Doug C

Ed or Bruce, I have a sturrip plate like the one in the picture. I am not able to get my machine adjusted to work properly with the sturrip plate. My machine is skipping stitches. It seems like when the loop is formed when the needle is down there is an equal amount of thread on both sides of the needle eye. Is there some adjustment I can make to allow the hook to catch the thread loop. Doug

Elton, Long time no talk. That's a good lookin case. I really like your pattern. carving looks good too. I've always wanted to make a case with that type of closure. Do you have any pictures showing how the loop is attached under the flap, or could you explain how it is done? Is their any divider inside the case or is it one compartment? Excellent work! Doug

Blake, What kind or brand of sealer do you use? Your tooling looks great. I'm impressed. Thanks, Doug

Bruce, I really enjoy looking at the pictures of your shop. It's interesting to see how others have their shops laid out and what tools they are using for their craft. Your shop is very well organized and looks to be very efficient. I have to work very hard to keep my shop as organized and clean as you have yours. Doug

Great job Elton. Very sharp, I realy like the border. Your carving looks good too. Keep 'em coming. Doug

I helped my son make a gun case this summer. We used 4/5 oz chap leather and lined it with sheepskin. We glued the lining in by running a bead of contact cement down the center line on the inside of the case to hold in position. Next we folded the case to see where we needed to make the final trim on the lining and and then glued around the outside edges to hold for sewwing. Hope this helps. This was our first rifle case, so I'm sure someone with more experience may have a better method but it workded for us. Doug

Thanks Elton, Yea that makes sense to me. I was having trouble with how far back to cut the wool. I tried making up a small case for a handgun and at the seam I had so much bulk I had trouble holding it all together. It felt like a stuffed pillow when I finally got it together. I think if I cutt it back as far as 3/4" to 1" I'll be able to make that seam come together much better. Doug

I would like to make a soft sided gun case for a scoped rifle. I would like to line the case with a synthetic shearling or wool and make the case useing 4/5 oz chap leather for the body. What is the best construction technique to use for this type of case? Should I roll the edges at the seam and trim the shearling back 1/2 inch? I'm not sure I'm making myself clear but I am hopeing someone else has made a case like this and could steer me in the right direction. Thanks, Doug

Tom, The rough-out is what the customer wanted. I don't think I would of thought of using it myself. But it turned out well. Just a light coat of oil on the rough-out The carved part of the bag was finished just as you said, Neat lac, then Sheridan Brown antique paste and a light coat of Tan Coat. Doug

Just finished this case. Sized to fit a specific camera. Doug

Steve, Great to meet you in Sheridan. I have had the Artison 618-1 sc LTHR for a couple of years. Sews slow enough for me. I really like it and would buy one again. And oh--the service is great. I have been able to solve any issues over the phone. Doug

It was great to finally meet many of you in Sheridan. I had a great time and wish I could have met all of you. It was good to put faces with names. This was my first trip to the show and it was well worth it for me. I learned alot and spent way to much money. I feel like I have many new friends. Doug

I'm the short, old, balding guy on the right. I do normally wear a hat or that head wouldn't shine like it does in this picture. Sorry I couldn't find one of just myself, but then again I wouldn't be able to show off my wife and kids. I'm really looking forward to meeting all of you in Sheridan. Doug C Doug Claassen

This is what I use for a cutting surface. You can build a solid table to the hight you want . Probably around 40 to 45 inches high and then use this surface. cutting surface Doug

Darryl, I ground off that little "bud" on the bottom of the center pressur foot by grinding most of the way with a bench grinder. Then used a flat file to finish making it flush. Next I used a dremel tool with a buffing wheel and some jewelers ruge to polish it up a bit. Works good now. Doug

Has anyone received there packet for the Rocky Mt. Leather Show from the LCSJ. I was under the impression they were coming out two weeks ago. I have the workshop schedule that was e-mailed to me but nothing about banquet tickets or other events. It's less than four weeks away. Maybe mine is lost in the mail. Doug

Thanks for the tips, I have a sturrip plate ordered from Artisan but they are on back ordered for 90 days. Doug

I have been having a terrible time holding the gusset in place as I sew around the radius of the corner. I am sewing a radius of about 1 1/2 " and I always am pushing the gusset back from the edge and then totally miss stitching the underside. I am using a Artisan 4000 R. I know it would probably help some if I had a sturrip plate. Any tips or tricks you can use to make this work without a sturrip plate. I guess if I have too I can hand sew the gusset in, but there must be another way I'm not getting. Doug

How do most of you arrange and store your stamping tools around your stamping bench? I know everybody probably has a different preference but I am wanting to rebuild my bench and possibly change the way I keep the tools handy. I've seen somethat use chap leather to make small pockets that hold several tools in each pocket laying in front of the stamping stone and some that use the blocks with holes that keep the tools upright. Maybe there's another method. Let me know what you prefer. Thanks, Doug

How's it going. Good to see another Leatherworker from my area on the board. I'm just North of Wichita. Doug

Here are a few pictures of my shop. It is 14' x 28' in one corner of a 40' x 80' barn. I had a friend who was going to heating and air-conditining school install the heating and air for a class project. Worked out pretty good for me. It's been a fun place to work. Doug

Anyone heard anything on class schedules yet? I hope to make my first trip to the show and would like to make some plans. I have my name on the list to get the packet. I tried to call earlier in the week and got the answering machine. For those who have been there before: Are there usually any classes on Friday and Saturday or do I need to get there earlier in the week to take any classes? Thanks, Doug

Thanks Marlon and Bruce That will help me out. I will look at wal-mart again. I have purchased the larger ones there but have not seen the smaller ones at our local Wally World. If I don't find them there I will try S-T Leather. Doug

I am looking for the small 6 ring binders for a 3x5 notebook. They are not in the Ohio Travel Bag catalogue. That's where I usually purchase that sort of thing. Any other ideas? Thanks, Doug

Kathy, Beiler's did not have 4 cord currently, that's what I asked for but they were out of stock and 5 cord was the smallest size available. The person I talked to implied they had ordered 4 cord to restock but didn't know when it would be available. Thank's for offering some of yours. I think I remember seeing another supplier somewhere. Not sure if it was here or somewhere else. I'll check around some before I take you up on your offer. Doug