TVvoodoo
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Posts posted by TVvoodoo
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OK let's try that direct upload function here with this post
Hey, it works!
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On 4/3/2024 at 2:44 PM, JohnJohnson said:That's a cool combination of hobbies. Your guitar slings look good, and it's awesome that you've found a way to blend your love for leathercraft with your passion for guitar.
Thanks John! Guess it's about time I updated with some newer fun stuff too... Still at it, continuing to grow my guitar strap brand and general skillset.
Fabric and leather combo
Simple tooling combined with painted detail
In combo with a found item
Some creative re-dying
Not afraid to try something
Sometimes it's all about pattern and texture.
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Real nice! love the thick black edge
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I received a tool I ordered from @texasleathertools - first impressions (LOL), nice quality... could use a slightly thicker shaft in my opinion. Came with a neato-o hard plastic stamp cover/protector I will not be using.
One thing that drove me a bit nuts was the largish square brass billet left as a remaining part of the head after the cnc action. I found it was really blocking my ability to see what I was doing for accurate stamp placement.
Few minutes with a grinder solved that. But other than that tool supplier checks out for me.
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12 hours ago, RockyAussie said:Nice looking work the @TVvoodoo. Are you running a web page yet? You can put the link here as well which may help. Welcome to the pro world
No I don't maintain a web page.
I am using a platform site, Reverb.com - which targets musicians, as well as a bit of advertising outreach via digital programmatic and retargeting. I do spend about a hour a day doing social media too, guitar focused forums just like this one, facebook, reddit etc.
I tried branching out into etsy (they own reverb) for the slings recently, but I couldnt' work my way past some of the business registration issues. I do have a fully legit business but for some reason they wouldn't accept my business number... all this stuff is automated these days, and try to get somebody on the phone for customer service? Sheesh!
Here's my reverb.com store LINKY_WINKY if anyone is interested in checking it out. I am pretty proud of my near 750 five star delivery/feedbacks.
thanks for your kind comments
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I was looking back in my profile and saw I posted in the member gallery over seven years ago. I'm still working mainly on guitar straps, leather, fabric, other materials - at the time it was a hobby, now it's pretty much full time. I enjoy being my own boss so to speak, not quite a starving artist, but kinda hungry? I'm done working for the man, in my late 50's but I figure I can still make income for another 20 years or so at this, maybe more if my eyes hold out.
Not tooling as much as I'd like as the return on time investment is a bit of a gamble. Maybe if I was better at it. About two years after my first post here I picked up a Consew RB1, and that really helped me level up my game.
Anyway, here's some more recent things out of my shop
About 30% of my work is full custom, by now I've been at it a long enough time to start to make a bit of a brand, most of it online sales. I've gained some inroads to a few area guitar shops eager to show my work, and they provide the odd custom referral. With the stores, it's a tough game though. To carry my stuff I have to leave good meat on the bone for them and deep discount, but it's still a way to expand my brand and move online platform dead stock that's been sitting too long. I also plan to attend a guitar show in October, which would be my second one of those. The shows are arduous and chaotic, the travel and preparation is a real time suck!
This fall I felt it was time to branch into rifle slings. I took a look at my community noting there are about four or five times more hunters than guitarists so this should bump up some local sales, at least I hope. I am ever the optimist. More often or not i come of with a cool new design, flesh it out, make a bunch, then do my thing with writing snappy copy, take great pics and list them, only to have it all fall kind of flat on me. Maddening!
I'm also going to rent some local tables in November, see if I can't move some slings maybe a guitar strap or two at local Xmas craft sales, hopefully gain some custom work by showcasing in front of the public.
Much more comfortable making and selling guitar straps than gun slings as I've been a steady guitarist since my my early teens, but haven't held a hunting license since about age 16 or so but we shall see. Trying some some out of the box stuff because I feel my brand needs to be a little different - I see so much stuff out there already that seems so very similar between makers. Maybe that's also a mistake?. Won't know until I try!
If anyone has any questions, fire away!
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Thank you fellas! tooling commission on the table today, grad gift!
Grey dye stage this aft, after tooling pretty much the whole morning. Includes
a Calgary flaming horse (alternate hockey logo) on the backside of it where the bolt ends.
Going to be deep black coming, and some silver metallic on top.
Been a while since I tooled anything. You can definitely feel the rust on your chops when you start would be better to tool something at least every week
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1 hour ago, battlemunky said:Those turned out quite nice!
Just curious, where'd the strap template come from, I think I want to make a few of those.
I made my own template. There are templates for straps? I had no idea!
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I'm sorry I forgot to post finished pic
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Still doing this, while it's been sometimes a starving artist sort of existence, I so far have not been compelled to leave my shop for other employment. Some newer examples...
Pearloid plastic inset To match Gibson custom headstock
Another of those "found item" belts incorporated into a strap
A little madness is always fun... Regan theme... this skin coloured garment leather was super freaky to work with.
Using a stamp creatively
Below an original full design of my own... really luxe and elegant
Gaining more custom jobs by word of mouth mostly... it's nice to have paying jobs! When no customary are on the bench, I still build every day for a storefront online.
This van gogh Starry Night piece was my first painted strap. Crazy thing!
"Simple tooled" for texture, dyed for a color base, then painted with acrylic.
Having fun, Working hard, always learning and trying new things. Musicians are fun and chill people to work with mostly.
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I do! LoL!
But yours are much nicer, as mentioned... super clean.
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Oh my... @rahere does that means I get to buy more gear? LOL! I was toying with some sort of glitter effect, or paint pens in my brain, but gold foil I did not think of. Definitely stronger.
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thank you!
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I have a fellow who wants me to make him a guitar strap that has the feel of this image below but in a more blue and green colour scheme.
Wondering if anyone more experienced than I might have suggestions on how to approach this concept... with dye/tooling/paint etc
It's the fine lines/transparency with texture thing that has me rather baffled.
Incidentally this is the last project I completed for him.
Fella likes his fancy straps!
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15 hours ago, Spyros said:Very very nice, well done. I love the woven leather, it's the kind of thing I'd reach out to touch just because it looks so plush, even though I'm not a guitar guy.
It makes sense to me that users always make the best accessories because they know how things are used. Like photographers make the best camera straps, gun owners design the best holsters etc.
About the overflow of ideas, if you're slowly making this into a business don't get carried away. Your time is your biggest cost, try to focus on 2-3 basic designs you are confident you can make relatively quickly and just offer them in slight variations, different colors etc. Even if they're not your favourites, those are your moneymakers. Make sure people don't get frustrated waiting for months, and when you start getting recurring business you can slowly start offering more.
Solid ideas and advice, thank you
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Longtime lurker, rare poster... I've been pretending to play guitar for many more years than leathercraft, but by combining the two over the past ten years it has put a big smile on my face, and faces of a number of friends too. I combine all kinds of materials and lots of leather to create sturdy and comfortable guitar slings. It has been mostly just a hobby/side gig for a number of years but the Covid situation got me laid off my regular job in March so this is becoming more important to my family in the past few months.
Some photos of my craft... beaded on leather base
Game of thrones "House Stark" edition
woven leather, great texture, just like a sporty vintage red convertible steering wheel!
Not super confident in my tooling /dyeing/finishing, but I'm slowly improving on that end. Just have to put the hours in, make all the mistakes LOL
Vintage guitar strap style embroidered ribbon combined with leather nicely elevates an old classic
Not too shy to sew found items like an old vintagey studded belt from the thrift to a new leather base to create a new one of a kind item
Lots of possibilities. Sometimes my mind goes loopy in the workshop... working on one project, I come up with four more ideas. Not enough time! Could be the glue.
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thanks brothers-appreciate the encouragement - I'm in Canada BTW - lots of long cold winters and super short daylight hours, so hobbies are kind of a good thing to have
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Hello, my name is Brad. I am a total amateur as far as real leather work goes. I have been sewing guitar straps for a few years now, made mostly from repurposed leather jackets and stuff.
I am using a "hot-rodded" Singer 185J, for sewing which I hope can last me for a bit longer.
I recently purhased some tools, (and there is so many more I suddenly realize I need) adn some bellies and am beginning to start on working
on some veg-tan straps. I am here to learn from y'alls on tooling tips, and dying, staining and other finishing.
I am a member of several guitar forums, so I am no stranger to the fun world of hobby/fetishes LOL -I started into strapping in making
theme/custom straps for my own custom finished guitars, then it sort of branched out from there.
Last weekend I tooled and finished my very first guitar strap from zero - it made me at the very least NOT want to dump my tools in the round filing cabinet.
Here's some pics - I am not too proud for critique, I know I have TONS to learn. First off, I have to learn how to hold my tools so that my hand
doesn't cramp up so bad - I also need to figure out that whole stropping thing, and get some rouge and keep my knife sharp.
Also, I think I might be using the wrong tools for the right job, or viseyversy
I think I will be repurposing this silly flower stamp. I will not be using it EVER again. So cheeze.
other tools I know really need, edge bevelers, some different stamps... some more dyes, and the right finishing solutions.
Anyway, as this is my first post, as a dedicated forumite and digital citizen, I look forward to contributing to and learning from
you, my very crafty brothers and sisters... Thank you in advance!
Some different guitar strap styles
in Guitar Straps
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Thanks for the link John, we can always use more practice tips. I've pretended to play guitar for over 40 years, myself. You are commenting on a 4 year old post. Since then, I've continued to work on building my brand, but I do appreciate your kind words.