whinewine

Just a tip when using pvc- DON't glue the pieces together. That way everything can be taken apart & stored, and you can also configure it to fit your photographed subject. You can have a set of shorter legs, longer legs, deeper cross members, etc., so you can photograph anything from barrettes to purses (and things larger).

Grumpy: you need to know the market & what will sell there. It just may have been the wrong venue- people go to a farmer's market to buy produce, not to generally buy leather stuff. There are flea markets out there, for instance, where you couldn't sell a brand new Rolls Royce with a clear title for more than $200. The creatures that populate these places simply won't spend that kind of money for a real bargain, yet would readily spend $80 for a Chinese-made machine tapistry of Jesus or a velvet Elvis from Mexico (my son sold a velvet Elvis for some big bucks several years ago). So don't consider that a loss, think of it as a learning process. You won't sell leather roses at a gun show, but you will certainly sell holsters there. russ

Frog: Would also like to have a pattern (Full size, if possible) when you get settled. Thank you. russ

Jeff: it's an excellent airbrush. I'm concerned that the website doesn't list what's in the box along with the airbrush, other than 'factory sealed retail box'. i may be wrong, but it reminds me of some of the less reputable New York photo dealers who advertised in the back of photo mags... they would sell you the camera, and it was cheaper than other places, but they then sold you a 'mandatory' camera case for $$$ extra (- the case actually came with the camera). When I bought my Iwata at AC Moore several years ago, it came as a kit package, with the airbrush, the hose, several bottles, a wrench & several other items that I can't remember. Price was (I think) around $150 or $125, but I used a 50% coupon & paid about half. Again, prices, I'm sure, have gone up so you may have gotten a very great deal. As far as the airbrush, you will love it! russ

I know that there have been some changes, & I haven't followed them, so I can't speak with any authority on any subsequent revisions, but in the Copyright Law of January 1, 1978, it states that all one needs to do is to either use the 'c' within a circle or put: 'copyright 19__ (now 20__) and your name' on your work. The premise is that you own all rights to your work from the moment of creation unless you sell off one or more of these rights. By that law, it was unnecessary to register your work with the copyright office unless you chose to do so. And it wasn't necessary to mail the circle c to onesself, either. In the '70s, I was writing and freelancing articles and photography to magazines for a living, so it was important to know what to do to protect one's works. And one thing I never did was to sell 'all rights' to anything I did. Unfortunately, if someone chooses to steal one's work, then there is no easy legal remedy except the court system (& that's not easy or fun). russ

According to Frank Zigon, an old timer who wrote many articles for "Make It With Leather Magazine" back in the '70s & '80s, it was a substance that was used to line tank cars, before the advent of epoxy coatings. It was a food grade natural resin substance, harder than pine pitch & without the smell/taste of pine pitch. Tandy used to sell it in pound lots. Google 'brewers pitch', Yan, & you'll find it. russ

Dan, look under laserkerf.com

Tiger: I finally did find a picture of what I was looking for, although a whimmy diddle is something different- it's a notched stick with a smaller stick at the end- when you stroke the notches with a pencil, the small stick spins. But thanks to you, I did a series of google & bing searches & finally came up the actual thing I need to make. Thank you for your help- it is well appreciated! russ

Ok, another stupid question/request from me... I used to have a piece of wood, shaped kind of like a curved pipe, that if you put a belt on the larger end, you could put the small end on the edge of a table & the belt and piece of wood would seem to defy gravity by hanging off the edge of the table without falling off. I can't find mine, nor can I find a pattern. Does anyone have a clue what this is called or have a pattern for it, or even know what I'm talking about? While it looks like it is defying gravity, it really has to do with angles of suspension & engineering. Thank you for any help. I think this would be a neat method of drawing people into one's booth.

A piece of very stretchy leather, wet molded & then sewn when dry would work. I don't know if it would stain the meerschaum in the wet state, though. If you can find a pipe in the exact shape & dimension, you could mold on that, then transfer when dry & sew up. russ

Alan: for the thin lace, I've always used the 2 prongers (curses & all when the lace pulls out)- I'm used to them, with all their faults & I just don't like the small life-eyes for the thin lace. The small permaloks (life-eyes) are great for the round lace & that's what I use them for. russ

For thin lace I use the 2 pronged needles from tandy. I buy them by the hundred (they wear out with the prongs flattening & the quality is not as good as the ones we could get back in the '70s). On latigo & round lace, I use the permalok needles (used to be called life-eye needles). They last forever (if you don't misplace them). I have 1 small one that will fit thin lace, but i don't like it- it pushes the lacing slots too far apart IMO, so I use that with the round lacing only. russ

To paraphrase the immortal Bugs Bunny: "what a bunch of freakin' maroons!". Hilly is right: the stupid should not be allowed to breed...

tx: anytime you use a water-based finish under a moist environment, you run the chance of the dyes underneath bleeding/rubbing on to everything it touches. Use a non water-soluble finish. Also, no one mentioned it yet, but... when you use spirit black, you will get crocking, unless you rub the dried excess pigment off with a cloth till no more comes off on the cloth. Hard, brisk rubbing will eventually do it (maybe a buffing wheel on an automotive buffer might take some of the agony out of it?). russ

That goes for me, also, and I would venture a guess that many others on the Forum would like a posting, too. Andy: (I used to make many Revolutionary War replica items for a concern back in the mid '70s- tomahawk covers, British RevWar goatskin knapsacks, frizzen covers, linen haversacks, etc) Oh, and many thanks in advance! russ

Kathy: PM sent. Thanks. russ

Marlon: I sharpened it, but haven't stropped it yet & haven't compared it to my professionally sharpened knife. Right now, I'm in prep for a few shows & am busy with other things- like checking out a few new venues (found one today that may be fantastic for 2010). - this is the busiest time - did a few shows up till now- very poor so far- the 2 major shows we do, well, they occurred on the same date this year, AND, we were in Boston for a family function, so we blew off some good $$$. I'll let you know how the knife turns out. Thanks. russ

master's quick shine?

on line- ebay, mostly. both roller feet & teflon feet are available for most home-type machines. If you have a specialty sewing store nearby (the kind that sells machines AND does repairs and perhaps sells & repairs sweepers on site) they may be able to order you the same thing for a lot more money.

Call Tippmann first! They're very good about helping. russ

I don't know of any tree, Max, but several old time Tandy managers did confirm the urine/urea tanning methods also. russ

But there are various methods and ingredients used in the different processes of vegetable tanning, Sara, including vats of urine (and/or urea) in at least one process. So the smell could possibly be due to the method by which the leather was veg tanned, especially cheaper leathers. Years ago, a fair amount of leather tanned in Mexico was tanned in urine, and definitely did smell of it when it got wet. russ

A Community college is often more responsive than a university as far as getting students trained into the newest & hottest employment trends, be it nursing, cardiovascular & related medical fields, computer related fields or other areas that happen to be 'hot' right now. And when a particular field gets saturated, they tend to go on to the next new hottest area. In 1992, I started in Cardiovascular Training, did 1 semester but was offered a job with the State instead (good salary, good benefits, decent retirement- it was an offer I couldn't refuse). The Community College no longer does that training, but trains in other fields. So take that test & get into a good paying field. Don't be afraid. Speak to your advisor & (ABOVE ALL) tell yourself you can do it (because you can!). Good luck. russ

rob: I don't have pics, but what I have frequently used is a Black & Decker Workmate (the present one I have is the #425). It collapses & when set up, is very rigid. I have used Workmates to stamp 3/4" alphabet stamps on to wristbands & other stamps, both large & small. You could keep your tools & dyes etc in a small-ish plastic box when not in use or build an attachment to hold these things on the top surface. I use a poundo board under a scrap piece of marble for the tooling surface- it just sits right on top. russ

Another stupid question from me: could it be sprayed after it was bent & fixed in place? russ