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BradB

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Posts posted by BradB

  9. Posted · Edited by BradB · Report reply

    So here I set at my computer early on a Sunday morning drinking coffee and reading LW :coffeecomp:

    I know this is way off topic but I trust the advise of people here. I have this house that my mother left me when she died last March. It is a very nice house in a small town. I had an estate sale and have sold everything out of it so it is empty. I have had it on the market now since last June. We all know how the housing market is everywhere! :blahblahblah: It has been shown by the realator only twice since last June. Here is my question. I have had someone approach me about renting or leasing the house. I know nothing about being a land loard except I don't want to be one. As a deputy I have had my share of bad experances with doing evections ect from landloard / tennet issues. I am sure there are good experiances out there but I never hear of those. I know a good renter can make you money but a bad one can cost you.

    But I have this house setting vacent and I could use the income to pay the taxes and insurance. Like I said it is a large, (2600 sq ft) very nice house in a small town south of Kansas City. My fear is that I will get someone that will tear it up or leave it a mess. I have to sell it some time to settle the estate. The rest of the hiers understand the situation and I am under no pressure to move it fast so renting seems an option but my luck I will get someone in there and then get an offer to sell. What would you you all do? Rent or keep trying to sell?

    Thanks in advance. :whatdoyouthink:

    Randy

    I have a friend who is a Realtor, she has 7 rental properties and she uses a property management company to take care of the renting, inspecting etc. She has a few times driven by the property and seen something she does not like and calls them and tells them to get new renters ( she is very very particular about her properties). So you may want to think about something like that if it is available.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks Guys! I lined it with 3oz and the front is 6-7oz, it is heavy duty and should last a while. It is 3 inches wide and padded, it feels really good with a guitar hanging on it. Yes, it is saddle stitched, and I am still a noob at saddle stitching so it took longer then alot of people on here could finish it, it took about 6 hours to stitch both pieces, it is also about 5 inches longer then a standard guitar strap.

  19. Posted · Report reply

    The benefit of doing it the way RDB describes is that there is no metal on the strap that will scratch the finish of the instrument. I just finished one (pictures posted on this site) and that was a requirement of the customer, no metal as it was going on a mint vintage instrument. My best advice is to go to a music store and look at what they have. I bought a cheap leather fender strap for $12 and used it for my main pattern and changed a couple of things on it. hope that helps.

    Brad

  20. Posted · Report reply

    My new year starts out with a dilema, which may seem obvious to every sensible person, but I've never claimed to be one of 'those'.

    For quite a few years I've struggled to eke out a living with this leather business. Sometimes it's seemed like I'm just about rounding the corner and then the orders drop off again and I have to take a side job. Sometimes I'm swamped with a dozen orders at a time and I think "here we go!"

    I have been offerred a job with very good salary, benefits, expense paid travel, etc - a no-brainer, right? But it means giving up this elusive ambition and only being able to take occasional leather jobs. It also means losing the contacts I've built up in the motorcycle world. No more middle of the week rides while everyone else is working. It means working 'real people' hours again and wearing 'real people' clothes every day and dealing with very rich people all the time (not my cup of tea)

    One would think that having passed the 50 year old mark I'd want to straighten up and fly right and give up those pie in the sky plans, but it's not that easy at all. I've been a gypsy all my life - lived and worked all over the US, Canada and South America. Done every unconventional job - from trapeze artist to dock worker to horse trainer to leather worker and more than I'd care to think of.

    Now, at 52, I have the chance to become a 'real person'. Can it be done? Am I selling out this thing that has consumed every minute of my thinking for a decade? Is this poor craftsman lifestyle really that bad? What to do?? :dunno:

    Ian,

    Do what your heart tells you and what you know will make you happy! As a young man I did not do that and I have regreted it the rest of my life! I make really good money but I am not happy with my carrer and hope to some day be able to quit and do what makes me happy (Art in several forms (Leather, painting, airbrushing)). I actually envy you for being able to do leather working for a living!

    Just my two cents!!

    Brad

  21. Posted · Report reply

    HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL MEMBERS OF LW!!!!!

    From the cold and frostbitten kingdom of Sweden!

    I've been out of focus for reasons lately but wanna thank you all for a wonderful year. I experienced some new takes on leather over the past year and couldn't have done it without the help and support from all of you so thank you greatly for all help and great responses.

    I'm gunna try to clean up my act as soon as possible and concentrate on getting back more on the board aswell as getting some leatherwork done.

    Tom

    Happy New Year to you as well Tom, and everyone! I hope things settle down for you soon and you can concentrate on leather working, I always find your stuff inspiring!!

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