Boxed in: Box stitching a tooled leather trunk

[motocouture]

My fingers hurt just looking at that! Amazing work, and I think it's a beautiful heirloom piece. Thank you for sharing, it's inspiring to see the skilled work done by others. 

[YinTx]

55 minutes ago, motocouture said:

My fingers hurt just looking at that! Amazing work, and I think it's a beautiful heirloom piece. Thank you for sharing, it's inspiring to see the skilled work done by others. 

Heirloom?  I might be... now.  And thank you for the compliment.

And the fingers and arms... they do hurt.  Ice on the forearms every night lol.  Not sure how often I can do that!  I can't imagine folks that do nothing but tooling all day every day for some of the large saddle makers, etc.  The pain must be unbearable at night.

YinTx

[kiwican]

I'm digging this Yin, great job

[YinTx]

6 minutes ago, kiwican said:

I'm digging this Yin, great job

Thanks much, Kiwican!

and I just noticed... the mosquito in the second photo... trying to cover up the entire "L" in the word "Love."  I thought I deleted all the skeeter photos.  Gotta love South Texas!  You lose weight every time you step outside!

YinTx

[Sofaspud]

Hey Yin, where are you in South Texas?  I live in Corpus Christi. The weather here reminds me of Hell with a sauna.

[YinTx]

11 hours ago, Sofaspud said:

Hey Yin, where are you in South Texas?  I live in Corpus Christi. The weather here reminds me of Hell with a sauna.

I am really close to Corpus, and the weather is exactly that.  But then, that's why folks come here for vacation? 

YinTx

[JNewkirkct]

Wow! I envy your patience 

[YinTx]

JNewkirkct,

Thanks, this craft indeed takes a lot of patience.  Next one might go a bit faster, since I have a better idea of what I am doing... but probably not much faster!

YinTx

[billybopp]

How do you secure the 4th side while you sew the top/bottom?  A box jig or pony works for the first 3 with a little planning, but that 4th ...

 

[YinTx]

Billybopp,

This was something I had wondered about myself before I embarked on this effort.  I made a small upright box before starting this one to sort of puzzle it out.  

A lot of judicious planning allowed me to stitch all sides with the box stitching clam I made, save one corner and one edge of the hinge.  I managed to set it up so that only a short length corner had to be stitched without the clam - along the bottom of the short side of the last piece stitched in.  At this point the box was a box, so i was able to just set it upside down on the work bench and carefully stitch it together.  Keeping the awl at a good angle and pulling needles through was a bit uncomfortable on the wrists due to the angle, I suspect I could build something to hold it in place at a more convenient angle if this becomes an issue in the future.  The last stitch on the hinge I just did with the box in my lap - each stitch required flopping the lid back and forth as I pulled the stitch tight -  a bit annoying, but you get used to it after a few dozen times...

The last side on the lid I was able to just clamp in catawampus and get to work.

If anyone has a better way, sure would be nice to know it!

YinTx