fredk

Pre-nuclear age metal is highly desirable. At the time scrap iron was very valuable. The bridge was from the 19th century. It served only about 10 homes on one side of the river. A gang dismantled it and took it away. Within 1/2 hour of that area you can be in another country - untouchable to the law. The local police saw it happening but the gang were wearing hi-viz jackets, had signs erected, powerful work lights on as it was night time. Everything indicated that it was on the level. So police ignored it.

Here the tax on plastic bags is allegedly used for 'green' or environment projects such as tree planting. But we, the public we, see very little of its supposed beneficial use so I suspect it goes into the general government coffers But it has reduced the use of the flimsy thin plastic bags by about 95%. We no longer see lots of them hung up in trees or bushes at the road side, and fewer being eaten by cattle and sheep

We spell it shillelagh; and its a walking stick which can be used for whacking in self-defence

We are hijacking this thread. I'll ask for this discussion to be moved In the mean time; if honest shoppers return their cart to the cart park to get their coin back it stops there being a lot a loose carts in the car park which are easy pickings for the thieves. In the UK scrap metal gets a good high price, so if you can get the metal for nothing, ie steal it, you're 'quids in' as we say I was just reading that in area of England thieves stole £100,000 of electric cable which is part of a railway electric system. The trains can't run until its replaced. I've known thieves to have stolen a 15t bridge! as well as man-hole covers, the plaques on war memorials, a town's metal public artwork and so on Some shops have tried a self-locking wheel on the cart. It locks up when the cart tries to go out of certain area but that didn't stop the thieves, they just lifted the cart away, so they went back to the coin operated chain lock. Of course most regular shoppers keep a 'trolley token' on them because it happens you never have that £1 coin on you when you need it Over here paper shopping bags are rare but free. The plastic bags range from 40p/50c to about £1/$1.25 but plastic bags used by butchers and greengrocers are free. Nearly every one has a 'bag for life', about £2 to £4, that they use all the time for their shopping

Here is definitely this

Yes they are. They are fastened to each other with a short chain which is released by inserting a coin, usually a £1 coin here. When you are finished with your shopping you return the cart to the line of the rest, re-insert the locking chain fitting and you get your coin back. Its aim to stop people stealing the carts

I only bought new each time some money investments gave me some cash to play with

Me does,

Yes, I reckon it can be done on a s/m From top down it would be, crown to crown former, highest of the band, lower of the band, fold band inside rim and sew around, then sew the re-enforcing strip

Have a Happy Christmas break and a Happy New Year I'll be going off line for a few days from about 02.00 (GMT) Tuesday See you back on the other side

There is usually a link on the 'assembly instructions'

140* will cook the leather and probably shrink it to uselessness. 80* to 100* is more than enuf. At 140* you are getting into the specialist realms of 'cuir bouilli'

Leather hardens incrementally as temperature increases above ambient or room temperature

Yes it does; drying faster, especially with some heat, will harden the leather

Sell them as is. You'll get at least $25 for each of them. Advertise in your local neighborhood

and skive the adjoining leather to a knife-edge thinness

I have the newer cast aluminium version but as far as I can tell all the accessories can fit either You may want to heed Northmount's warning, above. Another type of sewing machine used manually, with a balance wheel motion, might suit you better

I usually do it once using plenty of beeswax/carnauba wax. Just occasionally do I feel it necessary to go over a second time

I think you are looking at the weight problem too simply Take a 1cm thick belt. It may weight 24 ounces. When held it one hand that weight is noticeable but spread that weight around a 42 inch waist its hardly noticeable I liken it to what I used to tell ppl about my chainmaille hauberk; held in the arms its full 35lb weight could be felt, but as its worn on the body the weight is spread around, some on the shoulders, some on the arms et cetera and then it feels no heavier than a good overcoat

What is your definition of 'straight lacquer'?

yes

I would go with two layers of veg tan leather sewn together with a third layer of suede leather sewn on the inside

Double line stitching isn't really for strong construction, although it will help, but for water proofing. If you look at commercial goods, such as motorcyclists' jackets, you'll find they are double stitched, and they make a good deal of noise about it I don't use a sewing machine so I'd have to say, hand sewn saddle stitching. You can pull the stitches up really tight

I went almost 20 years without high priced tools. I still don't have all the fancy things you can buy. But the one thing I did buy and like and would not be without is my Tandy Pro-press. I use it for 3D/2D stamping, die cutting and now I've adapted some stitching chisels to fit it and I can punch stitching holes. All done quietly. A cheaper version of the Pro-press is available. I have a couple of the skiving machines but never use them, I always revert to my knives and Tandy Super Skiver for skiving. I use the ole' wooden strap cutter. Been using it for 24 years now, just a new blade every 5 years - joke, actually a new blade as often as required I buy a lot of things from China, mainly cos there isn't a dealer anywhere near me and they would have the same tools, made in China, but marked up by 400%.* I buy on ebay and pay via paypal that way I have buyer protection; If the tools are rubbish I can get my money back, but I very rarely get rubbish. I use a small tool for rounding my edges. Its sold on ebay as a leather edger at about £5 each. But I get them in the Beauty section, as cuticle trimmers at £4 per 10. I've bought quality French skivers at under £4 each. Leather dealers sell them for at least £20. Shop around, check different sections on ebay and you'll find good prices. Better than Amazon * look on the back of Tandy packaging, it will say made in China or Taiwan

I think; You would need a double sewing line; two lines spaced a few mm apart, and maybe the leather glued together as well