inexpensive pattern material

[esantoro]

I'm looking for some inexpensive pattern material that will last a long time allowing me to cut out the leather along the pattern itself.

So far, I've come up with 1/8" hardboard and 1/8" white plastic cutting board material. Currently I use posterboard to race the outline of the pattern. Then I use a traight edge to cut along the lines. This is a bit too time consuming.

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

Ed

[barra]

Here are a couple of examples of patterns I use. What I use depends on what the item is for.

Example 1. I find pictures and if it is not quite the right size I blow it up in a photocopier. I then put the pattern inside a laminte sheet and run it thru the laminator. I usually make the pattern about 1/8" smaller than I want the finised item. This way when I cut it out the edge of the laminate is still sealed.

2. I use heavy vinyl or even better linoleum offcuts from a flooring store for large stuff like the grey example on the left.

3. The other example of a laminated pattern is a little different. I have again laminated the pattern but this time I have run it thru the sewing machine without thread. When I want to use it I lightly dust a piece of sheepskin with talc and the rub over the pattern. Little bits of the talc go thru the stitching holes onto the leather. I then run over the talc line with a single creaser/tickler,making any minor adjustments I want. When happy I wipe off the excess talc. This example is the pic on the right.

Barra.

[esantoro]

I'm looking for some inexpensive pattern material that will last a long time allowing me to cut out the leather along the pattern itself.

So far, I've come up with 1/8" hardboard and 1/8" white plastic cutting board material. Currently I use posterboard to race the outline of the pattern. Then I use a traight edge to cut along the lines. This is a bit too time consuming.

Thanks for any ideas you may have.

Ed

I picked up some 1/8" hardboard at home depot today, cut out some patterns, and put a couple coats of lacquer on the edges.

I had to choose between polyeurethane, which I think I should have got, and lacquer. I chose the latter because it had a drying time of about 30 minutes. Perhaps I should have picked up a resin.

Any ideas for what the best type of finish would be to protect the the edges of the hardboard pattern as I cut out pieces of leather around it? I think this is a better method than tracing around a posterboard pattern and then cutting out the peices with a straight edge and blade.

Also, any ideas as to what would be the best kind of knife or blade for cutting 1/8" hardboard?

As always, thanks for the help.

Ed

[candyleather]

I use photocopy transparent film (I think his name is vinyle, a plastic), is better than xray film or print in paper. Sometimes I print my patterns from my computer to the laser printer in the transparent films and after I trace the pattern on the leather easily.

If you have near from you a printing press or a printing works store they use a similar film to the xray one and within toxic waste. Also there is a transparent or translucent plastic for binding photocopies (is like craftaid plastic with one millimetre thick) which you can made your patterns for to cut the leather pieces.

[gearsmithy]

High density polyethyline sheets, about 1/8" thinck are perfect for this.

[hiloboy]

High density polyethyline sheets, about 1/8" thinck are perfect for this.

do you have a link or were i can get high density polythyline sheets?

[gearsmithy]

Sure, you can get them from all over. I find that Small Parts (http://www.smallparts.com/products/descriptions/283.cfm) makes them in perfect sizes for me. You can get bigger sheets from larger distributers too.

[steve mason]

the best stuff I have found for patterns is "wacky carpet" or "crazy carpet" it is thick enough that it cuts well with a round knife, is rigid enough that you can trace the pattern forever and the edges will stay true. They are also fairly cheap.

just google "wacky carpet"