider30 Report post Posted July 15, 2015 a bit of warning on the rotary cutters though, the blades are EASY to break I have snapped more then a few of them even on thin leather from getting the blade twisted on my cutting board. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruce H Report post Posted July 16, 2015 Looking good...I would be very proud if it were mine! Thanks for sharing! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChiefFilipino Report post Posted July 16, 2015 Thank you all! It is in my plan to pick up some literature in the future. So many tools so little money.... sigh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldhat Report post Posted July 16, 2015 Thank you all! It is in my plan to pick up some literature in the future. So many tools so little money.... sigh I here you Chief, i have the same problem but the nice thing is once you buy all the tools it does tend to get so you do not seem to be always needing something.Stick with it , it is a lifetimes pursuit .All the best. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
