Goldshot Ron

Looks very good Tom. Is the reins strap part of the nose band, or did you sew them together? And, you may have told me, but I forgot if you did; do you use a filler in the rounded jaw strap? I had a new halter come into the shop last week, and the jaw strap was kinked. I tried to round it out, but it seemed like the filler inside the leather was possibly a piece of wire and did not smooth out like I wanted. Thanks, Ron

I've used sink cutout granite pieces, scrap granite, and a 1.5" marble. They all worked for a while. The granite finally split in two. I skive on my stones, and the marble is too soft to skive on. The best find was at a monument company. My wife and I were purchasing a headstone for a relative. I asked one of the guys about scrap 3" stones. I got one for free. This company also had smaller stones (still 3 inches thick) for departed pets (about 12"x 18"). Yes, my stone is heavy, and I do not move it. I set it into my bench, and that is where it stays. I will say, I was not successful on my first attempt to find a discarded headstone, but I finally got lucky.

I use to have a formula for a simple cleaner using: water, ammonia, and a few drops of Ivory dish soap. It was suggested in a restoration article I read many years ago. I do not remember the person who suggested it, but I have used it on real greasy leather and it worked well.

As Tom said, adjust your top tension, and check your threading of the machine. Practice first on scrap until you are satisfied. What I will do on a practice piece is to cut carefully with my round knife along the seam to check where the treads are knotted within the leather. This helps to determine your top thread tension.

Thanks Tom, that's helpful information.

Tom, How long did this operation take, and what did you charge? There are few, if any, English repair people in my area. I have requests for repairs, but I really do not know what I am doing, and it takes time to figure out how to take the different saddles apart. So, I seldom say yes to requests. What I hear you saying is that instead of the stitching in front along the swell it is along the rear? Is there any alternative, other than purchasing a stapler, to reinstall the pieces of the saddle that have to be removed? Thanks Ron

A really good power splitter. Left over leather could be split down to use in many projects. It has to be 14 to 18 inches wide. My 6" Landis is fine for small pieces. But like Tim the Toolman said: "...more power, uhg, uhg."

Dwight, The kind of saddle bags that you mentioned are usually nylon bags. I'd have to measure my old US cavalry bags, but 12"x12" x 5"deep are about as large as you would want for leather saddle bags. I have made bags out of chap leather to cut down on weight, that would be an alternative to nylon. Also, thank you for the kind words. Ron

I would be pleased to send you a pattern. Here are a few that I have built. Let me know which one you would want a pattern for. As you said, the part that goes behind the cantle is the foundation for constructing the bags. Ron

I'd need a roadmap to put that on a horse. It took me several minutes to figure out the cavason attachment. Good job Tom, as always, I am envious of your work. Ron

Tom, That is a mighty fine piece of art that you created. When you say weighted lead, did you add something more than extra leather? Keep up the good work. Ron

What a show off Tom. That's another great looking work of art. I like you flowering trees also. Ron

I made a beveler like the one that you showed with the vise. I held the blade in with a woodscrew and small washer. Then, I had a second piece of wood to form a channel the width of the string. To hold the string in place while beveling, I used a piece of plexy glass on top with a pivot screw and a locking screw. It looked cool, but sucked at the task of beveling. It didn't cost me any money, just time and frustration. Let us know what you come up with.

Danny, This is how I see the tool: the center block has a slot in it that holes the blade. (I think a craft blade would work.) The rods or bolts go through all three pieces of wood to hold the blade in position and the left hand block is the piece that the string rides along the top and is beveled by the blade. The top piece of metal is a hold-down piece that keeps the string is position to bevel. As TomE mentioned, it may be just as easy to buy a tool. I have tried to make my own, and I have never been satisfied with the results for the amount of time I spent making the tool. Ron

Thanks Ron, The last Wade I made was only a 1/2 inch rise, and I am never sure how it will feel until I cover the darn thing. I believe the set of rear d's that I have are JW. I am always on the look out for new hardware, and nice conchos that will not set me back a fortune.

I think your saddle looks good. It appears that you worked on the rough out to get it smooth, and I find that hard to do correctly. What is the slope on the horn? I am trying to figure out what to order on my next tree. I don't want a charro looking horn, but, I don't want a flat woodpost either. Also, where did you pick up the rear flank cinch dee? Ron

To fudge this, you move you stitch length handle up a little to adjust the stitch. There is a good tutorial on Youtube using a 205 clone. I am sorry that I cannot remember the name of the video, but it is very helpful.

Call Cobra on Monday.

Thanks for the info. Randy.

Hey Randy, Your new saddle looks really good. I never heard of your tree maker, where are they out of? Aren't taps fun? How did you attach the lower string on the taps? My suggestion after making a new saddle is to use it, then sell it as used. You can feel what you did right or wrong, and use it as a learning tool. Also, I have found people will give you almost as much for a used saddle as a new one. Take care, Ron

Check out Uwe Grosse video on Youtube. It sounds like your timing is off.

I have a Toro 3000 that I purchased in 2007. I have always used Weaver's bonded nylon thread without any problems. If the grease bothers you, cleaning it off will not hurt anything. I have always used sewing machine oil, so I have no experience with any other lubrication. The company was in Vernon, CA when I purchased the machine, and since then they have moved up to the Bay Area, and they have changed ownership. But, be advised, if you need parts they change a minimum fee for the parts. So, a $3 bobbin spring may be $30; or, in my case, a spring plus 6 bobbin spools for the same price. This machine takes many of the same parts as other 205 style machines. Happy sewing.

I do not say this to be a "smart arse", but is the condition of the saddle worth your time and effort? It is easy to fall into the trap of the challenge. Not with the saddle here for me to look at, but from your photos, I would consider recovering the knee pads and tucking the new leather under the existing leather of the seat and front jockey. To repair the cantle: you either replace the whole seat cover or scab in leather to go over the cantle. Either way will require a lot of stitching. If the cantle is wood, you might be able to replace the triangular part of the seat and pull the edge over the back side of the cantle. Scallop the back edge of this new piece of leatheer, and tack it to the back of the cantle. This technique is used on western saddles and creates a vintage appearance. Good luck

4 of us loaded the machine into the trailer, but I unloaded it alone. First, lower the table to it's lowest position and tighten the two knobs on the stand. There is a pistol within the stand that allows for machine height adjustment. If not secured, the table may spring upward when the head is removed. I cannot tell you the exact weight of the head, but it feels like about 175 pounds or more. I moved the head on a hand cart into my shop, and was able to lift it onto my work table. The stand is not light either, but manageable. Once inside the shop, I positioned the stand equal to my work bench, and slide the machine onto the stand. This all sounds simple, but I questioned my logic more than a couple of times during this operation. Good luck, and happy sewing.

@Uwe...yes, the problem that I was having with my 205 was exactly as shown in your video (nice camera also). To time it, I took off the presser foot cover and the feed dog. It sure made it easier to time, and see what was going on. I had to use 6 spacer rings to adjust for the 346 thread. I am still having some problems sewing in reverse, but that will have to wait for another day.