I recently made my ammo belt with functional pouches, and after I was done I thought I could make them better. So I made 2 prototypes tonight. Some thoughts on it, always save your templates that you print don't throw them away put them in a binder if you need to use them later.
Here is what I used.
Tools:
- Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue
- Dremel Cutoff disc
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Sharpie
- Graph Paper (for Template Making)
- Plastic Sheet from Hobby Lobby
- Vinyl from Joann's Fabrics
So I originally got the idea to make the pouches out of the same stuff that deck boxes like the one linked below are made of (polypropylene)
Amazon.com: Ultra Pro Magic/Pokemon/YuGiOh Cards Deck Boxes, Set of 5 (Red, Blue, Green, Black and White)): Toys & Games
But making it out of a poly file folder, alas today was one of my very few slow days and Walmart didn't have any file folders, and JoAnn's Fabrics didn't have the vinyl. I did swing by Hobby Lobby and found that plastic sheeting it worked OK, but I will still try to make one of the next pouches out of the other material.
Step 1: Make the Template: Thanks to Rafal and Batninja and Strum these are always available out there.
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Step 2: Transfer Template to poster board it is much easier to use and not destroy
Step 3: (should be skipped to Step 5) Cut out the Plastic, originally I wanted to use a product that could be cut easily with scissors to make this easier for people who don't have Dremels, unfortunately for today there were none available
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Step 4: (Should be skipped to Step 5) Heat and Bend into shape (this did not work)
- I originally tried to do one piece and heat it and bend it. Perhaps with more patience I could have but the results were less than stellar
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Step 5: Change template from 1 piece into 5 separate pieces
Step 6: Transfer those onto plastic sheet
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Step 7: Cut out. I am still going to attempt this with polypropylene sheets but with this plastic sheet from Hobby Lobby it cannot be cut with scissors or it will splinter and crack!
Step 8: Hot glue pieces together, and compare to failed prototype, and to template. I would say very close!
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Step 8: Turn old template into a new template for the vinvyl.
- I ended up not using the bottom tab piece
- I added about 20mm to the bottom edge and back edges
- I added about 10mm to the pieces getting folded into the pouch
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Step 9: Cut out the template, trace onto vinyl, cut out vinyl
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Step 10: Glue to "pouch"
- I started at the center section and folded how I thought appropriate I will leave it up to you to figure it out
- The best news is that this thing is LIGHT and fairly sturdy. I do not think it would make it through getting stepped on
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Tune in next time when I try out ways to get a clean sewing line on the vinyl for the outer strap. Bonus this will fit a 9V or other batteries.
