BDAZ

Thanks Tom. We already tried an element based set but the unit is too unwieldy for fine detail and the tip heat is not constant enough. The wire tipped pen style is the only viable option. Cya! Bob

The Razertip has an extra pot to set the lowest heat setting, not affected at the higher ones. The tips run at two volts so I assume they are changing the amperage of the circuit to control the heat at the tip. The tips are nichrome wire. So one would probably have to reduce the amperage to the tip of alternative units to get lower heat settings. I have been unable to find a schematic of any of the burners... Cya! Bob

I have searched the archives and I can find nothing current. My assistant is a very talented illustrator and I want to buy a pyrography setup to take advantage of her talents. The Razertip seems to be the only one advertising a special low setting for leather work but they are the most expensive. There are others on Ebay that are less expensive but without the extra heat control, which is probably just an extra pot in the circuit I could probably wire in myself. What are the recommendations of the pyrographers on the forum? Thanks! Bob

I have seen a few 3D stamps and alphabets that have been damage by being pressed directly on the round fitting with the ram. The rams foot is cheap and effective, giving much greater surface area for the press. Cya! Bob

If you like the look you can obtain "splits" , the leather left over when thicker piece is split to make a thinner one. This is usually much cheaper than tooling leather and is stiffer and smoother than suede and could wear better than the flesh side of tooling leather, depending on how it's been split and finished. Cya! Bob

I guess the coffee would indeed turn black. Cya! Bob

I use a rotary cutter, which I strop regularly, for suede. Cya! Bob

As a suggestion why not brew the coffee with vinegar and then add steel wool, maybe a quarter of a pad, of 0000 and let sit for a couple of days. Cya! Bob

Duh! That's what I get for posting at 2am, BUT coffee is high in tannins and possibly the steel wool is having a similar reaction with the tannins. One trick with vinegaroon is to presoak the leather in very strong tea to add extra tannins to the leather for a better reaction. Cya! Bob

The difference is that someone could walk in and drop off an ounce of pot for a custom pouch in CO and you wouldn't have to worry about it. Here in AZ, we'll take the gun instead. Of course your concern about receiving a damaged gun can be covered by a waiver and an arrival inspection. If it's an interstate shipment then the FFL can provide an independent inspection coming and going. Of course that same problem could happen with any article, shipped to your premises for fitting. There's always a few bad apples out there but I can't believe it is a regular occurrence in the holster trade... Cya!

The steel wool (iron) in the vinegar (acetic acid) produces ferric acetate which reacts with the tannins in the leather and turns them black through a chemical reaction. It is NOT a dye as the solution is the color of tea and the reaction is almost instantaneous. Ferric Acetate can be purchased but it is very expensive. I have heard that the less expensive ferric nitrate will perform in a similar fashion. Cya! Bob

I am a former FFL holder and I don't believe you require one to take temporary possession of a firearm for either service or other purposes, however, depending on the weapon and your state, there may be regulations that you would transgress. BUT, this is Arizona! As long as the weapon is not crossing state lines, and being hand delivered to your premises, there shouldn't be an issue.I shipped a gun to Ruger in Prescott last year via UPS which they returned also by UPS. No FLL involved. BTW I was in Glendale yesterday..stopped in at Cabellas. Cya! Bob

I did some work in carbon fiber fabrication and the setup we used is a vacuum table with fine perforations and then we simply lay a sheet of plastic over the item and it exerts a lot of pressure removing all excess epoxy producing a stronger item. If you were looking for a flat backed holster, I believe you would have significantly higher pressure than a simple back like device mentioned earlier in the thread. Cya! Bob

I have been using one commercially for the past couple of months and it sews like a champ. I make leather cases, belts and straps and a great bang for the buck! I bought it from Bob at Toledo and their support was excellent! Cya! Bob

The key to this quandry is are you investing in a business or in a hobby? If it's a hobby being run for your own enjoyment and to recoup some of your material costs then you should keep your investment to a minimum and make a few items that you enjoy making. Figure out what will sell at the local craft shows and make things that you like and folks will buy. Your time is less important that saving money on tools. If you are setting up a business then time is money and you need to develop a product like that you can make efficiently and sell profitably. Time IS money and any thing you can do to minimize construction time while maintaining product integrity is worth while investing in. I recently went through this exercise and I have around $5K invested and just hired my first employee. I am not in it to make a lot of money, just to keep the overheads paid, cover my employee and eventually cover my investment. The biggest single investment was a CB 3200 with all the bells and whistles. Remember that your 3500 will always retain some value if you ever need to sell it. I used to work in the wine industry in California and the joke was "How do you make a small fortune in the wine industry? You start with a big one!" I suspect the leather industry is very similar. Cya! Bob

If you feel there is anything unique about the item or the manufacturing process you can apply for a provisional patent, which will cost $300. THis will give you the right to use "Patent Pending" and should let the customer know that you are private labeling a patented product. This should keep him honest yet give him the incentive to market and promote your product. Ever run into Roger Siminof in Ojai? Makes mandolin stuff. Cya! Bob

Great mandos as well. I Love zircote and had an Irish Bouzouki built from bocote, a close relative by a friend in Maine. Your house sounds like a fun place to be! I recently sold my '95 F5L but still play my '17 A4. Cya! Bob

Very Kewl! Is it an F5 bag? Make a great gig bag for a mando player. Cya! Bob

Tyvek is a good idea but I think a piece of Gortex is a better one since it is used in shoes and designed to be glued and laminated to leather. Cya! Bob

Thanks! Great idea! I'll do some testing this week. No hard feeling either! Cya! Bob

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have subsequently received a sample and they require straps that are 9 feet in length tapering from 3/4" to 1/4" near the end, There cannot be an apparent splice so a scarf will be required. I believe I may be able to get away with double thickness for the splice if there's a smooth transition have done a few splice samples and they seem to hold up though who knows when they are used in the field. I will use latigo but have not yet received the order so it may all be moot. Cya! Bob

Yes indeed. Just about the same as undyed veg tan.. Cya! Bob

I have considered a moisture meter but I would have thought if it worked, everyone would be using it? Thanks! Bob

Nicely made! Many of my customers for instrument straps request NO metal or plastic. Cya! Bob

Actually I will be looking at dozens to hundreds of impressions. Some may get repeat orders , others a one off for a dozen or two. Cya! Bob