barra

Peter. It also depends on what range of items you are wanting to make. Some items require a cylinder arm machine or at least life will be easier with one and some items are better suited to a flat bed. Personally I'd be on the hunt for 2 machines and set each up for the different weights. Less tinkering around. Barra

Great job Elton How did you join the handles on the base. Did you use a false bottom to cover everything up?. Now I have been shamed into finishing a bag I have cut out for myself. Barra

i do something similar and keep my stains in larger bottles and jars and then only pour out enough to do what I am presently doing. I can always pour in a little more. This saves on the mega spill. I use those thin plastic containers that things like dips or the salads at the deli section of the supermarket are sold in. I then cut the lid in half and this allows me to pour in the stain and get my dauber in. I then use the raw edge of the half lid to scrape the excess off my dauber. This way the dribbles go back in the container or at worst a little may go on the lid. I have found that just using a jar that no matter how careful you are some always dribbles down the outside of the jar and onto the bench. With any thin plastic container do a test to ensure whatever stain/dye you are using does not eat plastic and let the bottom fall out when you pick it up. Barra

Jim. The original link has 100's of photos, some with historical info about the shop/business. Some of them link you to the various state libraries and archives where more photos can be found. If you need a hand with the history stuff, sing out. I'm a history nut. Barra. P.S. Thanks for the New years greeting.

Dirtclod. The wearing of neckties was almost a badge of rank in those days and usually signified a Master tradesman as opposed to an apprentice. I don't know about the US experience but the tradition transpired to the colonies from Mother England. Barra

It appears John Kelly came out from Ireland in 1864 and set up business in Prahran, a suburb of Melbourne Victoria. Victoria was Ned's stomping ground. J Kelly died Xmas day 1900 and the business kept going until 2000 via son's and grandson's. Barra

UKRAY recently posed a question about the attire worn by a Victorian era leatherworker. In my travels around the WWW, I found this site that has 100's pictures of old Australian saddlers. http://www.pictureaustralia.org/ The search uncovered more pics under, saddler saddleries saddlers harness makers leatherworkers The following are a couple of my favourites. Pic one is of a saddler in a small railway town in my home state of South Australia called Terowie. Terowies one great claim to world history is this is where Gen Douglas MacArthur made his famous "I shall return" speach. I like pic 2. I don't know if they are his kids or if every feral kid and mangey dog in town turned up for a photo Pic 5 is rare as it is of a woman called Rose Harris, a woman saddler in around 1918. Extremely rare for the times. Pic 6 is for a trip down memory lane for Jimsaddler. Pic 7 is in the main street of the town where I spent my teenage years. It's bugging me as the main street is pretty well the same today so I am trying to figure out what modern shop is in this locality today. I even found out that I lived across the road from the cemetary where Theodore Graue is buried. P.S. How young does the boy look. Barra

I am a saddler who spent time in an Army Unit with Light Horse (mounted Infantry) lineage. Of course my unofficial sideline was looking after the museum saddlery artifacts. I then joined the Airforce and made the fatal mistake of telling recruiting I was a saddler and (heres the kicker word) Harnessmaker. Aircraft use harnesses to hold in pilots and also on Parachutes etc. Our trade has morphed over the years from saddlers to fabric workers covering aircraft skins with fabric and dope, to safety equipment work including parachute rigging. In 17 days I will be back to teaching the trade to both Airforce and Army students. As we are allied to the Army. I have contacts and lots of info on both trades. These pics capture just about the death nell of saddlers in the Australian Army as all Regiments had been dismounted by 1944. Barra

Moved from for sale. Barra

For a hobbyist you really can get started without a hole lot and then add as you go. Some tools are leatherwork specific but many tools of other trades or even household items can be used to great advantage in leatherwork, The edge beveller I would say is a must have. The size needed will depend on what you are making so perhaps go for a middle of the road size. You may see reference to bisonnette edgers. These are handy as it takes off the edge in either a push or pull direction. You will need a stitching pony/horse to hold your work and leave both hands free for sewing. Small swatch cards of linen thread can be had at saddlery stores as people use them to braid horses manes or the large fabric/home sewer stores (I think like Joannes in the US) sell similar little cardboard swatches of linen thread in the needle point section. These are handy at a pinch. http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1019/1347289018_a59b8df73c.jpg Barra

In my apprentice days I would take on any job that came to hand. I did not have a machine in those days and got a lot of trotting harnesses to repair. God awful stuff to stitch by hand for the reasons mentioned by Awharness but it can be done. Barra

Ray. I'd add a wesket and if outside perhaps a flat cap. Now while most will associate a full sleeved collarless shirt with Victorian times, the addition of a detachable collar and tie said tradesman in the English class system.Old Army boots will do as typical work boots of the times. Do a google image search under 19th century/Victorian saddler,harnessmaker, leatherworker Victorian or 19th century Walsall (add saddler or leather) and try and ignore the plethora of sites dedicated to a football team. Maybe just 19th century English tradesman or perhaps sites dedicated to Ludlow/Shropshire history. Now these are old Australian photo's but it illustrates the type of photo you will get for the above searches where it seamed obligatory to pose for a pic outside your shop. http://www.weewaa.com/AccountData/4/content/images/Tourism/JJSmithSaddler.JPG http://home.pacific.net.au/~sails/chas%20wright%201788%20%20closeup%20saddler.jpg I think this is a cool pic http://www.picturesofengland.com/img/L/1089319.jpg The addition of a thread rolling apron might add a talking point to the attire as not many are going to know what it is or used for. Barra

Ray. Use location/progress marks on the front/back and gusset and ensure the marks line up as you go. Barra

I just did an inventory for the removalists and came up with 30 grand in tools, machines, hardware, leather etc and that was being conservative as compiling it was doing my head in. Barra

Now that is a darn fine idea Hilly. Barra

Shehog. Those are knowns as saddlers clamps or to be more precise, clams. The timber is usually steam bent and when the 2 halves are joined, the clam in under spring tension. They are held between the knees as illustrated in the pic. The jaws can be seperated with the hand enough to get the job in and when you let go the clams spring back. Some versions have a saddle staple on one half and a hole on the other. A strap or old stirrup leather goes around the staple, thru the hole and attaches to a stirrup iron. One foot is placed in the iron for extra tension. I personally have never had a need for using the iron/leather tensioning device Here is another home made version. http://www.saddlerycourses.com/images/tools/clams_1.jpg Barra

Do a google image search for saddlers clamp saddlers clam stitching horse stitching pony You'll get lots of ideas Barra

http://www.mittlerbros.com/images/Products/Fournier/Shot%20bag.JPG Attached pic for illustration purposes. Make some shot bags. Get some scrap leather. The shape doesn't have to be circular like the pic. I just make 2 rectangles of leather about 2.5" X 8" or so. Or one piece 16" long and fold in half lengthwise, then sew up all but the top. Fill with lead shot a little at a time. Shake the lead shot down as you fill and then close off the top. The bags are placed on the leather to stop things moving about. Barra

I have an aray of smooth things I use as rub sticks. A porcelain door knob makes a passable bouncer/smasher. Get hold of some smooth, thick perspex or lexan and polish up the edgers nice and smooth. Fantastic (and free) rub sticks can be made from polished bones. Set the bone outside well out of reach of fido and let the ants clean out the flesh. Then polish up the bone. For a traditional bouncer, the common hardwoods are lignum vitae or cocolobo I believe Elton Joorisity was/is making bouncers and rub sticks. Barra http://www.freckerssaddlery.com/saddle_maker/small/23_bouncers.jpg

http://www.leffler.com.au/saddlery/red_greasy.htm http://www.murphywhips.com/images/PRE14-05-1.jpg redhide is alum tanned and has a greasy feel to it. It is similar to latigo

A general rule that i was taught when making strap goods is to punch holes the width of the strap apart. I don't always stick to that religiously but it is rule of thumb. Barra

Barnsley made exceptional tools. Barra

I'll be passing thru Renmark around 14-17 Jan. I officially start a new job in Wagga on 11 Jan but the new boss said I could turn up when I want. Gonna ride that pony. Barra

The local hardware should sell it as wood bleach. Barra

The chances of successfully awling the flocking now are remote. Reason being is as you have found the flock has packed down hard. Add to this horse sweat and the flock fibres will have all matted together (like how felt for hats is made). Awling it now and all you will be doing is shifting clumps of matted flock around. The panel is now rock hard, not unlike the bars of a western saddle. By adding a new "counterlining" with a new thin layer of fresh flock between the old and new lining and you will have a similar effect to a hard western saddle bar with a nice fresh fluffy shearling stitched to the skirt. I just found an old thread which has some good pics provided by David Morris. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2010&st=0 Barra