olroper99

Trying to figure out which tree I want Rod to build me... I have looked at a lot of saddles online and really can't tell the difference. I want something with some undercut in the swell to help keep my ol' butt in the pocket if a colt gets snuffy on me but want a good using rig for all day stuff amd to be able to rope a steer out of now and again. You makers who build saddles must know the difference? Thanks! Russ

I was a big block gas engine fan for years...pulled trailers for many many miles... Then I got my first diesel awhile back...nothing fancy, just an old 1995 F350 crewcab 4X4 with a 7.3 in it. WOW...am I impressed! Ol' truck gats 25 to 27 mpg empty and about 17 pulling my heavy ol' 4 horse. And gobs of power down low that I could never get out of a gas big block. The 454's I used to build have more power up high than this but I hardly ever used them there. The diesels seem to need more maintenance...as in more frequent oil changes etc...but I'd never want to be pulling with gas again. I've been looking for a dually truck now...an older one. Wish I could get a Ford with a Cummins in it!!! All the older Dodges I've looked at have serious front end problems or the interiors are falling apart. I like the old 7.3's just fine but they cost a lot more to rebuild than a Cummins and can't make the horsepressure that a 5.9 can. Russ

Thanks for the replies you guys. Good advice! Hmmm...I'm thinkin I better buy a uph machine then. I don't like sewing blankets either (so far) but a dollar is a dollar and there's plenty of ripped up winter blankets out here. Some of these are worth $250 or so...makes sense to spend a bit on them. Maybe vacuum out around the rip before mending??? Russ

Thanks Bob! I'm mostly asking because the guy who I bought the Mach1 from also has an upholstery machine for sale pretty cheap. I may just buy it then as horse blankets are a big part of my business so far.

Howdy All! I have a question...I got my Mach 1 a while back and like it fine...but I've been told an upholstery machine would be better for horse blankets. I thought something like the Mach1 would work fine as some of these insulated winter blankets are very thick in spots (blanket, insulation,front and back tabs along with straps..all in one shot). These are very squishy things to sew sometimes. Would an upholstery machine work better on this stuff? And why? Thanks! Russ

Thanks Elton...I'll see if they will sell to me.

I guess the title say it all. I'm running out of the old stuff I've scrounged over time and need to stock up on most everything needed for blanket repair. I found some of the "T" latches locally but they are too thick to fit most keepers so I have to widen all the keepers...or hammer the "T"'s flat...which knocks the chromium finish off them. Also can't find the centerbar sliders needed for the 2" webbing. Any ideas? Thanks! Russ

OK then...what I'd like to know...How the heck can the "Corriente Saddle Company" sell Wade and Association saddles in their ads in the Western Horseman for $625 each? Do the folks who make them do it for a hobby...or maybe they are made in a prison somewhere????? Just wondering...even a cheap saddle still takes time to build. I think there is cheap...then there is ***CHEAP***... I bet that's a comforting thought eh....to go out in the pasture and rope a big ol' bull offa yer brand new $625 Wade saddle...dally up to that horn...and then what? LOL!

Thanks Kevin! Do you know...if the speed redicers for these are electronic or mechanical? I was just thinking of changing pulleys to reduce it.

Thanks Ron! I'll keep you in mind. This machine was advertized as "almost" brand new...and for once a seller was honest...lol! It really is like new. There's no paint worn off the pedals....and there is very little thread gone off the original thread spools he gave with it. So...I'm hopin I don't need any parts for a little while anyway. It would be nice to find a manual that is written in better Chinglish than this one is :-) Now I'm craving a heavy stitcher...after finding the limits of this machine late last nite while sewing a D ring on a back cinch. I'm almost thinking this thing could be geared down a tad...I don't know many times when I could use the flat out top speed...HOLY SMOKE...it's a lot faster than anything I've ever ran before. Russ (yep...still smilin!)

Well! I'm darn glad I didn't go for the patcher!!! A 150 mile round trip in a snow storm in windy Saskatchewan to pick up the used Mach1 and drop $1000 in the guys mitt.. Was all worth it after I got home and figured out all the little problems etc. The machine sews great! A heck of a lot nicer than my ol' 29K. Now I need to buy some leather...I ran out of horse blankets to fix already....had a fun night sewin straps back on and sewin up tears etc. Russ...still smilin!

Denise...I posted a ink above. Ummm...I'm hating this dialup out here in ol' SK also. I'm very used to hispeed back in BC. This um...um...just sukks! LOL!

Ok...I'm tryin... Nevr 1.bmp Nevr 1.bmp

Denise...you make some good points. I wish I still had my old saddle so I could take pics to compare the two. I wish I had it so I could measure them both to see what the differences are. All I know for sure is that this new one is so easy to rope out of it's in a class of it's own. The Cactus saddle I tried was the same way...very little movement and you are standing up with your thighs in perfect position. I have to add tho...when your horse goes to buckin it's not the greatest rig to try to get by on...lol! All too easy to get thrown over the front. I'll put up with it tho. I have to try to figure out what I'm doing wrong trying to post pics here. I have a fairly decent pic of the saddle and will try to get it up here. Russ

Hi all! I'm just throwing some thoughts out here after a "new found" discovery about a year ago. I've got back into teamroping only a year ago after 17 years of "retirement". I roped at the highest level you could back in the day...the Open division of the Canadian Teamroping Association. One of my goals was to rope til I won a saddle and some other things long forgotten. I needed to take time from roping to be a real Dad to my kids so I actually did quit shortly after I won a regional championship saddle. I roped out of many saddles over the years but was lucky enough to find a used CloverBar roper that was very well made and fit me better than anything I'd ever roped out of. I heeled thousands of steers out of that ol saddle. The new saddle I won was a run of the mill trophy saddle but it had one difference. It had a 14 1/2" seat. I was used to a 15" seat but was very suprised at how nice that shorter seat was. Anyway...I soon found out that saddle was a very cheaply made saddle and decided to get rid of it before it fell apart. I liked it but knew it would never hold up. I ended up selling everything after I quit. Almost 20 years later...I get talked into training a couple of heel horses for a girl and got the ropin bug again. So...I started the quest to buy all new gear. A couple of guys told me about this "mystical" new generation roping saddle that one of the ropers had picked up in the US during the winter. I tracked the guy down and sat in it. It was a Cactus roper. I couldn't believe this thing!!!! All I had to do was rock my pelvis very slightly and I was standing up in perfect position and was locked into the swells. He was a big guy....this saddle had a short 14 1/2" seat like my trophy saddle had but it just fit far better. so...off to Alberta..went to every tack store in the country to track me down one of these new ropers. I asked all the sales staff for one to try. None of them knew what I meant. So I just started sitting in saddles. I bet I sat in over a hundred in many different stores. I finally went to a store north of Cowgary...sat in about 20 saddles and low and behold...2 Cactus saddles and One Reinsman saddle had this new "feel". I ended up buying the Clay Tryan Reinsman saddle and it is everything the guys said it would be....not really the saddle it's self but the style. I don't find the saddle to be very well made and still feel foolish that I spent over $2500 for a fiberglass (looks like it) covered tree. It's not a Rawlide tree but it doesn't look like any hide covered tree I've ever seen. I never even looked...I prolly wouldn't have bought it if I'd have known it didn't have a hide covered tree in it. I just assumed a "better" class of factory made saddle would have a good hide covered tree in it. Long story...I just love roping out of this rig. The heel end anyway. I find I get thrown ahead too easy when heading out of it. It's the exact same way when you ride outside the arena with it. Any downhill riding makes for a very difficult time...you are constantly being thrown ahead....worse than any saddle I've ever ridden. I haven't had a chance to compare this to any of the older saddles like my ol CloverBar but as near as I can figure...they have flattend out the front rise in the seat a bit and moved the stirrups back a bit. I see most of the roping saddles today are 7/8 rigged. Back when...most where full rigged. I want to build my next saddle and want some of that feel but not quite as severe as this one. I've built two saddles years ago on used Association type trees but I'm lost on where to go with this one. Just wondering if anyone here has had the chance or interest to find out what is the difference in the new gen ropers... Is it just in the seat and the stirrup placement or is there something new in the tree design? Any thoughts? Thanks! Russ

Thanks Denise! I did a Google search and did find Caledons webpage but had no idea who was the "go to" company. There where a few others I found as well but a question here can save a pile of legwork. I appreciate your time....thanks again! Russ

I'm sure there's some one on here from Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba who could tell me where to buy the stuff I'll need in the future. I used to buy a lot of my leather from the Hutterites in Cardston but have heard that the enviro-nazis have shut ol' Sam down out there. Used to buy my hardware from an outfit in Manitoba but I can't remember their name. I'm also looking to buy a couple of saddle trees pretty quick too. I guess it would be nice to be able to get all this stuff from one place but I have no idea if there is such a thing up here anymore. Thanks! Russ

Thanks guys! Bob...that's what I needed to hear! Sounds like the Mach 1 will be a lot better machine. You reminded me of something I forgot...those pesky marks the 29 leaves on the top. I still use a headstall I made 25 years ago...it still shows a few of those marks. Last night I found a good deal on a used Mach1 so I'm pullin the trigger on it! Thanks again! Russ

Hi Guys and Gals! I recently moved out to the Canadian prairies to get work and to have easier access to the teamroping sport I love. It's very slow in my main trade (welding) right now so I heard there's a need for a tack repair person here. About 30 years ago I had a tack and saddle repair shop in BC so I thought... "Why not" I used to use a Singer 29K back when and started to track one down. I've found a few for very decent prices locally. I phoned Leightons in Cowgary about getting parts etc. Hmm...he told me I should just forget the idea and get a Mach1. I had mentioned to him that I wanted to repair a lot of horse blankets and he reminded me that the bobbin on a 29K will only hold 5 or 6 feet of the heavier thread I used to use. I've long forgotten the size of needle and thread I used to use....but I found some of the needles I had for my 29K They are 332LR SZ160 ...that's what is written on the old package anyway. I used to make a lot of headstalls and lots of lighter strap goods...also repaired miles of BC Forestry tents with this size of thread. Any other sewing I did for heavier stuff ended up in the stitching horse and got sewn by hand as my saddlemaker Dad taught me to do. So...I can live with that size of thread. Heavier would be nicer....but will a Mach1 run it ok? And...aside from the small bobbin and the obvious electric motor...how much more capable is a Mach1 over a 29K? I think I can remember how to tune up a 29K once I get one...the Mach1 I have no clue about. I can get a 29 for less than 1/4 of the price...but I'm thinkin I'd be happier overall with a Mach1 (maybe)??? I know the $1400 for a Mach1 isn't a lot of money but I'm just testing the waters for now and don't want to pop for a Mach1 if it doesn't have a lot of advantage over a 29K. Any thoughts to share??? Thanks! Russ