bruce johnson

Bill, It sounds like you are describing a Burgess VibroTool. They show up on Ebay every so often and some people have reported some pretty good results. Being an electrical tool from a few decades ago, at least a couple got a pretty good charge out of theirs too.

Anybody recognize this one - 180474447321 ? It looks kind of familiar to me. The work looks better than his ranch cutter. Looks like it may have a different maker stamp format than the ranch cutting saddle he has listed too.

They had health problems near the end, and couldn't do all they wanted to.

Dianne, There used to something listed in LCSJ called the SpeedStamper. Basically it is a rotary shaft tool with an oscillating handpiece. They haven't advertised for quite while and my not be in business anymore, but you can buy handpieces and rotary shaft motors several places. The nice thing about that handpiece is that most any stamps I wanted to use would chuck right into it.You just apply downward pressure and it starts jackhammering the stamp. As it does that, just push it along. I got it a few years ago when I had rotator cuff problems and there were only so many hits at a sitting. The SpeedStamper was a lifesaver at that point. I could do most all of my beveling with it, and save myself for the single impression stamps. Beadlines were a snap. One guy told me he could use pear shaders pretty well with it also. I am sure checking around, you could find one like they used to make up the SpeedStamper. There are other systems used (the Graver systems for silver) that guys use and have the stamp shafts machined down. I have Jeremiah's wheel beveler and it is alright for long runs too. I developed some wrist problems with push beaders and bevelers, so those kind of tools aren't real user friendly to me anymore if I need to apply much pressure.

Slick, I would have to agree with Bob's numbers now for most professional and semi-professional toolers using mauls. It seems like talking to some old guys, the sticks were pretty popular. I use mauls mostly like you describe with the rocking wrist, but will use one sort of like hammer on bigger stamps and punches. I have mauls in wieghts from 14 oz to 3#. To compare between two makers, I have 1 and 3 pounders from both Wayne Jueschke and Barry King. Wayne's have more weight to the head end and drop heavier.I have a 1# from Bearman, and his is between the other two guys balance wise. On the bigger block stamps I was using the 2# and having to put more oomph behind it and sometimes two hits per impression. Last fall I got a 3# from Barry, and it makes a big difference - less double striking and overall less fatiguing. I just got a 3# from Wayne last week and it falls even heavier. Which maul I choose depends on stamp size and shape, and how cased the leather is for the effect I want. As far as material, the rawhide wears and flakes. Barry and Ed use a white plastic material for the head. Barry grooves his and Ed doesn't. I have used the tar out of Barry's and the grooves wear flat. It doesn't seem to make much of a difference to me when they do. Wayne uses a tannish plastic for the heads on his. I have used his a ton too, and they don't seem to wear. You will hear guys tell you that you need to grind the shank on the off the rack stamps to have square edges on top for the maul head to "grab" the stamp. I have several Tandy and modified stamps I use and haven't squared them. I don't see any difference with them staying in my hand.

This is something I deal with a lot. I have been on both sides of the fence here - on the board for a non-profit for several years and as a maker who gets donation requests all the time. As a board member and officer - fundraisers are meant to raise money for operating expenses. We had live auctions, silent auctions, and raffles at a few events throughout the year. Live auction items were full donations with one exception. The only exception there was we sold a gun with an event plaque. The gunshop got the gun for us at cost. No money was paid out for anyhting else. These are showcase kind of items and while some years sold better than others, bring their value and more. Raffle items are usually big ticket items - trips to the NFR with tickets, accomodations, and spending money. The tickets are donated and the accomodations are sponsored, spending money is put up by the organization. Silent auction things were fully donated with a few exceptions. We dealt with one company that specialized in jewelry for auctions. We picked what we wanted to fill in, they had a minimum price. We paid that price only if something sold, and put the opening bids at that minimum. Everything else shipped back with no $ out. As a board we would have not accepted anything with a cost without that sort of arrangement. As a maker, I pick and choose who I donate to. I can't donate to all that request. The organizations whose members and attendees have supported me get something. Organizations I believe in their work get something. What they get really depends on the event. For one group - a high end item for the live auction, and a few silent auction items. Usually about 600 people there and a lot of attnedees have bought something from me. Other groups I donate large or small items to, it just depends on who and what. It takes money to run most groups and the more they can raise, the better it is for everyone. There are some tax benefits to donations like this, and check with an advisor on that. Sometimes things you can buy at wholesale because of your business status and donated is better and more time efficient than making something too. Personal benefit auctions are another opportunity. The catastrophic medical expense fundraisers are something I look at. I have been on the other side of that fence without one, and realize now how much they could mean. If anything, these are a great show of community to the affected people and that support is worth a lot. Donating something gets a business name out there more than writing a personal check. For most of the donations, they are things I have on hand. I will make up some things to have in-stock alongside the custom orders. I can just hand them something or tag it for them. Another thing to consider donating is a credit for a custom made item or equivalent credit towards something else. I have done that and it has worked out well. Make it a credit for so many dollars that will pay for the item, then any upgrades they pay for. The other scenario is making awards. Most all associations have an awards budget if they are giving them, so they expect to pay. I have done it off and on for a long time, and several others here do too. It can be an alright thing. My pricing on that is materials and overhead plus time. If I am doing several of the same pattern and don't need to change lettering, I might discount the time some to keep within their budget but never the other factors. One of these, one of those - there is no economy of time savings and usally full price. The trap I have fallen into before was that I had big awards orders which were nice for cash flow. The downside was I had to refuse some full paying orders at times because I couldn't get them done too.

Bob Douglas usually has some ready to go - (307) 737-2222.

Looks good Elton. Nice taper to the maul, and the stamps look good. He ought to like that wiggler.

For the time it would take a silversmith to get those letters off and engrave that area, they might be able to make a new plate with your daughter's name or initials. Might be a something for the next birthday or event in her life.

Josh, It all looks good, and the workbenches are nice with the storage underneath. Seems to be plenty of light too, that's a plus. Looks like a saddle stand next? It will make them easier to work on, and a three tier stand from the supply store will free up floor space for the waiting ones. You have a great sized stamping rock too. Glad to see that. You are going to be having some fun in there. Downer time. It really scares me to see the round knife in the apron pocket sheathed or not. Have a hang up place within reach. If you lay it down, always lay it down handle toward you. If the blade is sharpen enough to cut leather, it will cut leather. I have put them back into sheaths and eventually just the motion of setting them in has cut the welt. The blade working back and forth from wearing it, then bend over and it can drive it through the welt and mulehide. Contrary to the deer hunter T-shirt slogans, happiness would not be a large gutpile. We want you around.

Bob is at a leather show and I expect won't be home until early next week.

I spent today and some $$ there. Casey is right, there may be a few here and there show specials, but usually not many. For me it is not so much looking for a deal as it is hands on comparing. I am a little biased, because I do most of my serious buying of tools at the shows. This show let me compare stamps between Wayne Jueschke, Barry King, Bob Beard, Lana Smith, and Hackbarth and buy based on that. For hand tools, Bob Douglas had new ones he makes, Barry King,Ron Edmonds, Osborne, Weaver, Tandy, and HideCrafter. Bob Douglas and another guy were both there with older refurbished tools. You can compare mauls between Barry and Wayne, swivel knives between Lana Smith, Leather Wranglers, and Barry. Hermann Oak, Wickett & Craig, Sheridan Leather, and Tandy were there with leather. Two sewing machine sellers are set up. You can learn from all of these how something is supposed to work, how they are supposed to be sharpened and maintained too. Just BSing I pick up a lot. The offtime has been really special and entertaining at this show.

I used to tie those side pulls out of rope when I used them and sold some too. I used nylon heel ropes. You can tie them in a simple overhand knot but it is a little bulky over the ring. There is a knot that is used on the end of lariat ropes that is similar to a overhand knot, but the rope is stranded out and each of the the three (or maybe 4 now) strands is treated individually and makes less of a knot on catch ropes and lays smoother over a ring. Melt the ends with a torch. When you strand out these tight lay ropes, you need to wrap tape at the places you want them to stop, because they can unravel a mile once you cut them.

That is one of the coolest cans I have seen. Great job on the design. I'd love to get an order for one like that some day. Keep them coming.

Here's another rope can from the last batch. This one is a little more undersatated than some, but it fits the style of a lot of my customers. She got a goat string can last year for her birthday. This year she added breakaway roping to her events, and we made this can to match her goat string can. I am hoping she tries team roping next year and needs a rope bag.

Doug, Hansen's sell wholesale. If you don't have a number, they are right across town and I can pick up whatever you need.

I have only run into this requirement (along with guaranteed minimum annual orders) for wholesale pricing on finished products from a couple suppliers. It was for cinches, finished halters, bags, and things along those lines that I would directly compete with other retailers. As far as getting anyone to waive it, only in a limited way from one supplier. I was able to buy one product in a minimum number for each order at dealer price, since no other local dealers of their products were buying these in any quantity. They sold to another company and that deal went away with the new management. Most suppliers of materials only require a business license and/or a resale number for wholesale pricing.

The only splitter Osborne has made for a while and stocks parts for is the model 86 in a 6" width.

MY thoughts are that all these guys are "fitting" on some level, whether they choose to call it that or not. Everyone does. The difference is that very few of us are doing what somebody has termed "microfitting". Most of us aren't doing back molds to fit every nook and cranny. We order a tree with a gullet/handhole width and bar pattern that we think will fit what our customer rides. We do that at minimum. That has to be considered part of "fitting". I don't know of many customers who comes in to many of us and says, "I want a 6-1/4" gullet, 90 degree, northest bar tree" that doesn't have some background. Some or most of the time, they don't know what to ask for. Either we have to guess based on their pictures, descriptions, and our own experiences that tree maker X's 6-1/2 90 degree fits most of them like that I see and from tree maker Y I need a 4" handhole 93 degree tree. Not everybody's bottom patterns are the same either, and the bulgy horses might not go as well in a crowned up bottom that the narrower back would. These guys aren't just calling up a tree maker and saying "send me a 15-1/2" low Assoc". They are calling someone they have experience with, know what has worked for most of the past ones, and at least telling them some basic width measurement and ordering that. It might well be the same each time, or it could be "He rodes big blocky horses, ropes calves, and uses 1" pads with a Navajo and orders a 6-3/4" and the next guy rides mostly colts and narrower horses and he orders a 6-1/4 for him". THAT is fitting on a basic level to me. If we don't do that, we are about the same level of competance as the kid at the feedstore. Horses are pretty tolerant, and there is a range of what works and what doesn't. If we are within that, we are doing alright. How big that range is what the question is. A whole block got left out, so here it is. If we don't want to guess at what they ride, pictures, or whatever. we do have the card fitting system from Dennis Lane. That can give us an idea of a few dimensions and give us a better idea of the general profile of the back.

Phillip, I have never seen any pattern packs with them. What I have done in the past is trace off one the guy already has or likes. Kind of like most breast collars, somne guys prefer different shapes and different amounts of drop and drop in the center.

Even though I prestretch,work, and set my stirrup leathers on stretcher, I like mine better after a few rides have set them and the back and forth movement has freed up a bit.

Another vote for Jeremiah Watt's DVD. I always bought bucking rolls before. The inserts he sells are alright too. There is a bit of a learning curve, even with the DVD for a few of us. I would fully expect to not have the first set come out as well as you might want. After that - cake. A few things to watch for - welts tend to wander over the insert a bit. If you stuff your own, not some much of an issue. Be sure to trim the back side of the welts close and then pound them down pretty flat. Another issue is making sure the insert is perfectly lined up in the body. I have had a couple want to tweak to one side or the other. Aftyer you get comfortable with these and learn some of the finesse things, it is not that big a step to tweak sizes and stuff your own.

Paul, Great coloring and it looks pretty handy to use too. See you in a couple weeks!

I am extremely happy with cellular internet from Verizon - portable and good service. We can't get DSL at home, and the satellite deal wsn't as good as Verizon. Had it two years on one, and just got another modem and account for my wife's computer. She was still on dial-up and it was t-i-m-e.

Butch, I just do leather on the tops. Several years ago I had a wholesale order for one that had some tooled patches on the sides, kind of like leg shields on chaps. They went between the latches and sort of looked cool.