Hidemechanic

I know it's been awhile but I thought I'd comment for others wondering. I have seen a saddle made with harness, it was a hunting rig to go with a pack outfit. It was a minimalist design as harness is heavy, held up well. I designed an endurance saddle that I covered with black latigo, was an english/western hybrid. Kind of a mother Hubbard/in skirt affair. Fender looked kinda goofy but when that long legged gal was in the seat everything fit. Was ridden hard and still going strong over the Northwest trails.

Well, I bought it. I got to know the well enough to know that working on industrial sewing machines is his livelihood, so I felt I could take him at his word. His description of the Consew 166RB is that it is the predecessor to the 205RB, I think I got that right. In any case he said it would do what I was wanting it for. It is in awesome condition and though it was more than I wanted to pay, it was head and shoulders above all the alternatives I was considering. It was well worth the 3hr drive. It did make me nurvous that I couldn't find any info on the net about it other than a parts list. Though I do sew sew other materials besides leather I did put it though it's paces with layers of 12oz. and 4oz in combinations thereof. Quite happy GH

No body knows anything about these? I don't want to drive 3-6 hours to find out they aren't what I want. I find the information the sellers give is not always reliable. Anyone had any experience with these models? Thanks

No body knows anything about these? I don't want to drive 3-6 hours to find out they aren't what I want. I find the information the sellers give is not always reliable. Anyone had any experience with these models? Thanks

Anyone familiar with this model? Mitsubishi CA-402E I can't find anything

Does anyone know anything about the Consew 166R? What little I can find , it appears to be a walking foot with reverse but I wonder if the needle bar woks in conjunction (Moves forward and back) with the foot feed.. I also wonder if it would only be good on light leathers if that. Any ideas or info on this machine? I deas on value? Thanks GH

Yeah the 2 needle machine is out, besides the job I was going to get one for I will probably need a bigger shop two and I'm not ready to go there yet. As for the 111, I'm used to manual oiling, I'm just trying to expand my capabilities with out too much expense. I figure if I can get into one for around 300. I can upgrade again later when things pick up.Machine sales are kinda flat around here at the moment. Thanks, GH

I'm shopping again and see a Singer 112w115(on CL) , problem is the guy said the uptake lever needs replaced. The big question is would a bad uptake lever indicate other problems? I'm still trying to find out what the prob is, but the guy doesn't communicate too well(about 3hrs away) I presume it isn't too difficult to replace, don't know about availability. Also I'm looking at what appears to be a Singer 111-155 ( waiting to confirm), Can anyone give me an idea of how it might compare to a Consew 206rb1 ? These are not necessarily going to be used for leather as I do other sewing too. Thanks much. GH

Okay, that's good info. Now for the embarrassing part. Big surprise, right? I put the needle in 180 out. The gal that owns it noticed and turned it and was sewing on it when i got the to look it over. Well another lesson learned, don't over look the simple stuff. Really appreciate you responding Wiz. GH (head down) 8P

That would be one of those obvious things one overlooks if it is(I hope). The kind we like. Would I totally mess up the timing if I removed the shuttle to get a good look at it? Thanks

I realize the 415 probably isn't a leather machine, but at this time I am not sewing leather, (gotta make a buck). I'm sewing for someone on their machine and the thing broke a needle and now I can't get it to sew right. At first after replacing the needle I could sew okay in forward but reverse would break the top thread. It was also clicking so I straitened the plate so the feed dog was clearing it again. Clicking went away. I had a lot of straight work to do and was able to get it done but when I went back to doing work that required back tacking things went south. I'm not sure the needle size is right, the replacement looks bigger than the one I was using. Needle sizes drive me knutts anyway but that's another topic. Is there anything else I can look for to see if something got misaligned when the needle broke? Needle bar adj? other timing? Smaller needle? The repair guy wont be able to come around til next week and we have a lot of work to get done before that.(deadlines) If someone would help me troubleshoot this problem I would be grateful. GH

Dan, how did your hunt turn out? Curious about the pix..GH

elkayr, I've used beads, drilled antler, anything you can think of. Even leather like Spence said. A piece about 1", a hole ponched near the ends then fold the piece lining up the holes, run you strings though and slide it up where you want it. You can use anything that will create a bight on your string yet slide where you need it to.GH

I think I remember that post about the 90-9-1 %. One of those topics I added that you can and need to know how to fire a customer. We all have seen them, the person who walks in your door all self important and micro-managing everything you do, if they know so much why aren't they in the business types. I know it's easy for us to sit back and say do this or do that, there are other factors we can't deal with in person for you, we can only suggest and hope something makes sense for you CJF. If you didn't carve initials or any other personal items on this saddle you have the option of letting the customer walk away and you can at some point sell the saddle and recoup something. Or you can explain to her, with authorety, that you did what she told you to do and it's not your fault that she didn't know her saddle parts. (that's a lesson she has to learn) Also, though it didn't tern out as she expected, it is still a vary nice saddle. [As far as I can see what you did made the design work look ballenced, I think what she intended would not have] And all saddles have stitching on the skirts, that's what holds things together. She may have been thinking about stiching in fenders or seat jockys which is optional, but not skirts. I think if you were to explain this to her that, she would see the error of her ways and come around, that is if she has any sense of reason. It's hard to do custom work long distance, and it's worse when you are dealing with someone who gives the impression they know what they are talking about. I sympathize with your situation. Let us know how it terns out. Best wishes GH

I probably am not going the direction you are thinking, but I do want to sympathize with the search for Spanish designs. I found that there are a multitude of designs depending on region. I had a hard time locating examples. My family would make fun of me when we were out at Mexican resteraunts, and I would be tracing designs off of tiles. However not all designs you see in a resteraunt are true examples. I don't trust some of the patterns we see in modern leather books or some of those in holster pat books but that's personal problem of my oun. Here is an example of one I found I think is from south or central America(I would enlarge the leaves a bit next time). I like the looks of ChuckB's last example I look forward to more examples, Good luck. GH

Thought I'd check with folks here first before I out these on fleebay. I have clicker dies for an english saddle and some other misc. dies and paterns. I never used them so I can't tell much about them other than they are in good condition. the pix show dies for seat, side panels, girth parts,and what I presume are drops for harnes. The paterns are for various things I don't recognise. There are three pat marked small,med,and large on what could be bags or brief folders. Anyone have any interest, let me know,. Thanks GH

JD, we're a few weeks old now, not sure if you made a decision, but my suggestion is to look for another horse. Not sure what kind of riding you are doing either. I have seen so many people with saddle fit problems and the fit issue, the majority of the time, comes down to the horse not having the typical build that most commercial saddles are designed for. I know, it's easy to get attached quickly to the horses we ride, but that attachment has to, IMO, include the well being and comfort of the horse. I (and many on this board)am constantly explaining to people that the saddle that they need for their horse just isn't out there. Their major choices are, have a saddle made that later may not fit other horses, and find a horse with a well conformed back that will accept more of the commercial saddles. My main thing with people in your situation with a big shouldered horse is finding something that almost fits, and trying to make due. The horse may not tell you but it will hurt at some point. I'm sure you want him to be comfortable when you ride him. Wish you luck

Kelly, if you are building a saddle, as Timbo and Bruce said, you would build the pouch as to attach to the cantle cover before the cantle cover is attached to the tree. I have put them on already built saddles. I built the pouch, pinked the edges then use escutchin pins in the pinking to attach the pouch to the saddle. You may have to remove the skirts for better access to the lower parts of the pouch, it gets tricky. I pre-punch the holes then set the pins with a drive punch. Hope this helps. GH

TC, I guess I would ask "how authentic do you need to get". A museum piece or one that would be scrutinized for every little detail that would have ocurred in the mid 1800s would have a higher level of detail. But if you are making a saddle intended for use, then I would incorporate modern technics with the vintage appearance. Remember many working saddles in those days didn't last much over a year of hard use partly because of the materials they had to use back then which is why were have few examples from those aras. As Timbo said there were different grades of leather in the 1800s as well as in the 1900s which necessitated layering, plugging and blocking. If you are building a user saddle I don't think using any of the modern technics in the foundation of the saddle will deminish the vintage appearance. One last thought, I have to remind myself that we are used to seeing 'vintage' items in our time that have 'charactor' from age. I think sometimes we forget that these vintage items did look new when they were first built. So We have to decide if we want our vintage recreations to look vintage or look as they did in the ara in which they were built. That depends on what we are going for or who the target customer is. Just a thought. I look forward to seeing the finished product. GH

D.A.K. That's a good explaination. Some things we do and never think about articulating the details of the process. Nice work too btw. Who made the tree? GH

When I was doing freight deliveries about a year ago I had several heating and cooling outfits I went to who had scrap sheet metal, some times you can talk them out of some good pieces or get them to give you a deal on pieces they don't want to mess with. Steve, are JW's buck roll inserts solid? GH

Tex, You might be doing what I do some times and over thinking this thing. I wind up wanting to build something to last and to hold up to the unexpected, but 9 times out of 10 that is never going to happen so my plan winds up bing overkill. So, I have to talk myself through the actual use and need of the item I am making and if it needs overkill or if I can get by with less and still do the job without making it cheep. In this case,what situation do you expect these bags to get into that will need two straps? The flap is already longer wider and heavier than a plain flap so that will help keep it down. Next, they are fancy, showy type of bags, are they really going to be used in an extreme situation that would warent two straps? I agree with Mule, that you can attach the billit to the concho and run it to about the bottom of the flap, then run the buckle strap from the back of the bag long enough to go up the billit to close when the bag is full. When you think about it you are still building a set of bags like any other, but adding the angora after the billit is attached. Don't get stuck thinking you have to make them like the Cavs bags, you don't have to use slots, you can stitch or rivit. Here's a couple pix of ideas to work with, with out the angora so you can get an idea Hope this helps. GH

Welcome Clair, Coincidently, I was in John Day yesterday(picked up a load of critters) I've thought about looking you up but always hate to drop in on someone without prior notice. Seen your work on your web site, but first found out about you while making deliveries on my JD-Burns run about a year ago, can't remember if it was a saddle or poster I saw in a window on the east end of town. I think I was delivering to a flooring store a couple doors down. Later I saw your sign on the way to Prairie City. Nice little place you have in God's Country. Look forward to seeing your contributions.GH(Redmond)

I didn't mean to get people riled up. Though I also don't want to sound insulting about anyone's idea of 'bomb proof', I will say that I know my animals and I'm smart enough to know what my limits are and what their limits are and I wont ask them to do anything that I don't know they can handle. Some of us remeber things we did in our youth as well as things our parents or grandparents did that would now be concidered as child endangerment. Today we allow our kids to ride vehicles and participate in activities that can and have had minor to desaterous conciquences. We take chances everyday. What some folks don't understand is that it is easy for one person who has little information about a subject can judge others for having low intellegence or little concern for safety. My example is that my horses have grown up with me and my kids have grown up with them and we all have respect and understanding of each other. I wouldn't take your horse and do things with it and my youngsters that I would do with horses because we don't have that relationship and understanding. I know my horses accept me and my kids as part of their herd and intellagent herds take care of each other. I thought I told this story somewhere on the board but I'll mention it here as an example. I just arived back home one afternoon on my gelding with my toddler in my lap(in the saddle), his holder brother had just gotten off the bus.On his way to the house to meet us he picked up the garbage can and carried it over his shoulder. When he came around the corner I was just letting my youngest down to the ground. My gelding was startled and began spinning by the time he realised my son and the garbage can he had made three full circles without going anywhare(spinning in place). He stopped and calmed down, I stepped off and my toddler was sitting right under the gelding's belly. The horse made a perfect circle around him and not one hoof print was inside that circle where my son sat. Though the horse was startled he knew exactly where my son was and where his feet were going. Now you can call me nuts or whatever you want but if you don't have that kind of relationship with your horse you can't understand. Here's some pix of my boys with their horses. Regards, GH

Mort, everybody responding pretty much at one point or another has said most of what I have been thinking here except that it has taken three pages to say it and resay it. The first thing that bothered me was you appear to have assumed that driving a truck over a tree was equivalant to "Strength Testing". It has nothing to do with the strength of a saddle. That was a gimmick that was used by Ralide years ago that may have givin the impression to some that that was a standard of testing. It's far from it and absurd to believe it is. Secondly, you mentioned that 'sales person in you', your hole approach to this discussion has sounded to me like the point of view of a salesman. That is, you obviously have done a lot of reading up and talking to people,and though you have a lot of ideas you have no opinion as yet because you have no experience in most of what you are suggesting. They are good ideas and you have a good start on a philosophy, but your 'passion' seems to have little to do with building trees or saddles. I think you need to stop talking about it and get in the shop and start working out the details in practical application and bring the results back to us or whomever for evaluation. There are some engineers on this site that can offer suggestions and experience to help you fine tune things or tell you what their hurdles were. Serro Gordo some years back was building carbon fiber trees but I think if was not cost effective at the time and he quit. I never got a chance to build on one though I was interested. Maybe you can hunt him down and talk to him about his experiences. I'm sorry, but talking for the sake of talking without any practical experamentation gives me a head ache. I wish you luck in your persutes though, let us know how you progress. GH