My latest project

[fraile.livejournal.com]

My friend has a graphics company. Among other things, he creates and installs graphics on fleet vehicles such as police cars, fire engines and ambulances in the state of Michigan. He recently drew up plans for a custom tool pouch that would serve his needs, since he couldn't find one that fit his Xacto knife, squeegy, paramedic shears, 6" steel rule, measuring tape, and business cards properly. I've been thinking about this project since early December and working on it since January 3rd. There are a couple things I will do differently next time, but I'm happy with how it turned out.





This is the original diagram that the tool pouch (which later became an entire tool belt) is based on.



These are the components of the tool belt: the tool pouch, the business card holder, and the military web belt. The metal adjusting clips were covered with strips of leather to keep them from scratching the vehicles he's working on.



This is how the tool pouch looks, loaded with tools. A silver inkpen with hearts is standing in for the Xacto knife, which is away at my workshop. The cheap blue scissors and the tape measure from my work are also placeholders, but the squeegy is the 'real deal'.

The busines card pouch and tool pouch are clipped onto the web belt with hardware called ALICE clips from the military surplus store. The Xacto knife container is made from two layers of leather, one inside and one outside, of a Starbucks chewing gum can. This will keep the Xacto knife from stabbing through the outer leather while protecting the knife blade and keeping it from clanking around. I left the barcode visible on the bottom of the can because it seems funny to me. I spent SO much time trying to work with steel screen, and got so many bloody pinholes from the wire, that when I looked down at the gum can holding my needles and had that *ding!* reaction of a bright idea, I just couldn't bring myself to cover it up.