barbiesdude

Yep, Know what you mean. We get some humidity and wetness hear in Michigan so it's a must to take your hair rope of your hackamores every time you ride or it is kink city, and if they get wet you can just about stand'em up in a corner if it's a good tight rope.

Thanks for the reply. I can't seem to pull up any snaps on you website. I'm looking for a spring snap under 2" in length for a 1/2 to 5/8 strap.

Not having any luck finding small stainless snaps for fastening 5/8 straps on chaps, chinks, armitas. Couldn't find anything at Weaver that looked small enough. Any suggestions, just trying to avoid nickel plated.

I use a 3/16 poly or nylon rope for my cores. that gives me a 9/16 ish 12 strand mecate, which is what I like. If you want thicker use 1/4 for core, that will give about a 5/8 finished diameter. You can also use 1 or two strands of para cord as the core for the same results. I only go 8 strand if the customer has small hands and wants a 1/2" mecate. If you use to big of core in the 8 strand it feels to mushy to me and you can see the core. As far as colors go, what you said would look good to me, but colors are like a room full of girls, which one is the prettiest?

I've braided quite a few sets out of para cord. 550 with core in each strand and a core in the braid, I like that feel for a snaffle bit out fit.

Thanks Toot, maybe I'm over thinking it a bit. I have been known to be a little anal about stuff.

Do you use the standard flat tapered head drywall screw with a cup washer? I was concerned about leather pulling through and corrosion. Everyone says brass, stainless, or some type of coating like for exterior purposes.

Can't seem to find the pocket hole wood screw with / truss head or washer head in 1" or 3/4". Is a flat head ok used with a cup washer?

Thanks jbird, I thought I looked at Woodcraft's site but I'll check again.

I have talked to the guy I bought the tree from and he said to get stainless cap head wood screws in the various lengths. I have searched the internet over and cannot find what he is talking about. The regular oval head sheet metal type screws won't bite enough, needs to have a bigger flange on the threads. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks Ron

Thanks Ron, that does help a bunch. I tend to like a more narrow seat as I spend quite a few hours at a time some days in the saddle. Plus my wife will be riding this saddle some. Would a couple more layers narrow it up a little without putting me to far off the horse?

Cool! burnish away.

Any one ever built a ground seat on a Laporte tree? And would be willing to describe the process. Starting my first saddle.

Mott's private message me your email and I'll invoice you through paypal. I'll ship it out tomorrow.

Somehow got two for Christmas, only need one. Cocobolo burnisher for drill. Holster makers special. $35 I'll pay shipping or trade for a 1/2" bag punch in very good condition.

Can't give you any advice on the technical aspects of building out the horn since I will be starting my first saddle soon as well. However, I do ranch rope quite a little and can give you the advice to make sure the end product has a nice taper from wider at the top to narrower at the bottom. This shape really helps your dallies stack neat and allows you to slip rope easier when you need to. You probably already know this though. From the looks of your tree I would say by the time it's covered, it will have a good shape to it.

Awesome work! How did you do the turnback for the popper?

Thanks for everyone's input, it's all good. I currently have a cable rigged tree that I'm hoping to build on but I have a friend that isn't to keen on the idea as I am. He is a trainer as well and rides all sorts of breeds and body styles like I do. His drop plate rigging's leather is wearing out around the rivets and we were discussing options when it comes time to replace. That is when I remembered this funny looking rigging dee that I saw somewhere. There was nothing mechanical about it, it hung down like a round ring rigging and if you took hold of a round ring on each side and turned it like a mini sterering wheel or something, it would turn inside the leather rigging straps coming down, but due to the shape of this thing, when you moved it in the rigging it would change the lowest spot to more forward or more back therefore changing where the cinch position was. Heck, maybe I just dreamed it up, I wish I could make one, maybe I could get rich!

Close in concept, but from what I remember it was like an old school ring rigging except the ring was odd shaped so when you spun it around in the leather it would change the position of the cinch. I wish I could explain it better.

Somewhere I saw a saddle rigging dee that could be spun around to different positions to change cinch placement forward or back. Anyone now where to find those? Thanks

Check page 155. Is that what you are looking for?

Looks like a good piece of gear. How do you like the ash method of de-hairing? Any tips?

Thanks Buck, I was wondering because these armitas will have to work for a living. I currently am riding in chinks that don't have stiffeners or a rolled edge and they have held up good for riding colts and training horses for the last 4 years, just didn't know if the stiffeners or rolled edge would make them last even longer.

Making first pair of step in armitas and wondering if leg stiffeners are neccesary for the part that wraps through the croch and around the leg? If so, how would you do a rolled edge there since it curves? Any help would be appreciated.