Parachute Bag

May 18, 2017 by

Real Parachute Bag and Reproduction

Real Parachute Bag and Reproduction

The parachute bag is based on a product of the same name from the Portable Product company. It is a six compartment bag with drawstring closure. I got turned onto them years ago by Jimmy Diresta and have found a few on eBay but they are getting more expensive and harder to find. The bags are great for storing hardware such as nails and screws or anything else fitting in the pockets. I use one of mine to store an assortment of adhesives, another has various screws, and another holds nails.

The realbag is made of cotton duck canvas heavier than the 9 oz I found. I’d suggest using a #10 or #12 cotton duck canvas. For durability, it may be a good change to incorporate a leather bottom like some canvas bags have.

Plans with full size templates are available for purchase here.

Parts:
3 panels 7″ tall and 11″ long (dividers)
1 panel 7 inches tall and 32 1/2″ long (outside)
1 panel 11″ circle (bottom)
48 1/4″ grommets (4 in every section)
3 pieces parachute cord 36″ long

Directions:
1. Cut all pieces to size.
2. Mark rectangular panels along long dimension on one edge at 1/4″ and 1 1/4″ from the edge for the top hem. Mark 1/2″ on all other sides of rectangular panels and 1/2″ in on circular panel as sewing guides. Mark 5 1/4″ inch increments along inside (opposite hem) of 32 1/2″ length, being sure to start at 1/2″ mark from previous step. These are the sew lines for the interior dividers. Fold the bottom circle in half an then into thirds to make 6 creases where the interior dividers will be sewn.
3. Fold, iron, and sew top hems on all panels. The finished hem should be 1″ wide with 1/4″ folded under.
4. Once all top hems are sewn, align all three small panels and mark middle of 11″ dimension of divider panels as a sewing guide. Sew along this line to join all three small panels together to form the interior dividers.
5. Sew the outside panel ends together with the hem facing out. Sewing 1/2″ in from each end will ensure the ring formed will join to the circular bottom.
6. Working inside out, align sewing alignment marks on the bottom edge of the outside panel and the bottom circular panel. Sew around the full circumference to form a pouch or bucket.
7. Align ends of dividers with the marks on the outside panel. Sew along the alignment lines down sides and across the bottom to the center. Repeat for each divider segment.
8. Each section gets 4 evenly spaced grommets in the top hem to allow for threading the drawstring closure.
9. Thread about 1/4 of the parachute cord drawstring from the center out each side through the grommets. There will be loop in the center to form a handle and a knot secures the end after the last grommet. I like to tie an overhand knot around all of the lines to keep them together.

Filed under How To, Misc, Projects Tagged with , , ,

Market Monday: MLCSWoodworking.com / EagleAmerica.com

February 13, 2017 by

MLCS Woodworking and Eagle America are primarily a source for router supplies – router bits, router tables, router accessories, joinery systems (box, dovetail, etc), Forstner bits, and shaper cutters – Eagle America also sells saw blades and many other woodworking items. The MLCS router bits are imported and reasonably priced compared to other over-seas brands. The MLCS bits are said to be the highest quality import bits available.

Eagle America focuses on premium-quality American-made router bits at similarly reasonable prices.

Eagle America bits come with a lifetime warranty and MLCS have a 3 year warranty. Both companies have excellent customer service. MLCS offers free shipping on all orders as well.

The bit selection of both is quite impressive – they are likely to have any router bit you may find yourself needing.

MLCS and Eagle America also have YouTube channels with product videos and helpful project videos.

Be sure to check them out when you are shopping for router bits or woodworking tools in general.

Filed under Supplies, Woodworking Tagged with , ,

Wooden Airplane Ride-On Plans

January 31, 2017 by

 

After many long hours of working on instructions and CAD drawings, I finally have the plans for the wooden airplane ride-on / rocker complete. The plans can be found for sale at Etsy. The full plan set include 5 full color sheets of fully dimensioned CAD drawings and full size templates. The full size templates are perfect to cut out, attach directly to the wood, and use to drill and cut through to eliminate many of the complications of layout.

The instructions are quite thorough and include 15 pages of guidance, tips, and alternative processes for many of the steps. A full tool list and bill of materials with McMaster-Carr part numbers is included. The plans alone include all information and dimensions needed to construct the airplane.

The plane easily attaches to a wooden rocker or can be used separately so the child can scoot around.

If you’re interested in the plans, go check out my Etsy store.

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Market Monday: Lee Valley Tools

April 25, 2016 by

This week’s Market Monday is Lee Valley Tools. Lee Valley has a wide selection of woodworking tools along with some gardening supplies and hardware. They have a great selection of hand tools and they are typically the odd little tools that make a job easier but you didn’t know where to get them.

Filed under Supplies, Tools, Woodworking Tagged with , , ,