Concise and helpful. I'm at the point of ordering my first material for my first belt build. So many different approaches become overwhelming for me as a greenhorn newbie. I like this approach. Thank you.
Wayne . . . if you have a micrometer . . . take it with you when you go leather shopping . . . buy leather that is .100 thick. That (when doubled) will give you a .200 thick belt . . . which I have found down thru the years is just about the optimum thickness. A belt approaching .250 (or thicker) can be unmanageable in some belt loops . . . much less than the .200 and it can become a bit flimsy. But have fun . . . your first belt is always a special product you will treasure. I'm wearing mine from back in the 1990's.
Thank you for your helpful replay Sir. I still at the point of gathering tools to supplement a pretty large kit I've ordered. Yesterday, I managed to get a sack full of Starrett Machinist dividers of various sizes from a retired machinist friend. They are rock solidly built and provided I can shape (dull) the points of a a few of them to be suitable, it looks like they will be quite useful. Just trying to learn and have some fun. Thanks again.@@dwightcimino1040
I was wondering about thickness. I have some 7-8 oz and for a work type belt I want to go thicker by either doubling that up (which seems too thick) or adding 4-5oz to the eight oz? These are the 2 weights of leather I have on hand. New at leather crafting and this is my first attempt at a belt. Thank you
(in case you see two replies . . . my computer went goofy . . . there may be two pop up here) Basically I make my belts anywhere from .1800 to .2400 thick . . . remembering that each ounce is equal to 1/64 of an inch. That makes 8 ounce leather equal to .125 inches. Two 8 ounce pieces will eqial .240 or 1/4 inch. My belt I'm wearing right now is made that way . . . has held up for 20+ years. I quit a long time ago messing with ounces . . . and the reason is that a piece of 7/8 ounce leather can range in thickness from .109 up to .125 . . . which can look really bad if theh .109 is on the outside and the .125 is on the inside . . . and you cut them from two pieces having the same tag of 7/8 oz on the outside. I've gotten to where I'll take a .140 piece and a .100 piece to make my belts sometimes if that is what is on hand. It seems to work out fairly well if I skive the tip end of the fold over that holds the buckle. Either way you use what you have will make a good belt. Just stay away from things like a 12 oz and a 4 oz . . . that theoretically is a 1/4 inch belt . . . but that 4 oz will wrinkle like a 90 year old and just look some kind of ugly. Best wishes . . . Dwight
Great video. I am an Economist but I love to work with leather. I've tried contact cement but It's too brittle. I've tried several others including the dual epoxy where you have to mix the two tubes and nothing has worked for me. I use the glue only to hold the pieces together for my stitching. Are you using it as the only permanent way of keeping it together? Beautiful work, thank you.
Thanks for the good words, Javier . . . and to answer your question . . . no . . . contact cement is only to hold the belt together long enough for me to go to the belt sander . . . where I touch up the edges . . . making sure any abnormalities are flattened out . . . I then sew the belt all the way around . . . then bevel the edges and finish it. That is in my opinion . . . the only way to make a 2 piece belt that is both economical and practical. But then again . . . I'm a newbie . . . only done this for 25 years . . . or so.
Do you use the bottom 1 1/4 strap just as a spacer to lift the belt off the table? Seems like that would make it easier to line up the edges of the 2 pieces being glued. Good technique. Thanks for sharing!
That's ok, but what if you want the stich the 2 together instead of glue. Not a butt joint but an overlap of about 2 to 3 inches... Would you still do the glue where the sticking is? And, don't think you talked about the type of glue you used for the belt... Belt is used for a ceiling fan so it will be being pulled sideways not up/down...
Hi, Kevin . . . I would still glue them together . . . and I only use Weldwood Contact cement . . . have never had a problem with it. If you stitch them together . . . only stitch along the outside edges . . . DO NOT stitch across the width of the belt. It produces the same effect as the perforated holes in cardboard . . . and it will eventually rip at that stitching. Gluing it together actually will make it just like one solid piece of leather. If you glue two pieces together with contact cement . . . come back the next day and use a vice and pair of pliers . . . you can pull it apart . . . but when you view the pieces . . . you will see that you did not break the glue . . . what you did was tear the leather. There will be torn pieces of leather on both sides of the tear.
Right to the point easy! Nice job.
Concise and helpful. I'm at the point of ordering my first material for my first belt build. So many different approaches become overwhelming for me as a greenhorn newbie. I like this approach. Thank you.
Wayne . . . if you have a micrometer . . . take it with you when you go leather shopping . . . buy leather that is .100 thick. That (when doubled) will give you a .200 thick belt . . . which I have found down thru the years is just about the optimum thickness. A belt approaching .250 (or thicker) can be unmanageable in some belt loops . . . much less than the .200 and it can become a bit flimsy. But have fun . . . your first belt is always a special product you will treasure. I'm wearing mine from back in the 1990's.
Thank you for your helpful replay Sir. I still at the point of gathering tools to supplement a pretty large kit I've ordered. Yesterday, I managed to get a sack full of Starrett Machinist dividers of various sizes from a retired machinist friend. They are rock solidly built and provided I can shape (dull) the points of a a few of them to be suitable, it looks like they will be quite useful. Just trying to learn and have some fun. Thanks again.@@dwightcimino1040
That strip under is great idea, I like that way of single layer fold and the shape where they meet!
Ingenious to say the least! Thanks for sharing!
I learned something valuable.... Thank you!
You're welcome . . . have fun . . .
That's the MASTER's way. 🙏🏽
I like your buckle
I was wondering about thickness. I have some 7-8 oz and for a work type belt I want to go thicker by either doubling that up (which seems too thick) or adding 4-5oz to the eight oz? These are the 2 weights of leather I have on hand. New at leather crafting and this is my first attempt at a belt. Thank you
(in case you see two replies . . . my computer went goofy . . . there may be two pop up here)
Basically I make my belts anywhere from .1800 to .2400 thick . . . remembering that each ounce is equal to 1/64 of an inch. That makes 8 ounce leather equal to .125 inches. Two 8 ounce pieces will eqial .240 or 1/4 inch. My belt I'm wearing right now is made that way . . . has held up for 20+ years. I quit a long time ago messing with ounces . . . and the reason is that a piece of 7/8 ounce leather can range in thickness from .109 up to .125 . . . which can look really bad if theh .109 is on the outside and the .125 is on the inside . . . and you cut them from two pieces having the same tag of 7/8 oz on the outside. I've gotten to where I'll take a .140 piece and a .100 piece to make my belts sometimes if that is what is on hand. It seems to work out fairly well if I skive the tip end of the fold over that holds the buckle. Either way you use what you have will make a good belt. Just stay away from things like a 12 oz and a 4 oz . . . that theoretically is a 1/4 inch belt . . . but that 4 oz will wrinkle like a 90 year old and just look some kind of ugly. Best wishes . . . Dwight
Great video. I am an Economist but I love to work with leather. I've tried contact cement but It's too brittle. I've tried several others including the dual epoxy where you have to mix the two tubes and nothing has worked for me. I use the glue only to hold the pieces together for my stitching. Are you using it as the only permanent way of keeping it together? Beautiful work, thank you.
Thanks for the good words, Javier . . . and to answer your question . . . no . . . contact cement is only to hold the belt together long enough for me to go to the belt sander . . . where I touch up the edges . . . making sure any abnormalities are flattened out . . . I then sew the belt all the way around . . . then bevel the edges and finish it. That is in my opinion . . . the only way to make a 2 piece belt that is both economical and practical. But then again . . . I'm a newbie . . . only done this for 25 years . . . or so.
I’ll have try that.
Thanks.
Do you use the bottom 1 1/4 strap just as a spacer to lift the belt off the table? Seems like that would make it easier to line up the edges of the 2 pieces being glued. Good technique. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, . . . your understanding is 100% correct
Mujhe chahihe belt orijanal
Thank you . . .
That's ok, but what if you want the stich the 2 together instead of glue.
Not a butt joint but an overlap of about 2 to 3 inches... Would you still do the glue where the sticking is?
And, don't think you talked about the type of glue you used for the belt...
Belt is used for a ceiling fan so it will be being pulled sideways not up/down...
Hi, Kevin . . . I would still glue them together . . . and I only use Weldwood Contact cement . . . have never had a problem with it.
If you stitch them together . . . only stitch along the outside edges . . . DO NOT stitch across the width of the belt. It produces the same effect as the perforated holes in cardboard . . . and it will eventually rip at that stitching. Gluing it together actually will make it just like one solid piece of leather. If you glue two pieces together with contact cement . . . come back the next day and use a vice and pair of pliers . . . you can pull it apart . . . but when you view the pieces . . . you will see that you did not break the glue . . . what you did was tear the leather. There will be torn pieces of leather on both sides of the tear.