TwinOaks

Could anyone make a suggestion for braiding around corners using the fast/quick basket weave, utilizing the 3 forward, 2 back pattern? I am having a problem getting around the corners neatly. Thanks, Mike

If you make your own item #'s for items you make, you STILL have to account for the components that went into them. At that point you can call them raw materials, as they are part of a larger piece, and you could include them 'at cost' to enhance the sale, but I'd never give them away. Even selling at the retail price for add-ons, you're losing money unless you make a separate entry to show your labor....or price them to include installation whether they're installed or not. And don't forget you'll need to include entries for 'consumables', such as thread, needles, beeswax, pattern paper, etc. Plus, you need to work out a depreciation schedule for your tools and set aside an escrowed account for tool purchase/replacement. As far as which program...any should be fine and it's up to personal preference across the board. I'm not busy enough to need it yet, so I don't use one.

Very good fish,umm... Hammerhead. Now, take those rings and put some of your extremely nice art work on them.

I made a wallet and used 3M 77 to tack down the liner. No movement yet. Oh, and use a straight edge to lay down the fabric so you can avoid bubbles/wrinkles.

When you use the chisel, lightly scribe a line along the edge of the leather. This gives you a guide to follow and stay straight. Then, when you start, overlap the first tong in the last hole so that you only gain n-1 holes per punch. N being the number of tongs on the lacing chisel. Then just walk you way down the edge. Mike

Art, you really over complicated it. Just make the coffee in the pan...it's cuts down on the amount of degreaser you need. When I used to hike a lot (Scouts), I carried a pan, a spoon, a cup, and a frisbee. Frisbees make a nice raised edge dinner plate (so you don't drip), they're really hard to tear up, and they provide after dinner entertainment. Nowadays, you actually have to plan single dish dinners. Used to be that it was the norm, because you only had enough food for one dish. ....mmmmm...ramen noodles. again.

In the good ol' days..... Nah, way before then. Dyes used to be made with a combination of plant extracts, soils, minerals, and animal secretions. I'm sure that there's a way to do it. Kinda like purple used to be made from rotting snails. Humans have just found a quicker and easier way to produce these things in a factory. I'm not sure which alcohol to suggest- my sake comment (I think) was made in jest- but hey it might work. Sure would be a good excuse for getting some sake to experiment with. Use web based search engines to look up ancient leather coloring techniques. I don't remember the URL, but I found one that actually had transcribed the old english / archaic english straight to the screen- funky spellings and all. It laid out how to tan a hide, and color it with natural ingredients to get the basic colors. After that, it's all color wheel practice. Keep this in mind though- our modern chemical colors are MUCH more colorfast than something like elderberry juice. The natural colors faded quickly when exposed to a lot of UV. Mike

Jordan, I think you may have just defined why I like working in leather so much. The left side of my brain screams for perfection- precise measurements, precise angles, equal depth tool marks, and completely streak free, blotch free, perfectly even shading/dyeing. The right side of my brain says, nah, just do it this way, it'll be alright......See? Now isn't that better than all those silly numbers? This brings up a question I've been meaning to ask: Am I weird because I use one modeling tool in each hand simultaneously? Granted, it's only on one piece of leather, but does anyone else do that?

I dont' know about the interaction of neatsfoot oil and carnuba wax, so ANYONE if they can't be mixed, please speak up. My suggestion is basically like the last one- soften the fibers with carnuba wax, then slick them down. I did this to a set of reins using only Aussie conditioner. I more or less saturated the flesh side, then spent about half an hour per rein slicking down the flesh. End result was that the flesh side looked...burnished....for lack of a better description. Lots of pressure when you rub them down, too.

Nice case Josh! You're really coming along with the leaves, and it's a nice touch with the 'plank' letters.

I may be interested. There are a few questions here that might generate more interest. What's the general expected turn around time? Is shipping covered both directions? What type coloring and finish, if any are you wanting? Will the carver be signing the work? (personally, I'm pretty proud of my work and would prefer to sign) Is it just carving, or will there be stamping and stitching/lacing involved? What is the pay scale for this type work. 10-12 hours of detailed carving on a piece is great practice, but not for cents on the dollar. (no offense intended) There's more I'm sure, but those six pop into mind first.

Cindy, I hate to have to say this, but no one is giving up the secret, at least not publicly. Here's a hint I gave another member: Look at the leather, see how it reacts to different things- including something that doesn't have to be there. I know that one will really twist your noggin in a knot, but that's the best way to get you to see it. Whew! Ol' Bilbo would've been royally up a creek if he'd had to figure this one out.

Sure Kevin, just rub it it.... As always, beautiful work. You've got a great touch with design.

Wow!!! That is fantastic work, hands down. I'm sitting here comparing the picture to one in my hand (purchased), and your work is much better. I'd say you definitely have a future doing this type work.

Jordan, you mean you don't routinely run into questions like: " Can you make a LH 5-6oz VTL IWB for my CZ...in black?

ummmm.... Some of my friends think that connecting to an unsecured ISP/router is akin to stealing bandwidth. Some of my friends feel that if you have the technical savvy to use a wireless router, or have the sense to have someone set up a wireless router if you don't, then you should be aware that broadcast signal reaches fairly far. If you don't want someone riding your bandwidth, use the security settings on the router. I agree with my friends. However, accessing a secure router through nefarious means (aka hacking), in my opinion, is wrong.

Well, if you insist on replacing the Irish Linen..... Neat idea, really. I'm thinking an embossed veg-tan cow leather really is the better choice, instead of real lizard. To me, the durability is going to be critical, unless you plan on covering the 'hide' with a clear coat. And if you do decide on the smooth finish of a clear coat, authentic vs. embossed isn't really an issue. I suppose there's a niche for something like that, maybe on high end custom cues. Me? I like my plain jane smooth finish on my Kikel.

Size?

Hi and welcome to Leatherworker.net.

I'd think it'd work well to make a bracelet then add attached loops for the watch attachment points. And instead of snaps/studs/loops you simply braid in a loop for the buckle. Look up Anne's bracelet, or the one Leatheroo made- that's what I'm basing the idea on.

You wanted one of THOSE? Why didn't you mention that you were interested in relics from the late paleolithic era? I've got a few spare ones laying around here ....

...!

Another very important issue is the thickness of the leather. The rivet should (in my experience) just barely protrude from the leather- not much more than a bump. If it protrudes too far, you'll end up bending the post instead of 'mushrooming' it. I've had a few problems with the rivets and snaps, but almost every single one of them was related to having the right sized post for the thickness of leather. Of course, I've also skived a little here and there to make use of what I had, too.

Nice job Tom! I too had thought that the case looked waaaayyyy to adaptable to just be a card case.

Reading the problems listed, and having a little bit of knowlege about phone services, my thought is that Telus' PBX is severely outdated. Or, basically, the place where all the calls go is so old and technologically old that it's doing the best it can. I'd almost bet money that collectively, local bandwidth has greatly increased. Your area isn't alone, as a guy named Jerry(friend of a friend of a family member) is going all over the country and tearing out the old systems and installing new ones for the various phone companies. In some places, the removed equipment was a few decades old and still the vital comm link for entire communities. Sounds like your area, yes? Have you seen the commercial for a computer server system where there's a great big room and just one little computer, and a guy says "hey, where'd all the servers go!?!?" , the next guy says, "They're all right here." (pointing to a new and itty bitty box on the floor) It's kinda like that. Of course, there is another option that noone has mentioned- Check and see if there's a competitor to Telus that is looking to expand. You'd probably need your political contacts to actually make those calls, but it's worth a shot. Good luck in your endeavors.