equiss

Thanks, I was looking to see if I could find more than this company, or Tandy that had basic setters - not for heavy manufacturing, but a decent amount of work - thanks for the reply

Does anyone know of a company that sells a basic spot setter for small - medium projects other than Tandy (that one does not set 3/16" spots) or standard rivet and dye company? There has to be other sources out there that are reasonably priced....any ideas?

Thanks Mike! I just need to jump in and do it - I just replied to my other post that part of my "problem" with myself is that I am a perfectionist to a great extent, so sometimes that is a real roadblock for me. I have all the resources that I can find, but worry about...what if my rigging is slightly off, what if both sides don't exactly match....I just need to learn to jump in and do it, maybe I am trying to do too much at once, but I want to tool well, and I just love the leatherwork - could do it all the time. Thanks so much for the help and support - they do feel like silly questions, maybe now I can post my next "mistake". Which was using leather to cover the strainer that is not flexible enough to work up over the hand hold - so now I have a mess! Regards Charlene Stovin

That is correct; I have the Stohlman books and they have been a big help, my problem is that I am a perfectionist, and you just can't expect that the first several times you build a saddle. I am saving the $$ for the Watt and Harwood DVD's - but this is all really new to me, and we don't have many local resources. But, it has been a fun experience - thanks for the input - Charlene

Thank you, I am not sure that I understand 100% - but will give it a try. My fallback is I am a visual person, so sometimes it is hard to "see" the meaning.....but it makes sense - thank you for the information, I will also see if I can find the pictures that you are eluding to - I would love to see them.

Hello there - Can you tell me or send me an email on what you have available for spur straps (I need some blanks?)

Hello, I have searched the post and couldn't find anything that related to this, but I wanted to make a headstall that has ferrules for the middle part of the cheek piece that tie into leather where the buckle/loop/tip go and also tie back into leather for the concho at the bit end. Can anyone give me some instruction on how to work with ferrules (wire, thin folded leather) for the actual string of ferrules for cheek pieces, but then how to securely stitch or attach that portion of the cheek piece to leather?

Thank you, I will give it a try. I have been stuck on this for weeks, every time I get it out to work on it, I just stare at it asking the same questions. Will be nice to move on to something else...thanks a bunch! Charlene

Thank you - that was exactly what happenend, I cut my rigging piece, then the lining, then tooled, and then they didn't match anymore. I had to make my own pattern, so that is guesswork too But - one more question - is the lining piece typically the same thickness as the front rigging piece? THanks for the advice, I like the idea about rounding off the corner in the rear! Charlene

Hello All, I am having a really hard time on my first saddle getting past the rigging. My first mistake was cutting out the rigging pieces and then the lining and trying to get them to match 100%. But, I have what I have and need to move forward. I have a few questions: 1) I have excess in the rear beside my back rigging plate. What would be best to do with it? It is too small of a hangover to be able to glue down I would guess (see pic) 2) On the lining piece I was told to skife down the tops of the lining where the rigging connects to the tree - (see pic) I did that, but on the inside of the lining (see pic) Does it matter inside or tree side? Did I do it in the correct places? Should the top of the rigging piece that is tooled also be skifed? 3) I know this is boardering on perfection - but what should the BACK of the lining look like if the rigging plate is in correctly? Mine has a little bit of a gap in the corner. Due to my initial problems, the rigging piece doesn't sit up against the cantle as I would like - it isn't bad, but next time will be better - any comments, instruction, HELP would be much appreciated! Charlene

I thought about posting pics right after I posted this. I am working on my rigging now. One problem I had, which I think that I might just keep going, is that I made my pattern piece, it fit well, cut out my outer piece and the piece for the lining, then cased them and slicked them - that made them stretch - so then they didn't fit the cantle very snugly after that. I will get a pic of my rigging issues and post them, I do have the stohlman books, I was trying to work off of the instruction that I had from my class, but that isn't going well. I have a typical association tree, not making a slick fork - I will post pics of that also. I think that is part of the problem, even though he said I could do it fine, we did a wade in class, this one is more the modern western saddle - not slick fork...but having trouble with the small differences. Thanks Rick, I will get pictures today and upload them and then ask my questions, I know I was asking for too much at once. Charlene

Hi Ian - what are the "free advertising possibilities?"

Hello, I am new to saddle making but have wanted to do it for a long time. I worked and took a class last year with a friend that let me watch him build a wade, and I took notes and pictures....and now am trying to make my own. I have almost every book available on saddle making, almost all videos and DVD's (I saw almost due to Dale H. and J. Watt being a little more than pocket change), and have a good foundation on how saddles are made. I have my ground seat in......but I am stuck. How do you learn to do this? Are there other resources that I missed? Part of my problem is that I am trying to build a modern saddle and the class we took was for a wade, so there are a little differences here and there......but I made a pattern for my rigging, but have soooo many questions I can't seem to get past it. Is there any advice that someone wants to contribute about how they learned, resources, just stumble through it......I have the talent to do this, and I have the ability....I am just a perfectionist and am stuck!

Thank you all for the tips - I had never thought about using my dremmel tool to sharpen the underside, I will have to give that a try. And, I also am left handed, and I think that sometimes is a pain....thanks again!

can I ask - how did you end up putting them on through thick leather? I have tried almost everything that I can think of (for the 3/16" spots) and can't get them set, and can not afford to get a spot setter (machine) right now, and the hand spot setters that I can find are all 1/4"? thanks for sharing

Hi there - in my "show" world, lots of straps have 3/16" "dots" that have the prongs on the back. I was just in tandy leather the other day and they have 1/4" domed quick rivets - I think that this is what you are asking about? The quick rivets have a plat on the back, and the rivet face on the front - much more finished look- the only problem that I find is what is popular right now on most tack and show tack are 3/16" - 1/4" are too large. Hope that helps

Hello All, I have not been doing leatherwork for very long, but I am having a problem when edging my projects, especially if they are round (e.g. spur strap ends). I can cut them out fairly circular with the maintained shape, but when I use my edgers, then I have problems and they all end up looking "hacked" and no longer hold a round shape. Are there any tricks, other than practice practice practice, that can help me to get clean edges and edges around my circles? This has been more frustrating for me than tooling itself. The "round" curves are the most troublesome, but I find that anytime I edge anything, then my piece become un-uniform and messy. thank you for the help and the input

Hello Penske, I know that we talked once before - but I am hoping that someone else will chime in and let me know if I am wrong. I think that for the most part, the ground seat will vary by person. The reiners that I ride are a little flatter accross the top, don't have a really deep dish or high cantle- but the seat is much the same as my pleasure saddles, just not as round. Can anyone else add to this? I want to make sure that my understanding is correct? PS - did you find a shuttle for your adler? If not, let me know, I might be able to track one down for you - Charlie