barra

Steve. I have to agree with Greg. The Pfaff 1245 is an outstanding machine which you could not kill with an axe. I have 6 at work and not one has ever skipped a beat. It will definately do what you want and then some. The 1245 can be fitted with numerous different feet eg piping, zipper as well as a binding attachment. It would be a great machine for items like your gear bags as well. Barra

Jbird. I find it goes away relatively quickly, like in a day or so. If possible put the leather in a well ventilated area. Barra

This pertains to Kangaroo. I'll look further. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity.../kangaroos.html Barra

I have spent the last few days playing with my new toy, a Ferdco Pro 2000. All is good, it is stitching like a trojan and I am very happy with it. I have to concede defeat however on exactly how the different throat plates work eg holster and stirrup plate.Any tips would be most appreciated. On a side note. This is the first time I have ever used a machine with a servo motor. Holy crap is that cool. Barra

http://upholster.com/. Hope this helps.It is a discussion forum for upholsterers/motor trimmers/marine trimmers. Ask any tips and tricks and I'm sure someone will help out. Do a search for bike or motorcycle and you'll glean lots. Barra

You can make your patterns by covering the segments in material/paper and stick pins in it to hold it in place. Draw out your shapes on the pattern material. Depending on the leather you are using the seams are joined using a boot seam. It is just a little more professional looking than a plain or top seam. When you cut out the leather ensure you have also factored in your seam allowance. Sometimes a flexible curve is handy to get the angles of the dangles. These are sold in most places that sell household sewing supplies eg the haberdashery section of Walmart might even have them. Barra

I'm also seeing beer can coolers. Carved with club/sporting/business logos etc. Barra

I save all of my skiving scraps as well as the sliver of leather from when I edge. I just stick them in an old coffee can and when full I feed them into an old electric coffee grinder. I have found that if I try and use solid leather scraps eg the wads from punching holes that the coffee grinder has a koniption (sp). I then mix the dust much as has been mentioned above. I have various molds that I fill with the dust and when dry pop them out like a cake. I then am able to get perfect shapes that I then use for plugs/inlays prior to final covering with leather. Barra

Hi Ron. Your pretty much on the mark. The rear is stitched in (i call it laced in) much as you have said. Study the saddle and you should see holes in the panel 3/4" or so on the panel, just inside the rear facing. For study sake put the panel into the point pockets at the front to temporarily hold it in place. Now pull the rear of the panel up and hold it in place where it would sit against the rear of the cantle. You should see the there are corresponding and similar hole on the back of the cantle that match up with the holes in the panel. These MUST realign or you will have a distorted panel. When putting the panel back in the thread is worked all the way from one side to the other very loose. When you have gone from one side to the other (I start at the off side out of habit) go back to the starting point and commence pulling the threads up tight one after the other like tightening a pair of lace up boots. You will find the job easier if you have a bent awl and curved needle. Sometimes where the first and last stitch is placed into the skirt using the bent awl to make a hole that does not go go all of the way thru from the flesh to the grain side. IE: it remain invisible from the grain side (hope that made sense). As for thread. This is one job where I still roll my own out of about 6 ply of number 2 common hemp thread. Rolling a thread will form an eye (like on an eye spliced rope). I pass my first stitch thru this eye to I guess form a larks head knot. The pommel end. There are more ways to redo this than I've had hot dinners. Right in the gullet there is a piece of leather with a little ridge called a fore piece or some thing similar. Again by studying how it was originally done it should be similar to this. Stitching commences a few stitches below where the fore piece and flap join. Stitch up to the the fore piece (and behind the ridge) all the way to below where the fore piece and flap join on the other side. Again stitch pattern can vary but I back stitch mine in. Be careful to reuse the old awl holes. I hope this helped. Barra

Ok. Generally speaking with panels we can break down the parts starting with the material against the tree. Different saddlers will have slightly different methods and names. 1st layer of material will be what I call the base panel and is some sort of chap weight material and can be the same as used for the seat. English saddles traditionally used Basil which is Finished dressed leather made from sheepskin. Sometimes the base panel is lined with canvas. 2nd layer is the stuffing 3rd layer is the serge and this is the lining If a saddle has ever been counterlined after it has conformed to the shape of the horses back you will have another layer of stuffing on top of the original serge and a new serge lining on top of that. I would not think counterlining would be frequently done on Australian stock saddles much outside of Australia. Now that you have unpicked the lining (serge) stitching at the front and back facing, there should be further stitching between the front and rear facing (along the sweat flap). The sweat flap is the second large bit of leather under the riders leg and against the horse to protect the main flap from sweat. With all of the old lining removed, the new lining is going to be re sewn to the base panel and both facings, inside out, IE: grain side of both facings facing inside. I think we will tackle putting in the new lining in the next installment as it can be a bit tricky. You have to cut it oversized to allow room for stuffing. You then have to slowly work in this oversized lining so it is even with no unsightly puckers. There is a number of ways the new stuffing can be put in. Two of the most common methods are as follows. Method 1 via a slit on the top of the base panel. This is eventually closed up with big hand sewn stitches eg herringbone Method 2 via a gap in the lining about mid way along the sweat flap from front to rear facing. (Eventually closed up). Barra

Kathy. Have you completely removed the panel from the top part of the saddle IE: unstitched the rear. I'm not sure what you mean by removing the panel fabric "and" lining. What are you calling the fabric and what are you calling the lining? If you have removed the old stuffing and the panel is completely removed you can "carefully un stitch the old lining (the blue fabric) Unpick the old stitches. I have no idea what the base panel is made from but if it needs a few repair/patches now is the time to do that. Make sure that the stitching holding the front and rear facings onto the base panel are in good order. Using your old lining as a guide, mark out the new lining with chalk (any miniscule residue can later be brushed off). How do you intend restitching the new lining. By hand or machine? I had another thought re a suitable lining material if you can not get wool serge. I surfed the net and there are companies who specialise in Civil war re-enacting and make uniforms. The Blue material they make Union uniforms out of is a woolen material called Kersey. Not serge but I think it would do. Kersey is also used to make woollen show horse blankets and saddle cloths. Barra

From what I can see on the top pic you have a round knife, a couple of overstitch/stitch marker wheels. The tool whith the kinda pistol grip is a draw guage for cutting strapping out, some edge tools an awl for hand stitching. Above the draw guage you have a sail makers palm. This sits in the palm of the hand and the thumb goes thru a slot. The raw hide circle has a metal disc inside with dimples. The dimples are used to push needles thru Leather or other heavy materials. The rusty tool on the left of the bound handled awl appears to me to be either an old creaser for making a decorative edge on strap good or it is a seam turner (to my eye). Second pic. The tool on the extreme right could be a tack.nail lifter. Again the round knife and edge tools. No idea what the 3rd pic is. Barra

Kathy. The parts of the panel are as follows. Other saddlers may have slight variations in terminology but the terms will be similar. The groundwork for the panel is made of flexible leather. Sometimes bag or chap weight leather is used (similar leather to the seat) and sometimes basil is used. I was taught that if basil was used then it was lined with canvas but that is just me. This is sort of the foundation and is the part that is shaped to the tree and flaps. I call this part of the panel the base panel. For economy sake it is made in 2 halves and stitched together at the pommel and cantle ends. From here the front and rear facings are attached. The front facing is that roll of thin leather you see at the front (about the diameter of your pinky finger.. The rear facing is shaped to give depth to the panel at the rear so as to allow the panel to conform to the tree shape and allow room to stuff. The lining is now cut to shape slightly over sized, again to allow room to stuff. The lining is attached to the front and rear facing with temporary tack ties at strategic points. The end result is you have to work in the lining to fit. (remember we cut it over sized). When you stitch it in you take up a minute/tiny amount of the over sized lining material with each new stitch. This way it will eventually fit without huge unsightly puckers being visible. Now for stuffing. You will need a stuffing stick/rod. Some people stuff thru gaps in the stitching left around the sweat flap. This is that second flap that goes nearest the horse. Some people stuff thru slits left in the base panel and when done they close up the slits with fairly large stitches so the stuffing won't come out. The tricky part of stuffing thru slits in the base panel is if too much stuffing is put in (initially) you will have a dickens of a time attaching the panel to the tree, especially at the cantle end. If you have removed the old panel you would have seen how it was stitched/laced in at the cantle end. When putting in the new one, the whole thing is laced in so all of the thread is rather loose until you get to the end. All of the stitches are then drawn up tight, sort of like pulling up the laces on a pair of boots. The front of the panel is re stitched as previously discussed. P.S. You will probably also need a curved/bent awl to assist reattaching the panel at the cantle end. The panel is laced from the panel to a corresponding hole on the cantle. It is crucial it all lines up or you will have more panel one side than the other (twisted). The curved awl is to assist opening these holes as you re lace. A fairly large curved needle will also be needed. These you should be able to get from the haberdashery section of Wally world (curved needle that is). Barra

Kathy. The material of preference is wool serge. Traditionally it is either royal blue or a tan/mustard colour. I'm not sure where you could obtain it in the US but I'll investigate. I have found a source in the US for serge but it is a wool acrylic blend. http://www.carrtextile.com/acrylicwoolserge.html. I'm not really sure it will be suitable but have included the link as a starting point. I will now relate a story about a substitute material my old boss used to use for some repair work. He would use this material on occasion. Jim will probably fall off his stool when I mention what was sometimes used but the old boss had short arms and deep pockets. Plus he would use repair work as a way of teaching me without wasting good material on an apprentice who may or may not stuff up the job (An old joke was. You gonna "stuff" that panel "boy". My answer. PROBABLY. Anyhoo. On occasion instead of good wool serge he would use Baize. This is the traditional material used to cover Pool/billiard tables and is very serge like in appearance. I am in no way referring to felt but baize, like serge is a coarsely woven wool material. Funny as it sounds the baize was very hard wearing and you could still awl the stuffing into place just like serge. Only real problem we had was the mountain of baize material he had (and I think it fell off the back of a truck) was traditional green baize. Looked a bit weird at first glance but the customers liked it. The ol bugger would pitch it as a sort of anti theft device as a customer could easily identify their saddle. Barra

Kathy. Jim is right. From the pics the saddle appears to be an Asian copy. This means the flocking material can be anything from wool to hair to Kapok. Reflocking is not mearely shoving in new flock. It must be carefully and strategically placed so as not to cause lumps. Whatever material has been used it is now going to be packed down hard and will lump up if just put back in unless it is re-teased/cleaned. The end result should leave the panel shaped so that it is square (ish) shaped with slightly rounded edges (so as to achieve the maximum bearing surface. If you end up with a panel that has just had as much flocking shoved in as it can handle without the seams bursting, you will achieve a domed panel and decrease the bearing surface. I have heard some people counterline by cutting out some shearling to shape and adhere this to the old panel and then stitch the new lining over the top. I have never tried this but again Jim is right. The old lining is more likely than NOT good serge (if serge at all). The shearling method may be an easy method that will allow you to get a flat and even result. I'll let Jim or others chime in with their thoughts. Barra

Kathy. How much of the flocking has been removed? What should actually occur now is what is known as counterlining. This is a new lining material stitched to the old and nice new flocking placed between the old and new linings. Barra

I,m going to attend and am really looking forward to it. Barra

Bruce. Sounds like a great time was had by all. I hope those Aussies did not lead you astray too much. Barra

Good on ya. Go the tigers Barra

I have heard it is Cherryl McIntyre. Barra

Welcome to Australia. Now you have to make the most important life decision of all. WHAT FOOTY TEAM ARE YOU GOING TO "BARRACK" for (support) Barra

http://www.aaronmartin.com/product.php?catview=137 http://www.aaronmartin.com/product.php?cat...amp;submit=View http://www.leightons.ca/sitemap.html Hope these links help Barra.

HARNESS NEEDLES 25 PACK 1 NEEHAR1 1/0 NEEHAR1/0 2 NEEHAR2 2/0 NEEHAR2/0 3 NEEHAR3 4 NEEHAR4 5 NEEHAR5 6 NEEHAR6 Leffler's in Melbourne carry them. Might be a bit closer to home. Barra

One of the machines I was taught on was a Singer 331K (4). There is also a 331K (1). I am not sure of the difference. The k4 although old is a little dream machine and will purr like a kitten. The younguns at work look at me like I'm strange when I head to the antiquated K4 by choice. It will handle garment/upholstery weight leathers with ease. If It is in good order I'd say it is a good buy at $400 but then again I'm thinking in Aus dollars. Because of age, parts maybe an issue. Our machine mechanic has told us that if it claps out in a big way then it is off to the machine grave yard but for now he can still get minor bits and pieces for it. Someone like Art may be able to chime in and give you another perspective but I love the little old K4. Barra

When I was a kid I commited some minor infraction at school and was made to learn and recite the entire poem Man from snowy river by heart. I can recite the first 1/4 now. Andrew Barton (Banjo) Patterson also wrote Waltzing Matilda. Only Australians get so wound up about a song about a sheep thief who commits suicide while making a cup of tea. Back to favourite movies Memphis Belle because I knew an old gentleman who was a B-17 navigator who was shot down on his 24th mission and spent 10 months on the run in occupied Europe. Add to the genre The Dam Busters. which is very well filmed for 1950,s technology and is about the bouncing bomb raid Most of director Simon Wincers horse related movies Lonesome Dove Monte Walsh Phar Lap the Lighthorseman I Just about wore out my copy of Open Range. Robert Duvall is just so dry. Soon to be release in the US Kenny. About a toilet plumber Barra