3D Printed Mold for Leather Pocket

[sbrownn]

This is a 3D model of a bag that I designed that I want to produce in leather.  I 3D modeled the bag to facilitate creating 3D printed molds, stamps and templates to use to make it.  Now that the bag is accurately modeled in a CAD program I can create the 3D STL files directly from the model.  The first part I created was the pocket.  I designed and printed 3 parts to form, stamp and cut out the pocket:  a two piece mold for making the pocket itself and a combination stamp and template for patterning and cutting out the pocket flap.   I have uploaded a photo of the pocket as completed from the molding, stamping and cutting based on the 3D printed parts.  The third picture shows the pocket and the two piece male/female mold parts that were used to form it.  The final picture is of the pressing/cutting template used to make the pocket flap.  This process can be used for all kinds of pockets and all kinds of flap geometry and flap designs.    

 

[chrisash]

looks good

[MikeRock]

Is there some particular item that fits in an angle bottomed pocket?

Just curious.

[RockyAussie]

Very well done and thanks for sharing.

[kgg]

Nicely done. Simple and reusable that gives nice consistent results. It is pretty amazing how 3d printing is changing things. I would expect in the next 5 years as the metal 3d printers become more reasonable in price 3d printing will really move forward. Problem, design solution, and print it.

kgg

[Tugadude]

I'm guessing the angle is just a design choice.  I like the idea of creating moulds with the 3d printer.  I presume they are durable.  I guess you can attach the smaller piece to a block of wood.

[HaloJones]

I have been thinking about printing moulds for wet forming, a couple of questions if you don’t mind;

filament or resin printer?

what infill % did you use on the base block?

how thick is the top section of the mould?

if filament printed what did you do to stop any print pattern forming on the wet leather?

 

TIA

 

[RockyAussie]

2 hours ago, HaloJones said:

f filament printed what did you do to stop any print pattern forming on the wet leather

You can get very good results without going over the top of the leather if you want and it does not matter on the underside generally.

 If you see how I did a handcuff pouch in this post should make it clearer. https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/77677-how-to-make-a-press-for-moulding-leather-pouches-and-such/?page=2

For the fill you may use 20 % but keep in mind that you can put in posts hidden inside and the wall thickness you give on the outside inside can give a lot of strength where you may want it. Sometimes a hole once given say a 2mm wall thickness becomes a very strong support pipe if you get what I mean.That can be drawn inside the solid as a hollow tube and the wall thickness takes care of the rest. This is how you can reduce the print time and still have very strong parts. In the handcuff pouch although the holes on the outside could allow bolting together they are actually there in case I wished to clamp the parts together and the holes are really support poles in use.

 

[chrisash]

Brian, you are a crafty old sod, I would never have thought of those support holes for strength

Edited November 18, 2019 by chrisash

[HaloJones]

Thanks Rocky, some food for thought