WinterBear

You could always paint yourself a sign too. Eeep, that's no way to go into the holidays. As for the advice, take it with a grain of salt?--I can't follow it either. Maybe I should make it a resolution or something. In any case, cheers, and here's to another year successful painting! I had a peek at your facebook, and the stuff is fabulous! I think I like the koi most.

Hi Helmut. When speaking of sewing machines and timing, timing is the order and speed the various processes of the machine occur. Such as when the feed dogs move, when the bobbin moves, then the needle punches and when it lifts, when gears turn and stop and what direction they turn in, and when each of the threads is looped, moved, pulled, or tightened. Out of time means something is out of whack, so everything goes goofy and the stitches are bunched or not locked, or the durn machine simply won't stitch at all and may even lock up and seize entirely (gee, I seem familiar with this problem, don't I?). When it's out of time, some adjustments are needed to get everything working properly again.

A comment on your "quality" over "quantity" desire and people who seem to be impatient: For all handmade goods and services, some customers might need a reminder that They can have a good job cheap, but it won't be quick (i.e., meaning you'll work on it as time allows). They can have a quick job cheap, but it won't be good (you'll slap it together, but the quality will most likely suffer). They can have a good job quick, but it won't be cheap (you'll have to work overtime, and possibly turn down other orders, and will therefore charge accordingly). I've seen caterers, florists, tailors, jewelers, leather workers, gunsmiths, portrait painters, quilters, hairstylists, and others have the sign with the points in their workshop/store/booth, etc. as a reminder to their customers and themselves. It's also a good reminder to the artisans not to sell themselves short either, as there will be some people who will demand the moon and want it now, and will try to pressure the artisan for a good quick cheap job--but once they get it, they are likely to demand it again and again (or they tell their friends, and the friends will demand it from you). Customer service is one thing, but not every customer will appreciate someone bending over backwards for them. Best to save your efforts for those who will, like a good customer who is in a bind. As a friend of mine keeps telling me, "'No' is a complete sentence. Just 'No'. Not 'No problem', or 'No, but...'. It is ok to tell people 'No', especially when other commitments, obligations, or your own free time, family life, or sanity is involved." I need to listen to that friend more.

2-D & 3 D Stamps.pdf Whoops, sorry capsterdog. The attachment didn't attach. I'll try again.

You can recess a strong magnet flush on one side of the table once you have it built (not the top). It makes a dandy place to set a needle for a minute when the phone rings or for keeping a steel straightedge handy but out of the way.

Maybe these will help? I think this is WyomingSlick's list of the 2D and 3D stamps. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=core&module=attach§ion=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=50099 The attachment is what someone sent else me. It is a listing of the Tandy stamps, the year they were first available, and whether they are still "active" or not.

What does one stuff in a bench weight? Sand? Lead shot? Steel shot? Pea gravel? .....does it matter what you use?

I had some elk hide that was stretchy that I managed to cut. I put some low-stick masking tape on the back of the leather (flesh side), covering it all, and cut it-- hide, tape and all. I then carefully picked the tape off the back, using the end of a pin to lift the tape off. I also had to sharpen my blade a lot (I now have a dedicated blade for this), as the tape's gum and paper can much things up and the paper dulls the blade fast. I'll forewarn you, picking the tape can be a pain in the butt, but it might be worth it to get useable lace from otherwise waste pieces, or for when you want your lace to match the bag. I don't know how it will work on deerhide, as I find it more stretchy and softer than the elk hide I was working with, but you might try it on a small piece and see if it will work for you?

Hi there, and welcome. You do some nice work. It looks like you've maybe already seen some of the masks made by the users leatheroo, Mrs. Barry Hicks, Banwell, and SnappingDragon, and I'm sure you'll find some of the other great maskmakers here to be of inspiration as well. For armor, take a look at the work these users do, if you haven't seen their stuff already: hivemind, Prince, Daggrim, and Eldorado. (Not intentionally leaving anyone out, so if someone wants to hop in and show more masks or armor, please do)

Do you mean the Craftool stamp #8406 (pig)? I only see that one on ebay any more as it was discontinued. There is currently one on the US ebay site. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEATHER-CRAFT-3D-STAMP-8406-PIG-VINTAGE-CRAFTOOL-USED-/270873477629?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f115141fd

Ouch, dang. With that long of a wait, Springfield really should mark them as backordered. I couldn't tell from the website that they weren't available. Sorry for wasting your time on that.

Hi there. Have you tried Springfield Leather? They have the Chaylor-Fenneli trifold interiors in black and natural, and they have pretty fast shipping. http://springfieldleather.com/Chaylor-Fenneli-Interiors/product/23579/Interior%2CTrifold%2CCF%2CBlk/

Anytime. I'd be curious to see the PVC form when you are done with it though.

Maybe you can also use thin PVC tubing so you can get the rigidity for forming, with both the side-to-side and fore-and-aft curves? PVC can be shaped very carefully over a heat source (it CAN burn, and the fumes are nasty--shaping PVC is best done outside over a fixed source and while wearing heat resistant gloves, and maybe a respirator). But once warmed and shaped, it will hold that shape once cool. I use heat-bent PVC for support structures for conclave pennants and for round and oval wallhangings.

If you're just wanting to donate it, I agree, a local 4-H is a good one to look at. Also Boy/Cub/Girl Scouts, FFA, church youth groups, Boys and Girls Clubs, programs/safehouses/group homes for troubled/at risk/abused youths, and some after school programs in the middle and high schools (most elementary schools seem to have phased out after school arts/crafts programs). You are bound to find someone delighted to have it, and some groups with a non-profit status might be able to offer you a receipt for the donation for your taxes (in some states, this requires that the individual Troop, Church, Pack, or Group must have a 501 ( c) 3 filed). (Edit--argh, it changed the 501( c)3 into a copyright symbol)

Looks good to me too. I'm sure they'll be pleased with it. I agree, looks like a lot of work. Since there is quite a bit of both, which took more time, the tooling or the stitching?

Looks nasty. Glad you and your family are ok.

You might try looking at some jeweler's stamps. Some are very small, and some you might have to dull a bit so they don't cut the leather. They generally run about 2-3 mm OD. Hackbarth makes some small stamps too.

I'm pretty sure he's right, just a friction fit. I've not made that particular kit, but a similar kit made by someone else and the window was just sort of slid in. I didn't like that, so I scuffed the edges of the acetate so the glue would bind to it, and cemented it into place (after the tooling and dying and before the stitching). I think it worked, or at least the person I gave it to hasn't said anything about it coming loose.

I think my brain just broke. I can't even fathom how that is made, but it is beautiful.

Hi Helmut. See the little envelope under Twin Oaks avatar/icon? Click on that and it will take you to a Private Message to Twin Oaks. Write your message, and send. When you get a green square with a number on it above your avatar in the upper right corner of the webpage when you are logged in, it means that you have a reply. Click on your name at the upper right, and it will open a small menu. Select "Messenger" and it'll take you to your unread messages.

Nice. I especially like how the gloss on the leather gives the sheen of a live amphibian, and the stance--looks like it's ready to hop off and go looking for a juicy bug. (What can I say, I like frogs, but my two aren't nearly this cute.)

If you're worried about the bottles slipping out, maybe you could add a strap to the bottom? You could take a strip of that leather and fold it in half over the center of the bottle band with the ends dangling down, then glue or stitch it in place. Then pull the strip across the bottom of the bottle in the center, and back up to the center on the inside, mark where you need to trip the strip, remove the bottle, and and rivet or stitch the ends in place on the inside back of the bottle's loop.

I like--this would be a great travel tool. Have you decided how much you'll be selling them for?

Hope you find them then. They're handy little things.