How to Turn a Canvas Messenger Bag into a Water-Resistant Waxed Camera Case

If you take your camera equipment with you on a pretty frequent basis, having a camera bag can help protect it and makes it much easier to keep everything in one place. A good camera bag can be pretty expensive, but with this tutorial by photographer Allen Mowery, you can turn a cheap canvas messenger bag into a nice looking DIY waxed camera bag for half the price.

For this project, you'll need a canvas messenger bag, a camera insert, and some paraffin wax, which can be found in the canning aisle of most grocery stores.

After melting the wax in a double boiler, Allen used a small brush to paint the wax onto the outside of the bag, using a thicker coat on the seams and bottom.

After the wax cooled, he put the bag inside a pillow case, tied the end, and threw it in the dryer for 15-30 minutes to make the wax more even. If you want to give it extra protection, you can always put on another coat or two.