Mick

I learned a lot from his website and projects, too. Hope all is well..

I enjoyed the video, and agree that it was more entertainment than instructional. I'm not new to leather, but my skills are pretty basic; I just learned about creasers a couple weeks ago. Had no idea what the Fortuno thingy was, and the names you put up for pretty much everything else didn't give an indication to what it was. Nice that you showed how to lock the thread on the needle. I hope you don't think I'm being overly critical.

Brettuns Village Leather

Hi....I apologize if this has been covered many times, my search techniques don't always work...I didn't find anything that seemed applicable when I did search. Here's the story. We just bought another motorcycle for my wife, a VTX1300R, it has Vance&Hines pipes on it, and due to the curve/positioning of them, her leg is in close proximity, esp when she's parking or backing. I'm thinking that a flap of leather hanging down between her leg and the pipe may be the cure, but what I'm wondering is if I should go ahead and get some My link to put on/in/etc. Please tell me how you would go about making a heat deflector/shield. thansk

It'd be easy enough tomake the tape holder, with a piece of wire and some hardware store chain. Some belts use a small pocket for the tape measure, it'd be easier and faster to plunk it into a pocket than to hook the springsteel clip onto a bracket each time, but that'd be easy enough to make with some rivets and some steel or aluminum.

I like the lever cover too. Looks like the bike is blue and black....what kind is it??

Looks good. I like the pockets...I don't know what I'd put in them, but I like them! I like how the pics are a nice size to see w/o having to click on them, how did you do that???

Here's a thought, not that I know anything....but won't you have to put your knife somewhere other than in your sheath for a while? You case it in water, right? I wonder how long it takes for the leather to fully dry, so it won't rust the blade?

My motorcycle chaps have a snapped flap at the bottom of the leg, I assume it is to help keep the zipper from coming unzipped, thereby reinforcing the zipper...

I've been making a few also...also using concrete nails, except mine aren't the square cut nails, mine are more round. I used my bench mounted belt/disc sander, just using the belt, dipping into a cup of water to cool it. when it got down to a small enough size, I went to my bench stone, and stropped it. Seems to work pretty well. RE diamond shape...isn't a diamond a square turned a bit?

http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/sides.htm Brettuns Village takes paypal, they have veg tan, both sides and bellies.

I always reccomend Ford. Been using my 94 since 99, been a very good pickup.

this is incredible! great work.

found my camera, took some pics of some tools I've made or modified, a pic of a few projects that I've banged together...a harness for the cat, a water bottle holder turned motorcycle chain lube caddy, engine guard chaps. Hammer handles, mallets, screwdriver handle, lathe tools, carving knife (murphy blade)

I really like www.brettunsvillage.com for leather and hardware/tools/etc. Everything is "free shipping"/shipping included. I really like the newsletter, funny stuff.

I get a little annoyed when looking at motorcycle things, and see that they are advertised as "synthetic leather". It's either one, or the other. Can't be both.

Probably should have posted an introduction before I started posting here and there, but...better later than never, right? I have many interests, have done some metal working, motorcycling, have played in a college jazz band and a community concert band. I'm into photography, woodworking, have done some wood carving and flower planting. I grew up on a farm, but live in one of the "top cities to live in". I've worked in a paint store, McDonalds, diskette factory, egg processing facility, driven city bus, done apartment maintenance, had a massage therapy biz for 6 years, but currently drive school bus. I'll post some pics of things I've made, soon as I learn how. maybe it'll be in a photobucket linky. Now: for what you need to know: if you read something that I've typed that makes you say "I wonder if he's joking?" You can bet that I am indeed joking. if the attached pic works, it is a home made camera mount for my motorcycle. Oh, my avatar? I frequent a forum called CRAP: cheapskate riders are proud...I just can't justify paying a lot of money for something that I can make for a lot less.

It'd be easy and cheap to use a light dimming device, rotary probably easiest, to control the heat of a soldering iron or woodburner. sure, you'd have to play around with it at first to find the right temp, but scribe a line with a sharpie when you've found the right setting... a slightly more interesing idea would be to use a electric stove burner control, it'd be a lot more heavy duty...not that you'd need that for a 40 watt soldering iron!

looks great...my question is about snaps. When I've done snaps, I've done them the other way, meaning I generally put the "female"/socket on with the cap and the "male"/plug on the other thing. Is there a right/wrong way? Sometimes I have problems with them coming apart, but I wonder if my leather is a little too thick or thin...thanks

I've been using a regular pencil, kind of hard to see, but so far my work is not too critical yet.

an idea for procurement of springs...think about talking to your mechanic or tire/suspension shop. They'll change lots of struts which have a coil spring on it...

looks great. thanks for posting pics. it's good inspiration/knowledge for those of us that are learning.

I'm going to suggest http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/sides.htm and also suggest that you contact them, they have a form you can fillout if you have a special request. their veg-tan sides are all over 20 feet, ($75 + free shipping) but they may have something smaller hanging around. Great people, I enjoy working with them.

My wife rides a 750 Aero...which forum do you frequent? Nice work, great idea!

that is what I use to hone my woodworking gouges/chisels.