TwinOaks

Chrome tanned leather typically has a gray or gray/white center and doesn't case worth a dang. For lining, I'd suggest some really thin (skived down even) leather like 1-2 oz vegtan. Or, alternately you could consider pigskin, but I've heard some comments that it grabs at the weapon making draws quite a bit slower.

Welcome back, Ken!

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The stylus will compress the leather where the knife cuts it. If you want permanent results, use the knife. The knife also makes a much finer line. This isn't to say that a stylus shouldn't be used at all, but I think the knife is better for the long grain lines.

From what I can see of it, it looks very clean and well molded. The shadows jump out, and the flash reflection kinda kill the details, but if the rest is as good as what I can see....ya done real good.

Expanding on what hidepounder said... It's a good idea to have at least two blades for your swivel knife. One with the 'standard' bevel, and one with a much shallower bevel. You don't have to get it from Peter Main, though I'm sure his tools are top quality. You can just get a spare blade and (use a jig for this) re-bevel the edge on both sides. This will result in a much wider cut. Also, with LOTS of practice, you can "slide" the blade through a curve to widen it a bit more. The best visual I can give you for this is to picture a car taking a corner sideways, skidding/sliding around it, then straightening back up.

Fashion one? No, not easy to do. Purchase one at Lowe's or Home Depot? Very easy. Install is straight forward, as it is in series with the 'hot' side of the ballast output. You could actually just wire a starter directly to the wiring, with no socket/base, but this is not a safe thing to do for the fixture. However, for testing, it would work. There's a few variables to check on, too. First, ensure that you have a good lamp- which I will presume you've done. Second, make sure the lamp and ballast are suited to each other. A "rapid start' lamp typically has problems running on an 'instant start' ballast, and vice-versa. The only thing that really comes to mind is that if the ballast has normal output, that the wiring is allowing the ballast to complete the circuit without the lamp, or is otherwise bypassing the lamp.

I have GOT to get me one of those!!! I love the caliber, but I bet that Bersa 308 kicks like a mule!

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I made my batch using cheap walmart white vinegar.

Happy Thanksgiving from Mobile! I'll add two to the list of things for which to be thankful. My parents were able to travel down and we'll be meeting up with them for the feast, and I've got a tentative job interview in the next week or so. The new position involves a little less travel than what I'm currnetly doing, and almost double my current salary. Opportunity knocked and I'm answering.

On several strap related items such as belts or stirrup straps, I've saturated the leather with carnuba cream, waited until it was all soaked up, then coated with Aussie. My dad has a 40 year old belt that he made for his father. It was treated similarly, using Neat-lac as the top coat. After daily use by my grandfather (RIP) it's STILL pliable and in good condition. As for Tan-Kote, I've not experimented with application over Aussie, but Aussie seems to go over IT pretty well.

The lamp, though circular is still made the same way as all other flourescents- it's a glass tube with cathodes on the ends. One lead of the new ballast should go to one "end" of the lamp, repeat with the other "end" of the lamp. The colors of the wires are inconsequential at this point, except to keep them straight. Just make sure that the pair of wires, whether b/b or b/w attach at the same end of the lamp. As I previously stated, it will probably work with only one wire attached because there's only one of each lead coming from the ballast. Connect one wire from the female to the new plug, then touch the other lead to each of the other three wires. Use insulated pliers if you're uncomfortable handling the energized (insulated)wire. I still think using a power strip instead of the fixture mouted switch is a better way of switching it.

Internal vs. External is exactly what it sounds like- it's where the medium is mixed with the airflow. For dyes, I think the internal is better- a more even atomization. If you're spraying finishes, external may be wiser, depending on the finish. If it's something that could get really gummy, like Neat-lac, you just have to be sure that you clean it out well before it dries.

Thanks for the additional pics, it helps to clarify what we're discussing. Now I can really see the new ballast. At this point, since you've eliminated the circuit board, all the female plug wires do is connect the new ballast to the lamp. Look at the female plug- you'll see that both black wires are on the same side, but on the circuit board they go to separate terminals from the white ones, y1 (blk), w1 (wht); and presumably y2, w2. Just look at the circline lamp and be sure that the black wires both go to one 'side' of the lamp. This will be easy, as the plug should be keyed. If they both go to the same side, which it appears to do on the presumption that the pic of the female plug is oriented the way it plugs into the lamp, hook the black wires together and to one of the ballast leads. Repeat with white wires. I suppose to be "correct" it should be the ribbed side of the cord, but it won't really matter. All the electronic circuit routing is carried out INSIDE the little black box, and the ends you have to work with are just the ballast output. The power goes in one side of the lamp, and out the other. It probably isn't even neccessary to have both leads (of a pair) connected. If you try it with only 1 black, 1 white and the end of the lamp just glows, it needs both. On retrofits, where mag. ballasts are replaced with electronic ballasts, it's typical to have two wires to the socket (each side of a bi-pin lamp end) and we just run the single lead for that lamp to it and tie all three together. That makes the other end of the lamp the return side and they all share a common lead. If by chance, the black wires are split to each end of the lamp, just pair them up as on the circuit board. To use the switch, simply put it in series with one side of the circuit. Be aware that if you break the neutral side, you'll still have the ballast output running to the lamp which may prematurely burn out the cathode inside the lamp. I think a better option in this case is to have the new ballasts plugged into a power strip with the switch in that, because the ballast output isn't usually switched. It's almost always on the power supply to the ballast. Plus, the new ballasts don't have a switch installed so it probably is intended to be just unplugged when not in use. Another benefit is that if everything goes completely wrong, you'll kill the fuse in the strip instead of tripping the breaker in the house, causing a temporary blackout at the precise moment something critical happens on "Heroes".

Okay, Now I see what you're dealing with....I guess the pic is worth quite a few words, huh? Provided the cord from the plug in units you have are delivering the output voltage of the ballast (this seems to be the case) then you are correct- tie the four leads from the lamp plug to the new cord as you propose. The three wire cord that is previously the power supply is as follows: black wire is the hot, white wire is the ground (commonly called neutral), and the green wire is the grounding wire. Green wire's job is to ground the fixture, supply an alternate path to ground for the voltage, if the normal path to ground is interupted. Basically, it's there to keep you from getting the stuffing knocked out of you when a wire burns out and contacts the metal of the fixture. From your last post, you mention the ribbed wire connects to the white (power supply cable) wire. I think you may have the reason why it burned out- it sounds like the ballast was wired backwards. As I read it, the plug/cord unit you have is an enclosed unit and the cord is the output from a ballast. If you have the tools to do so, use a volt meter to check continuity between the circuit and the fixture body to ensure it isn't shorting out, before plugging it in (should be no continuity, and (0)zero means theres no resistance which = dead short), and the output from the ballast you have- at the end of the cord, of course. As long as the fixture isn't shorted to the circuit, and all presumptions about the cord from the transformer body are correct, you should be fine. Please be careful with this project, and if you are unsure about something, consult a local electrician. I give this advice in an attempt to help you out, but I obviously can't pick it up and test it myself, so I might be missing something. I'm a little bit uncomfortable with giving the advice, and I won't be insulted at all if you need to take it to someone for a hands on look at it. Good luck with the repairs.

Ed, you sure find some interesting problems to adopt. I'll start off by saying "use only manufacturer recommended replacement parts", to C.M.A. If the plug they sent you has exposed ends/wires, it probably attaches at the starter plug. If instead, it has a pin and ring plug, I'm not so sure without having "eyes on". If you're intent on using the magnetic replacements, I suggest checking around for an electrical supply house, or possibly a lighting center to check for the BL022. It's an inline ballast. Connect the line side (hot from the wall) to one of the ballast wires, and the other ballast wire to the starter, and from starter to one end of the lamp. Other end of the lamp returns to ground.(the neutral wire).Staying with what they sent: Keep in mind that most two wire cords like that have ribs/ridges on one side of the cord. That's your 'hot'. I advise staying away from the .pdf modification. There are several things "wrong" with it, primarily, placing a core and coil transformer in the base without any mounting points. Those transformers generate a fair amount of heat, and are made the way they are so that they can radiate some of that heat away. Wrapping with electrical tape is a bad idea. Likewise, wrapping the connections with electrical tape is a band aid at best. It's better to choose a connector type that doesn't leave exposed conductors which complies with the NEC 410.5, no live parts shall be exposed. NEC410.130 (G), [2,3] basically says "you've gotta have a way to cut power at the fixture" so we use a little connector made by Ideal- part no. 30-102. It's safe and leaves NO exposed wires. Even if you decide to use spade clip connectors, choose the type that is completely enclosed in insulation, or use a butt connector and put heat shrink over it. I also have to ask what the cost of all this is going to be. Most items these days are more or less "disposable", and are built for replacement rather than repair. If the fixture was built with a small physical size electronic ballast, the magnetic one may not fit in the fixture. At that point, you've got a magnifying glass on an arm. It might be better to update the lighting in your whole work area. In anycase, proceed with caution, and make sure your power is disconnected. I'll try to answer further questions as I can. This type of de-retrofitting can get a little screwy at times. Personally, I'd look for a 6 foot long LED rope light and coil it inside the round reflector, gut the wiring, and replace it with the power supply for the LED.

Gimme an idea of what you're wanting and I'll see what I can do- where will it open, what kind of closure, strap/no strap, window, wrap around, etc......

As it happens, I'm an electrician who's currently working for a lighting service company as a lighting technician. You've posted this in exactly the right place!!! When you post the pics of the ballasts, please include the wiring diagram which is usually on one side of the ballast, or occasionally on an included sheet of paper. Armed with those, I should be able to guide you through the replacement. If it is what I'm thinking, you may also need to purchase a starter for it. It really depends on the fixture. Please note that the type of lamp you use is determined by the type of ballast, or if the lamp is good, the lamp determines the type of replacement ballast. I find it odd that you've opted to use magnetic ballasts over electronic. A lot of what I do is retrofit electronic ballasts to fixtures containing magnetic. Years ago, magnetic was the best available and they were built differently (read as BETTER). I've changed out magnetics that are date stamped as early as 1964. The newer magnetic ballasts only have a warranty of 24 months, and some not even that long. 'Ballast' and 'transformer' are NOT synonomous in a technical sense, but are often used to talk about the same thing. In your case, it isn't possible to distinguish between the two, as it is a one piece unit. In other systems, like pole lights, the components are more modular. A ballast will contain a transformer, a capacitor, and depending on the application, an ignitor or starter. In your type of application, everything will be sealed in a neat little box.

+1 to Johanna's remark about shorter lace. Not only does the edge get ratty, but repeated pulling of the lace through the 'holes' tends to kill the finish on the lace. You end up with lace that's nice and shiney at the beginning, and dull at the end. Also think about lacing something like a photo album, with a perimeter measurement of ~3 feet (or a meter for our non-US members). Calculate how much lace you'd need to wrap it with a round braid, and imagine pulling that much lace through every hole....twice. Now that you're wincing at the agony of the thought, would you like to have one of my cats?

Do Fobus holsters count?

Ray, I'd like to address the issue of the needle coming off the lace. If you're doing it right, it'll never happen. You shouldn't be pulling with the needle- it's only a hard straight tool to point the lace through tight spots like holes, and over/under patterns. If the needle and lace won't pass easily through the hole/slit, you need to wallow it out with the needle or back the needle out and use the fid.

Congrats Ferret! Now the pressure is on, 'cause you've got to produce a FINE wallet with your new instruction. And don't forget the pics.

Tina, I am always impressed with your art.

Nice looking site, but I agree with JustWakinUp, a little image tweaking could help. ...and under pistol types: Ruger SP101.