Ball bag...wet molded

[Deadeye]

MD, I make all of mine from 8 to 9 oz. leather, last forever and holds it's shape well. I like to have a strap on the left side so when I carry it on my belt it hangs to the right (right handed). Like one for each size ball, just got a .36, need to make one more. .32 to .75.

Deadeye

 

[Macon Due]

Darn, Deadeye
Yours kinda put mine to shame... :redface:
Those are really nice.
Macon

 

[phoenix511]

Exactly as Swampy does, but I use shot: 4 - 6 - 7 1/2, pound it in to a wet pouch, dry naturally, shake out the shot. Seems to make no difference as to shot size.

Unsure if wet rice could leave mold.

I use 6-8oz leather, thinner leather may not be stiff enough ... but some may like the added flexibility.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I can tell you that a few loose balls in a 2-3 oz leather flask sound like ball bearings in a hub cap

Lead is noisy???

 

[Rifleman1776]

:redface: I won't even show you mine.
Those are fine.
What are the little thingys hanging from the two on the left bottom?

Edit: BTW, who does the turning for your plugs. Lookin' good. I do turning and plan to make some, hopefully as nice as yours.

 

[BrownBear]

I can tell you that a few loose balls in a 2-3 oz leather flask sound like ball bearings in a hub cap

Lead is noisy???

Naw, but the leather sure is. Thin leather makes a pretty good drum head, while thicker deadens the sound. My hunting pard was right behind me the first time I carried one. We were sneaking up on a deer herd, and he kept stopping me, asking "What's that sound?" I spilled the balls into the bottom of my bag for the rest of the stalk, and all was well. And quiet.

 

[Deadeye]

Rifleman, those little dangles are my attempt at decoration, beads and tin cones. Those 2 are the 1st ones I made about 30 yrs. ago for my .54 and .62. Re the plugs, I usually use a 1" dowel, turn it down to the plug size then turn it around and cut some grooves in it, sand it smooth and that's it. These bags are real easy to make and this weight leather, I never heard a sound out of it.
Deadeye

 

[Rifleman1776]

I never heard a sound out of it.

Yep. I'm sure that noisy lead must just be an Alaska thing. :rotf:

 

[Macon Due]

1776
Don't ya imagine the leather 'froze'??.. :grin:
Macon

 

[Deadeye]

Yep, and don't forget frozen balls, that could be very noisy :haha:

 

[Boudreaux]

Not to Hijack, but do you wet mold 1/2 then sew them together. Or do you sew it then pack the wet sand it to expand the cavity? How do you know how wide to make the neck?

Thanks
Boswell

 

I just made my first ball bag (thanks to Deadeye and Macon Due for the great pics!) and used airsoft pellets for wet molding. They're cheap, plentiful and don't corrode or oxidize. I got the "ultra heavy" pellets. They were available in white, yellow or black. I have a rather light pecan wood floor so opted for black.

Boudreaux, I don't know how anybody else does it but I stitched it together before wet molding. Gave it a good soaking, inside and out then just packed it full of pellets and molded the neck with a 5/8" dowel. I'll make a plug once it dries. Maybe hardwood or antler. It's intended for .54" roundball so a .625" neck should work fine.

 

[Macon Due]

Bos
I made the bag,sewed both parts together.Then I soaked it in warm water for about 30min. I then packed sand into it,'tamping' it in with a 1/4" dowel rod untill I could get no more in it.Then I used the end of a propane torch burner asmb. to mold/form the neck [cause it looked about the right size] I then put the bag in the oven on 175 deg. for about 45 min. I then let it finish drying untill the next day when I removed the sand [just poke around in it with a screwdriver to loosen it. After that drop a few small nuts,screws ect.in the bag and shake it to get all sand loosened up and dump it out. Then lightly wet the edges and 'bone' them smooth,dye em if wanted and whittle a plug and.....done!
Macon