***UPDATED***

CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR THE MOST UPDATED INFO!!!

http://pentaxmilitia.com/





welp, there she is. my first 100% DIY bag, i'll be working on the inserts tomorrow and a full write up on materials!




i found a place locally that sells 500d-1000d-1250d cordura by the yard in various colors, plus varying widths of straps, all the hardware plus heavy duty nylon and other synthetic thread(s) which will make up the bag itself. (DIAF $100 timbuk2 bags)

also, another local fabric store carries medium weight rip-stop nylon in various colors for cheap which will make the custom bag inserts. (DIAF $35 domke inserts)
all that combined with a timbuk2 messenger bag template=bad ass fully DIY bag!

i'll post up results, build notes and a full tutorial once i pull everything together.

here's some numbers i've come up with for comparison:
$110 for the EXTRA small timbuk2 matrix bag
$34 for the domke fa-246 insert
$35 for the domke fa-233 insert

_______________________
$179+whatever for shipping

so, yeah...that's nearly $200 for a 1000d cordura "custom" camera bag.

cross post!

http://www.newschoolofphotography.co...ead.php?t=4599

i'm excited, i just need to figure out when i'll have time to get to the store to pick up that uber-elusive cordura!

**** that!

1000d cordura plus polypropylene webbing is the ONLY way to go!

at first just as a normal messenger/courier bag, then eventually a camera bag.

i made mock/scale designs last night for one of the insert patterns i'll be making, it's going to be a total PITA but after building a 1:2 scale insert from paper, i think i can pull it off. i took notes, measurements and started putting together a list of what to sew and when, plus in what order last night.

it's kinda hard to explain, but yes. for the inserts themselves, 1/4" rigid foam-rubber (i haven't figured out/decided on the exact material) will make up the 4 exterior walls of the insert, with 1/8" of the same foam-rubber i haven't decided on making up the actual interior dividers of the inserts.

basically this is what i'll be doing for the inserts, this of course is just a blank square mock-up with out any interior dividers, of course it'll have a padded bottom, i was just to lazy to get THAT detailed it it

dude, I sooo want in on this. I talked with Nikki this morning and she wants to learn to sew also (she's thinking curtains as her DIY project). So I think we're going to borrow my Mom's machine to learn on and I'm also going to be working on some rad projects....

DIY messenger bag: maybe, I already have a good one...
Kick ass inserts: Hell ****ing yes!
and camera backpack that doesn't suck: and yes I know this will be more involved and I'll have to build up to it....

awesome Daniel, can't wait to see how it goes. I really hope I can get into this myself as I think it would be a ton of fun.

awesome ben, i'm stoked on the whole idea of just the inserts, let alone the bag itself!

i took apart my purchased inserts last night to figure out how they're made and while complicated and confusing (it's all about the order, the steps you sew and what parts you sew to what, etc) i totally cracked the code and figured it out.

i made a paper mock up i'm going to build tonight using some leftover scraps to make sure the order of things are correct, etc. because it'd suck to get done with something like this and realize i missed a seam that's in an impossible spot to sew on the interior or something.

*bump*

do want.

i need to get the bag perfected, the design is way solid and the materials i like and will continue to use but i need to figure out OTHER sizes and designs.

16x11x6 or so would probably be perfect.

of course, it'd fit two of the inserts i'm working on!

what, dump w/o pics or an update??? What am I missing here?

n/m, they're at the top... looks awesome for a first try dude. I'd gladly take that one.

i'm going to reply to the other thread in the OT....

Badass!


-A

thanks dude!

my plan for the next few is rather than making the TRIANGLE shaped sides a la timbuk2 messenger, i'm going to make more rectangular sides to better accommodate the inserts i'll be working on...at least for the camera bag style i'm doing.

anyone know what to do to register a business name?

Originally Posted by b84wm

anyone know what to do to register a business name?

No, but when you figure it out I probably need to do it myself...

i'll ask william...

dude, link to which pattern you used? I just need to make one out of paper to see something real quick...

Originally Posted by b84wm

I see a pentagram

By the way, I mentioned this in my grey card thread viz Ben's last post. Have you thought about maybe making the bag lining --or at least the visible part, say the inside of the flap-- in 18% grey fabric?


-A

Awesome job! Are you just learning the whole sewing thing? If so, that's pretty impressive. The making of your own patterns is like the hardest thing to learn.

Originally Posted by gongzero

I see a pentagram

By the way, I mentioned this in my grey card thread viz Ben's last post. Have you thought about maybe making the bag lining --or at least the visible part, say the inside of the flap-- in 18% grey fabric?


-A

yeah dude, that design uses fibonacci number formula!

i lined this one with 1.3oz coated tan-ish brown ripstop nylon which i actually don't REALLY like, but is totally cool for the first time around...especially considering the ripstop was a remanant i picked up for $4.12 for 3/4yd.

but yeah dude, i like obnoxious colors that don't match (for myself) that was the purpose of everything being mismatched and clash-y. for the regular bags i'm going to start making to sell they'll be a bit more tame but 100% customizable in the colorway department.

i'm a super shoe whore, especially for dunks and court forces and only buy the UGLIEST colorways possible...i'm pretty much applying that to my bag making.

i have tons of stuff on order that will help distinguish my personal style and the overall brand from the other MILLION companies out there.

Originally Posted by LateApex

Awesome job! Are you just learning the whole sewing thing? If so, that's pretty impressive. The making of your own patterns is like the hardest thing to learn.

yeah dude, thanks. i bought this sewing machine a few weeks ago (remember my thread?) and it's the first i've ever used. i'm completely self-taught and like the whole trial and error thing rather than the hover-over "no yoAr doing it wrong!" kinda thing.

i'm getting more seriously about it and really enjoy sewing, a lot

I hate when people try to tell me how to sew. My mom totally got on case about how I never pin anything together. I was all, "If I used little pins when I learned in the AF, I'd totally get my ass kicked.." Just figure it out on your own, and you'll be better for it. There are a few things I've picked up from other people, but for the most part I don't follow any standard rules about how to do stuff. Most things I learned the hard way.

I wish I enjoyed sewing more... I'm just so over it after doing it in a semi-sweat shop for so many years.

Originally Posted by LateApex

I hate when people try to tell me how to sew. My mom totally got on case about how I never pin anything together. I was all, "If I used little pins when I learned in the AF, I'd totally get my ass kicked.." Just figure it out on your own, and you'll be better for it. There are a few things I've picked up from other people, but for the most part I don't follow any standard rules about how to do stuff. Most things I learned the hard way.

I wish I enjoyed sewing more... I'm just so over it after doing it in a semi-sweat shop for so many years.

yeah dude, exactly. i'd much rather read a bit and learn by trial and error much more than someone bitching at me.

oh and btw, i hardly ever use pins either.

Originally Posted by b84wm

yeah dude, that design uses fibonacci number formula!

i lined this one with 1.3oz coated tan-ish brown ripstop nylon which i actually don't REALLY like, but is totally cool for the first time around...especially considering the ripstop was a remanant i picked up for $4.12 for 3/4yd.

but yeah dude, i like obnoxious colors that don't match (for myself) that was the purpose of everything being mismatched and clash-y. for the regular bags i'm going to start making to sell they'll be a bit more tame but 100% customizable in the colorway department.

i'm a super shoe whore, especially for dunks and court forces and only buy the UGLIEST colorways possible...i'm pretty much applying that to my bag making.

i have tons of stuff on order that will help distinguish my personal style and the overall brand from the other MILLION companies out there.

Definitely get as outlandish and crazy as possible. Too much cookie-cutter garbage out there! That's one reason why I like Crumpler bags, I guess... they're kinda out there. Although their websites are annoying in a douche-y kind of way.

The lining suggestion was more for functionality, since you said it'll be a camera bag... but ****, go NUTS, and enjoy the new hobby.


-A

Originally Posted by gongzero

Definitely get as outlandish and crazy as possible. Too much cookie-cutter garbage out there! That's one reason why I like Crumpler bags, I guess... they're kinda out there. Although their websites are annoying in a douche-y kind of way.

The lining suggestion was more for functionality, since you said it'll be a camera bag... but ****, go NUTS, and enjoy the new hobby.


-A

yeah dude...between REI, timbuk2 and all the other bags out there that look the same and cost $100+ i need to be wacky with the look for sure.

crumpler is ok, too expensive for me and it's turned into the new "hi, i'm a tourist with an expensive camera" billboard for thieves...they see that silly little guy logo and know if someone can afford a 7 million dollar home, they probably have an expensive camera.

Originally Posted by b84wm

oh and btw, i hardly ever use pins either.

If I find myself needing pins, I just use a stapler. Or hot glue works for some things too.

yeah, totally...i was thinking about buying some glue sticks to attach the liner to the cordura on my bags, just to hold them together until they're fully sewn.

totally on the crumpler being the new billboard... Yes they look somewhat normal bag shape wise, but their logo and colors stand out waaaay too much to be stealth. That's why I want to make my own also, because I want a very specific bag, but I don't want to pay for it or be flashy. My current zoo york is pretty good, but it's also a bit more flashy than I'd like. I very much want my bag to look DIY and not bought.

So Daniel, on the pattern, what's the story with the lighter colored lines that make the pentagon and almost a star???

I'm going to go print it and see if it makes sense IRL. Thanks.

check this out for info on the how the dimensions came about:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibonacci_number

the light colored lines are just demensions that correspond to the "golden line" theory discovered like 1000 years ago by some dude. they have nothing to do with folding or anything, just square measurements for a perfectly ratio-ed bag.

if you print that, i'd love for you to try to figure it out without me telling you.

here's a totally messy, confusing and crappily put together diagram of the order of folding and sewing:


of course this is the inside of the bag or the "wrong side" which when unfolded/turned rightside out will yield a perfectly seamed, professional looking bag.

i'll put together more solid descriptions and instructions tomorrow, including seam allowances and other junk.

i guess i should also note that the strap is awesome. it's polypropylene seatbelt material that's soft and has a 4000lb tear strength, just in case i ever have 4000lbs of WHATEVER in my bag.

I think I have it (in paper in my hands) but because of the triangular shape to it, the top edges of the bag touch right? Obviously since it's fabric and it's longer on the top edge than the bottom you can open it, but it's not a square hole at the top right, just the 2 long sides touching???

Also, checkout this pattern:


from here:
http://flexistentialist.org/blog/arc...messenger-bag/

His seems to have the seam tolerances in the pattern right?
His is making more sense to me because the opening is a rectangle shape... I think I'm just not going for an exact messenger style bag is what I'm trying to say... More a shoulder bag I guess. The more I see yours, and look at this stuff though I'm sooo excited to do my own dude. I'm going to need your help in getting fabric though.

Another dumb question. How do you finish the edges and or get the inside in there? Do you basically make the same bag twice (an inside and an outside) then stitch their edges together?

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

I think I have it (in paper in my hands) but because of the triangular shape to it, the top edges of the bag touch right? Obviously since it's fabric and it's longer on the top edge than the bottom you can open it, but it's not a square hole at the top right, just the 2 long sides touching???

Also, checkout this pattern:


from here:
http://flexistentialist.org/blog/arc...messenger-bag/

His seems to have the seam tolerances in the pattern right?

yeah dude, it's a wedge...the traditional messenger/courier style that takes a decent size load but is wedged to huge your body when cinched up...no, you stupid faggles out there messenger bags ARE NOT meant to be worn down by your butt (and you wonder why your back hurts, retard).

but yeah dude, it's a wedge, LESS of a camera bag style but totally could hold a 1x wide insert like the domke narrow 1x 3-compartment.

about that picture, yeah dude, those look like the proper seam allowances, which are 1/4" wide.

check this dude out, this is another similar wedge style messenger bag:
http://chrismetcalf.net/blog/archive...bags-the-beta/

the actual camera bags i'll be building will come from a design similar to this, which is a more angular style to accommodate inserts better


or:

Originally Posted by b84wm

i guess i should also note that the strap is awesome. it's polypropylene seatbelt material that's soft and has a 4000lb tear strength, just in case i ever have 4000lbs of WHATEVER in my bag.

Your collarbones can only withstand like 11lbs of force, so watch that you don't make any funny movements.


-A

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

Another dumb question. How do you finish the edges and or get the inside in there? Do you basically make the same bag twice (an inside and an outside) then stitch their edges together?

i used a glue stick to attach the rip stop to the cordura, after both pieces had been cut. i then sewed 2 straight seams across what would late turn out to be the bottom. that's all i did to attach the ripstop to the cordura, no need for a bunch of extra seams when it's getting seamed together

Originally Posted by gongzero

Your collarbones can only withstand like 11lbs of force, so watch that you don't make any funny movements.


-A

ugh, i guess i won't be toting around ALL my gold bars then.

dude, my mom gets home from vaca tomorrow and I'm stealing her machine ASAP. I'll be going to walmart for some ****ty fabric on the cheap (or micheals or JoAnnes)... Then I'll make a trial w/o any hardware or velcro or anything just to see if this all makes sense... With paper the seams don't want to lay flat so yeah, the next step is actually sewing something. Then once I've "perfected it" with basic crap, I'll need your help in ordering the right fabrics from seattle fabric. Then I'll be on to inserts that work with my lenses (the Domke's are to narrow) and a nice bag. I'll be sooo pumped if I can actually get this to look half way decent, and stick with it enough to actually finish it.

So is you lined basically an entire second bag though? Looking at a messenger I have here at the house is looks like they are... I'd skip sewing the bottom because then you have to seal that somehow... Looking at the bag I have it's stitched together down the vertical seam then also all the way around the top edge with some piping.

Have you figured out the foam for the inserts yet? Seems you have all the parts for the bag, and the fabric for the inserts, but I haven't seen you mention the padding yet?

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

dude, my mom gets home from vaca tomorrow and I'm stealing her machine ASAP. I'll be going to walmart for some ****ty fabric on the cheap (or micheals or JoAnnes)... Then I'll make a trial w/o any hardware or velcro or anything just to see if this all makes sense... With paper the seams don't want to lay flat so yeah, the next step is actually sewing something. Then once I've "perfected it" with basic crap, I'll need your help in ordering the right fabrics from seattle fabric. Then I'll be on to inserts that work with my lenses (the Domke's are to narrow) and a nice bag. I'll be sooo pumped if I can actually get this to look half way decent, and stick with it enough to actually finish it.

joann is good, but if you have a hancock fabric around, they ALWAYS have better deals. let me know about the materials dude, like i said...i can totally hook you up with my local place!

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

So is you lined basically an entire second bag though? Looking at a messenger I have here at the house is looks like they are... I'd skip sewing the bottom because then you have to seal that somehow... Looking at the bag I have it's stitched together down the vertical seam then also all the way around the top edge with some piping.

yeah dude, i lined the entire bag, i kept in place using a glue stick!

Originally Posted by jacobsen1

Have you figured out the foam for the inserts yet? Seems you have all the parts for the bag, and the fabric for the inserts, but I haven't seen you mention the padding yet?

nope, i have NO clue dude. i don't know what to use, what it's called or anything. about the only thing i know is that it's white and 1/4" thick.

do you have a physical therapy store near you? i remember taping ankles with 1/4" foam to support and pad peoples feet. it was 1/4" thick, white, and dense.

orly? what size does it come in though? it think i'd need like a full sheet of it....i keep thinking of REI or something for camping gear/sleeping pads, but not that expensive.

the domke inserts are padded with just really lightweight, white, kinda porous plasticky something

Try looking into closed-cell foam? I think that's what it's called.

It's white and, er, foam-like.


-A

dude, rad!

thanks...

http://www.closedcellfoams.com/polyethylene.html

that doesn't look EXACTLY like what domke uses, but it's similarish

dude, I think that might be it Daniel... Go for it and let me know.