SmokinP

Thank you Broncobuster. As a side note, I coulda used ya the other day. I'm taking the time to type this while I wait for some body parts to get realigned after one of my two year olds decided he'd show me there was still time to get him entered in the NFR saddle bronc event. Some thoughts that have run through my head: I buy a lot of mail order for my own uses but there are a bunch of things I won't buy unless I can see them and get a feel for it. Headstalls and stuff like that. But I realize we won't be able to compete with the big outfits on price so we'll have to offer excellent service and/or something just a little bit different. I like your suggestion that repairs get folks in the door. I can see a lot of possibilities there. Starting out I was thinking of working with a saddlemaker and display maybe 1 or 2 of his saddles for sale with no consignment fee. I've met a maker through this board that makes beautiful saddles. Although they are very high end and would be a limited market, I would go a long ways just to look at them. Be a good draw item I think. What I need to work on is that when I walk in a tack shop, a finely made bridle, bit, spurs, saddle, etc. really catches my eye and starts tugging at my wallet. I kinda wonder what gets that feeling for folks that think a snaffle bit is some type of fancy bottle opener. All on paper right now so I appreciate all the thoughts and information.

Wife and I are kicking around the idea of opening a tack shop in our area. Kind of wondering what you all thought you might like see carried and maybe even pay a sort of premium price for. Also would like to know what might draw the "non-horse" folks to maybe stop in and look around. As leatherworkers, would you be interested in displaying your work on some sort of consignment arrangement? Just looking for any and all thoughts.

How do you keep the tooling and stamping looking good and sharp where you have to make it go around a bend? Do you form the leather first or what?

Johnny, I'm gonna post your question about tooling around bends on the stamping forum. I'd like to mnow the answer too and maybe it'll get more response there.

Very fine looking work Warren. I'm thinkin you ought dive in on making a cartridge belt. Looks to me like you got all the skills needed.

Here's a pretty good website on makin cuffs might want to look at http://eightbits.home.att.net/Crafting5_web_spurstrap.PDF

Thank you a bunch guys. I'm finding there's a lot to this leatherworking as I get some time here and there to try it out. Sure enough helps having a wealth of know-how to ask questions. Among other things, I'm a machinist so I like the technical aspects of it and always been amazed at the artistry that you guys achieve. Maybe some day I'll make somethin that looks good enough to take into town. Yep Bruce, we're about 20 some miles from Kankakee. You might have drove through the "town" of Custer Park on the way. Town pretty much consists of Custer's Last Stand bar. I live out in the boonies on the far southwest corner of Custer Park. Although it ain't on most maps, Custer Park covers quite a few miles but it's mostly farm land. We got a bunch of horses out here so if your ever comin by this way again give a holler and we'll get you to stop out. As always, I appreciate everyone taking the time to share their knowledge and experience.

What might be the best basketweave stamps for someone as a beginner? What's your favorites that you use in your own work?

Talk to a small machine shop to have some pipe or tubing cut to exactly the size you want. It's a simple lathe operation. Give some thought on the bevel edge. If you plan it right (bevel angle, beveled on inside or outside of tube), you can cut and also have a somewhat rounded edge on the piece. I suggest stainless tube or pipe. Once the edge is on it lasts seemingly forever if you take reasonable care of it. I'd check some small machine shops on a Saturday morning. Show up with a few samples of your leatherwork, maybe a few little tooled pieces to trade with. A box of fresh donuts can usually get a machinist to do all sorts of things. A fella once told me you can alot of times buy more with a cup of coffee and a firm handshake than you can with a million dollars. I'm still working on that million dollars to see if it's true. Keep a cutting board and some leather in your vehicle when you go. If things work out right you can maybe get them to put the new die in a press for you and cut the pieces right there for you.

Only problem with this saddle...and it is a BIG problem - it ain't in my tack room. Don't feel too awful bad though....all the custom makers have the same darned problem with their saddles.

Might take it to a copy shop or even use the copier at the library. They have resizing options.

Things are starting to come together...on paper any way. I've got C6x13 structural channel figured in (and available) for the top and bottom of the frame. TS1.5x3/16 Square tubing for the frame uprights, bolted with 3/4" bolts. Drawings are still rough and a few things I want to fab and see how they work out. I appreciate all the help. Maybe I get this thing built we can arrange to get it passed around to a few folks to try out and see how it works out in real life.

Thanks for the dimensions Bruce. My thoughts for the ram plate attachment was to machine a groove or bore a slip fit hole to mount the plates. A self aligning arrangement. I really don't think a plate could be welded dead square and as you said if it isn't it wont work. It can be made that the plate will stay with the ram but when pressing the force will be on the ramrod face and the plate...not the mounting hardware. Also, if things work out right the ram plates can be interchangeable. Maybe even the male part of the forming dies can be mounted to it. I like your forming dies. With a little cutting and machining I can see alot of possibilities. The material you chose (which I think is the same as what I know of as UHMW) is excellent. Cuts like butter-wears like iron, easy to clean, non-stick, lightweight...great choice. One hint...find a machinist supply and get a deburring tool for about 5 to 10 bucks. It has a handle with a small swivel cutter that puts a nice small radius on the edges just lickety split. For travel length I was looking at a jack that has a 6" travel. It is a solid ram jack. Do you think this might be sufficient or would it be better to go to a jack with a threaded ram to allow adjustment and increase the throat clearance? This is all being designed on paper using AutoCAD program since I am a designer. As things start to unfold I'll try and post some 3D drawings to get some input. Thanks again for all your help. Al Popovich Smokin P Ranch Custer Park, Illinois

Thank you Bruce. To be honest I have already seen the pictures of your press and I even saved the image to work from. I did note in your previous post that you had tried to have one built and the deal fell through....that's what got my wheels turning. About what size as far as length/width are your press plates? Is your top plate mounted to the ramrod assembly? Being that the steel is already available I'd pretty much only be in for the price of the jack, which seem to be pretty reasonable. Might be one of those projects that ends up in a melting pot in China but it ought keep me occupied and outta trouble for a while.

I've searched through some previous posts about clicker presses made using shop presses like those from Harbor Freight or Northern Tool. Some very nice serviceable set ups. Being one who can never leave well enough alone, I'm going to see about designing and building a similar set up suited for leather clicking. I'd like some thoughts on what you like/dislike about your present shop press arrangement or what you might like to see in one that's built from the ground up. Seems 20 tons is a common size...is this suitable or should it be more or less? What might be a suitable die and anvil plate capacity? (Being that shop presses seem to have excessive size capacity for leather work, scaling down the capacity would increase strength and stiffness) Would you prefer the jack on top or bottom? Is portability an issue? (weight considerations,carry handle?) Any other thoughts or comments are appreciated. Pictures of course are worth a thousand words also.

When ordering clicker dies, how do you provide the maker with the shape/specs you need? Do they need a rather detailed drawing/sketch? Do the die makers have an inventory of standard dies for common pieces such as spur straps, latigo/cinch holders, etc? What might be a price range for something like spur strap dies? What type of maintenance do the dies require as far as sharpening? Are the dies cut from solid tool steel or formed from strip steel?

Gentleman thank you for your thorough responses. It will definitely help me when it comes time to start the ball rolling. I will be able to look at other saddles and see if maybe some of the details I never really noticed would fit my needs. I admire your vast amount of expertise and appreciate your willingness to share with us less knowledgable ones.

I've been stalking these forums here for a little while and am just amazed at the expertise and insight gathered here. I'd like to take advantage of your willingness to share that expertise and hopefully end up making someones job easier. The scenario is: I've been saving my pennies and finally got enough to start thinking about a custom made saddle. I've rode quite a few factory saddles...some good ones some not so good ones. Some of them had a really good feel or a really good look to me but maybe I'm not exactly sure why. Now my questions are: When I come into your shop looking for the perfect saddle how can we help each other get it built? What questions are you going to have for me? What questions should I have for you? What are some of the details that I've maybe never even noticed but make a pretty big difference? What should I learn about the insides of a saddle that I've never really seen before or thought much about? When browsing around at other saddles what should I be looking for that I can maybe put into my own rig? Will you build the stirrups or should I be taking a look at what's available to get some ideas? I know that's quite alot of questions but for me and I suppose most folks this would be a once in a lifetime purchase and it's pretty much gotta be perfect. I appreciate any thoughts and comments. Al Popovich Smokin P Ranch Custer Park, Illinois

I'd just like to move this post up as I'd be interested in this information also.

Does anyone read The Leatherworkers Journal magazine? Is there alot of how to information or patterns to make stuff? Just wondered if I should order a few back issues before maybe subscribing. Thanks

This is my first post here and hopefully can be helpful. Being a machinist, I recently made a set of punches for cutting holes and round cutouts. I used schedule 40 stainless pipe, the cutting edge turned on a lathe. Being that pipe comes in sizes from 1/8" up to just about any size, you can get quite a selection of sizes. Also, sch. 40 is thick enough that the sizes can be tweaked a little on the lathe. It's a simple operation on a lathe so it shouldn't take much to get a small machine shop to crank a few out. I used stainless pipe scraps which I got for free but I suppose carbon steel pipe would work as well. Since pipe isn't exactly round have to take a light clean up cut on the i.d. and o.d. I haven't done it yet but I think with maybe a little grinder and file work some nice round design stamps can be made also. After the edge is cut the pipe can be sectioned to make half rounds or other radiuses for ends and such.