Was asked about doing a repair of a high-end headphones case. The internals of the case was a plastic shell. The wrapping leather needed to be replaced since it was damaged. The task also included adding a carving an image into the cover to add a bit of style. The top was to flip up and secure using a set of magnets.
The project proved to be intriguing and ended up taking more time than anticipated, largely because of the effort put into determining the most effective wrapping method. Ultimately, I decided to utilize wet molding for the lower portion and then construct a cover for easy access to the headphones.
After experimenting with using the case as a mold, I discovered that simply cutting a 2x4 into the same shape was much more effective. This allowed me to work with a larger piece of leather and shape it around the wooden block. Nails were then used to secure the leather. Approximately 12 hours later, I checked on the piece, re-wet the leather, and smoothed out any imperfections.Once the piece was finished and the nails were removed, the plastic case was fitted snugly. Since the back would be covered by a flap and not visible, I needed to trim off some excess material. Although I didn't capture this step in a photo, I managed to remove the extra hide at the back of the box by cutting at 45-degree angles.
Meanwhile, the cover required the logo and the carving to be added. The logo was successfully created using a stamp made from a 3D printer, exceeding expectations. As for the carving, it was meticulously crafted by hand using a swivel knife and backgrounding tools. To finalize the lid, I placed a custom-cut plastic insert on top, followed by a layer of 3 oz leather, and finished it off with a soft sheep leather covering. This design created a small compartment inside for the headphone holder and also provided a lip to prevent the lid from moving around.
Lessons Learned:
find some small nails that have smooth shafts. The ridged ones that I used were from a backing of an Ikea bookshelf and have lot of ridges to keep the nail from backing out. Well they work well. Taking out the 10 or so nails from the leather ended up requiring a bit of persuasion in the form of pliers.
the cover will tighten up allow about 1/8 inch extra from what I think I should have. The lid is a little tight on closing, it closed and locks with the magnets but would be nicer to be a tiny bit extra room.
glue is an issue. Since the leather is right up against the plastic insert, rubber cement does not hold. E8600 seems to be a good workable solution.
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