barra

I have attached a pic of an English saddle tree with web strung seat. The principal of the Australian is the same. I'm not real sure now what you mean. The panel should be attached via stitching thru the flap - forepart and flap on the other side. The rear should be laced to the seat leather at the base of the cantle, The girth straps will be attached to the longer webbing cross straps (the white webbing straps). It should be relatively easy to gain access to the straps for replacement by simply cutting the stitches holding the panel up at the front. I'm not seeing why you would need to remove the saddle nails for the reasons Jim and David have mentioned. It might be easier to guide you if you attach a few pictures. Barra

Quick one. If you have to ever replace a saddle nail, take off the sharp (ish) edges of the nail with a few strokes of a fine file. Always tap the nail in by covering the head with a bit of scrap leather to protect the head. Barra

Attached is a Picture of a Plough guage. The wing nut looking screw is to adjust the brass roller for strap thickness and the other adjustment screw is to adjust the width of the strap. It is then pushed to cut straps. Greg is right, have a defibrolator handy when you see the price of a new one. Barra.

Jim. I too use the strander in the right hand. I am actually left handed but due to a childhood accident my left thumb will not fit in the strander. I don't have a problem using the strander right handed as you describe. Barra

Not sure if this is what your after? barra

OK gents. when looking at a wade tree, what constitutes true to design?

I agree with Blake. Abbey is probably your best bet altho not in North America http://www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk/product_detail.cfm?id=KY/STIR Have you tried searching under saddlery hardware in the new big book http://www.newbigbook.com/ Click on product and services guide and use the drop down box. Barra

I have been reading the pricing custom saddles post and thought I would throw a few thoughts out there for either further discussion, food for thought or chucking in the scrap bin. First of all, a brief resume detailing my involvement in the saddlery and harness trade. Upon leaving school I worked for 4 years under an old British saddler and harness maker (residing in Australia). Above his bench he had his framed certificate from the Worshipful Company of Master Saddlers. He was justified in calling himself a Master saddler. Very long story short I flew the nest after 4 years but without any “formal” Trade qualification unlike someone who did say an electrician’s apprenticeship and attended formal trade school. I thought it doesn’t matter, it is just a bit of paper and all I will have to do is show people what I can do. Now as the old master had no sewing machines, every stitch was by hand. Looking back now I am grateful that is the way I was taught. However to be competitive it was imperative I learn to use an industrial sewing machine. 23 Mar 1988 saw me enter the Airforce (yep that’s 20 years yesterday) In the field of Safety and Survival Equipment. One component of this trade uses industrial sewing machines to trim the interior of Aircraft, manufacture harnesses, repair fabric components like Parachutes and recover panels. Basically a motor trimmer but for Aircraft. I eventually ended up spending 4 years at a nationally recognised Aerospace training establishment teaching the Trade. Of course in order to teach I had to jump thru loads of Government accredited training hoops to gain formal teaching and assessing qualifications. Back to the posts in the forum. I do not see the base price of Keith’s saddles as overly excessive. I don’t think anyone would argue that his saddles are exquisite. He has stated that his base price is $6500. Now let’s play hypothetical. We must add up the cost of his premium grade raw materials (add mark-up as he is in business and had to buy them). Add up the costs of his overheads to conduct business. He then said it takes him 40-50 hrs to make. Let’s use 40 hrs (common sort of working week). No self employed plumber, electrician, mechanic or carpenter is going to get out of bed in the morning for less than $60 (and that is being ridiculously conservative). Let’s use 60 X 40 = $2400.00 just for labour and that is for a plain saddle. Add the material/overhead costs. Add to this if a man has worked hard to build up a professional reputation he should be entitled to capitalise on his name being on a saddle. People will gladly pay huge sums of money for a horse with the right pedigree but it is going to die and unless it has breeding/earning potential it is money that is going to turn into dust no matter how well you look after it. They will go out and buy the mega gas guzzler to pull the gooseneck Bill Gates would be proud to call home, but ahhh the saddle, how dare the saddler expect decent recompence. I am now going to randomly pluck some comments out of the forum thus far. From Steve Mason compare our rates to other tradesmen, think about what your mechanic or plumber charges you per hour, I'll bet most of us are not getting paid what those tradesmen are. From Keith “We will not see young people coming into this trade and working hard to develop the finer skills if they cannot earn a decent wage”. I feel that if you are a trained, qualified and experienced saddle maker, that you should be able to make a comparable wage to to other skilled tradesmen. These comments are quite valid but why are they so true? In Australia too many people throw out the I’m a qualified saddler/master saddler. I can see where people can get the best training on offer and eventually become very experienced but where does a kid contemplating entering the saddlery trade gain a formal qualification in the same sense as the mechanic, electrician, plumber or the formal bit of paper to frame on the wall like the kid with the degree. During the last 30 years or so society has sort of implied that unless you have a university degree you are almost less than a successful human being. Because of that trend there is now a Massive skills shortage in the traditional trades. The kid who did break from the norm and enter a trade is now what is called in Australia “A cashed up Bogan” See attached story. http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/swagell090606.html In other words they can charge what the heck they like and they now drive the Mercedes, BMW and Porche. Why can’t the saddler expect to make a decent living too. I also feel the trade needs to move towards formalising training just like the other trades. I just feel the kid misses out on something if they don’t get to hang up the shingle like their mates even if the training is impeccable or they become very experienced. This is one aspect I feel the British have it over the rest of us. http://www.saddlerytraining.com/ http://www.capel.ac.uk/Courses/Saddlery/Co...loma_020776.htm Barra

when we cover aircraft panels we use toluene to clean brushes. personally I'd like to just dispose of the brushes after the job as they are cheap and a safer option to avoid chemicals all together. At home in the workshop my adhesives like latex and PVA are in plastic sauce/ketchup bottles with the little cap attached. I find these make for easy application. I then use a scrap of leather or scrap shearling as a spreader. when done I dispose of it. No mess, no fuss. The scrap leather applicator can be used just like a brush to apply contact cement straight from the can/ Barra

http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/kangaroos.html http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity...aroo/index.html A couple of Australian Government sites WRT kangaroos harvesting. Barra

They are also known as a smasher on the other side of the pond. I have even heard them called pompey's. They are just the handiest thing. Makers of English saddles use them to assist in the shaping of the panel (padding for the horse) by smashing the 7 colours of crap out of the stuffing. Collar makers do likewise. They can be picked up and because of the shape they can get into all sorts of nooks and crannies for burnishing. Mine has had a piece of the small domed end knocked off to form a flat surface on the end. Like Bruce said they will find a way to roll off the bench. Barra

Bielefeld museum. Is that close to Bielefeld University?

they are drop dead gorgeous. when you say your going to restore them, how far do you intend to go. Sometimes just a good clean up is all that we should do to these gems. I have a 29K13 I ruined trying to "restore" it. Completely stripping down and replacing old with modern finishes can detract from it's true value and beauty. Barra

Thanks Bruce. I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure. I think I just needed to hear it was worth it from somewhere before I hit the ship to billing address button. Jeremiah is now a little richer. Barra

I am about to finally order Jeremiah Watt's DVD Art of Saddlemaking. I then thought I may as well go the extra step and get the art of leather carving and layout while I'm at it. I have heard nothing but good reports regarding his saddle making dvd and assume the carving one would be of the same ilk. I was just wondering what others opinions were on this dvd before I hit the button? Barra

It has been mentioned before that saddlemaking is a learning journey that never ends. No one way of gaining information is the be all and end all. Every available method at our disposal should be exploited in order for us to gather the information we are after. We should gather all the books/dvd's/photo's we can. We should attend trade shows and seminars, watch and listen to experienced saddlemakers who all have different ideas, get the perspective of the tree maker, the person who has spent their working life in a saddle, the equine vet. Look closely how items have been constructed when we visit the saddlery. Sit quietly in a comfy chair with a coffee and simply watch how a horse moves or reacts to being saddled or ridden under saddle. All of these methods (and more) will enhance the learning tool box. To that end I think the late Ron Edwards book on Australian saddle making is a valuable addition to any saddle makers library. He was a very accomplished artist in his own right and illustrated his own comprehensive range of leather work books clearly and consisely. I am sure that if you read his book you would be able to adapt his techniques to western saddle making. After all it is still attaching leather to a tree. You might even see a solution to tackling task X, Y or Z you never thought of. http://www.ramsskullpress.com/crafts.html I have attached the link to the rams skull press again for those newer members who may not have seen it. Ron produced as comprehensive range of diverse leather work books as have ever been set to print. All are excellent. Scroll down and listed are the topics covered in his books. His Plaiting/braiding books are very good.

http://www.pilgrimshoemachine.com/sewing_m...e_supplies.html color polish Boot & Shoe Holders Daubers Polish Cloths Cleaners Yankee Wax Shoe & Boot Trees Spray Shine Side Stain Hand Brushes Sole Stain Inking Brushes Shoe Stretcher Anyone familiar with a product called heel ball and if so is this yankee wax the same as it certasinly looks like it, triangular block and all

The thread I use depends on the job at hand and the machine. My old Jones harness Stitcher has a fit if I put anything but a natural thread in it. In my Singer 132k6 I use mainly polyfil threads. This machine does not have a reverse. If I am starting and ending my stitching in the same place it is no big deal, I just over run 5 or so stitches. Even though it has no reverse I do not find this at all a problem. I will just pull out a few inches of top thread, lift the foot and position the needle back 5 or so stitches and go again. The Jones also does not like back stitching. To allow for this I pull out some thread top and bottom, cut them off and quickly thread a egg eye needle on. I then go through the original holes by hand. This is a little bit of a pain in the backside but the Jones is an old girl and she is entitled to a few little quirks. Some threads have a tendency to unravel at the drop of a hat. On these I will tie a thumb knot and poke it down one of the original holes out of sight. I also try and start and end my stitching in places that will if possible be out of sight on the end product.. I have a hot knife and on very rare occasion I will burn the threads off. Sometimes it is just as quick to put an old fine broken needle in a pair of pliers and briefly heat it up with a bunsen burner or just a cigarette lighter and quickly touch the threads to burn off. Burning the thread ends is my least preferrred option especially on leather work (Canvas work is a different story) Barra

Well they did put this story in the paper and that is on the WWW. I am assuming it is fine to post the link briefly describing where I am at the moment. Page 11, group shot. I am the left hand person of the two who have the ladder coming out of our heads. Barra. http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews

I have started this topic in order to tie up some loose ends in my mind without hijacking some very informative topics. I have thoroughly gone through the posts relating to trees, fit and rigging placement. To me all of these topics seem to revolve around a common thread, saddle form, fit and function. Does the saddle fit the range of horses we intend to use it on without impeding their movement as far as is humanly possible. Now how are we going to lash this saddle to these beasts so that it continues to carry out it's intended purpose. The bars must sit on the horse in a certain place and the cinch must also sit in a certain place on the horse and maintain the saddle placement without also impeding movement/breathing. Bearing in mind that even if it is a custom saddle intended for one animal only, that horses confirmation will change with the seasons. My main question is. What are the pro's and cons of the different rigging styles in relation to the different disciplines and what must the saddlemaker take into consideration when rigging a cutting, roping, working saddle etc. I would also like peoples positive and negative thoughts on cable rigging. Cable rigging was mentioned in other threads but the pros and cons of this style were not discussed in depth. The concept of cable rigging intrigues me but something about the mechanics does not gel. Barra.

ClayB. If you ever get to Australia I'm sure you'd be warmly welcomed. You just need a toothbrush and a passport. Barra

I'll keep trying to source the molds. At a pinch I have made my winkers, fitted a rosette or ormament of your choice and then molded them by placing them in a vice so that the tin at the cheek peice is just in the vice. In order to press in the leather into the concave depression I have used a tennis ball wrapped in cling film (to avoid the fluff off the ball coming off). The ball will squoosh into the depression nicely. Then fashion a temp clamping method to hold it all in place until it is dry. Barra.

http://www.aaronmartin.com/product.php?cat...amp;submit=View Box loop dies I used to have a mold press made from an old book binders press but never used it as I just made the plates myself . Have you considered a local foundery to make your dies 10 Min later and i remember. I used a section of pipe about 4" in diameter and cut to be about 2" deep. Using this peice of pipe I could fashion the winker plates. Another brain fart. I meant hatchet pattern not keyhole. Andrew.

Andrew. Try http://www.aaronmartin.com/product.php?catview=114 However be patient as their home page says they had a fire. Winker/blinker tins/plates are very easy to make yourself. design your pattern whether it be round, square or key hole shaped. Cut the pattern out of tin (sorry not sure on guages) then find some sort of metal ring or dish shaped object. Using a ball pein hammer you panel beat the plate to your desired shape. Andrew http://www.leffler.com.au If no luck Edit. I just re-read. I am assuming by molds you mean the tin plates.

Shepparton hey. If you ever stay in Shepparton do not stay in the Pub across the road from the only doof doof night club. If you must stay there, ensure your room is not directly above the only taxi rank in town. It gets very interesting at 3am where the Queens English is not liberally used. Barra