As stated in title? And I mean not started a company and made your own gear, just made some yourself for yourself.
Why? the site doesn’t explain what it is, Maybe you could explain what it is, then I’ll think about it.
that’s a link to lightfighter’s ‘roll your own’ section where they discuss home-brewed gear projects.
Everything from where to find OD mesh fabric to what size bonded nylon thread works best with 500D versus 1000D Cordura can be found in that subforum. It is a far greater mine of information for anyone looking to manufacture or modify their own equipment than anything on M4C or TOS. It is where you want to be if this interests you.
It does interest me, I’ll check them out when I get a chance, thank you for clarifying what it is.
Fyi, Backpacks and armor carriers are going to be one helluva place to start. Its great if youre that ambitious. But Id say give simple pouches a try first till you wrap your head around what works and what doesnt, what seams need to be taped, what length stitching and needle sizes work with particular fabrics, where you can fit zippers where you cant, etc. DIYTactical.com has a good tutorial on a simple mag pouch that I highly recommend as a good place to start. “Battle” belts, MOLLE belts, Belt sleeves, etc., are a good intermediary between pouches and full on carriers. Laptop sleeves, too. They each also offer you a chance to start working with Neoprene fabrics- a rare skill, even in the DIY world.
As far as actual equipment goes…
- RipNGrip.com has decent prices on hook and loop, 1" and 2" widths available, traditional hook and loop or mushroom but only in black.
- http://www.aplix.com/en/markets/military Can help you out if you really NEED colored or patterned hook and loop (who needs it?)
- http://www.rockywoods.com/ For all your fabric needs. No questions. They have everything. Gore-Tex (lined and unlined), any Denier Nylon or Cordura, Multicam cordura (500D & 1000D), anything you could need. They carry several types of webbing, but do not explicitly list all the webbing’s Specification and Type.
- Paragear.com will help you with just about everything else. Paracord, any width and Type of useful flat and tubular Nylon webbing in various colors, some Cordura if you want to buy from them for any reason. They also carry all the rigger’s hardware under the sun. V/D rings, large stainless triglides, QR Shackles, Corbra buckles, etc.
- http://nationalmoldingduraflex.com/buckles.aspx Source any and all Side Release Buckles and most small plastic hardware from here. ITW Nexus makes some great stuff, too. I just find that Natl Moldings prices are a little better, usually. Their Tether Pull SRB works excellently for a CTOMS-style IFAK pull cord, FYI.
- http://www.thethreadexchange.com/ for any thread. Do not use any bonded Nylon thread below Size 69. I have sewn Size 69 using a Size 14 needle, though most sewing companies recommend not using anything below a Size 16 for Size 69 and up thread and most DIY gear guys use Size 18 needles almost exclusively. Any size above 69 is fine, just remember that it will get more difficult to sew as you go up in size. There is little reason to experiment with Kevlar thread, but if you want to, go for it. Difficult to find it colored, as well.
Aint a bad idea to start watching some “how to sew” videos on YouTube if youve never done this before. As any project does, this will require a lot more research, dedication and simple god damned work than you probably expect. Dont be discouraged. If its what you want to do, make it happen.
Your average $75 sewing maching from WalMart will work fine as a beginners tool to learn what youre doing and determine whether you want to blow a good $1300 on a proper machine. Sewing thicker fabrics, like a layer of 100D Cordura to a 5mm Neoprene layer and through another 1000D backing will be very difficult if not impossible with a cheap, over the counter machine. Links to good sewing machine sites, new and used, can be found in Lightfighter’s Roll Your Own section, under the stickied thread titled “where to get stuff.”
Sewing by hand can work for small projects. Just takes forever. I started out making a “tactical” thong for a girl out of Multicam 5038 Tape, Coyote Shock Cord and a strip of Coyote Paracord right up the ass. Did all that with nothing but my bare hands and a needle, and its still kickin ass today. So. If you dont feel like blowing money on a machine and you only have small projects to do, so long as you do it well, hand sewing these items is an option.
Good luck.
:lol: Is this serious?
Uhh. Dont mean to derail the thread, but yeah. Ive got it right here. Its the most bombproof thong in the world, to my knowledge. And according to her, the least comfortable. But. You know. Comfort takes a backseat on the battlefield.
Good thread, going to have to bookmark it for future reference as one day I would like to start my own company.
Hang out with some parachute riggers, they tend to be perfections :D,
Either military or civilian, couple books such as the Parachute Manual “A Technical Treatise on Aerodynamic Decelerators Vol I & II” Reference Books by Dan Poynter, All about sewing etc.
You can pick up a good used commercial Singer single need for around $500 great starter machine, then move up to a Walking foot for heavier material such as a Consew 226r(r=reverse)for around $1200 used.
Oh did I mention then you’ll want a double needle, $$ with reverse turning the item 180 degree’s sucks,
Then If your really in to it how about $4000 for a computerized bartack.
It can be quite Fun!
Awesome post pax lot’s of good info. I am digging the idea of the tactical thong for my old lady:D
I don’t know if you are being sarcastic or not… :haha:
But for now all my hobby money is going to gear and weapons for when I can afford courses. Maybe I can start up something after I lock up a good job and save some money because I’d like to start off being a distributor and design gear on the side until I can aquire the machinery and exertise to start producing gear on my own. Got to start somewhere huh?
Wrong line of reasoning, You will Start up period. spend some of that hobby money on a quality used commercial single needle
LockStitch machine,
That becomes your next hobby, soon friends will ask for repairs, (generally trades usually beer, then better beer:p) Soon friends of friends them you charge actual Money! Word of Mouth Referals depending on quality of work, Depend on how busy translates into shop rates$$$=more machines=more work and so on.
These for Technical Info.
Good Luck
Ok Endur
Want to Do is one thing, capital in terms of time, drive, money, patience, and research is something else entirely different.
then you will have to expend the time in developing the exposure to market. Then you have to come up with unique items that will actually impact market climate
The poynter manuals are NOT an Option, but rather REQUIRED reading, along with the FAA rigger manual. Other books on outdoor gear repair, tailoring, general garment sewing and sailmaking are also strongly recommended
Time? you better be good at work-life balancing… if you have a fulltime job, and NO family, you can probably afford 2-3 hours a night… with a family, YMMV.
Now with material and resource management, how much stock must you have on hand… thatll vary, but you will look at roughly 9.00/yd for cordura solids and up to 15.00/yd prints… plus all of the other sundry costs, sunk costs, coffee, Porn (gear ya gutterheads:jester:)
then theres the research and idea-setting, you really cant put a price on that, but figure on how much time you have available without impacting everything you have going. :big_boss:
dont expect folks to hand you the keys to the city with regards to intellectual capital
dont expect to half-ass this, gear making is a solid endeavor… what you get out of it is solely dependent on how much you put in, as well as how good everyone else thinks your stuff is against client needs
do expect a lot of broken needles, machine servicing calls, sleepless nights, birdnests, incorrect tensioning, and frustations abounding
Money, dont expect to get in this for less than $10,000 and thats enough to kit out a reasonable basement bedroom outfit…
good luck…
Egg’s word on this subject ought to be taken as nothing short of the gospel. Dont get your hopes up for an easy foray into manufacturing. I broke two needles just tonight. Setting up your own company is allowing a never-ending conspiracy of issues to plague your life. Again, though… If its what you want, make it happen.
Oh boy. Visit diytactical.com forums and kiss your free time good bye…
No doubt, I just killed most of the day looking at those posts. Some incredible work there.