Introduction: USB Leather Cover (science Edition)

About: I am a former active duty Marine. I am married and have two cats. I love learning new things, tools, and sharing/ trading skills and ideas with others. For 2018 I plan to release an instructable every month. M…

Today we will be making a sperm usb cover, but you can us and create your own pattern for this I will show you how to get to there then it's up to you. The reason I made this was because of the massive amounts of usb I have due to photo manipulation art and other Photoshop art I carry around, so naturally I made an artful leather cover for my usbs.

Step 1: Materials Needed

the list of MATS:
card stock
usb
2-3oz leather piece can be found at hobby lobby
1prong stiching fork found at tandy
and something to cut leather I.E leather sheers or exacto knive
wax thread
leather glue
acrylic paints or leather dyes
shellac
leather needle

total cost will be some where around: (usb not included) 30-35 bucks but once you have the tools you ccan make more covers for about 3 bucks (not factoring running out of paint)

Step 2: Creating the Pattern

Creating the pattern base is very simple, using a rectangular piece of leather i bought from hobby lobby i traced around it then I lined up the the part where the USB would stop once it was in the computer.

Step 3: Real Pattern

now that i know how much space i have to play with i start to draw my sperm shape, but i missed up the tail and made it to small so i redraw another tail, cut it out, and tapped it on.
now its time to place it on the back or "rough side of the leather".

Step 4: Transfer on to Leather

Now its time to transfer it onto leather place our piece on and make sure you have enough leather for two cut outs. grab a pen and trace around it. Then wet it heavily but not to much and let it sit for a 3 min period in order to have it prepared for the next step.

TIP!!!!!:

MAKE SURE THAT THE SECOND TIME YOU TRACE THE SHAPE OUT THAT YOU TURN IT 180 DEGREES SO THAT IT IS FACING OPPOSITE TO THE SHAPE YOU JUST TRACED. 

I HOPE THAT IS CLEAR ILL SHOW IF YOU DON'T DO IT.


Step 5: Cutting Out Your Shape

Pretty much self explanatory just cud the shape and  that is the best way to cut round shapes out by slow and many little curved cuts. 

Step 6: Water and Glue

You want to wet the leather no more water can be absorb and it sit at the top of the leather then wipe it off and let the leather sit for a  minute or 2 then place the usb in between the leather, line it up, and begin to press around the usb to form around the usb. hold it down for a good 5 to 10 minutes but remember the longer you hold it the better. after the leather has the shape spread some leather glue around but not to close to where the usb is and began to press and hold it done again till the glue is dry.

Step 7: Stiching

using a single prong go around the edge of the leather as so try to keep them the same distance from the edge and from each other i guesstimated rather than doing the actual measurements but a rule of thumb is that the distance from edge to hole can be found by taking the chisel edge to edge and that is the distance i hope thats clear if not then try it this what if you have a 1/8" chisel then that is the distance from the edge. after that get wax thread and use a needle to to it up with a running stich which is just up down up down the back around then tie the string.

Step 8: Final Step

shellac over the leather with 2 coats each side then cover in acrylic paint at least 4 good coats 2 coats for the edges then shellac 2 to 1 coat then tack a cloth and polish.

Also if you want u may add hot glue or gorilla glue inside the usb "pouch" in order to make sure the usb doesn't fall out.

enjoy you new leather usb cover.

Optional ideas:
make a flame one
make a water drop one 
make a skull one 
put eyelets in it an make a necklace 
idk find out other ideas

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