alpha2

It doesn't matter which method you use, as long as the person ordering the belt, and the person making the belt, AGREE on which method to use. I personally use the far end of the buckle to the hole that the wearer presently uses. If you think about it, the circumference is not the distance from the strap fold to the hole. It's the circumference from where the tongue of the buckle goes through the hole in use, not where the end of the strap is. It just has to be an apples and apples, not apples and oranges measurement.

So, that is for "the" Lucinda?

Welcome aboard Frank! I was down in the Springs yesterday, foggy day there.

Another Fort Collins (AKA Ft. Fun) vote for the accordion pleat mentioned in the article. I made a wallet for my trophy wife and it's still going strong. Not difficult to do, and does the job. I'm loving that stamp. I've been falling back on the various basket-weave too often lately. Thanks for the pics, Bob! And for the tip about straight slits for Mex. round braid. I'm planning on more lacing in my immediate future.

"A" sewing machine won't work with leather...but you've already figured that out! Get yourself an edge beveller, and go to town on the next one, this one is a FANTASTIC first attempt. And, hey, it fits! That is by no means a given on the first one, guess how I know? Oh, and the tri-weave stamp is not the easiest one to start on, either. The Ruger has a nice home.

I put it by the buckle where it doesn't show when worn. On holsters, I put it on the back also. I figure the customer didn't sign on for me advertising on their item. Now, El Paso Saddlery, that's another thing, if I was at their level, my customers would WANT to flaunt it. Sadly, that's not the case...yet. Dog collars are another thing. Dogs can't read. I'm pretty sure.

No problem! I have the same lack of formal education in each of those! Wait, there was that one time that applied organic chem might have been in play...Nah! Probably not!

Um, yeah, that's what Tim Taylor said, and look where that got him!!! Thanks for the tip, though. The power supply is the easy part, now I need to stop throwing away the motors...

I used to use Super Sheen exclusively, before I went to Fiebings spray before moving to Resolene. Anything will crack if applied too thick, and without drying between coats. To make the blanket statement that Resolene will crack, doesn't hold up to the many thousands of saddle makers and leatherworkers that use it exclusively, without it cracking. Light coats. Numerous coats. Dry and buff...repeat. It's leather science, not rocket science!

Once I learned to first SERIOUSLY dry and buff any die or stain, or paint for that matter, I've used it exclusively. If you don't dry and buff before finish, it can and will remove at least some of the color. I spray it on in multiple coats to prevent the "fish-eye" you can get with other methods of application.

Numerous thin coats, thoroughly dried between, will protect better, and prevent cracking, peeling and chipping.

If your gunbelt will be significantly thicker than your trousers belt, you might want to add a bit of length to the "buckle to middle hole" dimension.

I feel your joy. Heck, we all do! Ain't it great!?!?! It's like magic, or buttah!

Just curious, as I AM NOT AN ELECTRICIAN, but would a more stout starter capacitor have spun it up better? That is probably a stupid question, but in all the years I've dealt with motors, I've never dealt with an inverter or phase converter. I've seen one, that's about it.

"Shoul I expect any problems with storing my leather this way? " YES!!! Cardboard has acids in it that will affect whatever is stored on it. (Learned that the hard way with Aircraft grade aluminum sheet, yes, for an airplane.) I had to get the corroded parts cleaned off and apply zinc chromate primer to replace the nice pure aluminum layer that was previously on the vertical stabilizer. Lesson learned. I can only imagine what leather would look like after kissing up to it for a while.

Sounds like a great gig, but how do you find enough tall ships sailors to make a go of it? The only tall ship I've been on personally, is the USCGC EAGLE. Smallest radio shack I've ever seen. We have to thank the Germans for losing WWII for that ship.

Thanks! That's interesting, but I'm not sure what I'd use it for? It's always good to have at least one of everything, though. I'm working on that...slooooowwwly.

Stipple something, and send us a pic!

It looks like with a slight breeze, it'll blow right off the project! Well done. That basket-weave stamp is really doing the job, too. Silly me, I bought my lifters...and I've got plenty of old useless screwdrivers around to make one out of. (Unrelated: I don't know why I throw away other stuff that wears out and is unusable, but I swear I have every screwdriver I've ever owned).

In my experience, if you aren't COMPLETELY sure if your swivel knife, or any other leather blade, is sharp enough, it isn't. Many times I thought I'd sharpened, and stropped it enough, then found that if I'd continued to sharpen/hone/strop, etc, it was FAR sharper. I'm not one to spend that much time on something, but I've had to admit that my lack of patience is at fault, not the blade. Stop to strop numerous time when cutting a pattern in, also. One stropping won't get you through a project. I know, it's cases leather, but apparently, that can dull a blade quickly!

I plan for the darkening with NFO. I stain/dye to a lighter degree, then assume the NFO will darken it to the right degree. And yes, dampen the leather before bending it. Dry leather will crack when bent 90 to 180 degrees.

Been there, done that!

Same here, test dye mixtures, or dye before applying to a larger piece. It has to be from the same hide, and area, though, to be accurate. I USED to keep every scrap...that got out of hand rapidly.

As you do beveling, do a first light run, then go over the line a couple of more times, keeping the tool moving and using a LOT of small taps. That will smooth the line of beveling. Try it on some scrap lines first, to perfect your tool use.

Drywall screws...Dwight's my hero!