Zipper installation multipurpose guide

[RockyAussie]

Awhile back I was asked about what guides were available for installing zippers into handbags and the like. Over the years I have made a huge range of jigs and guides for various different products but I knew of no multi-purpose type tool that could do this job with out making up special tools like my line up table I've detailed somewhat previously on this forum. What I have come up with no doubt will be improved in time but for my first effort I can say that this guide has performed better than I expected and for those that would like to make copies for themselves I will attach the stl file needed here which you are welcome to use for your own private use. If you just want to buy the parts let me know but I would like to offer it to @Uwe for his rights to sell within the US (if he wants it). This is due to the fact that I admire his contribution and help to so many on this forum and is just my own way of thanking him from us all. Also he has now the equipment for making this stuff and his integrity to service and quality I would trust. For those that want to print it out I will attach some pictures as well.

In this first pic it shows the orientation I recommend to print as it give good strength to the 1mm legs and it works pretty well. I decided on a 30% fill using pla. In this case the 3 pieces took about 17 minutes I think. Bit rough and would be better on my old thing a bit slower perhaps.

This is what it looks like finished on the platform. Bit rough above the holes but they work strongly anyway.

Each piece I cleaned up with a knife and some sandpaper on a flat surface. This takes about 2 minutes to do well each.

Now showing after cleaned up and ready to try out.

A few more printed and cleaned up and pressed down onto No3 YKK nylon chain zip.

Once the guide is pressed on the lot can be handled well as a single unit to work on.

In the picture above you can see another printed guide made specifically for that length zip to make the position on the back for gluing the zipper into place.

These bags linings below were all done using that method I will show more of further down.

This shows what is wrong with doing good quality work......toooooo many bags to make. Over 50 croc bags in this lot and probably near as many to follow next month.  Sorry I went off subject there a bit. I will load this now and have a coffee and be back shortly.

 

 

 

[RockyAussie]

With the purpose made guide It is inserted into the hole and marked around the edges onto the back as shown. The width is the same as the outer edges of the zip.

This is shown on one of the line up cardboards that is used for lining up the clicker knife when cutting the inside slot hole but this is what is done on the leather backing prior to gluing in the zipper into place.

With the new guide the leather can be lowered over the hole to attach or leather can be butted up to the guide on each side.

I found that you can hold the unit in one hand and apply with the other but this was hard to photograph by myself so ......

If you are not needing to glue into place it can be done by most sewing machines by holding the guide up against the foot and feeding in the leather against the guide as it goes through. I did a wobble first try but once I learned how to hold it it went quite easily.

 

 

Other side is easier still

 

As shown below the guide hangs on quite well but can pull out when you want to easily as well.

That's it for now except here is the stl file ZIP JIG3 chain ny.stl

Please if you make it and use it.... post some pics on here for other to see.

Brian

 

 

[RockyAussie]

Note: I will try and get a No5 chain nylon and metal guides done over the next couple of weeks. I got a lot of bags to catch up on first.

Brian

[garypl]

Brian, Thanks for all the detailed pictures - don’t know where you find the time to photograph everything in such detail!

Zippers are still a bit of a mystery to me - I have some that I want to use in a project - maybe a small jewelry roll.  Just need to get ready to sacrifice some leather while I learn!

Gary

[billybopp]

That's a brilliant piece of design!   Kudos and thank you!   Now I know for sure that I need a 3D printer!

-Bill

[TomG]

Wow. Great idea and concept.  I'll print some out as soon as I reassemble my printer.  Adding some upgrades as time allows

[Wizcrafts]

RockyAussie;

Would you mind posting the new details and .stl file links in our 3D Printers and Lasers forum? There are a few members lurking there that would appreciate seeing this. You can link to this topic in a post you make in that forum.

I for one will try to find somebody with a 3D printer to make your zipper guides for me (our usual 3D printer guy just moved). I mostly use #5 YKK zippers in Biker wallets and money belts. But, I do use a #4 or 4.5 on occasion.

[dikman]

A bit of good old Aussie ingenuity! Nicely done Brian and thanks for taking the time to document this.

A question - what is the red squeeze thingy you're using? I assumed it's for applying glue, but if so what glue are you using that's thin and doesn't clog the tube?

[Trevor Baret]

Fantastic, Brian.

Thanks for all of the detail and the .stl file.  Will keep watching for further updates...

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, Wizcrafts said:

RockyAussie;

Would you mind posting the new details and .stl file links in our 3D Printers and Lasers forum? There are a few members lurking there that would appreciate seeing this. You can link to this topic in a post you make in that forum.

I for one will try to find somebody with a 3D printer to make your zipper guides for me (our usual 3D printer guy just moved). I mostly use #5 YKK zippers in Biker wallets and money belts. But, I do use a #4 or 4.5 on occasion.

I will do that Wiz as best I can. I would be honoured to send you a range of the different sizes as soon as I can get them done. If you decide to get them done faster mention that the scale part in a program like Curra will allow you to make them as long as you want or short and wider as well for various width zips. I don't know with out checking if the piece is made wider for a number 5 zip if the gap from the stitch would be good or not. It may be fine. Your shop address alright to address to?

3 hours ago, dikman said:

A bit of good old Aussie ingenuity! Nicely done Brian and thanks for taking the time to document this.

A question - what is the red squeeze thingy you're using? I assumed it's for applying glue, but if so what glue are you using that's thin and doesn't clog the tube?

That is a glue pot that I converted over from being a brush on style. If you want one H. Leffler and sons should have them. I have plenty of old brushes worn out here and I just break away the outer aluminium part that retains the brush and insert a brass tube that you can get at the hobby stores. I cut it to length and flare one end and force it into the hole. I then hammer around the top edge of the aluminium next to the brass tube to really tighten it into place. A little bit of an angle grind to the tip helps the spreading out. I keep the tip from drying out by keeping it covered by a bigger tube that I have the end squeezed shut on. The one in the picture is a bit of brake tubing.

A bottle made up with a bolt inserted as shown helps to keep a swap over tip or brush ready to

This pic shows the brake tube cover

Another handy thing to store multiple brushes in thinners is a army food dish.

 

As to the glue (NE - 1820) I buy it from a chemical company in Sydney (PCA Barham pty ltd) in 20 litter drums but your local shoe repairer should be of help. Its just a contact glue. Freight is a killer to get it here.

Brian

 

[bullmoosepaddles]

WoW Brian. Thank you for all the information you share. As well as all the time you spend on photos and explanations. The innovative fixes you come up with for daily problems are just amazing. 

Thank you Sir. 

Gene 

[thefanninator]

Thanks for sharing this. I am definitely interested in this if @Uwe (or someone in the US) is going to make them. Can one be made for a Riri #6 & #4?

Edited August 19, 2018 by thefanninator

[RockyAussie]

On 18/08/2018 at 11:16 PM, billybopp said:

That's a brilliant piece of design!   Kudos and thank you!   Now I know for sure that I need a 3D printer!

-Bill

Hi Bill, I saw this one recommended in another post last night which is pretty much plug and play $280 + free postage and they have another I would like that has a 300mm square platform as well. Very tempting....Shame its way over your side of the pond.https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13860

 

[RockyAussie]

2 hours ago, thefanninator said:

Thanks for sharing this. I am definitely interested in this if @Uwe (or someone in the US) is going to make them. Can one be made for a Riri #6 & #4?

Good news UWE is going to see how they work on his printer and let us know. I don't have any Riri zippers to measure the teeth width and test but I am sure there would be no problem doing them at all. I will work on getting something for them asap.

[dikman]

I just tried a search for that glue and nothing came up. I'm curious as it must be a fairly thin contact glue to work in that small nozzle?

[RockyAussie]

1 minute ago, dikman said:

I just tried a search for that glue and nothing came up. I'm curious as it must be a fairly thin contact glue to work in that small nozzle?

Straight as we get it it works alright but we do buy drums of thinners as well and thin it to whatever the job requires. For spraying the glue we this it maybe 10%.

[dikman]

Thanks mate. Some of those thinners are......nice.......wheeee.

[garypl]

2 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Hi Bill, I saw this one recommended in another post last night which is pretty much plug and play $280 + free postage and they have another I would like that has a 300mm square platform as well. Very tempting....Shame its way over your side of the pond.https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=13860

 

Brian, I looked at this printer and if it is as easy as it says, even I could probably use it!  You make the .stl files for the projects you post here.  Is it as simple as plugging the file into the printer and hitting print to make something or do you have to do something else with the files?

Gary

[RockyAussie]

37 minutes ago, garypl said:

Brian, I looked at this printer and if it is as easy as it says, even I could probably use it!  You make the .stl files for the projects you post here.  Is it as simple as plugging the file into the printer and hitting print to make something or do you have to do something else with the files?

Gary

Hi Garry, Not quite ...an stl file is just a file that any printer or I think cnc can get the raw information from. A program like I use Curra then converts it into a G code that then is able to tell the printer how you want it to print out. At the stage before you make the G code you can set how fast you want it to print, how many copies you want it to do, how much fill you want it to have. That means it might be 90% hollow if it does not require a lot of strength or fully solid if you wanted it to be a stamp.It can also be scaled higher or wider or longer or just wholly bigger or smaller etc. It also allows what temperature to set the heated nozzle for different type of filament. The filaments come in a wide variety and can be extra hard  down to soft and flexible. After the G code is set it is then pretty much plug it in and let it go. Its a little bit like having to learn how to set your tensions and thread paths and needle sizes and which needle brand works best etc but the huge range of things that you could apply this knowledge is almost infinite and already spare parts in cars etc are being replaced with this technology. They are even printing Robots now so learning how to design with it is at least one future that will be here for awhile.

Brian

[garypl]

Thanks for the lesson Brian!  So if I had the stl file I would just have to use Acura to set parameters and then hit print.  I might be able to do that!

I am going to read up on this some more - maybe I can learn a new skill!

One last question - is the filament plastic expensive?  For example, how much plastic did you have to use for the bobbin  holder?  

Gary

[RockyAussie]

5 hours ago, garypl said:

Thanks for the lesson Brian!  So if I had the stl file I would just have to use Acura to set parameters and then hit print.  I might be able to do that!

I am going to read up on this some more - maybe I can learn a new skill!

One last question - is the filament plastic expensive?  For example, how much plastic did you have to use for the bobbin  holder?  

Gary

The PLA filament I used in this case is pretty cheap and easy to use. The large rectangle bobbin holder uses 116 grams at 30% fill and that is around $4.00 au (about $3.00US). The revolving bobbin holder at 20% fill is 80 gram which is about $3.00au ($2.25US dollars). You have to take into account a little bit for the power cost etc as well. I just checked the little zipper piece and it is 2 gram and cost 6 cents au. Good thing there as you can load the platform up with heaps.

Brian

[garypl]

2 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

The PLA filament I used in this case is pretty cheap and easy to use. The large rectangle bobbin holder uses 116 grams at 30% fill and that is around $4.00 au (about $3.00US). The revolving bobbin holder at 20% fill is 80 gram which is about $3.00au ($2.25US dollars). You have to take into account a little bit for the power cost etc as well. I just checked the little zipper piece and it is 2 gram and cost 6 cents au. Good thing there as you can load the platform up with heaps.

Brian

Thanks Brian - I will do some more research on this - sure sounds interesting as long as I don’t have to learn how to be a programmer!

Gary

[dikman]

Gary, as Brian said if you buy an already-built one (look for reviews first to see what people think of it) then all you need to learn about is the slicer programme that converts to the G code needed to print. I use Slicer, it and Cura are probably the most widely used. This part of it isn't to hard to master. As for filament it's pretty cheap in the US, just start with your basic PLA.

It gets complicated if you start fiddling with the operating system!

[Uwe]

Even without getting into G-Code, there's still a fair amount of twiddling with the settings to get things to print right. 

I printed  batch of the links last night just to see if my printer was up to it and how they turned out. Turns out printer is up to the task, but the links connect somewhat loosely. The original photos look like the links connect quite solidly. On my links there's a tiny gap between the wall of the linking elements, allowing for play. They might still work, but I don't have any suitable zippers to test with. 

Nozzle size, layer thickness, filament material, fill, wall thickness, alignment of the planets, and other parameters may affect certain dimensions. That's not a problem if you print little Yoda figurines, but mechanical interconnecting parts require a little more precision. Like cutters, there may also be settings to print "on", "inside" or "outside" the line but the software driving my printer is not super fancy.  Alternatively, the CAD model may need to be tweaked to compensate for printer variations. I have a feeling that no two printers will produce truly identical parts, only parts that are quite close.

Here's a picture of my batch of links. I took just under six hours to print 27 links with PLA filament, 0.2mm layer thickness and 65% fill.

Here's a picture of the sideways curvature play my connected links have::

 

Edited August 21, 2018 by Uwe

[dikman]

Maybe you should have printed just a couple first to try them out?

I wonder just how critical that sideplay will be, if it's a snug fit over the zip then it shouldn't matter too much?