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Madmax, i like Tandy's contact cement. Are you sure it is rebadged Barge, which I've never tried and am unable to compare? ed

I like the combo art lamps that use a daylight circline 22 watt fluorescent bulb and a 75 watt incandescent bulb. I certainly do know your concern with lighting, which is why I have been so persistent in trying to repair two of my lamps, which on the whole are quite well constructed but for one 25-cent part. ed

I have similar troubles with the stirrup plate and usually just stick with the holster plate. The best I can figure is that needle sizes 200 and smaller may have too much deflection after passing the surface of the stirrup plate. A 230 needle seems much thicker than even a 200 needle and probably deflects less. I usually don't use these plates for actual stitching, just to punch the 12 or so holes to get around corners,which are handstitched. So, in short, I'd also like to know if there's a fix. Bruce? ed

here are pictures of a stirrup plate and one picture of a holster plate. ed

Soldering electronics may turn into a new hobby. I picked up some fuses at Radio Shack. The original barrel fuse was stamped with something like 5G1A. I assumed the 1A is for 1 amp and perhaps the 5G somehow represents 250 volts. Question: If the 1Amp fuse is too low a resistance and blows again, should I replace it with a 2 Amp fuse or one of a smaller increment? 1.5 Amps? 1.6 Amps? Radio Shack had these as well. I think replacing the fuses is going to work and am so happy to possibly have all my lamps working again. ed

I like the TK. I'll try to post pics later. You've got to test on scraps first. Things are working out to where I prefer Bag kote for bridle leather and TK for regular veg tan and latigo. Will soon try TK on chrome tan. Ed

The full catalog is online but is not as easy to page through as is a printed catalog, which also comes with a price sheet. ed

For some reason, I don't trust my what my eyesight tells me. I couldn't see any broken foil. I didn't see any foil at all, so I tried the volt meter to check continuity. There wasn't any. No beeping. If radio shack doesn't have these fuses, would Lowe's and Home Depot have them, or would I have to try a specialty shop for electrical parts? Is there a certain resistance rating I should not go beyond,or should I simply look for the same size barrel fuse? Finally, I have a reason to learn how to use my soldering tools and materials. Thanks, Ed

Just based on color alone, the only difference can't be thinning, otherwise bag kote would be nearly clear when it is a light brown Though it is true that Tan Kote has a thicker consistency than does Bag Kote. In my experience, Tuff Kote seems to be a heavier duty version of Bag Kote. ed

I think things work well as they are. Perhaps such local auctions would generate more donations and add to the sense of community, but it's still a donation. If we start heading in this direction, why not just have an etsy-like auction/shop section, where individuals pay 20 cents for a four-month listing and pay a percentage of the selling price. Perhaps down the road this could generate more than just donations to help defray operating costs and lead to a full-time gig for those who facilitate the administration of the whole thing. It seems that Leatherworker.net already has a growing international viewership/membership. I'm impressed with how Etsy manages itself, a model for positive capitalism. Ed

Bree, Do you think leather can accept applications of a leather conditioner such as Aussie Wax months down the road after Tuff Kote has been applied, or does the Tuff Kote seal the leather, preventing applications of conditioner to be of any use? I'm trying to figure out if it would be best to apply TK then oil and or conditioner or to put on the TK application last. Tuff Kote also comes in black. Weaver claims that in addition to finishing, TK can be used as an edge coating. I bought a quart of the black, out of curiosity as to why anyone would use the black. I bought it to try out as solely an edge coating. It doesn't go on as black as Edge Paint/LCI Edge Ink, but it does seem to adhere more intensely and flexibly than does either Edge Kote or Edge PAint/Edge Ink. The black TK isn't going to change the color of leather, so I was wondering, other than for edge coating, what would be the purpose of black TK? Would it be simply a finish for black leather that provides more of a black finish all around.? Ed

I was also thinking that maybe that is a capacitor. The more I looked at this circuit board, the more I started thinking that maybe the only problem is a blown fuse, but I don't have a good fuse for comparison. I think I'll go to Radio Shack tomorrow to see if they have these small fuses. ed

here's a close-up of what I think is the starter plug soldered onto the circuit board that is the original electronic ballast for this lamp. I've also attached a pic of the whole electronic ballast, just in case the starter plug is some other thingamajig on the circuit board. Ed

I've gone ahead and ordered George Koleff's book. I was told by Walrus Shoe and Leather that the book's instructions do not require the use of a Bonis machine. In looking around for sheepskin, I noticed that Weaver has bark tanned and chrome tanned shearlings with approx. thickness of 3/4" to 1". I imagine the bark tanned would be the way to go. Ed

It's good to know I can get everything at Lowe's because I have a few days left to return the planer (that idea is just not going to work out), which I got at Lowe's, so I can do everything in one stop. The lamp's original setup had everything on a circuit board, so there was no need for a harness, which I'll have to buy.Thanks for the part number. There is a little black cylinder on that circuit board. It looks like a miniature version of the starter plug in the pic I uploaded. I'm tempted to cut that off and see if it works just for the sake of experimentation. The stenciling on this little black cylinder reads: 200v 22 uf (the "u" is actually a symbol; it just looks like a "u"). The only other possibility is that the plug in Ballast I'm trying to get to work is faulty, which had never occurred to me. Thanks again for helping me in the proper direction. Ed

Hi Bree, What would you say is the difference, if any , between Weaver's dye and Fiebing's dye? I have some Fiebing's Edge Dye but was expecting it to go on thicker. It has good penetration, but I was expecting something thicker, a more penetrating edge ink or edge finish. ed

Hi Mike, It's time for round two:The starter plug Wiring the ballast without a starter plug did not work. One thing I think I learned: The Plug-In ballast does not pass through the full amount of current. I know this because the original setup allows for two additional devices to be plugged in to the base of the lamp, before the current ever reached the electronic ballast that originally was installed near the circline bulb and not near the base. With the new plug-in ballast, nothing plugged in to the base sockets would run. Tried a dremel and there was just a light humming. This tells me that the plug-in ballast can be used to power only a 22-watt circline bulb. Should I simply look for a starter plug stamped "22 watt"? All I have to go on are these two links: http://www.affordaproducts.com/Images /SS022.jpg http://www.bulbs.com/eSpec.aspx?ID=9487&am...ts&RefId=16 I may also have to get some kind of wire harness to attach to the two prongs sticking out of the ballast. Thanks, Ed

Is anyone here using Weaver Dyes (also an LCI product)? I'm led to believe that these spirit dyes go on thicker, darker, and with more penetration than Fiebing's spirit dyes do. I'll call Weaver tomorrow to check. Ed

Thanks, Bree. Here's a video that shows close-up views of how a Bonis machine works. Here's an Ebay auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/Bonis-MODEL-A-Never-St...1QQcmdZViewItem Now I'm wondering how heavy these machines are and if they would work well completely handcranked. The book that is distributed by Walrus shoe and leather makes me think that their instructions don't require a Bonis machine. I will find out tomorrow. Ed

I'll call walrus shoe and leather on Monday and ask what kind of machine is needed for the Ugg-style boot in the book they sell. I'll check around with the usual suspects, but any suggestions for suppliers of sheepskin? Ed

I got stuck in the You Tube Vortex http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p4ZSIsueAY...feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rE0aBW6tJU...feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7KEyuUo4rA...feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGm8egzGiPY...feature=related Ed

A new project is starting to rear its head: UGG-style boots. Has anyone ever made such boots. They don't appear to be too difficult to do. Some preliminary questions: 1. Are the soles proprietary and difficult to find? 2. Is it difficult to get the correct type of sheepskin outside of Australia? 3. Will Duall or Tandy contact cement be enough to adhere the sole to the footbed, or is there a special glue used in the shoe industry? Here are some helpful links: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-do-they...-ugg-boots.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL7NUZ2Pxbg...feature=related http://www.walrusshoe.com/books_pages/uggBoots.htm ed

bumping to the top because someone was asking about this machine.

Did you get those pictures from Henry's post on the very same machine? All your questions are answered in his post?

Since I'm now using Tuff Kote for a finish, is it possible to apply Aussie Wax over the finish, or should it be applied under the finish? Depending on the leather, I usually like to do an application of neatsfoot oil, then a coat or two of Aussie Wax. Ed