stef73433

This is what I want to do

I have Stohlman books, but I'm still confused. He builds his saddles with jockeys over the skirt, so in my mind the steps aren't the same? He's not making the pocket like I am trying to do.

I am in process of building a saddle similar to this.. my first time..http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=73352 2 questions i have that hadnt been previously replied to. 1) How/when do I sew the fleece to the skirt. If i have a top leather layer and a bottom, making up the skirts, i assume i tack those in place on tree, line up and sew together so they hold the tree in. But i am confused. If I want to make the fleece easily changable later on, how would i do that? If i first sew to bottom layer and then sew 2 leathers together after, you would have to disassemble the layers in order to resew. But you would also have to disassemble if i sewed the 2 leathers and fleece all at once. What method or idea am I not thinking of to make this possible? Do i make 2 rows of stitches like this saddle? one to hold leather together and then another that stitches all 3 together? 2) do I attach skirts to tree, sew majority of it all together and then rivet the rigging plate in, once it is all pretty well assembled? I assume the rigging plate would rivet through both of these skirt layers? Thanks so much for taking time to help me, It surely helped me alot so far!

Ok,I an going to try it again following your instructions and see what happens.thanks!

Ok, my impression is barge is supposed to be super strong, correct? I should not be able to easily pull glued leather apart? Or is it really just meant for a light hold? I have tried blueing Samples together, I've put them together wet and I let it sit 15 min, then stuck together. The wet seems to stay wet. If I let it sit, it seems to dry, doesn't stock well. What is the deal??? I bought a can maybe 45 days ago.it is thick, but not so thick I can t spread it. Am I supposed to thin it to make it work better??

Thank you for posting, these pics are helpful!

Ron, what do you recommend for holes if your opinion is different than the book??

guess i will re read that section.. thought i covered it pretty good last night but guess not

What type of lace/size/etc do you use for your swell lacing?

I do have all 3 of the Stohlman books, so good to go!! I have decided to try lacing the swells

Well, that actaully makes me feel better that you dont think i will get it done.. because i spent hours and hours and hours trying... nailing and pulling nails and moving and renailing and pulling and wanting to scream... i dont think it can be done. So plan b will be one of your ideas! I think i might try lacing it, i like the older rustic appearance it gives.Thanks!

I have tried 2 times now to cover this swell using the Dusty Johnson no welt/seam design. I just can not get it smooth without buldges. I need to come up with plan B. This is my first saddle, so i am obviously green at this. What method would you advise i try to keep it as simple but yet nice looking as possible? I was thinking of splitting it and then sewing inside out (i forget what stitch its called) or lacing it. Thoughts? Here's a pic of swells if that helps you guide me. I appreciate all the replies i get to each and evey post i make, i could not do this without all of your help!

Is this swell cover fitted, cut on outside of swell then turned inside out, sewn, then refitted on tree? I tried Dusty Johnson swell method twice and just can't get it to work, so tine to try done thing else. Picture

I want to know if I can stamp rough out in general? I'm building a saddle with rough out fenders.wanted to maybe stamp a border design on it.its ok if it shows on back

Thanks, this is very helpful

Thanks.I watched the video how he cut it but still didn't seem to work.I think I had too thick of leather for the swell, tomorrow I'm tryinga thinner piece.thanks for input

what is the process for stamping on rough out? I assume it must be a little different then stamping the grain side?

I'm trying to cover the swells following Dusty Johnson method. I'm struggling on the back side, next to hand hold, can't get that area smooth, without leather wanting to overlap itself.like I have to much leather there, but yet not sure how to cut it away without ruining it. Any tips or tricks?

Like this?

Do you also screw the wing tabs down?

All my books talk of nailing the leather on the horn, but my tree has a steel horn. How do I finish horn without nails?

Ok, perfect.I'm using 12 oz, so should be ok! Thanks!

If you look carefully at first pic, you will notice a dark area just over the hand hole.that is down to the tree, then above it, is that little leather ridge, which is where I am worried about an unsightly mark showing. Still ok?

When I poked the two holes through from bottom,I poked my awl through at the wrong angle and cut too much leather off the back of the fork. How can I fix this to avoid an unsightly mess? Should I just cut all the leather off above the hole and blend the edges?

I am making a barrel saddle, full tooled. 1) do I soak fenders and straps, stretch BOTH, dry, then moisten and tool? 2) I am doing an in skirt rigging, and creating a slip cover pocket for tree to set in.do I block skirts, dry, sew on wool, them sew the two layers together and slip tree in, then finish sewing? 3) do I need to add filler leather to bottom of skirt since I will already have two full layers from slip cover? Thanks!