electrathon

Most of the craftool bevelars have this problem. The angle of the beval is virtually flat, not tapered. If you want to buy from Tandy buy from the Pro line, or buy from Barry King for even better made/quality.

Tan Kote will thin/dilute it.

I agree with Bob. Bevelers. The regular craft tool bevelers are completely misshaped, the new pro ones are pretty good. Not as good as Barry King, but are decent. If I was grading, Barry King is an A, the new pro tools are a B and modern craft tools are an F, a low F at that.

Dampen the leather, hit it again, be very carefull to line it up exactly. Oil is not a finish, it is a conditioner. After you mark it better choose a better finish. It is going to get dirty fast and not be water resistant if you don't. Aaron

I would put the rubber under the legs on the floor.

Patterns are the hardest thing to find. Not that many available. Aaron

Julia, I think a part of this is also not only that you are out the tools but that the comunity is willing to support you. I saw this earlier and was going to respond with support but didn't have time. I signed back in and saw you had responded. I hope things work out and if they don't please respond back here and we can get things going again. Aaron

Use a piece of wire that fits inside the bevaler (like a small welding rod, coat hanger, etc) and lay a piece of ultra fine sandpaper over the wire. Draw the beveler backwards down the wire. pull straight back, do not rotate your hand as you pull.

Looks cool, first point of failure. I would punch another small hole between the sewing and the edge and go to that point.

For a cheap answer, a small fork works great. I despise over stich wheels. Or for a pricking iron, goodsjapan is great. Reasonable prices and very good tools. Aaron

Don't know what pick-up chaps are, but camping pads are a good cheap source of padding.

My opinion is that jiffy rivits are pretty much worthless. Use tubular rivits or chicago screws if you want it to hold. Aaron

Top one is a gromet setter. The extra arm at the top is a hole punch for the gromets you are going to set.

Your work looks very nice. I am in general pretty good at making things but I have never been able to get an awl blade straight and truy (hard to see so small). I am impressed (even though I was sitting there trying to read what it says in the pic until I realized I should look at the words on the other side). Aaron

If I was making it I would sew it. If I was being lazy I would use a tubular rivits or chicago screws. I won't use jiffy rivity on anything. Copper rivits can turn the leather (or your skin green). A lot of stress for just a couple rivits to hold though.

A basic one is pretty cheap. This one is $9 http://www.harborfreight.com/airbrush-kit-47791.html

I experienced a fire loss in my shop a few years back, it was no where near as destroyed as what you have experienced. Reading through your story brought memories flooding back (I have always refered to the shop as the "happy place"). I will add you and your family to my prayers. It will take time for the wounds to heal. The comfort I see in what you said is that there are family members in your area that you have the ability to lean on for suport. Aaron

Your work looks good... My critique is: Loose the cheap jiffy rivets! Major distraction to your otherwise very nice work. Preferably some nice hand stitching.

You want to type set it with printing type, then press it into the leather. It will be straight, clean and not tacky looking like it does if you use Tandy letters.

I usually dip dye, far better penetration and evenness. If I am just doing the surface I use a piece of sheep wool. Trim it to about 3/8". I do not ever edge dye a differant color.

I see them on the main page, but it says they are out of stock.

Here is another situation. You are making an item that uses $22 in materials. You have 6 hours of labor and you sell it for $75. You mess up and have to toss it, so you make another one, so now you have $44 in materials. Are you now going to sell it for $97? No, it sells for $75 still. You get another order for a very similar item, is it unfair that you charge $75 for the next one? You are making $22 more than the first one. There are a number of situations that raise your profit up and down. You average the amount of profit over everything and in the end you make money or loose money.

Sign up for emails and they will send you 20% off coupons.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=Workbench

Yup, the fee is up to the seller to absorb. Think of this sinerio. You go to a gun show and pay $150 for your booth. You think you will sell 10 items for the day. Would to tell the customer they have to pay an extra $15 for the privledge to buy from you at the show? I hope not, and it is the same thing. Aaron