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Ian

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Everything posted by Ian

  1. In the US, giveaways are handed out as payment to entities that work towards yoiur election. Many, many people worked hard to get this crowd elected, and now it's time for them to collect. It's not just unions and big companies and Hollywood that paid for this election, it's also the non-profits such as A.C.O.R.N. who registered over 700,000 new voters (so what if a good portion where fictitious) for Mr.Obama. So, of course, they'll be get multiple billions for their efforts. Hollywood gets to write off half the cost of making movies. National Public Radio gets a big thanks through increased funding, as does the NEA, and, of course there's plenty in there for the unions who gave almost a half billion to the Democrat Party. Just wait until you see what taxes, fees, penalties and fines they have in store for us to pay for it all.
  2. Actually, it's not as tough as it seems. I know most leatherworkers think veg tan, but it's very do-able with upholstery leather. The easy way to get a new look is to do the top in a textured leather, like alligator embossed cowhide, and the sides in a complimentary smooth leather. Take the old cover off and make your pattern from that. Just treat the seat and p-pad as seperate patterns. I'd can the button tufting too. You'll see that the single pan isn't a problem when you take the old cover off. I don't know how good you are with foam, but another option is to use the pan and completely replace the foam and sculpt it to a more pleasing, sleeker shape. That way, you can eliminate the seperate p-pad and do it all in one piece. Even if you were thinking of a tooled top, you can still use 2/3 oz chrome tanned leather for the sides. There are a million things you can do with a seat like that - inlays are another option. Good luck Here's a couple of examples of seats I did recently. The faux aligator was on a pan I molded on the bike, and the other monster is a faux python inlay. The last is a baby caiman inlaid.
  3. John, great explanation. It's interesting, when you think about it, if the value of an item is X, then why should that change regardless where it is made? You are somewhat between a rock and a hard place, working out of China. If you charged the same as you would for a piece made in the US, you might be accussed of gouging, but if you charged less, you might be accused of bring the price of US/European made goods down or unfair competition. Hmmmm I can't wait to see what Bobcat comes up with - you KNOW it's going to be great. Sometime I'd love to hear how you came to be living in China.
  4. I'm huge on buying locally - my New Years resolution as a matter of fact. I swiotched from my mega bank to the local credit union, switched to a local insurance company, stopped grocery shopping at the foreign owned supermarket and buy from local meat, bakery and vegetable shops. However you have to get the best stuff you can, so if my local hardware and feed store doesn't have what I want, I have to hit the big box. I understand Tandy's pricing (LF buys at wholesale, doubles the price to sell to franchisees and they in turn double it to sell retail), but there is no way to make a profit when a veg tanned belt blank is 18 bucks and the belt buckles are 4 times Weaver's price. I feel badly for the East Hartford franchisee - I've been in there and was told by the clerk that I was the only customer that had been in there all day. He has been in business long enough to know that what he's selling isn't grade 1, but a franchisee has to sell what the parent company offers. It's not his fault at all. I just wish Tandy would see that their business will dwindle to nothing if they continue on this trend. Because, what a shame if the last national leather retail shop went under. So, I do try to get a few things to justify the half hour drive, but often I wander around and honestly can't find anything I want.
  5. are my eyes decieving me, or is that a button stud on the first picture and a snap on the second?
  6. The guy who owns the Tandy close to where I am is a nice guy, and very helpful, but I think he knows and is embarrassed by the low quality stuff he has to sell. Tandy is cutting it's own throat and those of their franchisees by continually downgrading the quality of their products. There was a time when people had few options except for their local Tandy. With the Internet, it is no problem to find professional quality leather, hardware and supplies. Not that they are asking my opinion, but if they did, I would suggest they carry items in two grades: craft and professional. Though, considering the prices for what they currently sell, I hate to think what they would charge for high grade stuff. It's too bad though, because it would be nice to be able to buy locally and support a small business. However, hardware that rusts, grade C leather and Ecoflo (aghh!) keeps me away unless it's a real emergency.
  7. Oh, no, that is nuts. How would it feel to do it the first time?
  8. So amazing, I can't even wrap my mind around it.
  9. I'll changed my ISP and email address, and can't seem to find where in my account info to change my address. Help!
  10. Dave, looks awesome. I know the black wasn't your choice, but your tan colored seats are fantastic. I wish I got more guys wanting tan - the way it shows the grain and the way it weathers is the essense of leather IMHO I sent you a PM
  11. I've never been able to get a handle on pricing - been told many times that my prices are too low, but in the area I live, people just wouldn't pay the price that the internet 'artistes' get. A case in point is motorcycle seats by Paul Cox. There are a ton of guys who went into the seat business when they discovered what Paul was getting. However, Paul has spent many, many years building his name, travelling to shows all over the country and has been featured in dozens of magazines, TV shows, etc. And, of course his association with Indian Larry was a big starter. Never mind, I can't imagine what expenses of working out of New York City must be. So, even though the quality of work might be similar, can the guy working on his kitchen table ask for the same money that a guy like Paul Cox, who has international recognition, get? I don't think so. Someplace there is the world's greatest guitar player who no one will ever hear, because he never got out of mom's basement, and he'll never fill a staudium at $200 a seat. There is a company out of LA that makes wrist bands, watch straps, etc, and by their own admission - the work is rough. Yet they are the go-to guys for many rock musicians and movie companies because of their name, and they get the big bucks for stuff I could whip out with my eyes closed on a bad day. Yet I wouldn't dare price my stuff as high if I ever wanted to sell anything. However, neither could I price my work at $10 an hour. That's what they pay the guys at Walmart who have zero investment in learning their job. I can't claim to be anything beyond a decent leather craftsman, but I couldn't even begin calculate the thousands of hours that have gone into learning his. So, $10 is way out of the question. Although, when I had a store front business, by the time I calculated my overhead, that's about what it came out to. So, after all that, I still don't have an answer on how to price.
  12. If you're looking to do any tooling, you'd need a veg tanned leather 6/7, and you can line it or pad it, as you choose. Veg tanned leather get quite soft with use such as a guitar strap. If you're looking for really soft, a chrome tanned around 3/4oz, doubled will do. But, of course you can't tool, and it doesn't emboss as well. As far as the metal edge lacing, my guess will be sterling silver bezel wire, which you can purchase online from silver dealers. You can purchase stainless steel lace, but it is difficult to work with and you wouldn't be able to lace it tight on soft leather, in my experience.
  13. Going to be a sharp set of bags. What are you doing for color?
  14. Henry, the biggest issue I've had was the noise from the compressor, but not deal breaker, that's for sure. I did have to send it back for some work since my local industrial sewing machine place couldn't work on it. But, those issues are minor. Compared to the price of other harness stitchers, this was a steal and it does everything I've ever needed it to, from a fine show harness to many sets of saddlebags. The ability to slow it way down lets me sew very intricate inlays and close edge stitching withour the fear of sewing out of the groove. So, yes, I can certainly recomment it to anyone you send my way. NOTE TO ROB MCJEEP: This is the machine you want for saddlebags rather than the machine in the original post - it will sew 3/4 inch, no problem. Here's a picture of one of the sets of bags I did with my Aero - 10/11oz harness leather
  15. Can't offer much in regard to your question, but I have seen tanneries online (just didn't save the link) that tan game hides for hunters. I'm no tanning expert, but I don't believe a hide can be veg tanned after another process, however veg tan can be retanned with chrome. I'm not even sure whether hair on hides are ever veg tanned - someone correct me if I'm wrong.It is possible that if your hide is stiff like rawhide it was just stretched, fleshed and dried without any chemical tanning process Ah, just found this place http://www.specialtyleather.com/
  16. Good Job - that's a good idea for an accessory - a windshield bag made to hold an XM radio. Sure love my XM radio!
  17. Immaculate - you guys that can get that much detail in an inch an a half width amaze me.
  18. Hello Henry, I bought my Aerostitch from you several years ago - still working great! Thanks
  19. No problems with anyone - if you go back and read the post I made, it was in response to someone who was surprised at a bare bones seat - you weren't mentioned or aluded to
  20. easy, man, I'm not attacking you - just an obsevation from what I 've seen and the seats I've made that I've redone a second time with foam. Many people do go for bare pans for the look and don't realize what they've gotten into - some guys like them and ride them - great. No judgement on you, since I don't know you and it's not my business anyway. Now, cool down, guy.
  21. Not neccesarily - I've made them, myself, and even seen them made of plain diamond plate steel with nothing else. Of course the guys that get them usually use them a few times, and then the pain becomes greater than the coolness factor. I never understood it myself, but to each his own.
  22. I'm trying to think of a single instance where who the president was affected my life. My goal is to design a life that is as far away from any government influence as possible. When your happiness is dependant on the government, you're a lost soul IMHO The most exciting thing that happened to me yesterday is that I learned how to do the trick braid - now THAT'S good stuff!!
  23. very sharp - what kind of background tool is that?
  24. If you just made it flat across the bottom, with sides an even width, it wouldn't sit straight, but that wouldn't look bad Here's a picture of a luggage bag I did for a V-Rod - not the same kind of bag of course, but it also had to angle to fit the sissy bar - what a pain to sew My opinion - make the bag straight and let it sit at an angle rather than have one side angled
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