electrathon

Ken, Good job on the video. I do have two comments though on it. First I would recomend that you move your punched holes closer to the edge. This will help eliminate the "spider leg" look that can happen when your loops go around. Second is your starting point and then the lining up of the dark/light laces. I would recomend that you start closer to any left corner, about 8 holes in from the edge. When you get to the final corner simply count forward and see if they are going to be out of ballance or not. If you need an extra hole just add a stitch to the corner doubling and your stitches will be properly lined up at the end point. It is almost unnoticable at the corner but stands out as an obtrusive flaw when the same color is side by side at your splice point.

Just a thought to toss in. I made a Santa belt for a guy that was shorter than that but still huge. The belt was about 6" wide and the buckle part was about 3" (ranger belt style). The guy broke the 3" belt part in less than a week. It was about 8 oz and the stress tore the leather right in two. I am currently repairing it and planning on doubling it up in hopes it will take the stress. Aaron

The one I posted is oval, not round. It definatly is not as sloted as the one in the picture above but depending on the leather thickness will work far better than an round punch.

http://springfieldleather.com/24657/Punch%2COval-1-4%22/

This is not a matter of adding a Harley patch (made by Harley) on something. It is a matter of making a Harley patch and adding it to a jacket, then marketing it as a harley jacket. And yes, it is done every day. It is not legal but only so many can be prosicuted. Legality has nothing to do with if you see it as wrong, it has to do with if the court/laws see it as wrong.

You must have very small horses in France.

This one is pretty basic, but the general idea.

Very cool. Something along these lines would make a great inlay for a sheath or holster. Aaron

It is actually easy, once your understand it. Make sure you are not pulling it too tight too. Aaron

Your order is way backwards. Tool, then dye, then oil, then neat lac. You would be best to start with a differant piece of leather. Aaron

Chan drew up the patterns and then Hidecrafters was supposed to send him royalties as the sold. The business went bankrupt and chaimed the patterns as theirs in the bankruptcy. Now Chan does not have the right to sell the patterns he drew up and Hidecrafters is gone. Might not be exactly correct, but that is the basic story. A used set is likely your best bet.

I think this was involved in the whole Hidecrafters mess. Don't know if you can get them new anymore.

I dip dye stuff. But I also use Fiebings, have great success. The cover in the pictures was dip dyed in Fiebings, delited with alchohol. Basicly drop it in a flat pan with dye in it, swish it around, pull it out and pat dry with a towell you are not really attached to. Lave it to air dry. I personally do not use eco-flo. Aaron

Do you mean remove the dye so it is mostly not there? Unfortionatly about the onl.y way you are going to do that is to get new leather. Think of it like clothing and dye. If you had a white cottom shirt and you dyed it red and then wanted to change the color there would not be much of a way to get to white again.

Oil is about the best way there is to plug up a good stone. Virtually every stone I see that someone oils is loaded/plugged up so bad that they are way finer than they are supposed to be. If you really want to use oil I would recomend transmission fluid. It has enough detergent to keep the ston from plugging. A far better recomendation is to use a detergent. I always use simple green. Works great, does not make a mess. Smells good.

I would recomend against that. If it has a keyway you may pull the skin right off your fingers. I am guessing you are slowing down a 1/2 HP motor that has an 8" stone on it. Once again it is a huge ratio issue. The extra 4" of leverage really gives you a lot of power compared to the 5/8" shaft.

My biggest critique is the thread in your sewing is way too small. It drew my eye in as soon as I looked at it. I like the laser work. Aaron

Varnish it, then sand it. Or buy better leather.

Green is ground White is neutral Black (or possibly red) is power. It would be wise to pull off the motor plate cover and see that it is not screwed up inside to motor. Red is never (supposed to be) ground. Depending on what was done porperly or improperly you could be in for a surprise if you just start hooking thing sup willy nilly. If you hook it up wrong an arc flash or melted windings in to motor will be the result.

Torque verses RPM and gear ratio is your answer. It is unlikely you turn the tumbler at 1725 RPM, it is geared down. You would not be happy with your sander turning 35 RPM. There are a few solutions to do what you are trying to do, but most of them cost more than the $35 you have buy a sander for from Horbor freight. Remember the motor needs to turn CCW and not CW or it will loosed the arbor nut.

Sorry about that. Good example of me trying to stay up after I took medication that makes me very sleepy. Aaron

http://handon.co.kr/front/php/category.php?cate_no=26&page=2&offset=32&&1=1&mode=&sort_method=&pss_group=&pss_item=#normal_list http://www.goodsjapan.jp/item/leathercraft-knives-sharpeners/craft-sha-leathercraft-safety-/lid=29749066 I think they are the same design tool.

Exactly. Do it again and you will get better at it. Try to improve each time. All of the sudden you will be doing great work.

If you are going to grind your own allen wrenches and drill bits are a good starting point. The metal is very hard and easily available.

If your awl is the proper size you want it sharp along the sides and you push it all the way in. The reason for stopping short is they the awl is too big. If you stop short you will have a tapered hole, wider at the top and narrow at the bottom. Definatly a case of people trying to use improper tools for the job.