Recycled Inner Tube Wallet

I never cease to be amazed at what can be done with old inner tubes.  From shoe laces, to handlebar wrap, and now a wallet.  Reader Ben contacted us and sent along the following text and pictures to match.   Thanks Ben!

Synopsis:

Old tubes are plentiful in my workshop, so I'm always looking for new ways of recycling them. Tubes are difficult to cut square and the pieces you do cut will never be flat, so, I decided that rough would be cool anyway and carried that theme all the way through the hack.

So, in-keeping with the roughly square tube sections, I have used a contrasting colour for the thread and hand sewn everything the wrong way around to put the ugly, normally hidden side of the stitching on the outside rather than the inside. Fast hand sewing and not worrying about accuracy completes the "hacked up" feel.

It is very lightweight and slimline and its just damn cool. I love it!

This wallet consists of:

- 1 note pocket
- 1 coin pocket
- 2 card pockets
- 2 hidden pockets

Materials:

- Half a XC MTB tube (26x1.9 or similar)
- Thread
- (Optional) material for lining the cash pocket (I used one of those cheapo car mounted Aussie flags that are given away at bottle shops with cartons of beer on Australia Day)

Tools:

- Scissors
- Darning needle
- Thimble (I used the barrel from a chain breaker)

Method:

1. Cut tube sections:

- 2 220x75mm
- 2 100x75mm
- 1 100x60mm
- 1 100x50mm
- 1 100x35mm

2. (Optional) Cut liner sections

- 2 220x75mm

3. Sew pockets

- Lay 100x75mm, 100x50mm, 100x35mm on top of each other and stitch together using "backstitch". These will become the "card" section of your wallet.

- Lay 100x75mm, 100x60mm on top of each other and stitch together using back stitch. These will become the "coin" section of your wallet.

- Lay the 2 220x75mm sections on top of each other (sandwiching the lining if using one) and then lay the "card" section on the left hand vertical edge and stitch all pieces together along that edge using blanket stitch. Do the same on the opposite side with the "coin" section.

- Blanket stitch all the way along the bottom edge.

- Stitch along the front top edge using blanket stitch to finish up (if using a liner you will need to do the back top edge too).

- Admire your work.

The finished product.

Card pocket.

Coin pocket.

Note pocket.

Um, protection pocket? =)  

.

If you have interesting uses for old tubes, or other old bike parts for that matter, feel free to send them to us. 

Comments

[Anthony]

ha nice with the protection pocket! But heat kills them and makes you a daddy!

[Rider]

Well done!

[Second Hand Cars]

That is amazing innovation i liked it great thought nice use of the waste tubes

[Mayeen]

Hi, im a student doing a ICT controlled assessment, is it okay if i use this idea and your image? it would be very helpful if i can becuase the rules state i cannot use any images with copyright on them. the coursework is based on up-cycled items and they are very hard to find, i will credit you and anything else that is needed, please reply asap.

Thank You

Mayeen

[Ben]

Sure. I made a matching belt out of a worn out road tyre to match: http://www.bikehacks.com/bikehacks/2011/07/bike-tire-belt.html

You may be interested in the combined image instead: https://plus.google.com/photos/113450974460442163552/albums/5633546248515432561?authkey=COa_77KpiJSMsAE

[rosemary777]

Amazing idea and a amazing work its said that a person with new ideas is a crank till the idea gets success and that i think is true