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geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: Noko on Wed, 28 August 2013, 09:42:30

Title: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Wed, 28 August 2013, 09:42:30

So one of my other hobbies is leatherworking, and I've been thinking for a while of making myself a custom leather wrist rest.  I was hoping to improve upon the EK rest in terms of quality, plus the ability to do custom colours and decorative carving is interesting.  This post http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=46855.0 (http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=46855.0) by keyjay gave me some inspiration for making some prototypes, and while I was on vacation to visit my folks I had access to my dad's power tools and expertise.  The first step was to make wooden forms to wetmold the leather top piece.  I decided to make moulds in TKL and 60% size.

Nice curved corners:
(http://i.imgur.com/u6pQH2j.jpg)

Inside cut out and also used to trace another piece for the inside of the form.
(http://i.imgur.com/cCmjklL.jpg)

Sanding and rounding the edges of the forms.
(http://i.imgur.com/RnwrJpL.jpg)

In the front are some long strips of MDF.  I'm working on two prototypes to see which type feels best as an internal core to the rest.  Based on keyjay's post, one has a hard MDF core and a thin layer of foam on top.  I also found a local foam manufacturer that makes ultra high resiliency upholstery foam (http://www.foamite.com/foam_grades.php (http://www.foamite.com/foam_grades.php)) so I am also going to talk to them and hopefully get a sample to try out.

More pictures of moulding process to come this weekend.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: keyjay on Wed, 28 August 2013, 13:07:46

I suggest you get your hands on one from EK as a guide (no, they ain't cheap, I know). It's an awesome piece of design and engineering and would be perfect were it not for the horribly poor choice for the type of foam they use.

Keep in mind that the slightest warping will make wood a poor option, so see what you can do to address that well. It has to lie really flat to be usable. EK and others use metal for that, and for weighting, which is probably very functional on both counts.

BTW, I use full-sized boards only, and would want a rest made for a full-sized board. I position the rest centered with the hands -- G/H -- and a full-sized rest ends up covering my arrow keys on the right and my extra keypad on the left that I always use for added functionality (X-Keys 24, which is pretty much the same size as an optional keypad for a TKL). So, if all else works out, I'll be in the market for a full-sized.

Good luck with the project!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 29 August 2013, 01:24:51

Check out neoprene (wetsuit material) as a foam.  It's decently affordable and should make for a good cushion.  I've talked to some people who make their own shoes and use it for the insert.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Fri, 30 August 2013, 08:05:22

Quote from: keyjay on Wed, 28 August 2013, 13:07:46

I suggest you get your hands on one from EK as a guide (no, they ain't cheap, I know). It's an awesome piece of design and engineering and would be perfect were it not for the horribly poor choice for the type of foam they use.

Keep in mind that the slightest warping will make wood a poor option, so see what you can do to address that well. It has to lie really flat to be usable. EK and others use metal for that, and for weighting, which is probably very functional on both counts.

BTW, I use full-sized boards only, and would want a rest made for a full-sized board. I position the rest centered with the hands -- G/H -- and a full-sized rest ends up covering my arrow keys on the right and my extra keypad on the left that I always use for added functionality (X-Keys 24, which is pretty much the same size as an optional keypad for a TKL). So, if all else works out, I'll be in the market for a full-sized.

Good luck with the project!

Actually the reason I had this idea was when I noticed EK's shipping prices to Canada were insane--it was something like $40.  Also, I'd feel bad about copying someone else's design through disassembly.

You can't see in the picture, but the Fibrex (I forgot, it's harder than MDF) is painted on one side, which is a good solution to warping.  MDF itself is very warp-resistant.  As for metal, I'm going to try out using stainless steel rulers cemented to the wood as an idea.  I'm going to make the first prototype TKL, and I'll try it out myself for a while since that's mostly what I use.  I was also thinking of doing a test like putting the corner of a heavy book on overnight.

I did realize something (was up thinking about this rather than sleeping last night :P)  -- an unavoidable issue with veg tan leather is that if you're getting it damp and applying pressure, the leather will naturally compress a bit permanently (basically it activates glue-like proteins in deeper layers of the flesh, which is why wet moulding works).  I'm using a thinner leather than the EK rest to reduce this potential, but it's worth mentioning.

Quote from: nubbinator on Thu, 29 August 2013, 01:24:51

Check out neoprene (wetsuit material) as a foam.  It's decently affordable and should make for a good cushion.  I've talked to some people who make their own shoes and use it for the insert.

This is an awesome idea, and one I hadn't thought of.  It would be a lot easier to work with than closed-cell foam, plus the fabric layer would wick moisture nicely away from the wood.  Thanks!

Edit:  Also going to try some automotive soundproofing felt.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: MOZ on Fri, 30 August 2013, 15:41:26

Watching this closely. Do you plan on selling these once your first piece comes out good.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Fri, 30 August 2013, 20:27:43

Quote from: MOZ on Fri, 30 August 2013, 15:41:26

Watching this closely. Do you plan on selling these once your first piece comes out good.

Sure, once I figure out a prototype I am satisfied with.  At that point, I was thinking of an interest check to see which customization options people are interested in.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: vun on Fri, 30 August 2013, 20:45:21

Quote from: jolonnar on Fri, 30 August 2013, 20:27:43

Quote from: MOZ on Fri, 30 August 2013, 15:41:26

Watching this closely. Do you plan on selling these once your first piece comes out good.

Sure, once I figure out a prototype I am satisfied with.  At that point, I was thinking of an interest check to see which customization options people are interested in.

Just throwing this in here; I'd loooove a pair of Filco-style wrist rest for my eDox. The Filco rest is amazing, but doesn't work all that well with the eDox :c

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Fri, 30 August 2013, 21:16:08

Quote from: vun on Fri, 30 August 2013, 20:45:21

Quote from: jolonnar on Fri, 30 August 2013, 20:27:43

Quote from: MOZ on Fri, 30 August 2013, 15:41:26

Watching this closely. Do you plan on selling these once your first piece comes out good.

Sure, once I figure out a prototype I am satisfied with.  At that point, I was thinking of an interest check to see which customization options people are interested in.

Just throwing this in here; I'd loooove a pair of Filco-style wrist rest for my eDox. The Filco rest is amazing, but doesn't work all that well with the eDox :c

Something like two pieces fitting the bottom angles, according to these dimensions?  http://i.imgur.com/cw4nX0w.png

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: MOZ on Fri, 30 August 2013, 21:26:19

Quote from: jolonnar on Fri, 30 August 2013, 21:16:08

Quote from: vun on Fri, 30 August 2013, 20:45:21

Quote from: jolonnar on Fri, 30 August 2013, 20:27:43

Quote from: MOZ on Fri, 30 August 2013, 15:41:26

Watching this closely. Do you plan on selling these once your first piece comes out good.

Sure, once I figure out a prototype I am satisfied with.  At that point, I was thinking of an interest check to see which customization options people are interested in.

Just throwing this in here; I'd loooove a pair of Filco-style wrist rest for my eDox. The Filco rest is amazing, but doesn't work all that well with the eDox :c

Something like two pieces fitting the bottom angles, according to these dimensions?  http://i.imgur.com/cw4nX0w.png

I'd like something like that.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Wed, 04 September 2013, 16:11:56

Finally had time to start the forming process on the first prototype.  I already figured out a couple of things that need to be fixed next time around.  One, I should secure the inner part of the form so it's properly centered every time--I thought it might be good to have flexibility but it's too much of a pain.  Two, I cut this piece way too big and had a hard time making sure everything was lined up and level (plus the clamps are going to push on it and, worst case, make it stretch in weird ways).

Now waiting 24 hours to unscrew it and see how it looks!
Sorry for the terrible lighting, the digital camera I have here is not the greatest.

(http://i.imgur.com/d03N8TL.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: kurplop on Wed, 04 September 2013, 17:08:05

I'm enjoying watching the progress. Looks great

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Binge on Wed, 04 September 2013, 17:31:51

I am so very excited by this... to think my love-conquers-zombies art was for such an artist  :thumb:

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Wed, 04 September 2013, 17:50:25

Quote from: Binge on Wed, 04 September 2013, 17:31:51

I am so very excited by this... to think my love-conquers-zombies art was for such an artist  :thumb:

Hey, I'm not an artist ;) 
Mostly I just trace stuff, because I can't actually draw.  I'm pretty good at tracing though!  Carving is honestly my favourite part of leatherworking.

On a side note, if you ever have a drawing that you'd like done on a wrist rest, let me know.

Actually--have any drawings that could go on a prototype?  Think something you could use as a colouring book page, that level of detail. 8.5 cm x 36 cm rectangle to work with.
It might be cool to carve this prototype and auction it for a good GH cause.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Binge on Wed, 04 September 2013, 17:53:29

Tonight!.. I brainstorm

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 07 September 2013, 10:48:23

I found a local place to cut acrylic, so I tried my hand at designing a mould for an ErgoDox rest in Inkscape and sent it off for a quote.  I'd probably make these with an acrylic core, if this works out okay.

Still waiting for my order of padding material to arrive before I can start assembling the TKL prototype, unfortunately.

(http://i.imgur.com/IbAAAkx.png)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: keyjay on Mon, 09 September 2013, 02:55:47

Don't forget that while neoprene might help wick away moisture from the wood, you want to be sure to be wicking away moisture from the "hands" also. Sweat that sits and gets sticky will not be comfortable at all. You need something that breathes.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Mon, 09 September 2013, 07:45:08

Quote from: keyjay on Mon, 09 September 2013, 02:55:47

Don't forget that while neoprene might help wick away moisture from the wood, you want to be sure to be wicking away moisture from the "hands" also. Sweat that sits and gets sticky will not be comfortable at all. You need something that breathes.

Yup, I've also got some automotive jute felt on order.  I was thinking a natural woven fibre would be a good choice when breathability is a major concern, and it should be very resilient considering it's a carpet underlay.  I'm also getting some samples of industrial wool felt.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Thu, 26 September 2013, 07:23:29

I should (finally!) be getting all the supplies I need picked up from the post office today.  With everything ready to go, I should be able to put together the first prototype rest in a couple of days.

I'm very happy with the automotive felt so far (which is a good thing for me--I'm allergic to wool so it would have been a pain in the ass to work with wool felt).  It behaves very similarly to wool, as it pulls in moisture but remains breathable, and it should be far more resilient than any type of foam over long periods.  I also got my cut acrylic for an Ergodox prototype in.

In the meantime, I also built a padded and lined leather case for some gear to practice working with the material (plus, I eventually want to make a leather 60% case!) which turned out quite nicely.  Need to get my camera charged and then I'll be able to put up a picture post.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Mon, 30 September 2013, 08:12:31

The first step is to return oils to the leather after losing them in the wet-moulding process.  I use olive oil and give it a nice amount of sunlight in order to darken the leather a bit.  You can see the big-ass scar on this piece.  I know I'll screw up at some point on a first prototype, so I used the worst part of the hide!  Afterwards, I apply some protective finish.

(http://i.imgur.com/5J41AWW.jpg)

Next come the guts: felt, a metal core, and the MDF piece.  So far there is no warping at all a month after its move from a low-humidity to a high-humidity environment.  The moulds have already warped a bit, though, and I might need to get them remade in acrylic.  The felt is a pain to cut and leaves felt pubes everywhere, urgh.  Everything held in place with a small amount of normal white glue.

(http://i.imgur.com/mKM4Nas.jpg)

Gluing together the bottom piece (I cut this earlier) with the inserted guts and top part.  Rubber cement this time so that excess is easy to get rid of when it is time to finish the edges.  It doesn't need to be very strong as it's really only necessary to hold everything together while being stitched.  That being said, I need to rethink the stitching a bit.  I got a new stitching groover and ended up screwing up with it freehand, but then I figured it would look better with a narrower ungrooved stitch anyways.  Meh, it's a prototype.

(http://i.imgur.com/S0dflIC.jpg)

Other stuff I'm working on at the moment:

(http://i.imgur.com/MtAei9X.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: AGmurdercore on Mon, 30 September 2013, 09:08:47

Quote from: jolonnar on Mon, 30 September 2013, 08:12:31

The first step is to return oils to the leather after losing them in the wet-moulding process.  I use olive oil and give it a nice amount of sunlight in order to darken the leather a bit.  You can see the big-ass scar on this piece.  I know I'll screw up at some point on a first prototype, so I used the worst part of the hide!  Afterwards, I apply some protective finish.

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/5J41AWW.jpg)

Next come the guts: felt, a metal core, and the MDF piece.  So far there is no warping at all a month after its move from a low-humidity to a high-humidity environment.  The moulds have already warped a bit, though, and I might need to get them remade in acrylic.  The felt is a pain to cut and leaves felt pubes everywhere, urgh.  Everything held in place with a small amount of normal white glue.

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/mKM4Nas.jpg)

Gluing together the bottom piece (I cut this earlier) with the inserted guts and top part.  Rubber cement this time so that excess is easy to get rid of when it is time to finish the edges.  It doesn't need to be very strong as it's really only necessary to hold everything together while being stitched.  That being said, I need to rethink the stitching a bit.  I got a new stitching groover and ended up screwing up with it freehand, but then I figured it would look better with a narrower ungrooved stitch anyways.  Meh, it's a prototype.

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/S0dflIC.jpg)

Other stuff I'm working on at the moment:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/MtAei9X.jpg)

WOW dude this is impressive :O

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: CPTBadAss on Mon, 30 September 2013, 12:20:43

That tooling!! And for a prototype that looks awesome @.@. Great job :D

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: MOZ on Mon, 30 September 2013, 13:17:27

That looks real nice. Can't wait for final product!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Wed, 02 October 2013, 15:50:35

I finally had some time to finish this up.  First off was thread prep for double-needle sewing.  I used two different weights of thread (one on each side of the rest) to judge which looks best on an item of this size--the thinner stuff does.  I also messed lining the stitch holes up a couple times until I found a reliable way to do it, so the prototype is unfortunately drunken looking.

(http://i.imgur.com/aUmwlf7.jpg)

I use pricking irons to lay out holes and then open them up with an awl.

(http://i.imgur.com/8SFBtI0.jpg)

After sewing and trimming, I use the green-handled edge beveller to round the edges, sand them, then burnish them with a damp cloth rubbed with pure glycerine soap.  At this point you can paint or dye the edge, but leaving it natural is simpler.  A perfect edge should look like it's fused together into one piece of leather.

(http://i.imgur.com/Anm8Ra8.jpg)

After the edges dry, they get burnished again with beeswax and a wood slicker, then everything gets a final coat of protective finish.  After that dries, I apply a final coat of a beeswax-based leather conditioner and buff to a shine.

(http://i.imgur.com/VEnv2mI.jpg)

The finished product!  This is the side with the thinner thread that I think looked better (and where you can see the line veering off and back unfortunately!)

(http://i.imgur.com/EtTj82H.jpg)

So how does it feel as a wrist rest?  I'm actually pleasantly surprised.  The top is nice and firm but the felt has some give to it.  The weight is actually quite nice (it's 280 grams), and the bottom ended up perfectly flat as I had hoped.  There is a little bit of friction holding it in place on the desk, though it still slides quite easily.

My next task is to try out the Ergodox form.  I'm hoping to perfect the little things that went wrong in the prototype and try out tooling as well.  At that point, I'll need someone with an Ergodox to try it out in person and give me their impressions on the design ;)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Phedran on Wed, 02 October 2013, 16:12:27

Ooh! Damn, this looks sexy. Eagerly watching this thread then...

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Photekq on Wed, 02 October 2013, 16:13:28

Man, that's so nice.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: BliTzKiN on Thu, 03 October 2013, 12:31:16

Looks great! Love the contrast of the stitching against the leather. Definitely looks better than what many other brands offer

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 05 October 2013, 18:01:17

I've started making my first ErgoDox rest to see how my mould design fits the real thing, as well as testing out dyes and tooling on a formed wrist rest.

First of all, here are the acrylic parts I got in the mail from the laser cutting company (www.wecut4u.com, I was really happy with them).  I did a light sand on all sharp corners and edges to begin with.  You can see I also had a couple of internal parts made out of acrylic for initial prototypes.  I am also thinking that that little ring around the internal form will make laying out stitching much easier later on.

(http://i.imgur.com/QXzl7qB.jpg)

Same deal as before:  I wet the piece of leather, clamped it down using the acrylic mould (though I used some sticky-tac to hold the middle part in place this time) and waited for it to dry.  Tooling is the next step before oiling, though, if you want to tool.  I made a tracing pattern in Photoshop the same size as my original CAD files submitted for cutting and printed it out.  This is usually durable enough for a one-time use.

(http://i.imgur.com/xsTGijC.jpg)

I case the leather properly, then masking tape the tracing on and trace with a ballpoint pen.  Next, I strop my swivel knife for carving based on the tracing (you rub this chalk stuff on the flat surface, in this case the leather stick, and sharpen the knife at the right angle using the compound).

(http://i.imgur.com/b94rg2J.jpg)

Here's the image after carving.  The next step is to figure out how you're going to tool.  I like to do checkered bevel for the outline, smooth bevel for the interior, and background for highlights.

(http://i.imgur.com/my3YNlw.jpg)

Here we are after tooling:

(http://i.imgur.com/eygxtN3.jpg)

Now, after this is all done, we are back to the step of oiling and letting it bake in some UV for a while.  Tomorrow I am going to do some dyeing.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: nubbinator on Sat, 05 October 2013, 18:13:22

This is looking pretty awesome.  Are you using cow leather or another kind?  When I was looking at doing some leatherwork myself, I was looking at different leathers and I think it was elk that I just fell in love with.  It's not as stiff as tanned cowhide, but it is ridiculously soft and just felt amazing on the skin.  Don't know if it would work great for what you're doing, but I loved it.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 05 October 2013, 18:33:58

Quote from: nubbinator on Sat, 05 October 2013, 18:13:22

This is looking pretty awesome.  Are you using cow leather or another kind?  When I was looking at doing some leatherwork myself, I was looking at different leathers and I think it was elk that I just fell in love with.  It's not as stiff as tanned cowhide, but it is ridiculously soft and just felt amazing on the skin.  Don't know if it would work great for what you're doing, but I loved it.

Yeah, I'm using veg tanned cowhide for these.  Elkskin is probably doable, though, because the thickness would be similar (probably just for the top though, and use a cowhide bottom).  I can try a rolled-edge prototype to see how it would work with something like elk.

I'm getting pretty close to something I feel comfortable selling, so I may do an IC and can definitely include other leather options (buffalo, deer, and also elk) if people are interested!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Tue, 15 October 2013, 10:28:04

Finished up the Ergodox rests.  Since I'm dyeing this one, first step is to mix the dye.  I wanted a darker colour so I went with 1:1, but I think I should have gone 1:3 in hindsight as the dye didn't end up quite as even as I would like.  I usually go for 1:5 but in this case Oxblood looks neon pink if it's too diluted so I was a bit worried about that..

(http://i.imgur.com/HPGERAW.jpg)

Stinky stuff, so I do it outside.

(http://i.imgur.com/vZKNp85.jpg)

After buffing off excess dye, I put on two layers of glossy topcoat, then rub in some black antique paste.  This fills in cracks and tooling with colour.  Since I'm working with cheap leather there are a lot of imperfections which give it a nice distressed effect.

(http://i.imgur.com/OZdCVhU.jpg)

While everything's drying, I tried another experiment--fitting chrome tanned leather to a moulded backing, since it can't be formed itself.  I don't like how it turned out, mostly because it's really hard to get the corners to play nicely, but it could just need more practice.

(http://i.imgur.com/9bGlT6W.jpg)

On the other hand, I run into a problem while stitching up the Ergodox pieces.  The acrylic I had cut for the inner part is too thick (which makes sense, it's the same thickness as the mould itself).  I had to stop what I was doing and rip out the acrylic pieces to salvage the project.

(http://i.imgur.com/sx8IfwI.jpg)

So waste not want not:  the chrome tan experiment before is a nice solid dual layer piece of leather, so it'll work okay as an inner core for now.  Unfortunately, the stitches on the skull piece were already a bit out of place from before I stopped, so it's a bit warped.

(http://i.imgur.com/EMd8TXW.jpg)

Finally, I assemble both, do some edging with black edge coat, sand, edge again, put on final finish and polish:

(http://i.imgur.com/iIGXBhV.jpg)

Here's the half that didn't get warped.  It needs one final polish to clean up the stitches, but I think it looks pretty nice.

(http://i.imgur.com/XJHrXSE.jpg)

I've gotten in touch with a distributor here of Wickett and Craig leather (actual high-quality, made in USA stuff).  I've just about got everything ironed out so I am pretty confident in making them out of good leather now.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: demik on Tue, 15 October 2013, 12:47:37

Now do a wutang one!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Dubsgalore on Wed, 16 October 2013, 10:26:24

These are really incredible, nice work!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: agodinhost on Wed, 16 October 2013, 13:22:31

Quote from: AGmurdercore on Mon, 30 September 2013, 09:08:47

Quote from: jolonnar on Mon, 30 September 2013, 08:12:31

The first step is to return oils to the leather after losing them in the wet-moulding process.  I use olive oil and give it a nice amount of sunlight in order to darken the leather a bit.  You can see the big-ass scar on this piece.  I know I'll screw up at some point on a first prototype, so I used the worst part of the hide!  Afterwards, I apply some protective finish.

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/5J41AWW.jpg)

Next come the guts: felt, a metal core, and the MDF piece.  So far there is no warping at all a month after its move from a low-humidity to a high-humidity environment.  The moulds have already warped a bit, though, and I might need to get them remade in acrylic.  The felt is a pain to cut and leaves felt pubes everywhere, urgh.  Everything held in place with a small amount of normal white glue.

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/mKM4Nas.jpg)

Gluing together the bottom piece (I cut this earlier) with the inserted guts and top part.  Rubber cement this time so that excess is easy to get rid of when it is time to finish the edges.  It doesn't need to be very strong as it's really only necessary to hold everything together while being stitched.  That being said, I need to rethink the stitching a bit.  I got a new stitching groover and ended up screwing up with it freehand, but then I figured it would look better with a narrower ungrooved stitch anyways.  Meh, it's a prototype.

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/S0dflIC.jpg)

Other stuff I'm working on at the moment:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/MtAei9X.jpg)

WOW dude this is impressive :O

Really impressive!
Congrats man!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: saturnotaku on Wed, 16 October 2013, 13:57:25

Amazing craftsmanship. I'd love to buy a couple 87/TKL ones from you.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: bazemk1979 on Wed, 16 October 2013, 19:30:04

nice and good quality work  :thumb:

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: wasabah on Thu, 07 November 2013, 04:51:36

Cool! So did you test the ErgoDox rests with an ErgoDox yet?
If so, could you post a couple pictures? :)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: jevvix on Thu, 07 November 2013, 04:56:16

These look awesome. Count me in for a full sized one if you do get to selling them ever.  :thumb:

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Thu, 07 November 2013, 16:04:11

I've had a lot of RL responsibilities to take care of lately--but I've been working on the business end of things, working on a website and getting shipments in from suppliers.  Also been working on another prototype as well as some surprises which I hope to finish up soon.  Here's my first Poker-size, dyed in British Tan (unfortunately I tested out a new edge paint and it both stank horribly and covered poorly):

(http://i.imgur.com/E1vm9Jf.jpg)

No test for the ErgoDox yet--still waiting on that package to arrive.

I also drew up a mould for a full sized model since there seems to be quite a demand for those as well, and I sent it off to be laser cut today.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Photoelectric on Sun, 01 December 2013, 20:27:51

How did I not see this before?  These are great, and I'd love one!  I like that you actually add custom designs and would love one with stars once I'm rich (heh heh).

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Melvang on Tue, 21 January 2014, 00:13:17

If I ever get the money for one of these I would love to get one in TKL size but a touch longer due to being a custom board to my layout and specs but with this emblem (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rating_Badge_AM.jpg) tooled into the middle of it.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: LechnerDE on Tue, 21 January 2014, 08:20:48

Wow! Really great work!

If you take orders one day, I'll buy a TKL one with a custom logo :)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Fatrat on Tue, 21 January 2014, 10:52:59

Are you ready to take orders for the ergodox rest? If so, I'd like to give you some money  ;D

Drop me a PM when you're ready

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Feign on Tue, 21 January 2014, 11:06:32

These look incredible. Nice work!

Just throwing an idea at ya'. Have you considered trying "deep-buttoning" or "button-backing" on one for a retro style?

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 25 January 2014, 10:36:35

Quote from: Photoelectric on Sun, 01 December 2013, 20:27:51

How did I not see this before?  These are great, and I'd love one!  I like that you actually add custom designs and would love one with stars once I'm rich (heh heh).

Awesome, thanks for the compliment. That means a lot to me as I really admire your painting work :)

Quote from: LechnerDE on Tue, 21 January 2014, 08:20:48

Wow! Really great work!

If you take orders one day, I'll buy a TKL one with a custom logo :)

Check out my sales thread :D : http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=51762.0

Quote from: Fatrat on Tue, 21 January 2014, 10:52:59

Are you ready to take orders for the ergodox rest? If so, I'd like to give you some money  ;D

Drop me a PM when you're ready

I'm aiming to make a progress post on these this weekend in this thread.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 25 January 2014, 10:45:18

Quote from: Feign on Tue, 21 January 2014, 11:06:32

These look incredible. Nice work!

Just throwing an idea at ya'. Have you considered trying "deep-buttoning" or "button-backing" on one for a retro style?

Ah, forgot to quote this in my reply as well.  I don't think that would work so well with the limited amount of thickness I have to work with.
However, some possibilities I was thinking about include riveting as opposed to stitching, and doing one in full triweave:

(http://proleathercarvers.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/x/5/x503s-1.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: Noko on Sun, 02 February 2014, 13:15:25

ErgoDox Adventures!

So I've been working on a double height ErgoDox prototype for classic cases, since they're taller than your regular keyboard cases and I didn't have an ErgoDox of my own to check it out.

I used an extra acrylic cut piece from my first try as a spacer underneath:

(http://i.imgur.com/ZsSg3gk.jpg)

When I started, I didn't know how the leather would stretch if I tried to double up on the height underneath the form.  I'd read that "relief cuts" were necessary so I kind of tried to put them in (afterwards--I didn't know how close to cut them beforehand and I didn't want to ruin the piece by guessing).

(http://i.imgur.com/qG0gnA4.jpg)

It actually turned out very well though.  Just a bit of rippling from tension, so now that I know where that happens, I can make the relief cuts there.
The other new innovation this time around:  MORE CLAMPS

(http://i.imgur.com/QDpHexE.jpg)

MORE

(http://i.imgur.com/OadQrb0.jpg)

Lowe's had a clamp sale, and I could not be happier with my purchase.  More clamps=way better result.
You can see how the insane pressure prevented any rippling on the final piece:

(http://i.imgur.com/20DANts.jpg)

I repeat this process for the other half, flipping everything over so the other side is mirrored.
Next I do the normal dye, oil, buff--the leather seems not to have stretched too much and takes it really well.  I am super happy with the Wickett and Craig.
I decided on Chocolate Brown to go with Retro DSA (and it's actually pretty close in person).

(http://i.imgur.com/c8BZ5JD.jpg)

Here's the internal assembly.  I got wooden parts cut of the normal thickness, so I double up on them inside to get the proper height.  It seems to work just fine.  The ruler goes at the widest part of the rest, which I hope will be good for weight balance as well.

(http://i.imgur.com/FCq5DVy.jpg)

All stitched up--and that is a spray bottle of tasty extra virgin olive oil  :p

(http://i.imgur.com/5O3tM3y.jpg)

The finished product after a final wax and polish. 

(http://i.imgur.com/DpN6BTn.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/9krztpW.jpg)

I was going to do the edges in brown, but the natural looked so nice I decided on a clear coat instead:

(http://i.imgur.com/OcMY8N7.jpg)

The Retro:

(http://i.imgur.com/cjnOaMm.jpg)

Now I hope these are the right height!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: LechnerDE on Sun, 02 February 2014, 14:30:38

Amazing work! Looks so perfect!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: pexon on Sun, 02 February 2014, 14:39:44

(http://i.imgur.com/lQ9Ln.gif)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: Photoelectric on Sun, 02 February 2014, 14:40:48

Those rests are excellent!  Thank you so much for sharing your process with great photos.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: Binge on Sun, 02 February 2014, 15:04:00

I really want one of these sets for my ergodox... Any chance you could make a version that extends under the ergodox so I don't move the rests around while I "play classical piano" with my desk?

For reference this is what I do...

(http://i.imgur.com/kxOMG7W.gif)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: mooswa on Sun, 02 February 2014, 15:46:07

Beautiful!  I foresee another hole in my wallet...

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: tricheboars on Sun, 02 February 2014, 21:47:08

Quote from: demik on Tue, 15 October 2013, 12:47:37

Now do a wutang one!

oh god please yes please

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: Noko on Fri, 21 February 2014, 17:37:08

Pink anyone?  :eek:

(http://i.imgur.com/sPjbwda.jpg)

I was trying out dilutions of red dye and inadvertently found out how to make bright pink!  I gave it another coat of full strength red today though, cause I'm thinking it wouldn't exactly be popular ;)

One of my upcoming projects is to try to catalogue all the dyes and dilutions I use, because it's really trial and error to get a feel for each one.  I write the dilution I use in Sharpie on a bunch of lab bottles where I do the mixing, but the problem is alcohol dissolves Sharpie really quick if you get it where you don't want it to be.

Another one is to add even more weight to the rests.  Unfortunately my laser cutter doesn't do metal (otherwise I would have done this long ago), so I've been putting off finding a sheet metal cutter but I sent out some feelers for quotes.  I want to add a stainless steel baseplate underneath the wood to weigh them down even more, but the question is whether the materials cost is doable, so I'm trying to get an idea of how the price per unit changes based on different thicknesses of steel.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 21 February 2014, 19:02:10

That pink is sexy.  I'd love it or a bright teal/torquoise. 

For weight, you might be able to add some thin weights or maybe a thin layer of steel buckshot, but that might be too costly.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: Noko on Sat, 22 February 2014, 17:47:49

Quote from: jolonnar on Fri, 21 February 2014, 17:37:08

Pink anyone?  :eek:

Holy crap.  Buffing this piece today has been a nightmare.  For some reason, invisible pink dye particles have infected my apartment everywhere.  This has never happened with any other dye  :-X
Reminds me of when I used to dye my hair purple as a teenager, heh.  Little pink spots randomly everywhere, I attack them with alcohol and then some more show up somewhere else.

I'm hoping I can prod my supplier to get the higher-quality Red Oil dye :P

Also did a bunch more dyeing as I wanted to make a "test sheet" for everything I have.  The new Purple looks pretty nice, and the Grey went way better than expected.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: sean4star on Mon, 24 February 2014, 10:35:50

Do you have an example of the riveting idea you mentioned a while back?

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: Noko on Mon, 24 February 2014, 20:41:56

Quote from: sean4star on Mon, 24 February 2014, 10:35:50

Do you have an example of the riveting idea you mentioned a while back?

Nope, never tried it before, though I have rivets lying around so I may test a 60% out sometime.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: n0rvig on Thu, 27 February 2014, 01:18:16

Quote from: jolonnar on Fri, 21 February 2014, 17:37:08

Pink anyone?  :eek:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/sPjbwda.jpg)

Ha! Just make it a little more purple....

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests - new ErgoDox rest pics
Post by: Noko on Tue, 18 March 2014, 11:06:19

Continuing adventures with dye.

So after a good 3-4 weeks I have finally excised every little pink dye particle from my apartment (I think).
Walking around, I'd get pink socks.  Pink specks in the bathroom.  Oh look, there's pink on my computer chair!  Is that a zit developing on my face---nooo, too pink.
Every time I want to work on leather, I have to clean the surface well with alcohol before applying any water, otherwise magical hidden dye particles will explode into evil pink streaks..

The trouble seems to have been two-fold.
1) Just a bad batch of dye, or too old.  Too much pigment was out of solution even after I diluted the dye down.  I've never had this trouble with oxblood, which is even more pinkish when diluted, though.
2) Too much dilution plus too many coats in an attempt to rescue the colour.

So--no red, ever again, until I can get my hands on the oil type.  >:D

Every dye works differently, and there's a sweet spot where 3-4 coats ends up with perfect colour.  For black that's full strength, 3 coats.  I've got chocolate brown perfect too--1:1 at 4 coats:

(http://i.imgur.com/jDiZ484.jpg)

On binge's ErgoDox protoype, on the other hand, I did 1:3, and it really shows on the bottom.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Photoelectric on Tue, 18 March 2014, 22:12:31

A unicorn!  Is that for a certain unicorn-loving Geekhacker named Ethos? :)  Looks great!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 29 March 2014, 10:47:54

Quote from: Photoelectric on Tue, 18 March 2014, 22:12:31

A unicorn!  Is that for a certain unicorn-loving Geekhacker named Ethos? :)  Looks great!

It sure is :)

I am really proud of how it's turned out.  The turquoise thread is awesome!

(http://i.imgur.com/oLGh0rq.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Dodgy on Mon, 31 March 2014, 12:13:01

Hey theses are really beautiful, keep up the awesome work!  :thumb:

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: pexon on Mon, 31 March 2014, 14:37:58

Quote from: jolonnar on Sat, 29 March 2014, 10:47:54

Quote from: Photoelectric on Tue, 18 March 2014, 22:12:31

A unicorn!  Is that for a certain unicorn-loving Geekhacker named Ethos? :)  Looks great!

It sure is :)

I am really proud of how it's turned out.  The turquoise thread is awesome!

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/oLGh0rq.jpg)

Thats seriously sweet Tanya, another awesome job! :D

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 19 April 2014, 13:36:46

Want to know more about leather carving knives (swivel knives)?  :thumb:
They're like anything else--I've bought fancy nice new ones and my favourite still ends up being the crappy $10 knife I've used forever.  :(
Doesn't stop me from wanting to find that elusive perfect knife though.

Every couple of carvings I like to do a quick sharpen.  Sharpening swivel knives is a bit different than your regular knife sharpening (for one, I don't have fine enough stones--I really need a good extra fine diamond hone one of these days), but you start out with usual supplies:  stone, honing solution stuff.  I've got a nice fancy-ass sharpening guide as well--this is for keeping the ideal angle preserved on the knife edges of 30 degrees.  It makes a delightful metal-on-metal screech as it rolls.

(http://i.imgur.com/SBWfIHM.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/TC73tmJ.jpg)

Swivel knife blades can be pretty thick and end up with two flat sides of a v-shape tapering to the edge.  You sharpen one side, sharpen the other, then pull back a couple of times on the original side again to remove any burr that has built up.  The trick is making sure the angle is still properly set--hence this holding guide thing.  The second trick is knowing when you have actually sharpened down enough to reach the sharp edge--it's good to colour in the edge with Sharpie and then check on it to make sure all of it comes off properly and the full flat surface has been sharpened down.

Of course, in the leatherworking world there is also proprietary bull****.  That is, the guide only works for one sized blade for one manufacturer.  So for my super 3/8 inch knife, I have to do this the old fashioned way, feeling the angle of the flat face and hoping I don't screw the blade up.

(http://i.imgur.com/WJBldp5.jpg)

Here is a comparison of my three blades and their sizes:  an angled detail knife, my good old crappy knife, and my big Barry King knife (which I bought reading they were supposed to be amazing and I ended up not really liking at all--I do not have the burly manhands required for this powerful instrument).

(http://i.imgur.com/yu2m9UJ.jpg)

So before each carving session, I strop the knives, and in between every couple of cuts I re-strop on the finer compound.  People who are into fancy straight razors and shaving stuff will recognize this kind of setup.  First the coarser side:

(http://i.imgur.com/HJ8atG5.jpg)

Then the fine green stuff:

(http://i.imgur.com/1t2jbJb.jpg)

So this is the knife prep before carving something.  I actually do use all three of the knives for different purposes.  For example, here's what I worked on the other day:

(http://i.imgur.com/dKwuGbL.jpg)

You can get a thicker or thinner carved line depending on the angle of attack and pressure of the blade.  However, for the small ticks and flourishes, it's simplest to use the big blade to do them first.  I also use the thick blade for the straight lines, both because on this script they're quite thick and emphasized and because bigger blade=straighter line.

Here's the same piece just after I have filled in the rest of the letters using my normal knife:

(http://i.imgur.com/Rp8Ci2f.jpg)

You can see all the test work I do in the background--I had to figure out what the best combination of blades and tools were for these letters, whether bold or regular worked better, and so on.  I always do at least one practice for every carving I do, but this one took a lot more figuring out since something simple is the simplest to make look bad!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: tbc on Sat, 19 April 2014, 16:36:37

thanks for taking the time to write this whole thread up!

i'll never get involved in something like this, but it's always cool learning how other people do their work.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sun, 11 May 2014, 15:30:58

In the middle of a multi-stage dye process for this one.  I dub thee "Hyper Boobs" :D

(http://i.imgur.com/ewEwdro.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Binge on Mon, 12 May 2014, 13:46:34

(http://i.imgur.com/9dOfIBw.gif)

I love this thread.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Melvang on Tue, 13 May 2014, 00:41:11

Would you be willing to do one with no dye?  Raw, untouched (aside from tooling).

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 17 May 2014, 19:39:54

Quote from: Melvang on Tue, 13 May 2014, 00:41:11

Would you be willing to do one with no dye?  Raw, untouched (aside from tooling).

Sure, I have done a couple customs with no dye, just natural leather.  Here's one for example, this one with purple stitching:

(http://i.imgur.com/Gj9VVho.jpg)

This does have a light coat of acrylic finish, though, just to protect it from sweat stains and so on (and UV, which will tend to darken the leather over time).

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Melvang on Sat, 17 May 2014, 22:41:54

Very nice.  I will be getting in touch with you when I get closer to getting my custom project done.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Mon, 16 June 2014, 14:12:17

Thought this post would fit better here--I'm experimenting with colour and how acrylics interact with dye.  Some of them look amazing straight out of the bottle, while others (the lighter ones especially) don't look great until they're layered a bit.  On the other hand it's really easy to make the coat too thick.

(http://images.noko.ca/acrylic.jpg)

I think these look a little better here than irl.  I wasn't satisfied with either white here honestly.  On the one hand, the white dye (left) looks really really uneven, but on the other (left), acrylic that's thick enough looks a bit gross.  One solution (which I used on this one) is to thin the acrylic and build up coats.  The problem is it takes a really long team since you want it to fully dry in between each one (and I feel bad, this rest for lcs has taken much longer than I wanted because of it :( ).  I really wanted the off-white here, though, so I think it was worth the wait.  (I worked out some of the issues with grey on this one too.)

(http://i.imgur.com/vABNkId.jpg)

But I think my best idea has been a white dye "primer" and then 1-2 white acrylic layers, which seems to adhere fine and even responds well to touchups.  Maybe this will work well as a method for making sure other acrylic colours are nice and bright.

(http://i.imgur.com/B81stXP.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: badloop on Mon, 16 June 2014, 14:36:08

That white looks *perfect*.  So excited!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: tbc on Mon, 16 June 2014, 22:54:50

my ergodox pair are BALLER!

pics tomorrow when i bring camera to office :D

much thanks noko!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: kurplop on Tue, 17 June 2014, 04:40:07

jolonnar is one of the real craftsmen on this forum. I've been impressed from the beginning. Keep up the exceptional work.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: wasabah on Tue, 17 June 2014, 06:56:16

That Totoro one.. awesome!!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Tue, 17 June 2014, 21:33:25

Thanks everyone :)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Wed, 18 June 2014, 18:21:12

Step 1:

(http://i.imgur.com/F7IppRI.jpg)

Step 2:

(http://i.imgur.com/fXsYpJs.jpg)

Step 3: ? ? ?

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: cmadrid on Wed, 18 June 2014, 22:21:58

wow

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Binge on Thu, 26 June 2014, 22:21:47

Quote from: jolonnar on Wed, 18 June 2014, 18:21:12

Step 1:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/F7IppRI.jpg)

Step 2:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/fXsYpJs.jpg)

Step 3: ? ? ?

Step 3 is profit!

(http://www.dakkadakka.com/s/i/at/2012/4/1/fa3dca7b11684f971895b95786f10452_31639.jpg__thumb)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Glod on Fri, 27 June 2014, 00:36:19

damnit binge you lucky dude, she did such a good job, making me regret i got mine plain

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: badloop on Fri, 27 June 2014, 09:58:20

my excitement is palpable...  (f5, f5, f5, f5, f5, f5.....)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: n0rvig on Fri, 27 June 2014, 19:53:48

Whoa, Jolonar that is seriously stunning work that you're crafting for Binge!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Frenir on Sat, 28 June 2014, 19:35:22

Quote from: jolonnar on Wed, 18 June 2014, 18:21:12

Step 1:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/F7IppRI.jpg)

Step 2:

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/fXsYpJs.jpg)

Step 3: ? ? ?

Stunning, I can't wait for an update.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: JaccoW on Sun, 06 July 2014, 18:07:09

This is awesome to behold. Can't wait to see what you have planned for mine. :D

EDIT: 13 has always been my favourite number.

More

Custom Order List

1. Binge (dye)
2. J. Chen (finishing)
3. 1pq (on hold)
4. Xaero252 (design)
5. skcheng (finishing)
6. C. Jordan (finishing)
7. badloop (dye)
8. Jeremy (carving)
9. admiralvorian
10. OnTheBrink
11. Gsimon
12. pasph
13. JaccoW
14. Sherwood
15. rohit507
16. Tony Z.
17. jdaugherty
18. nagalicious
19. Dyslexic
20. David S.
21. Martin I.
22. Joey N.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Tue, 08 July 2014, 17:33:07

Three Potato!

(http://i.imgur.com/iUAASIi.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Binge on Tue, 08 July 2014, 20:29:31

MOAR!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: SpAmRaY on Tue, 08 July 2014, 20:31:24

Quote from: jolonnar on Tue, 08 July 2014, 17:33:07

Three Potato!

Show Image

(http://i.imgur.com/iUAASIi.jpg)

Such lovely potato........

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Sat, 12 July 2014, 14:52:12

I decided he needed a little more grunge.

(http://i.imgur.com/XIjbsE7.jpg)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: pexon on Sat, 12 July 2014, 16:29:57

WOW

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: osi on Sat, 12 July 2014, 16:35:56

The end result here will most certainly be stellar. Top notch

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Binge on Sat, 12 July 2014, 22:29:55

I am the happiest Binge alive :o  Thank you so much Jolonnar!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: badloop on Tue, 29 July 2014, 14:17:39

So freaking excited to get my rest... Jolonnar you *must* post a photo of it here.  :-D

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Noko on Wed, 30 July 2014, 23:02:34

Quote from: badloop on Tue, 29 July 2014, 14:17:39

So freaking excited to get my rest... Jolonnar you *must* post a photo of it here.  :-D

Check sales thread ;)

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: cbot on Thu, 31 July 2014, 10:58:17

Quote from: Noko on Wed, 30 July 2014, 23:02:34

Quote from: badloop on Tue, 29 July 2014, 14:17:39

So freaking excited to get my rest... Jolonnar you *must* post a photo of it here.  :-D

Check sales thread ;)

You can't mass produce your kind of talent. I love what you're doing and I will definitely be looking to buy one of your wrist rests.

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: heedpantsnow on Thu, 31 July 2014, 12:25:59

Man, I am such a huge fan of your work. You are a true artisan. I can tell how much pride you take in the fit and finish, but you also have the artistic eye to give each piece it's own character. Awesome!

Title: Re: Making leather wrist rests
Post by: Melvang on Thu, 31 July 2014, 12:27:26

Just wait until you guys see what he is building for me.  Hehe.