Beehive

I don't know but it sure makes me think. I'd assume 18x18 inches would produce a 16x16 that's 2inches thick in the middle. Going with 19x19 to make sure. ~3" thick. You can always buy the thin foam craft sheets. Cut the panel sizes and glue them together. Do a mock up. The foam craft sheets are about as thick as 4-5oz. I've used it to mock up holsters. Worked for me.

Yeah, watch straps are no joke. If you plan on selling them. It needs to survive being on the wrist. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 1 year. Then it'll be worn to the point it'll need to be replaced. Replaced for the security of the watch. You do excellent work.

I'm getting better. 24oz maul and two, dual tine irons. 3.38 and 3.85mm. Using both to make sure the corners were right. 24oz is my sweet spot. I get the best feel when the pricking iron passes through and begins to enter the vinyl pad. My book cover is coming along.

As a strap maker using those quick release bars. What guarantee do you give me, that it will hold my $5000 dollar watch on my wrist, worry free?

I prefer the factory spring bars. The quick release bars are a universal sized bar. Seiko sized. Using the Marathon watches, they have massive spring bars that are designed to fit the drilled lugs on their cases. For me to use your quick release strap. I have to remove the spring bars you installed. The peg or lever used to release the spring bar. Has to be cut off so the spring bar can be removed out the strap. Cutting the lever also leaves a sharp edge of metal. That drags through the strap while being removed. It's either that or the stitching has to be removed and sewn back. On the Damasko, the spring bars are curved. Another element that needs addressed.

Go to the source. Angelus has their own color mixing information. https://angelusdirect.com/blogs/news/the-art-of-color-matching-with-angelus-paint

That's pretty much the same as the Harbor freight combo kit but they toss in a couple extra airbrushes and charge you an extra $30 bucks.

I wish you guys would stop using the easy release spring bars. I have to cut that peg to get the spring bar out. I have four Marathon watches. Three jumbo, the GSAR, and the small GSAR. The JSAR is a red maple leaf. Anyway, that quick release is a no go on drilled lugs. Too much worry those Seiko style bars will pop out the lugs. Losing my thousand dollar watch. Wouldn't work on the Damasko DC58 either. I love your craftsmanship. I hate the spring bars.

Have you seen the other airbrush stuff at harbor freight? They have the, "Black Widow" line of stuff. Pencil and trigger style airbrushes. To include a duel outlet compressor with a tank. All together, $70ish for the airbrush, another $200 for the compressor. With the store offering a warranty. Compared to Amazon. Decent, single outlet compressor with tank, ~$100. Sometimes it includes a generic brand, cheapo airbrush. All the hose with quick disconnects. No warranty besides the return period window. Before I bought the low level kit. I was using a compressor from Hobby Lobby. Big POS but it survived me for over a decade. Then Old faithful finally gave up. For the size of pieces I spray. I simply do not need a tank. After all, I'm not airbrushing a naked lady on a show car. I personally have had no problems with an airbrush set-up meant to do t-shirts.

What pops in my head. Try Vinegaroon that's treated with baking soda...before applying to the leather. See what happens. See if the baking soda has decreased the strength of Vinegaroon. Producing that shade of grey before the chemical reaction can fully take hold. I'm spit ballin' here but that's what I'd try. Either that or reduce the alcohol based, black dye, down by a third or more.

If you want a permanent shiny. Use saddle lac. Not resolene. Resolene is and always has been kinda in between satin and gloss. It's supposed to give the leather a, 'glow' without looking like it's plastic. Saddle Lac doesn't play. It's Army dress shoes gloss and it's permanent. Understand the difference in finishes. It all comes down to the level of sealing the leather. Some finishes will allow oil to enter the leather for routine maintenance. Others, do not. So if you use Saddle Lac, you better oil the leather first or it'll be 10years before saddle lac will wear down to the point to where oil can pass through it. That's also including horse sweat and butt sweat.

We've cut funding to the BBC. Plus a lot of the other stuff. Especially protests and the paycheck they receive. You should start noticing differences right now. No worries. The people sending the money won't be around much longer either.

Look up color mixing. They'll show what colors need to be mixed to be close to the color you want. Then it trial and error. Use a cool color light source. Nothing warm(yellowish looking light). You want the blueish type light to show the true colors of what you're using. The only thing that'll prevent you from color matching is the cost of the paint. It's only money. I'm sure you've seen the Angelus, "Best sellers kit". 12 colors all together for $40. Start there. It has the primary colors plus others. Follow it up with a color matching website. Search for, "color matching tool". You can do it.

Thanks for the heads up.

Killeen here. Welcome.