Introduction: Leather Dice Tub With Greek Myths Engravings

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About: I design and make nerdy things

A decorative leather tub to store roleplaying dice in


If you wish to see me design and make this here is a link to a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCcZJfJIp8A


The video is not that informative on how to actually put it together, but it does show all the steps so makes a useful guide for assembling. otherwise, it's relatively simple, unfortunately you will need access to a laser cutter/ laser engraver if you wish to make this yourself. A good place to start if you don’t have or know of a place with a laser cutter is to google if there are any makers spaces in your area.


Thank you to the product design course at Bangor University for allowing me to use theirs


if in doubt at any stage it may be worth refrencing the video


for the myths used to make the engravings, going clockwise from the cross stitching you have:

Atalanta defending her chastity during a hunt by shooting her pursuer https://wellcomecollection.org/works/phksgg9w

Prometheus bound to a rock https://wellcomecollection.org/works/f75tz5mj

Orpheus charming the animals with music https://wellcomecollection.org/works/yhpubujb

Minerva and the Muses https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/366522

you also have Jason and the Dragon on the Lid

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/397937?ft=Jason+and+the+dragon&offset=0&rpp=40&pos=3

Supplies

The Pattern is attached below, jump to step 1 for an explanation of the files


List of Materials:

2mm Veg Tan Leather (340mm by 170mm)

3mm Veg Tan Leather (240mm by 125mm)

Waxed Linen Thread

(https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thread-Leather-Bookbinding-Repairing-Projects/dp/B099KBRTDH/ref=sr_1_10?keywords=waxed+linen+thread&qid=1674050772&sr=8-10)

Neatsfoot oil (optional)


Tools:

Access to a Laser Cutter

A Sharp Craft knife.

Steel Ruler

2 Strong Needles (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sailmakers-Needles-Pack-Assorted-Sizes/dp/B015T7LUFC)

sail makers needles work really well.

either a drill with a 1.5mm drill bit or an Awl (I use Both)

you may need a little bit of leather glue if the outside sheath doesn’t sit nicely on the inside sheath, but this is also not a necessity.

a soft brush (optional)

Attachments

Step 1: Laser Engraving the Leather

First Cut the 2 pieces of leather to the dimensions above (I've oversized the dimensions to the actual design to make it easier to laser cut, you can import the design into your own laser cutting software, take measurements and cut the leather to that if you wanted to save on material)


laser engrave the pattern onto the 2 pieces of leather

I have attached the designs as an illustrator document with the Greek myth engravings, I have also attached the pattern as DXF's but unfortunately a dxf file format can't store the engraving information. (hopefully in the future I will be able to upload WMF files which will be more universal).

there is also a PDF of both of the designs

everyone's laser cutting setup is going to be different but if you are doing leather for the first time, you want high speed (Max), low power.

before removing the leather from the laser cutter, check to make sure you can see the cycles for the stitch holes. If you can't, remove everything from your program that you are using to run the laser cutter apart from the holes, up the power a little bit and run the laser cutter again until you can see the stitch holes


Step 2: Cutting and Drilling the Leather

With a craft knife and a steel ruler cut along the laser engraved lines in the leather, see photo. (Don't cut out the engravings from the smaller sheath, I know there are lines around them, you should have 5 parts as per the photo).

Then using either the drill or an awl, drill out or pierce all the holes marked on the leather by a little dot, if a couple didn't laser engrave out properly a good rule of thumb is that most holes are 8mm apart.

I used a 1.5mm drill bit

Step 3: Cross Stitch

Put the two cycles to one side for the time being, first Cross Stitch all of rectangles together until you have 3 short cylinders.

here is a video on Cross Stitching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V0gI9o1Dg8

I didn't take a photo of this stage, but the first photo is what the end result should look like and the second is me assembling the first of the cylinders, but I had to screen shot a video shot.

the sheath with the engravings on was also cross stitched togeather. I was lttle worried about the top stitch that was going to have the lid rub against it so I also added a single box stitch to strengthen it after I had completed the cross stitch. see the 3rd photo.

here is a video on Box Stitching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbF1mpc9wG0


Step 4: Single Needle Base Ball Stitch

I then used a single needle baseball stitch to attach the lid and the base to the holes that are marked in the outer sheath and the lid sheath.

The circle with Jason and the dragon etched on the top attaches to the smaller sheath.

this looks best if you offset the holes from each other between the two pieces of the leather that you are attaching, see first photo.

Video of the stitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrSL-ZyEGTU

single needle starts at: 4:44, also you don't need to knot it quite so much as is demonstrated to start the stitch off

Step 5: Little Cheat

In the video I use a very small amount of leather glue in order to remove the bow on one of the sides (I just stuck it to the inside sheath). This was caused because I used ever so slightly to thick leather, but you may have to do similar. Leather glue is ideal but super glue will also work, it just won't last as long.

Step 6: Neats Foot Oil (Optional)

This last step is completely optional, but I used a soft brush to apply neatsfoot oil to the leather, I gave a very liberal coat, when you first apply it, it will look a bit patchy but it takes about 48 hours for it to soak into the leather and achieve its semi-final tone, so don't worry too much.

after that it's just wait, all things being well you should now have your very own dice holder.