Using a Vacuum Bag . . .

[Dwight]

In another thread  . . . we discussed using a vacuum pump and a vacuum bag to form holsters.

One of the folks asked for some pictures of my "system".

Here is a short video of what I do . . . and how I do it.

https://youtu.be/3KS1hAQ5c3U

May God bless,

Dwight

[MikeRock]

Dwight,

Thank you!!

God bless

[chuck123wapati]

excellent video!!!! short and to the point!

Does the leather get thinner also or does it come back to original thickness after the vacuum is let off? Darn now i have another project to work on, a bag for my pump.

Edited January 4, 2022 by chuck123wapati

[Scoutmom103]

Great Video and thanks for talking about how you made the plastic bag and seal it up.

[DrmCa]

Ditto. Great video and thanks for sharing.

[327fed]

Great video. I thought you might leave the holster under vacuum till it partially dried like manual wet forming. 

[Dwight]

9 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

excellent video!!!! short and to the point!

Does the leather get thinner also or does it come back to original thickness after the vacuum is let off? Darn now i have another project to work on, a bag for my pump.

Truthfully . . . I don't think so . . . but I've never taken a micrometer to it to find out.

I pretty much know what size I'm planning on using for what gun and what holster . . . and I just form it . . . sew it . . . finish it . . . and send it.

The bag is easy . . . getting that piece off ebay to suck the air out of the bag was the hardest thing of all . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

4 hours ago, 327fed said:

Great video. I thought you might leave the holster under vacuum till it partially dried like manual wet forming. 

It's a good idea . . . but actually I was surprised the first time I used it . . . the vacuum sucks a bunch of water out of it . . .  but it kinda gets to a certain plateau and it doesn't seem to get much more out.  The pieces dry really quick though.

I started out not having any one to ask . . . had to play "try and see" . . . my basic process is what you saw . . . as most all of the holsters I make are flat backed . . . even the pancakes.  I found the regular pancake holster to be far, far less comfortable than a flat backed one . . .  and the flat backed ones still have good retention.

May God bless,

Dwight

Edited January 4, 2022 by Dwight

[327fed]

Thanks. Got any idea what the connector off eBay is called?

[fredk]

24 minutes ago, 327fed said:

Thanks. Got any idea what the connector off eBay is called?

Check this one out; 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vacuum-Valve-Bagging-Composites/dp/B01DL7NGBI

 

[327fed]

I believe that is it. Thanks. I found an article in Wood magazine where they used a liner to go under a shower stall pan and the connector to connect a feeder line into the bottom of a toilet tank. 

https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/editorial-extras/shop-made-vacuum-press-bag?

Edited January 5, 2022 by 327fed

[Dwight]

I only paid like 7 or 8 bucks for mine . . . 

I could not find the exact one I bought years ago . . .  but this is the nearest I found . . . https://www.ebay.com/itm/391876111610?hash=item5b3da2ecfa:g:gKcAAOSwkklZpdPd

I didn't read all the description, etc.  . . .  but I think this would work.

May God bless,

Dwight

[327fed]

Thanks

[TZBrown]

Great tutorial Thanks for sharing the process

[327fed]

Dwight,

How did you slot the PVC pipe for the closure? I have done that on a table saw before but it really dulled the blade. 

[Dwight]

11 hours ago, 327fed said:

Dwight,

How did you slot the PVC pipe for the closure? I have done that on a table saw before but it really dulled the blade. 

I anchored the PVC on top of my wooden work bench . . . took an angle grinder straight down the middle . . . I would have used a table saw . . . but don't own one at the moment.

May God bless,

Dwight

[327fed]

Thanks

[327fed]

I made a bag setup but thought I would try the Harbor Freight vacuum pump without a motor. It connects to an air hose and the Venturi action pulls the vacuum. Specs are similar to the HF electric pump. However it would not pull enough vacuum to form a holster. Thought it would as  I have a 60 gallon compressor. Will hand form till I get a deal on an electric pump.,

[Dwight]

I used to get their 20 or 30% off coupons on my phone . . . quit getting them when I quit using them . . . 

Might check into them . . . this is the one I got . . . https://www.harborfreight.com/25-cfm-vacuum-pump-61245.html

I think it might have been 10 bucks cheaper or so . . . don't recall for sure . . . may have been this price.

Anyway . . . sure takes the labor out of molding the holsters . . . I used to use a hydraulic press . . . did a fantastic job . . . just knew one day though . . . somebody's plastic fantastic six shooter would get crushed in the press . . .  tore it down . . . was a really smart move I think . . . went to vacuum forming.

May God bless,

Dwight

[JayEhl]

30 minutes ago, Dwight said:

I used to use a hydraulic press . . . did a fantastic job

Hi -- when you were using the hydraulic press what did you use to form the holster?  was it foam padding or rubber pads or???

[JLSleather]

On 1/3/2022 at 9:01 PM, Dwight said:

Here is a short video of what I d

Thass sum purdy good learnin's fer ya rot cheer

Not exactly the way I do it, but close.  NOTE that you don't need a "closure" for your bag... if you fold it over and set a light weight on it it will work - in fact i sometimes just fold it over and hold for a second, since once it creates a vaccuum theres no need to hold it any more.

I also do not use a cutting board - or anything - along with the process.  My holsters are already measured, cut, sewn together before they go in the bag, and they are NOT flat... they are actually CURVED BEYOND FLAT, so a board would  be in the way of the form.

STILL -- this is pretty good, CLEAR INSTRUCTION.

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, JayEhl said:

Hi -- when you were using the hydraulic press what did you use to form the holster?  was it foam padding or rubber pads or???

I bought 4 pads of latex leather . . . each about 2 inches thick and about 16 or 18 inches square.   I used two above the holster and two below it . . . stacked of course . . . and a 6 ton press.

I just started getting antsy when I really started getting a lot of Glocks . . . 

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

18 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

Thass sum purdy good learnin's fer ya rot cheer

Not exactly the way I do it, but close.  NOTE that you don't need a "closure" for your bag... if you fold it over and set a light weight on it it will work - in fact i sometimes just fold it over and hold for a second, since once it creates a vaccuum theres no need to hold it any more.

I also do not use a cutting board - or anything - along with the process.  My holsters are already measured, cut, sewn together before they go in the bag, and they are NOT flat... they are actually CURVED BEYOND FLAT, so a board would  be in the way of the form.

STILL -- this is pretty good, CLEAR INSTRUCTION.

Thank, pal . . .  I went with almost all flat backed holsters . . . for me I found they were more comfortable . . . have not had a customer come back and complain they were too flat yet . . . lol

Seriously . . . I built a 50/50 pancake . . . did my best to get used to it . . . finally just put it on Ebay . . .  took what I got for a used holster . . . went down the road . . . have not made one since.

May God bless,

Dwight

[JLSleather]

On 2/9/2022 at 4:58 PM, Dwight said:

I built a 50/50 pancake .

 

 

 

 

well, i don't mean 50/50s .. I mean curved PAST flat.  A board would prevent getting the right "wrap around"

 

[327fed]

Do you think the hydraulic press is safe for SA revolvers ( won’t crush them)? 

i have a couple of presses available.