sandycreek

Thanks! -Aaron

Sorry for this being off topic, but... Electrathon, what matting tool did you use for that background? That is an awesome texture. Thanks, -Aaron

Hey Everyone, I've got a project in the works for a couple of fire-fighter themed barstools. What I'm looking for is a supplier that sells JUST the legs for making your own barstools, and sells them in small quantities or even singles. One that has a nice varied selection would be great. I've googled, ebayed, even mcmaster-carred, and can't seem to find such a supplier (unless I want to order several thousand units, direct from china, to be sent in my very own shipping container... ) If I can't find a supplier, I'll probably have to hit up Sam's Club, Walmart, etc. and try to find some stools that will work and just canniballize them for the parts, but I thought I might ask here first before going that route. We're more than capable of making them ourselves at our shop (welding/fab, machining, general mechanics type place), but I've crunched the numbers, and to make the run of just three or four sets of legs would put this project way over budget. Thanks everyone, -Aaron

Hey Mike. Does what you have look like this but with a wooden handle (similar to a file handle)? If so it is a tack puller. Their No. 16 catalog shows one. -Aaron

Just my personal opinion, but, I won't buy ANY type of anything that has plastic zippers on it. The only exception to this is school backpacks for the kids, because finding one (that they are willing to actually carry:wacko:, and that I can actually afford ) with a metal zipper is nearly impossible. This means that, when school starts in August, I am usually fixing de-zipper-fied zippers by December or January -Aaron Bonus tip: if your metal zipper is starting to get sticky/hard to zip, rub a block of paraffin wax over it a couple of times.

Wild guess for the one on the right (because I can't see the end of the threaded handle), but, a very simple rivet (or eyelet, or snap, or something) spinner. EDIT: since you posted the picture exactly as I was typing the previous response... can't be 100% sure, but it sure looks like a simple spinner of some sort. -Aaron

Was it the Gomph-Hackbarth set made by Ellis Barnes? I think I also have the three page "catalog" with all of their stamping impressions on it saved somewhere.... -Aaron ght, 15.pdf

I don't really sell any of my leatherwork, but I do sell some ornamental ironwork/ blacksmith type stuff now and then. The following is the advice that I received once upon a time from someone who had been selling custom ironwork longer than I've been alive probably, and I find it applies to most craft/custom work: Figure up how long you think it will take you. Double that number. Multiply by how much your time is worth per hour. Add in the cost of materials, shop supplies, overhead, etc. This is what your final price should be. If it seems a little low mark it up another 10 or 15 percent. This person then went on to offer one more little tidbit of advice: When you tell them [the customer] how much its gonna cost them, you want them to WINCE AND HEEHAW AROUND JUST A LITTLE BIT. If they outright cringe, you know your price is to high. If they whip out the wallet right off, you ain't charging near enough. But when they wince just a bit that means they know that what you made is worth what your charging for it. I've found both of these bits of advice to be, more or less, dead on accurate. -Aaron

Hey SandSquid, I use the same thing in place of poundo board. It works great. As Sylvia said, just put it on top of your slab. Was your chunk new or used? If its used, and from any type of aggregate operation, you might want to hit it with a pressure washer and scouring pad first to make sure there's no bits of sand or anything stuck in the rubber that will dull a punch/chisel/whatever. Another thing that works really great (if you can find it) is the blue/green "urethane" that folks use to line chutes and such in aggregate operations. This seems to be a WHOLE LOT harder to come by though as its apparently considerably more expensive. I think the biggest chunk I've ever got my hands on for free was like 12x8 inches... One last note on the rubber belt. Spray it both sides with some kind of cheap clear coat (I think I used rustoleum rattlecan clear) As the rubber ages sometimes you'll get a little bit of black rub off if its not coated. -Aaron

Hey everyone, I picked up some of the chrome tanned goat skin/ kid skin that Tandy had on sale a few months ago (sale price was something like 12.99 a piece) mostly because it was cheap and came in some nice colors (or "fun" colors as my daughter described it). I'm wondering now how suitable it would be to make some 1/8" lace for edge lacing. The projects I'm wanting to use it on are a couple wallets and maybe some wrist cuffs/bracelets. I'm probably gonna go with at least triple loop if not the Mexican round. My main concern is that, being chrome tanned, the finish is gonna wear and scuff and get generally crummy after a short time, but having never messed with GOAT chrome tanned before I'm just not sure. I'm not AS concerned about the cuffs/bracelets, but having a wallet rubbing around in a back pocket puts some wear on the lace and I just don't know if this goat will hold up. So, does anybody have any thoughts or experience with something similar to this (other than "throw it out and buy some 'roo lace")? Thanks everyone, -Aaron

Hey Tinneal, I just went over to my work desk and shook the living daylights out of the box and nothing slipped over the dividers. The one I have is a dead match for the link I posted (although mine is labeled as a 3449-DS instead of 3449-22). The lids on both sides kind of have a curve to them and the dividers have a matching curve. I can't remember now what size my smallest needles are, but just looking at the box it looks like it would take an awfully small needle saddle needle to slip between the dividers and lid. Hope that's helpful! -Aaron

Hey Tinneal, Go to your local outdoors/sporting goods store and look for Plano boxes (or the equivalent) I keep all my stitching and lacing needles in a Plano model 3449-22. These work great for lots of other things too (think grommets, rivets, snaps, assorted setting tools for same, assorted hardware, etc. etc. etc.) One word of wisdom, if you're gonna store all your rivets and grommets and snaps in one, make sure its one of the better ones with the REALLY good snap shut lid that doesn't fly open when it gets knocked off a bench (I think they call them ProLatch). -Aaron Here's the one I use for needles Plano Double Side

Hey Raquel, I think I actually had that auction on my watch list at one point (because of the book). I don't think you did too bad at that price. Out of the auction you got a nice vintage book, what appears to be a decent wooden creaser, a decent edge slicker, several slitting chisels, a crew punch, a round punch, several funky little homemade stamps, and the assorted handled tools (sans handles) that you mentioned earlier. As for the problem with no handles, do you know anyone with a drill press and a handsaw and a wood rasp? Worst case you can go to your local hardware store and pick up some wooden dowel rods. Drill a hole just slightly smaller than the shank diameter of the tool in the end of a chunk of dowel rod and gently tap the tool into its new handle/ tap the new handle onto the tool (whichever seems safer and easier). If you want to get fancy take the wood rasp and round off the ends of the dowel rod handle. This is basically how I've made the handle for every file I've ever bought. I get a little fancy sometimes and throw a copper pipe cap on the end for a ferrule but that's about it. Alternately, for a little less creative of a solution, go to same hardware store and see if they have any file handles that would be appropriately sized to the tools that need handles. Again drill out a hole just SLIGHTLY smaller that the shank diameter and you got it. It's not to fancy, not to classy, but either solution would get you in business and make the tools usable. -Aaron

Hi All, Is it my imagination and lack of screen contrast or did he cut that whole pattern basically freehand? If so.... I think I shall also just go back to gardening... -Aaron EDIT: sorry. for reference purposes I am looking at "muvie0004.avi"

Hey all, Did a little digging on my computer and found the recipe I used. Copied word for word from the text file on my computer: In a 1 pint jar: Mix 1/2 packet of RIT powdered dye with 1 tablespoon boiling water until a paste is formed. Add approx. 1 cup methylated spirits (denatured alcohol) Tighten lid securely and swirl until powder is disolved. Not sure if this exact text came from here or where, but I seem to remember doing a copy-paste of it wherever I found it. So... to whoever originally wrote that I give the credit. Some notes I'll add: - After mixing it up I let it sit for 2 days or so... then.... - I never could get the "powder" to completely dissolve. It left some kind of sediment in the bottom of the jars that would occasionally float around and end up on a workpiece. I strained it off through some paint strainer cones (borrowed from work) to get rid of the majority of the sediment then through a coffee filter to nab the rest. RIT colors that seem to work great on leather: Purple, Scarlet, Wine, Cocoa brown, Kelly green, any of the shades of Blue, RIT colors that I can't get to work at all well: Golden Yellow, Sunshine Orange, Pearl Gray every other color I've tried I'd rate as satisfactory. Again as I said before, they aren't quite as nice as Fiebings, but they stretch a dollar a bit further, and being it DIYer it was fun playing mad scientist and mixing up my own colors -Aaron

Hi Archer, Somewhere on this site you'll find the recipe for making the homemade RIT spirit dyes, just do a search on "RIT" maybe. I made up a bunch of different colors using this recipe and have had great luck with them. I've never had a problem with them rubbing off, or trying to transfer when I oil a project. I personally use Sunnyside brand Denatured Alcohol Solvent as a base, although it does smell suspiciously similar to some brands of vodka that I have a hazy recollection of drinking while at college... Granted they aren't quite as nice as the Fiebings spirit dye, for example, but I can make make almost 2 quarts of RIT dye for just a little more cost than 4oz. of the Fiebings.... -Aaron

Hi, I also find that if I brush on neatsfoot oil at least somewhat evenly, and let it sit overnight, it will pretty well even itself out by the next day. Another alternative to Andrew's Leather Balm with Atom Wax that I've been using a lot lately is Fiebing's Snow-Proof. Started using it on my workboots, and I liked it so much that I started using it on all my leathercraft stuff. Yet another alternative would be a product called Sno-Seal by Atsko. I used to use it exclusively on my workboots, but then the hardware store in town stopped carrying it. The Snow-Proof I can get at the semi-local Tandy. Either way they're all three gonna give you that nice mellow almost satin finish (I really don't have a taste for shiny things.) Just from experience I can say that the Sno-Seal and Snow-Proof, given enough coats, will make almost anything waterproof. -Aaron

Hey everyone, Thanks for the replies. I forwarded the pic of a staple plate. He kinda had his mind set on the beefier cast ring, but he thought the staple plate might work if nothing else can be found. I know I've seen those cast rings before, I just can't remember where.... Thanks again! -Aaron

Hey Everyone, I had a request to make a tool belt. Specifically, a mechanics utility belt (not the pouched carpenters type). http://www.streetperformance.com/ART/PRODU...1452/G16-5F.JPG What I am looking for is something similar to the middle tie-down in the above image, but (obviously) something that can be put on a belt, and not on a pickup. The idea is that these rings or whatever they're called would be riveted onto the belt, then the guy can hang snap rings, key rings, tools, or whatever else from these rings. The specific instructions were "make it with those rings like you use on you're pickup bed." If anyone could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks all, -Aaron

Hey everyone, I ran across on youtube and had a few questions for the collective knowledge here. Am I correct in thinking that this is more or less an interlocked saddle-stitch with the second row running 90 degrees to the first on the surface of the leather? (does that even make sense?) I was thinking this might make kind of a nice decorative stitch to use on a rifle sling or maybe a guitar strap. The video seems pretty straightforward, but I'm wondering if there is something going on on the backside that I am missing. Also, I've heard the term Goiser stitch ( I think there's a video of it by this same guy?). Is this the same as the spinning stitch or different?Thanks everyone, -Aaron

Darryl, Love the bracer. If I may ask, what tool did you use for the matting/background around the design. I really like that texture. Thanks -Aaron

Hi again Ray, I wish we had the problem of them being affordable This site may give you some information that is useful to some degree or another: Fly press specs If I remember correctly, those numbers were figured as an average over many different brands, but again don't quote me on that. Personally, for what you are describing, I'd look somewhere in the No. 3 through No. 5 range (always best to have more and not need it that need more and not have it). Throat depth will probably vary quite a bit from machine to machine. To move one of that size on your own you'd have to break it down into parts, but they are generally straightforward mechanics-wise so that shouldn't be too much of an ordeal. For cutting a longer strap like you were talking about, I'd look into finding a welder friend that could build you some kind of extended table/platen and a specialized top plate and maybe guides for the ram to distribute the pressure out a bit. Might end up being a bit more of a hassle over using an H-frame press ( see: here ) but at least you'd be the envy of at least one amateur leatherworker If you're interested, I might be able to do up some rough drawings of what I am talking about to make it a little clearer maybe. And yes, I believe the rack and pinion type is called an arbor press regardless of where you are. Thanks -Aaron P.S. If you're ever looking to make a bit of pocket money, you might look into buying up a bunch of fly presses there, putting them in a container, sending it across the pond, and selling them here. They aren't QUITE as rare as hen's teeth over here, but they're close to it. EDIT to add for informational purposes: That second picture is a Punch press. A generally nasty and temperamental machine that at times can develop a taste for fingers, hands, and any other appendages that get within reach...

Thanks for the tips everyone. Sometime the most obvious solution (i.e. dunking lace in the dye) goes flying right past and leaves me in the dust... Thanks -Aaron

Hi Ray, Not sure exactly which type of fly press you're talking about, as I believe what is called a fly press in the UK is referred to as a punch press on this side of the pond (but don't quote me on that.... it's been a while since I decided they were both out of my price range for a hobby blacksmith shop ) If I managed to load up the images right the first one should be a fly press and the second a punch press. If you can identify which (if either) you're talking about I might have some links/advice/etc as to how well it might work. Thanks, -Aaron

Hello, My personal preference for a finish is Sno Seal (made by Atsko) Not sure of the exact mixture but the MSDS lists it as greater than 65% wax and less than 35% mineral spirits. I've personally used the stuff as long as I've been wearing workboots (give or take 15 years) and never had a problem with it. Just reapply as needed. (It smells great too!) Thanks -Aaron