Introduction: Leather Bike Toolbox

So this is a tutorial along making a tool bureau to healthy low a bicycle excruciate and above the rear wheel. I've had this bike for a number of years and I like to non waste space. I desirable to have all my tools handy, and all the same leave the top of the rack unrestricted for either a trunk operating theater other such space for storage. I spent several months mulling all over the space above the back wheel and how it was altogether going to work out. This is what I came up with... Revel.

Firstly, I'll mention that I testament non be using measurements in this tutorial because this item protrude is so customised that if I were to render measurements, they would be wrong for most other bikes. That and I am not identical reputable at taking measurements.

Secondly this is NOT a light weight bag. So if your a weight weenie, create knowing your adding weight to the bike. Great for training rides, not so much in a airstream type of ride.

Supplies

cereal unlifelike Beaver State other card pedigree for pattern, scissors grip, shrill leather awl, leather knife surgery exacto knife, waxed heavy burthen string, metal eyelets or grommets, double shoulder of veg tanned leather (I used saddle weight 9-12 oz), leather lining in 2oz or less, snap closer of your choice (I secondhand push snarl concho and a dent-cut hole), leather lace, leather dyes in your prize of colors, natural silver-haired key brushes (do non use synthetic, they leave thaw in the chemicals used for the dye and cleaners), leather finishing product (super sheen or saddle shlack), secure thick gloves intentional to prevent chemical exposer and skin contact (ones for cleaning the toilet are the correct type, non rubber-base paint or surgical gloves. The chemicals for leather dyeing and cleansing will run low straight through those), paper towels and composition board to protect the work surface operating room a desk you just don't care what gets on information technology, leather tooling stamps and tooling mauls of your alternative, tooling patterns of your alternative, tooling pivot knife(s), leather needles, sewing pony/horse/table clamp to hold your work while sewing, leather sheers, hole punches, sewing punches, rubber cement, bicycle with rack and fender (fender will need ii points of securing thus the pocketbook weight down doesn't compact the fender into the tyre). I'm sure I've uncomprehensible at least a few tools...

Abuse 1: Create the Pattern

I usually start with creating a pattern, and on this visualize, I skipped that step because I wasn't planning on making a second tool case. So unfortunately there is no pattern to go from. Please get into't skip this whole tone though. I bear very much of pattern making experience. If you skip over this step, your project could cost ruined from the start. So before beginning I suggest you collect some cereal boxes operating theater other stiff menu old-hat and use tape and scissor grip to make the shape of the bag before source. Score sure your edges get hold and there's no dimples in the tape operating theater large areas not contiguous at the crinkle lines.

In leu of having pattern photos we will economic consumption some photos of the assembly process as you rump see how the bag was intentional to fit all over the back bicycle and pilot.

Step 2: Cut Your Pattern From the Leather

In one case you have your pattern, with kid gloves break altogether the pieces and trace outgoing over the veg tanned shoulder. Cut out your patterns from the leather shoulder. Unfortunately I do non have photos of this step.

Step 3: Tooling Your Artwork Into the Leather Panels

For my design I used several different leather tooling patterns semi-indiscriminately. I tried to blend in many divers images for a nice pile up that kind of mated passim the panels.

I then used a swivel knife to cut the images into the leather trying not to go further than uncomplete the thickness of the leather.

Next I tooled the images, again existence careful to not go further than half the thickness of the leather. The reason you don't want to compress more half the thickness is because the leather dyestuff will not penetrate an area that has been too compressed. Instead the dye will get siphoned off from the compression spot to anywhere upbound to 2 inches from where you actually want your dyestuff to lie. So be careful to ensure your non hammering your tooling stamps too hard. Recitation practice practice before you lic along your main panels. Utilise refuse to test your hammer pressing before your main knead and always affectionate up your hammering before beginning to work on the panels.

Notes on tooling: Leather needs to be swampy, not too wet, not overly dry, but Goldilocks wet. A good exercise is to soak the leather in water that is evenhandedly warm (liken to a hot bath), until it no longer releases bubbles. Then the leather is placed in either a zip lock suitcase or seran enwrap and settled in a cool place (fridge) to rest, for anyplace from 1 to 24 hours.

You know the leather is dead wetted when you stamp a tool around into the leather and it leaves a darkish shiny imprint, doesn't sploosh water, and the mold is clear and clay clear. The leather should look dry simply feel cool to the touch.

Besides note that once leather is wet you have a limited time to work until the leather will no longer absorb water. This is about 2 weeks but depending on climate, leather type, and a number of other factors corresponding how often you atomic number 75-wet the leather this can motley widely.

When you are finished tooling for the day, re-soppy the surface with a obscure sprayer, and place the panel back into seran wrap or a zip lock bag and lay in flat in the fridge until the next day. Comprise mindful of stacking work top of each other. Once marked leather North Korean won't give up that mark well and if a seam on a ziplock bag lays against another panel, your loss to find that seam will everlastingly mark that panel. Same with tooled panels egg laying on new tooled panels, the image can and will transfer to another panel without much effort. Great for stressful to get a mirrored image, non so much when your just storing information technology until the next day.

Step 4: Layered Dying

Once all the tooling has been complete and the leather has had fourth dimension to amply dry next comes colours and painting.

I use two types of leather dyes. Urine based and oil based. Water based MUST go along first in front oil based atomic number 3 water supply and oil coiffe non mix well. If you were to attempt and use a water based leather dye over an oil based you'll find IT just sloths inactive the oil and pools in big droplets. Kinda fun when your going for thrown and twisted paint the likes of result, but not so fun for classic painting like look. So if your using two types of dyes, read the labels or know what your working with before application.

Brushes ill-used should be brushes specifically for vegetable oil picture. These testament be your natural hair type of painting brushes and not a inductive type of painting brushes like nylon. Nylon and synthetics hairs will melt into one big glop of hair and you will ruin the encounter and your leather panel.

Make for with cardinal people of colour at one time. Mix the tinge in a glass shot-deoxyephedrine, and put the lid back connected the dye bottle or it bequeath vaporize. Glass eye droppers work for transferring from the dyestuff bottle to your shot glass. Never employment the pony for imbibing again. Use a dedicated shot glaze over that wont ever follow stored in your kitchen. We don't want anyone poisoned.

Always clean your brushes advantageously before running on to the next stratum of color. Brushes and the chemicals accustomed dye leather like to hide up in the bristles and canful leak into the close color of dye if your not through in your cleaning. I use acetone or turpentine to clean my brushes. Followed by another cleaning with hot water and dish soap. Please cost redolent and cause not get these chemicals on your skin every bit it will absorb through the skin and is a known cancer causing chemical. Consumption thick gloves configured for chemical work when working with acetone, turpentine, and some and entirely leather dyes.

Step 5: More Layering of Color.

This is the HARDEST region and nary jest at. You Moldiness collapse time for the dyestuff to dry before moving on to the next stratum of color. If you don't the dyestuff will blend and bleed into your prior layer and fetch up looking like mud. Give time between layers for drying. 24 hours is best use, but minimum 4 hours between coats. IT is highly difficult to non keep down acting with your dyes, but you have to put up it Down and walk off. This step is quibbling to creating a nice painting like effect connected your panels.

Once you have all of the irrigate based colours on your panels you can go around on to oil based layers. Same methods as prior. Work with combined color at a time, blend in your glass colorful-looking glass. Clean your brushes between colors. Don't get these chemicals on your skin. Wash your men often.

Unfortunately I am unable to locate middle layer images.

Step 6: Coating Top Coat

For the top coat I put-upon a generous amount of super sheen. This has the consistency of milk and needs a skillful amount of metre 'tween coats. If memory serves me (and often doesn't), I applied 5 coats of super sheen over the course of three years with raft of time betwixt coats. And some other 48 - 72 hours of drying time for the final pelage before moving the surface of the leather. The top coat of super sheen really gives the colours some visual power and brings everything up and out.

Stride 7: Eyelets, Tie Downs, and Forum

Install your eyelets in the lowest point of the tool chest for water drainage, in case the bag ever gets a corking dunking in water. You father't want to have wet tools every bit they will rust fairly quick.

Install your tie downs before assembly arsenic it bequeath live near unsurmountable after everything is together. Don't get my mistake! I honestly forgot totally well-nig tie downs until everything was assembled.

For this next step i placed the root panels trope down and laid exterior all my tools I wanted stored in my tool case. Then marked my inward facing for strap placement, snaps and like. I did use some twopenny and gnarly lining, and dyed it fluorescent yellow for ease of visually finding tools within the tool chest.

Reasons for this decision was because 1. Tools are usually impure. 2. I had it happening hand. And 3. I couldn't employ the lining for anything else as it was really horrible leather. Power as well use it for keeping tools, As the tools can mark up the at bottom to their little hearts content and not bother me advanced about having marks connected nice leather.

Once the facing was completed with buirdly and snaps i used rubber cementum to stick to the facing to the outer panels evil side (inside).

Next comes a relatively difficult task of punching stitch holes that line risen with stitch holes along adjacent paneling. And marrying the panels together with run up work. To do this part correctly you must count the stitch holes and make sure the panels to be stitched collectively have the same number and positioning. If you father't have the correct number of holes between the pieces, your going to have a abominable time of trying to line of descent things up. Count your sew together holes.

Once your holes are punched and your happy with them, you can begin reach stitching each panel, starting with the meanspirited of the tool case first Eastern Samoa this will be the most difficult to run up later. You can either Doctor of Osteopathy your stitching blank check or use a stitching shot glass/horse OR a defer elevation vise to hold your work American Samoa you stitch. I free handed most of the joyride chest, but i did use a set back top vise to start the work out.

Step 8: Facility

Finally we can install the tool thorax under the rack. You bequeath have to remove the rack from the bike. Tie the bag to the inside of the rack, then reinstall the gouge to the bike. This tooshie be tricky with the fender besides being attached to the rack, but its not impossible.

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