How do you fold leather straps?

[RockyAussie]

On 6/25/2021 at 12:43 PM, Rahere said:

The issue of fabric thickness also happens in your jig, bringing the edges completely together in the centre doesn't allow for the thickness of the leather or any core when you fold it in half again.

That is true if you wanted to do a fold it over in 1/2 again. It is quite easy to run them through and get an allowance to do that by having the strap cut less wide but in this case I have concentrated on bringing them together to meet as tight as possible in order to use as a strap as is if wanted and also I prefer to use 2 separate straps put together if I want more thickness. I think they look better that way and in many cases I am putting a top over skin as shown in the crocodile bag handles above. The main aim here is to do the job quickly, neatly and easily as possible. These straps take me a few minutes to make and I can show you many a video of makers/teachers? showing had to make these straps in time frames I could never recommend. I give credit to the person in this video for a lot of things that he shows and shares in his video's but the methods shown in this one just can't work for me. 

 

[Anubis78]

On 6/23/2021 at 6:09 AM, RockyAussie said:

Yes they are and they work great once you get all of the design specs worked out. Video's coming soon.

 

I am working on a range for the Cowboy strap cutter and folder combo machine at the moment and hope to get a few vids done shortly. The basic design is pretty easy to adapt to any machine and if you want to give me the width of strap and the thickness once folded I could make you them up for about $25 US dollars plus post (about $15 dollars to the states I think). Should be able to do quite a few sizes for the same postage cost. I would need the diameter of the rollers and the distance from the centre of the rollers to where you screw the folder plate down and the spacing between screws. Give me a week to get these video's done and I think you will be quite impressed.

Hey, just getting a bit settled here and wanted to revisit this.   Are you still able to make a folder that could work with my Omac Star3000?  Let me know and I can do the measurements.  

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

Hey, just getting a bit settled here and wanted to revisit this.   Are you still able to make a folder that could work with my Omac Star3000?  Let me know and I can do the measurements.  

Hi @Anubis78, Should be alright I think. I thought these machines came with an adjustable for width guide set up. What is not working with them? I will need to know fairly closely the thickness of strap you want when folded and the width. I see I never got around on this thread to loading any of the video's showing my guides in use so here is one now (bit long and boring but best I could come up with at the time)

 

[Anubis78]

10 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Hi @Anubis78, Should be alright I think. I thought these machines came with an adjustable for width guide set up. What is not working with them? I will need to know fairly closely the thickness of strap you want when folded and the width. I see I never got around on this thread to loading any of the video's showing my guides in use so here is one now (bit long and boring but best I could come up with at the time)

 

Well they come with two sets of folders; one that folds the edges so that the touch each other similar to the way you’ve folded in the video (this seam can be centered whenever you like) and one that basically just folds/rolls the edges inward.  They can be adjusted as needed, but I’m limited to those two types of folds. I would like a folder that will fold trifold the strap so that one side completely overlaps the other and can be sewn down. The final straps that I would need are 3/4”, 1”, 1.25”, 1.5”, 1.75”, and 2”. It would need to accommodate soft leather that is from 2 ounces to 3.5 ounces. Id have to give you measurements to add a wider base that could be screwed down to the machine. How tolerant are your folders to contact cement?  

[RockyAussie]

7 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

 I would like a folder that will fold trifold the strap so that one side completely overlaps the other and can be sewn down.

Can you show me a picture or drawing of how this looks? Is one raw edge finishing with an outer edge or part ways? Contact gluing that shape may be difficult. It might be worth considering to make one up to feed straight into a sewing machine a bit like a binder does.

 

7 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

How tolerant are your folders to contact cement?

I have not ever had any issues to date but then I never put wet contact glue straight onto them either.

[Anubis78]

On 2/24/2022 at 5:51 PM, RockyAussie said:

Can you show me a picture or drawing of how this looks? Is one raw edge finishing with an outer edge or part ways? Contact gluing that shape may be difficult. It might be worth considering to make one up to feed straight into a sewing machine a bit like a binder does.

 

I have not ever had any issues to date but then I never put wet contact glue straight onto them either.

Here are 3 pics that hopefully show what type of fold Im looking for.