Timbo

On this saddle does it appear that the stirrup leathers and fenders are riveted all together?? I mean all 3 layers-stirrup leather then fender then back stirrup leather. It kind of looks that way to me. Would there be anything wrong with doing it this way?? Thanks, Tim

Thank you everyone for all the great advice!!! I can't wait to get started. Tim

Thanks for the replies guys!!! So for the string to pass thru I need to drill 2 3/8" holes. I'm guessing probably 3/8 to 1/2" apart?? Any more tips you can give will be much appreciated. thanks again, Tim

.........what size bit do you use??? ....and do you drill thru all the layers of leather including the skirt?? One other thing while I have your attention. What do you use to rough up the tree before putting the glue and leather to it?? and will Barge glue be okay to use where I need glue?? I'm fixin' to dive in and just had a few more questions. Thanks, Tim

........sorry.......it was Johannas fault........she led me astray!!!! Tim

Just so's ya know........I found some wool felt. Comes in different percentages of wool too. I didn't price the 95% wool as it only came in white. But I did price the 87% wool felt which comes in a light grey color. It comes in all thicknesses, but I got a quote for the 3/4" thick stuff. One yard (which is the minimum) by 72" is $164.36. Wow. Can buy 2 sheep for that price. The same thing in a polyester synthetic pad but is 66" by one yard is $26.55 which is way more reasonable but it is still poly. But according to there website it performs better in equestrian use than does wool. So there ya go..........if anybody was wondering. By the way the website I am looking at is http://www.aetnafelt.com/index.htm Tim

This is not necassarily a skeleton rigged saddle but it is a pretty minimal saddle. Question for the saddle makers is.........do you think it could be made from one side??? I will not be taking the ground seat pieces from the same side either. Let me know what you think. Tim

cool

go head and see what they've got for saddle skirting.....I am looking for 10-12 oz see how clean it is and how much. I'll need to sides.thankstim rats just realized I'm 2 hours away......still used to only being one hour away. hopefully you'll check right before you walk out the door.

Mules were used as laborers due to the fact that they are as strong or stronger in some cases than a horse of equal size and the fact that mules like repetitive tasks. I think they actually find comfort in doing the same thing over and over. That is why they use only mules on the rides down into the Grand Canyon, that and they are more surefooted than horses and less skittish. You can't make a mule do something unsafe or something it doesn't want to do......usually because it sees it as unsafe. But I'd ride a mule into the mountains anyday...........ok, I'd like to ride a mule into the mountains but I'm stuck with horses. Another mule breeding tidbit is king jack and giant jack........these are mutant donkeys that are HUGE....so subsequently you can breed them to your mare and get a big full sized mule....the kings and giants used to (more than now anyway) get bred to draft mares and then you'd have these huge draft size (almost) mules. They are so cool!!! I love mules and want one so bad........it would be even better if the ranch I work for bought one or five or six. Thats all my mule trivia for now. Sorry to hijack. Tim ..........and yeah what most people call mulehide is just the greyish blueish work apron splits.

You should play one of the fretless........talk about a weird experience!!!

If anybody has any pics of homemade ones please post them up. Question on stirrup leather stretching though. If your fenders are going to be sewn onto the stirrup leathers do you stretch without the fenders on yet or after you have put the fenders on??? Tim

Thought there might be some folks on here interested in this. It is my brothers website and he builds guitars for a living. I'm pretty proud of his work. Lots of this stuff I've seen first hand and it is equally impressive in person as it is on the web. Wish I had 1/10th of the talent that he has..........but he's always been talented no matter what he does.........and he has done a lot of widely varied stuff over the years, but most of them have to do with sculpting in one way or another. Read his bio and you'll see what I mean. It was pretty amazing how much his dragonwing guitar sold for ........... but then again not really as it is a pretty impressive piece of sculpture. His main dealer recently passed away and has left him in somewhat of a limbo as the guy was a guitar marketing wiz. But he'll rebound.......he always does. Anyway........check it out and enjoy!!! Timbo http://www.divine-jones.com/

I AM LOVIN' THIS THREAD!!!!!!!!!!! Since I am going to build my first saddle this winter and it is going to be a light weight trail saddle, this thread is just what I am looking for. Keep the pics coming guys, if anybody has anything light weight or rigged different post some pics up of it. From what I have come up with David it is very easy to get one of these down to 25 lbs but some can go as low as 17-18 lbs!!! Sure alot easier to sling off and on the horse for sure!! It will also make up for the weight of personal gear I have to carry. Tim

I like the gullet rigging on that rig.........any tricks to it??? Would you nail it on the inside of the gullet?? Tim

......thank you.....thank you very much.........(end bad Elvis impersonation) weird thing is..........they don't sell. Tim

Here are some of mine.........I use wood blocks to wet mold them to the shape of the phone. You could come up with a universal style of block and try that. See what you think. Tim

This thread reminds me of one of my all time favorite saddles. It is pretty minimal but I like it and aspire to build one like it someday. If anyone knows who made it please let me know, cause for the life of me I cannot remember where I got the pic. But it is pretty simple with small skirts and unique rigging. Tim

Sweet I rappel too!!! It sure is hard taking that first step backwards off of the cliff.......ain't it??? After that it's okay!!! That is also one sweet cliff to go off of too!! Looks like alot of fun. I haven't done it for awhile but the outfit I work for does climbing as well..........gonna have to go along on one of those. HUGE LIZARD!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH reptiles creep me out. He would make a cool belt though. I'll stick with my cat. Nice pics!! Tim

These are some handmade tool holders that I made. I use one of the small ones to hold the tools that I need for the project that is in front of me at the moment. Saves having to dig for them and lose your rythm. (I store my tools in a machinist chest) Here is a run down of what they are and how much I am asking and does not include shipping: (all the wood is throughly dried and not green) A: this one is made from aspen and will hold lots of tools, its pretty much a log with a flat spot on the bottom of it. $35.00 B: made for red cedar and is half the log so it sits nice and flat and the big hole can be used for bees wax. $30.00 C: the other half of B with the wax hole in a knot.......B&C are both very stable. $30.00 D: aspen and long and skinny but still stable with a bees wax hole........$20.00 E: aspen again same as above but smaller..........$20.00 F: aspen, same as above smaller still..........$15.00 G: aspen, this is a nice in progress tool holder, small and doesn't get in the way. $12.00 All of the items have no finish or oil on them.........I love the feel of raw wood. The bottoms and ends are all sanded smooth. I do accept Paypal, including credit cards, money orders or possibly even interesting trades for other tools or ?????? Here are the pics: (and thanks!!!! for looking)

.........and for 17.50 for an 8 oz bottle it should do "something" really special. I've used there Rudy's finish for years and love it. Never tried it on the edges though........gonna have to experiment. Tim

Cherry dowels will work fine, I use oak dowels for mine..........Lowes carries them both. Tim

Cool, I like the tooled border (pun intended) and I like that you went to the trouble to make all the engines different. Knuckle, Pan and Shovel. Very, very cool. Good job!!! Tim

........so the bottom layer will be molded to the bars and the top side will be sewn onto that, correct?? Then in the front, same deal but it can also be screwed to the bars and the swell.....also correct?? I am considering making something similar as my first saddle project and also it will be for me to ride in the mountains. Anybody think this is biting off more than I can chew?? Thanks for the help so far!! Tim

So is the skirt 2 layers of leather with the tree bars in between the 2 layers?? Tim