GampasShop

Finished this one yesterday. My wife has claimed this one, I guess maybe she can have it.

I keep thinking and changing my mind on certain things. I need to just jump in and get er done. Will probably get started on it this weekend.

Ok, a little background, up until now ALL the projects I have done have been kits from Tandy. Hard to believe in the 30 years off & on of doing leather work I have never done anything but a kit. One of my other "Hobbies" is ATVing in the mountains of Colorado. Have a cabin there and we try to go at least 2 times a year. I have a pretty good collection of topo maps for the area. These maps are all on the waterproof/tearproof paper. I have kept the maps in a small bag from a bookstore and then just put them in one of my storage areas on the ATV when its time to take a ride. Last fall I bought a shoulder 4/5 weight (dang CRS, cant remember for sure on the weight). What I want to make is a pouch to keep my maps in. Actual size of the maps is 4 1/4" X 8" X 2 1/2" (can be compressed down to around 1 1/2"). I have the Cases by Al volumes One & Two and there is really nothing that caught my eye in either one of them. I dont really need anything heavy duty or tight fitting. Have been thinking on this for a while (almost a year since last vacation) now. If I cut 2 side (gusset) pieces 4" X 9 1/2" this will give me a 1/2 stitching area on side & bottom. Then the other piece will be cut to 5 1/2" X 26". Front will be 5 1/2" X 9", bottom 5 1/2" X 3", back 5 1/2" X 9", top 5 1/2" X 3" and a flap 5 1/2" X 2". If I use a gouge on the fold lines and then sew the sides in place, I should have a usable pouch. What I am wondering about is the top opening. Will I need to double over the tops of the side pieces to give me a little more solid to the top? Will the top area try and curl up on me? For you old pro's, give an old rookie some advice. Will be listening and watching.

Another try at a larger pic. As far as the lacing, this was probably the best turnout of any that I have done. It just all came together and turned out great. I need to work on a scrap piece and see what the deal was with the woodstain. If I could get it to darken the background and bevel on the whole piece I would be very happy. My wife really liked the color of this and is wanting me to make her something. Tom, I ended up finding a site for a guy that makes rod & reel cases and used one of his pics. The guy on the flyfishing board wasn't looking at spending $1200 dollars for a rod case.

Here is a billfold I finished Saturday. Made this for a volunteer Firemans fundraiser raffle. This is for a little town in Colorado where I have a cabin. Usually try to make something for them, as it really is a great cause. Anyway, tried something new with this one and used Valspar Wood Stain (dang CRS, cant remember the color) and then finished with Sheen. Don't know why the background and the beveling on the one side took the stain and darkened the leather like it did, I really like that.

Kathy, I will try and find out what you need to do to clean them up from some guys that make Predator calls out of them. Some of these guys get them so polished up you can see reflections from them.

I see several Ink Pens and Predator Calls Sitting there in your pile. Working with antler on a lathe does take some different techniques than working with wood though. Sanding dust is a lot finer from antler and the smell, almost reminds me of branding cattle smell. Antler is fun to work with and there will never be 2 the same.

You did a great job on the tooling, but that lacing is WWWOOOWWW. Where did you come up with the instructions for the lacing? That looks really neat with the offsetting colors.

I guess I was just to impatient, got home last night and it was in my mail box.

Any idea when they are going to have their catalogs available?? I ordered a catalog from them back in Aug and still dont have it.

I will confess, I have been doing leather and wood work for many years. I had never used a maul before. I was kind of thinking like SmilinJim. On the woodworking forum they kept saying how easy a maul was to use. I took a chance and turned these down and gave them a try. All the doubt soon leaves you once you try one. I am going to make another one the same size as the smaller one in the pics, but am going to drill it out and add some lead in head. I know these arent going to last long as in just a little bit of using them on the "Clutch Purse", the small diameter of the leather tools sure bangs up the maul.

I had turned these down shortly after the post above and forgot all about taking pics of them. Maul Pics Also have a larger 12 oz. Osage Orange (Hedge) but it didn't want to load into my album. I used these on my clutch purse project and for small tools like the #104 backgrounder the 8 oz worked great.

I may have to play around with it. I do woodworking also and have several partial quarts of stain in my shop. One thing with the woodstain is that most are not that far apart in color vs the leather stains that I see in the Tandy Catalog now. The difference in Dark Brown and Med. Brown is very drastic. Ok, so what is and what does the "Resist" do?

Ok, I looked last night and I was guessing right. It was Tandy Antique Stain in Tan color. No resist was used. Now a question, I have this sitting on my desk here at the lumberyard where I work and all the contractors are asking if I used wood stain on it. Is this possible? I had never even considered it before but, you are doing the same thing on a similar product. What do you long timers say, is it possible to use wood stain on leather???

I will have to look tonight when I get home. Was some old (from late 70's) Tandy stain (I think it was Antique Tan) and then finished with the Tandy Sheen.

Been going to this local Banquet for 7 years now and have walked out the door with 3 guns. Kinda feel like I can help them out a little bit. Am thinking maybe doing this I can pick up an order or 2 and get a little pocket jingle. I also do woodworking and I usually donate something to the Volunteer Firemans gathering in Pitkin, CO for their fundraiser. Last year they were able to upgrade from a 1956 truck to a 90's model.

Linky to Pics Here is a "Phoenix Clutch Purse" kit that I just finished last night. I am going to donate this to our local Pheasants Forever banquet for the auction.

What a mistake that was as far as the billfold was concerned. Took the drive to the Wichita, KS Tandy Store saturday morning. Had never been in one, needless to say, I went a little overboard. While shopping online, its to easy to say no I don't need that since I don't have it in my hands. I was really impressed with the guy working there, as about something and he popped off the # and location, said he had been there 13 years. Anyway, by doing the Club Membership, I saved about $250.

I wonder if this is why I haven't recieved a catalog from them. I sent a request for one about 3 1/2 weeks ago and still nothing.

Ok, thanks for the replies, I couldn't figure out why a person would need a heavy maul for general tooling. Will turn them down this weekend and see how it works. If I can figure out the pic posting will have pics early next week.

Ok, since the beginning I have always used the mallet that came with the "Deluxe" Tandy set from the early 70's. I have been thinking of a maul. Most that you see in the catalogs are 1, 2, or 3#. I am thinking why would you need a heavy maul for your tooling needs? Main reason I ask is I am going to turn one down on my wood lathe this weekend out of Locust or Osage Orange (maybe both). Am thinking I will turn down to a size I feel comfortable with and if not heavy enough I can drill a hole in the end and add some lead shot to give it more weight.

Ok, my stack of maps measure 8" X 4 1/2" X 3". After looking thru an old Tandy Catalog (2005), I think I am going to try something along the lines of what they call a Belt Bag (part # 44345-00). What I need is bigger than the bag shown, but I ought to be able to do something along those lines. Have never actually done anything that wasn't in a kit before, so will be good practice and a chance to try a freehand picture design and hand sewing. What weight of leather would be recommended for something along these lines? I usally carry my maps everywhere (pickup, atv). These are the waterproof/tearproof maps so as far as that goes they are durable. As far as on the ATV, I carry them in a fender bag (mostly water resistant). Oh ya, as soon as I figure out the adding a picture, I will have to take a picture of something in my "Leather Box". In looking over this site, I have a collectors item and dang if I know why. I had bought a "Ruby" blade for my swivel knife soon after I started tooling and really like it. Then when my local store was closing down I must have bought another one. So I have one still in the little plastic case with the original paper that was with it. Says on the paper if it becomes nicked to send it in and include $1 for return postage. Wonder if the $1 would still cover the postage?

Hello from southwest Kansas. Started leatherworking back in the mid 70's as a 4-H project. Have done several billfolds, purses, belts, clock and a few items for my blackpowder hunting. Had been using a billfold that I think was made in 1990 and it finally wore out on me so grabbed the tools over the weekend and made a new one. Could tell I its been a long time as the work showed it and the ole wrists hurt afterwards. Am looking for some ideas for a bag/pouch to put my maps in while on the ATV. Have a collection of the Trails Illustrated and other maps (10 or so) that I usually carry with me and the small shopping bag that I have been using for years is shot.