How to make your own kit bag - does anyone care?!

Well it looks like i'll be resurecting this thread as I haven't found a bag with any kind of style and protection that I like yet.

So i'm thinking of a messenger style bag with foam padding cut to suit my camera and lenses.

Obviously as this is a little experimental i'll be keeping the costs down but a quick search and using the links in this thread has given me this so far:

http://www.mandmdirect.com/products-Animal-Mens-Simple-Messenger-Bag-Camo_ZE1593.htm

+

http://www.twfoam.co.uk/priceOptions.php - 40x29x12cm piece of foam

This gives me a bag that already has some padding and a block of foam that is the same shape of the bag so hopefully after some carving with an electic bread knife I might have some thing I like for under £20.

Well thats the plan anyway :D
 
I made a bag quite a long time ago using a rucksack to start with (as at the time camera bags weren't available as rucksacks with decent straps and waist belt). I basically fashioned a hard outer shell by gaffer-taping a few sheets of corrugated cardboard together. Got some foam from a cheap set of cushions for a garden lounger, and then covered it with some fairly heavy fabric. As I'm no good with a needle and thread, I fastened the material round the cardboard and foam by folding it round and then sticking it on the "outside" (hidden bit) using a hot glue gun.

The rucksack was one that the whole back opened, so to complete it, I made a plate from a couple of sheets of cardboard with foam on one side, again covered with the material.

It works OK, and I reasoned that cardboard would be OK to use as I had no intention of it getting wet inside.... I'll try to post a couple of photos when I get home.

I do have to say that I also have a couple of redsnapper bags which I find are excellent also, are quite cheap, and don't scream "expensive kit" so much....
 
depending on protection you could sew in some think ali plate between two layers of foam and the inner and outer skins of the bag might be a bit ott, have you thought about waterproofing it?
 
I've made my own foam inserts before using a sheet of HLB packaging foam. Used a scalpel to cut inner shapes (with moderate success. It take practice) and cut the sheet to size with an electric carving knife. Ideally, you could use something could Kaizen foam which is multi-layer, however, I struggled to find a decent place to source it at the time. That may have changed now though.
 
dazzajl said:
Camera gear has got far too pandered too of late. I used to know a snapper that just put all his kit in a shoulder bag and off he went. You could hear him coming from a mile off, clanking and clinging.

True all his kit looked like an early landrover but it did all work....... mostly.
Click to expand...
Jane Bown famously carried 2 cameras with lenses attached in a large handbag, and on at least one occasion supplemented with an angle poise lamp.
 
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