G'day everyone.
Today I would like to talk a little bit about making your own findings. You know end clamps, connectors.
Sure you can buy them ready made. ( if you live in the states) but here down under not so much. Plus I figure if you have spent time making that item why not go all out and make it all?
(At the bottom of this post is a video you will have to copy and paste it for it to work) 😬
I'll start by telling you how to do simple end clamps.
I use these for making leather ends.
You will need to have tubing and wire.
First measure the thickness of the leather say 2mm. The inside of the tube must also be 2mm. So you can slide the leather into it. Next I figure out about how much I want to leave on the end.
For my project I used total length of 12 mm this included the ring at the top.
Measure out 8.68mm of tube and cut it, clean up the burs.
Next take your 2mm wire and slide a small amount into the tube, about 2.5mm into the hole. Cut off the extra leaving a tiny amount sticking out of the tube.
Next flux and solder the wire into the tube. Pickle the soldered item. Next take a jump ring 5.0mm you will want to open it up file it flat on the open part, and wiggle it onto the wire sticking up it should be trimmed so you can have just a small but sticking up, make it flat before you wiggle that ring onto it. You will want it as tight as you can get it.
Flux the ring and little sticking up bit... Solder with hard solder, pickle and then toss into your tumbler. First... A warning, if your tumbler steel is tricky like mine it will fill the open hole!
I tapped mine out. You could plug the hole, I left mine open and tapped out the shot. I think I will just use a paper clip to stuff in the hole next time!
I'm learning still and just want to share.
To use this pretty thing.. Slip the leather into the open shot free hole, and take your heavy duty crimp and squish this till the leather yells!
Mine was a 3mm hole, I had to with my planishing hammer to close the end enough, I'll show some pictures. As soon as I can.
Here is a Video I found a very long time ago, where I got my idea.
I hope this helped.
First measure the thickness of the leather say 2mm. The inside of the tube must also be 2mm. So you can slide the leather into it. Next I figure out about how much I want to leave on the end.
For my project I used total length of 12 mm this included the ring at the top.
Measure out 8.68mm of tube and cut it, clean up the burs.
Next take your 2mm wire and slide a small amount into the tube, about 2.5mm into the hole. Cut off the extra leaving a tiny amount sticking out of the tube.
Next flux and solder the wire into the tube. Pickle the soldered item. Next take a jump ring 5.0mm you will want to open it up file it flat on the open part, and wiggle it onto the wire sticking up it should be trimmed so you can have just a small but sticking up, make it flat before you wiggle that ring onto it. You will want it as tight as you can get it.
Flux the ring and little sticking up bit... Solder with hard solder, pickle and then toss into your tumbler. First... A warning, if your tumbler steel is tricky like mine it will fill the open hole!
I tapped mine out. You could plug the hole, I left mine open and tapped out the shot. I think I will just use a paper clip to stuff in the hole next time!
I'm learning still and just want to share.
To use this pretty thing.. Slip the leather into the open shot free hole, and take your heavy duty crimp and squish this till the leather yells!
Mine was a 3mm hole, I had to with my planishing hammer to close the end enough, I'll show some pictures. As soon as I can.
Here is a Video I found a very long time ago, where I got my idea.
I hope this helped.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cRvI0pag78s
