Aussie trees

[nobearsyet]

I am having a really hard time trying to find someone that makes trees for an Australian Stock Saddle. I have used them extensively and thin kmy first saddle project is going to be an Aussie, but I can't find the tree anywhere, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[daviD A Morris]

I am having a really hard time trying to find someone that makes trees for an Australian Stock Saddle. I have used them extensively and thin kmy first saddle project is going to be an Aussie, but I can't find the tree anywhere, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Jeff Freeman

P O Box 7

Eugowra NSW 2806

Australia

email: thesmith@westserv.net.au

[nobearsyet]

Thanks, I just shot him an e-mail. Have you, or anyone else for that matter, ever done an Aussie? If so how different is it from doing any other saddle?

[okiwen]

I hope someone has a lot of info for you because I have wanted to build and Aussie for about three years now.

[daviD A Morris]

Its a lot more like building an english type saddle, and has virtualy nothing in common with building a western saddle.

dam

[barra]

Thanks for that David. I had lost the contact details for Jeff.

David is of course correct in saying that a "traditional" Australian Stock saddle is basically constructed as is an English saddle.

This is going to be a big project. As far as i am aware Jeff Freeman used to work for a company called Fouright. They were a well respected tree making firm of years gone by. I have an old Fouright tree here that I pulled out of an old saddle. Going by the style of the saddle, it would have been made in the 40's/50's and is as straight and true as a dye and as solid as a rock.

Here is a link to Troy Porter's site that illustrates Freeman trees.

http://www.porterssaddles.com.au/PSSaddles.htm

I guess the best resource for you is to get hold of Ron Edwards book Making a Stock Saddle from

http://www.ramsskullpress.com/crafts.html

This gives a good description of the construction as well as excellent illustrations.

Barra.

[nobearsyet]

Thank Y'all, I am dtill kind of undecided as to whether I would like to build an Aussie or a Wade type roper, as this is going to be my first saddle, and second leather project, ever. I appreciate the assistance, really I do as there seems to be noone around that has any interest in this kind of stuff, and any little tips and tricks you guys might be able to share will also be greatly appreciated.

[TrooperChuck]

Nobearsyet:

I recently obtained a copy of Ron Edwards book, "Making a Stock Saddle", from the website Barra posted. It's a pretty interesting book. I think a person with some basic leatherworking skills could probably make a good saddle by following the instructions in that book. It would also help if you had an Aussie saddle in your shop to use as a visual reference while building yours.

You can also order a book on making your own Aussie saddle trees from the same website. I ordered a copy, and the process doesn't look very complicated, but I would definately rather buy a saddle tree than have to make one.

[nobearsyet]

I will have t olook into both at more depth. I would be willing to try a tree as Ido have a limited amount of woodworking knowledge, and I'm sure it could cost a great deal without sacrificing quality, or fit to my horses.