Leather Wine Rack

Project Summary: Let’s make a simple, but beautiful wine rack with an English Bridle leather. We’ll cut a pattern, mark, cut and edge our leather and assemble a clean wine rack with ample room for decoration.

Approximate Time to Complete: 2 Hours

What You Need:

· English Bridle Leather, Rich Brown appx. 2 sq. ft. (15-971)

· Jeremiah Watt Dee Rings (04125-SS-2)

· 6 Chicago Screws, 1/4" (D5038-NB-1/4)

· 8 Chicago Screws, 3/8" (D5038-NB-3/8)

· Medium Brown Lace, 1 foot (30-1837-MB)

· Utility Knife (65-2860)

· Awl (CSO4-2)

· Steel Square (65-3038)

· Rawhide Mallet (65-2520-11)

· English Point End Punch (00078-2)

· Drive Punch (CSO245-6)

· Cutting Board (65-2916)

· Tooling Slab (65800-)

· Strap Cutter (65-6261)

· Groover (8069)

· Edge Beveler, #2 Blade (65-2988)

· Gum Tragacanth (50-2075)

· Wool Daubers (50-1950)

· Leather Slicker (65-2962)

· Fiebing’s Leathercrafter’s Cement (50-2124)

Take a 23” x 6” piece of paper and fold length wise and width wise. This will give us a vertical (long/23”) and horizontal (width/6”) center line. Draw in these lines with a pen or pencil.

From the horizontal center line measure 4½” to the left and draw a line across the width of the pattern and 4½” to the right of the center line and draw a line across the width of the pattern. This should give us 3 horizontal lines 6” long and 4½” apart.

Make a mark 3/8” in from the edge of the pattern on the left and right side of each of these three lines and circle that mark. These will be our “loop rivet holes”.

On the vertical center line, measure and make a mark 2” from either outside horizontal line (for corkscrew placement) and this will determine the “top” or “up” on the wine rack/pattern. On a horizontal line from that mark measure 3/8” to the right and mark, then to the 3/8” to the left and mark. These two marks will be for the corkscrew loop. Circle these.

For the billet punch holes, draw a line 3/8” in from the top edge of the pattern and make a mark 5/8” to the right and 5/8” to the left of the vertical center line and circle.

For the last billet punch hole, make a mark on the vertical center line 7/8” from the top of the pattern and circle.

You can fold the pattern over lengthwise and, using and awl, mark the billet holes on the other end or simply repeat #5 and #6 for the “bottom” of the Wine Rack. Circle these holes.

To mark the tapered cut on the pattern, draw a curved line (freehand or with a French Curve) from the edge of the pattern where the horizontal corkscrew line meets the edge (5” below top of pattern) to a point 1” to the left or right (depending on your fold) of the vertical center line. This will be the same mark as the edge of the billet (2” in from edge of pattern).

With the paper folded lengthwise and width wise cut the curved line. By folding the paper down to one quarter we make one cut and all four sides are symmetrical.

For the wine bottle loops, cut your pattern paper to 6” x 10” and draw a line 3/8” in from all four sides. Circle each line intersection at the four corners. These will be the rivet holes to connect to the main body

For the cork screw loop, cut a piece of pattern paper at 1 ½” x 4” (this can vary to accommodate your corkscrew choice) and draw lines 3/8” in from all four edges. Draw in the center line width wise (1 ½” width) and mark each intersection. This should leave you with six circled holes. The four outside holes will be for lace and the two inside holes will secure the loop to the wine rack.

For the billets, cut a piece of pattern paper 2” x 5 ½”, fold width wise and length wise, draw a line 3/8” in from all four edges and draw in the length and width center lines

On the length wise center line, mark the intersection of the 3/8” line and circle.

From this mark measure ½” down the center line/away from the edge and draw a line across the width. Mark the intersection with the 3/8” line on both sides and circle all three marks.

Fold the pattern paper lengthwise and mark the three holes on the other end of the pattern.

Transfer the patterns to your leather and scribe for cutting.

Using a utility knife or round knife and a straight edge, cut out 1 main body piece, 2 wine bottle loops, 1 corkscrew loop and 2 billets.

Using a 2” Round End Punch, punch the ends of the billet pieces to round the corners.

With a Drive Punch, punch the circled holes with a 3/16, or slightly large, punch tube on all pieces

Using a Stitching Groover, groove a line 1/8” from the edge on all sides of each leather piece.

Using a #2 Edger, edge all sides of each leather piece front and back.

With a dauber, add a light coat of Gum Tragacanth to all edges of each leather piece and burnish.

To assemble the Wine Rack, start with the main body lying flat with the top of the Wine Rack to your left.

Take one of the wine bottle loops and lay it face down with the 6” sides to the left and right. Put the female side of two ¼” Chicago Screws into the two punched holes on the left of the wine bottle loop.

Position these two screws over the two punched holes on the lowest of the three sets of “loop rivet holes” on the main body. You’ll notice the main part of the loop goes away from the top. This is correct.

Add a small dab of white leather craft cement (or white glue) and secure the screws.

Take the second wine bottle loop and again, lay it flat with the 6” sides to the left and right and put the female part of two 3/8” Chicago Screws into the two holes on the left side of the loop.

Fold the first loop towards the top of the wine rack (top grain is now out) and position the other two punched holes over the middle two “loop rivet holes”.

Take the second loop and position the Chicago Screws over the first loop rivet holes and the corresponding main body “loop rivet holes”. Two notes: The main part of the wine bottle loop will, again, be away from the top and you will be going through three layers. The top of the first loop, the bottom of the second (or higher) loop and the main body.

Add a dab of glue to these two crews and secure.

Fold the upper wine bottle loop towards the top of the wine rack, same as the first, and secure it with two ¼” Chicago Screws (add a dab of glue). This should complete the wine bottle loops.

Take the corkscrew loop and lay it face down with the 4” sides to the left and right. Put the female part of two ¼” Chicago Screws in the two punched holes in the center and position to correspond with the two corkscrew loop holes on the main body. Secure the screws with a dab of glue.

To secure the billets start with either end and drop the female part of three 3/8” Chicago Screws into the punched holes on one end or the other.

Add a 2” D-ring and bend the billet around the end of the Wine Rack and secure the three Chicago Screws with a dab of glue.

Repeat the previous step for the opposite end.

To close the corkscrew loop with lace, take a piece of lace approx. 14” long and come from the inside out of both holes on one side of the corkscrew loop. Crisscross the two strands of lace and enter the two lace holes on the opposite side by going from the outside in.

Tie a square knot, or something close, on the inside of the loop. The corkscrew loop carries almost no weight, so, a strong knot isn’t necessary.

Add a corkscrew and two bottles of wine and your project is complete!