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CWR

Groundseat with a tin strainer

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I need someone, or several someones to tell me how they put in their ground seats with a tin strainer. I have a saddle that needed a new cantle binding, the rawhide one had pulled down into the seat. When I pulled the seat and got to looking at the groundseat I decided that although I didn't know how to put one in with the tin strainer this one wasn't right. It looks like the strainer bottom was lined then tacked to the tree and a piece glued to the top of the strainer. This piece is skived to nothing. I hav'nt pulled the strainer but it looks like it was put in over some little risers next to the swells. Thats all the leather to it. Can I pull the tin strainer and use it again or should I just start from scratch?

Thanks,

CW

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CWR,

If that is the way it came, I would leave it alone. That sounds right - a liner under the strainer, nail the strainer to the bars, cantle, and lower fork. Then come the build-up(s) glued onto the top of the strainer. The riser pieces underneath create the clearance for the stirrup leathers and help to define their range of motion.

The number size and shape of the build ups all affect how the saddle sits. They are the base for the seat. If you go to changing the geometry of the groundseat, you may have hell trying to get the seat to fit back. Some of the two piece seats will split right out at that seam when you spike them back down over a higher buildup or have bubbles in the gaps. If they have ridden it this long, chances are it may not be an issue to them as is.

If it is a problem and they want a different groundseat shape, be prepared to make another seat too. Sometimes you can do some little tweaking, soak the seat, and draw it in alright though. A lot of these performance and event saddles don't have much buildup. Some is for a better performance for that event, and other times that seat is "because that is how it has been done for some time". I have worked on some saddles that a few hundred thousand probably have been won out of, and they may have one pattern skived buildup. I have one in right now where there is just the fiberglass strainer. No build ups under the chap leather seat, and the foam is long gone. It is a 2 piece seat so the seat overlay is the only thing over the strainer. I googled her, and she has won a lot in a different part of the country.

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Thanks Bruce. That makes me feel more comfortable. The saddle is actually pretty comfortable. I swapped for it to ride colts in. The rigging was sound and I didn't care if one flipped over backwards on it because the rest of it looked like a dog ate it then threw it back up. The tree is solid so I'm rebuilding it to get some experience. Its going to need a new swell cover and cantle along with restringing and lining so I'm glad I can just leave the groundseat the way it is.

But if any of yall get the chance I'd I like to see the way you do it.

Thanks again.

CW

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