RichLockyer
Guest
OMG.
I bought one of those from Tandy Leather a couple of years ago and never realized that the handle was hollow AND contained a wrench and spare needle.
Sewing webbing ?
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I bought one of those from Tandy Leather a couple of years ago and never realized that the handle was hollow AND contained a wrench and spare needle.
RichLockyer
Guest
I plan an evening watching TLC per project, but once you get your rythm down it's not bad. I've done cam-bands and knife sheaths, as well as a pair of Gators that I never finished.
You start by punching through, then pull the thread all the way through so you have nothing but the tool on one side. Now, pull enough thread to cover TWICE the length of the planned stitch... so if you're doing a cam-band where you want to stitch a square plus double crossover on 2" webbing you'll need about 15" of stitching so pull about 30" of thread at this point.
Now, pull back, move forward, punch through again. Draw back slightly... just enough to put some slack in the thread. Take the (32") length of thread and pass it through the slack. Now pull the needle back out and pull tightly on both sides. Repeat about 200 times.
When you reach the end, work so that both pieces of thread end up on the hidden side. Tie off with a square knot and carefully burn the cut ends.
It's the kind of job that nobody could pay me to do for them, and I'd be willing to pay a FAIR amount to avoid doing it myself. When I made my cam-bands, I could only find the Dive-Rite and Halcyon bands in the LDS and the cheapest was $30 each.
Two days after I finished mine, I found them at Sport Chalet for $17. Considering that I paid a buck a foot for the webbing and another $5 for the cam, it would have been worth the extra $10 to avoid the stitching AND have the velcro on the bands... I used innertube... adding Velcro would have brought my material cost close to $15 and added another evening of sewing.
Some things are worth DIY, some aren't
ScoobyDave
Contributor
I've seen a number of Army/Navy surplus stores that make custom belt bags, etc, and have the sewing gear to do just about anything needed.
ba_hiker
Contributor
I have an older Viking machine that my sister got for me. It was sold to schools extensivly and is pretty simple. It does zig-zag and button holes. It has a low-speed/heavy-duty mode that i have used to sew through 4 layers of webbing to make stuff for a kayak i built.
using ball-point needles and low speed it was teriffic. I would zig-zag back and forth accross the webbing several times making tackings. have also added pockets to dive bags (heavy cordura), repaired a thin wet suit, and modified my nylon/foam regulator bag.
using ball-point needles and low speed it was teriffic. I would zig-zag back and forth accross the webbing several times making tackings. have also added pockets to dive bags (heavy cordura), repaired a thin wet suit, and modified my nylon/foam regulator bag.
deadend
Guest
The sewing awl with a little practice can be pretty fast. I've sewn hundreds of pieces of rockclimbing, treeclimbing, and dive gear. If sewing multiple layers together it helps to clamp them in a vise while sewing. It keeps the layers aligned and also helps keep the rows straight. A regular office stapler works good also to keep it together temporarily. Each stitch will be as strong as the lb. test of the thread. Multiply # of stitches to = strength desired. I've had some of my life support gear tested and the sewn areas would still be ok after the rest of the material broke. Also, when sewing, every few stitches give an extra turn through the loop with the free end to keep the stitches tight while you work.
Good luck!
Good luck!
JeffG
Contributor
Get upholstery thread at any store that sells sewing stuff. (stay away from cotton thread)crestgel:
Another good source of supplies and information is;
http://www.sailrite.com/
For doing lots of these sewing jobs I use an old sewing machine I got out of the trash. The old, all metal, straight stitch and zig-zag machines are fairly strong and will handle lots of this kind of thing very well. The work even better if you gear down the motor to increase torque and reduce speed. A heavier flywheel also helps a lot.
The last thing is a heavier hold down spring. You don't want the material to pull up as the needle is moving up.
http://www.sailrite.com/
For doing lots of these sewing jobs I use an old sewing machine I got out of the trash. The old, all metal, straight stitch and zig-zag machines are fairly strong and will handle lots of this kind of thing very well. The work even better if you gear down the motor to increase torque and reduce speed. A heavier flywheel also helps a lot.
The last thing is a heavier hold down spring. You don't want the material to pull up as the needle is moving up.
Your local saddle and tack shop will have industrial sewing machines that do a perfect job on the thick webbing. The guys at my local shop do it for me for free, just 'cause they think it's cool that I'm a diver. It takes me 20 mins. 5 mins for them to sew it and 15 mins of talkin'.
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