esantoro

Can anyone recommend a good large poly cutting board, about 24" by 36" or 48"? Recently, I've started cutting through my 3/8" board that is rather soft. I have one poly cutting board about 18" by 24" that is made for kitchen use, and it's perfect. Nothing I'm using would ever cut through it. So far this is the best I can come up with on the net: http://www.cutting-mats.net/cutting-mats-1022.html Ed

I'm growing a bit disappointed with my wooden leather strap cutter. It doesn't consistently give me the measured cut I need. For 11/4" straps it's fine, but for the 4" gussets I need it seems to be off frequently by about 1/8". Here's a link to the strap cutter I'm using: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/product...?number=3080-00 Does the draw gauge perform better? http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/product...?number=3084-00 Thanks, Ed

Whatever you do do not get the L-3193 clips. They fall apart within the first week of use. Ed

I like these no. 12 buckles http://www.siegelofca.com/itemdetail.asp?prodid=895 I've got to place an order on Monday with OTB. If you want anything from them I can include it in my order, then forward it to you. Ed

What about coating the edges with some kind of resin? ed

I just got off the phone with Speedy Metals. I gave them measurements for 8 templates. They're going to punch the numbers into their electronic cutting machine, and Voila. $53 plus $10 shipping. Charges are just for the .100" 6061-T6 aluminum, no cutting charges. Ed

I thnk I've hit upon exactly what I've been looking for, aluminum templates. For my briefcases, I need a series of rectangular patterns that will allow me simply to cut the leather out around the pattern, rather than tracing the pattern and then cutting out using a straight edge. Why not have all my rectangular patterns made out of aluminum sheeting. The patterns will last forever, and I could simply cut out my pieces around the pattern itself? Have any of you ever done this, or do you use some other hard, durable material for your patterns? The best source I've seen for aluinum is https://www.speedymetals.com/t-service.aspx a 1/10" 12"x24" sheet of aluminum is $14. Ed

Thanks for the lead on Pecard's dressing. I've been using it, but the veg tan still seems to spot if water gets on it. It's been hot lately and I've been wearing cool wraps (water-soaked gel wrapped in cloth and tied bandana fashion) around my neck. these wraps sometimes drip and if I'm not careful they will drip onto the leather. even with a coat or two of Pecards, the leather still seems to spot. Will NeatLac be the way to go to protect the leather from water spots, or will it be to glossy? Thanks, Ed

Ashley, I'm in Brooklyn, NY, and would love to get the number of this company to check their pricing. Thanks, Ed

I'm now bidding on an analog caliper. The digits on the new digital caliper are already blinkingm, which I think means the battery is on the blink. Usually I always run a purchase by the group before making a decision. Thanks again for the heads up. Ed

Thanks, Regis. I knew something had to give. Now I know why the seller offered a second battery. Would you recommend a caliper with an analog dial? Ed

I was nearly all set to fork over $90 for a thickness gauge from Ohi travel Bags, but then I thought better and bought this caliper on Ebay for $6.50 (and $9 shipping). http://cgi.ebay.com/6-inch-Electronic-Digi...1QQcmdZViewItem Just got it today. I think it works quite well. Ed

I think I'd like to offer custom stamping with my briefcases. Can anyone recommend a supplier for a quality stamping kit for initials, something that would allow me to set three initials in line and stamp all at once. Thanks, ed

Great links, Jim. Thanks. Ed

I picked up some 1/8" hardboard at home depot today, cut out some patterns, and put a couple coats of lacquer on the edges. I had to choose between polyeurethane, which I think I should have got, and lacquer. I chose the latter because it had a drying time of about 30 minutes. Perhaps I should have picked up a resin. Any ideas for what the best type of finish would be to protect the the edges of the hardboard pattern as I cut out pieces of leather around it? I think this is a better method than tracing around a posterboard pattern and then cutting out the peices with a straight edge and blade. Also, any ideas as to what would be the best kind of knife or blade for cutting 1/8" hardboard? As always, thanks for the help. Ed

Usually I condition, sometimes even oil, my 5/6 oz veg tan prior to assembling my briefcases. Is there any advantage to doing this? Disadvantage? My reasoning is that it makes the leather easier to work with. Thanks, Ed

I'm looking for some inexpensive pattern material that will last a long time allowing me to cut out the leather along the pattern itself. So far, I've come up with 1/8" hardboard and 1/8" white plastic cutting board material. Currently I use posterboard to race the outline of the pattern. Then I use a traight edge to cut along the lines. This is a bit too time consuming. Thanks for any ideas you may have. Ed

Thanks, Art. Much of what you've explained has happened to me and still happens. Quite often I end up simply stitching forward. I leave enough thread free so that I can lock in the stitching by saddlestitching by hand. I pretty much do this for all the stitches, which adds considerable time in making my cases. Ed

Are there some variations on backstitching to lock in a stitch? I was watching a Tippmann Boss demo video the other day and noticed that the demo for locking in a stitch had the machine operator do two or three forward stitches, then the same backstitched, and then on with the rest of the forward stitching. All I ususally do to start stitching is four or five backstitch (sometimes difficult to measure precisely the right length to the edge of my work) and then start stitching forward. Thanks, Ed

Do any of you think a tool like the following would work well in setting tubular and solid rivets in my briefcases? http://www.hansonrivet.com/w82b.htm ed

I'm closer to purchasing a die. But I was wondering: It still may be some time before I buy a clicker or even find one to rent time on. Have you ever heard of anyone using a a 16" x 12" clicker manually, say, by putting two-by-fours across and using a mallet to cut out the pieces. Even if the piece does not cut out entirely, it may not be difficult tofinish cuting out with a knife. Would this procedure damage the die? Are there dies made just for this sort of thing? Ed

Thanks for the link, Barra. I was looking at the Lucris clicker. They seem to go for about $900 new. I'm going to look around for a used Tippmann 1500. Maybe I can pick one up for $2000. I was thnking. In addition to the 16" x 12" faces I need for my briefcase, I also need 16" x 12.5" suede lining for each face. Is it possible to hang a clicker .5" over the cutting edge of the press and have only three sides cut? Then I could do the last side manually and add the .5" extra i need to roll under the edge of the face. This would allow me to get two slightly different cuts from the same clicker die. Ed

K-Man, I'm starting to think seriously about the 15-ton tippmann clicker. I'll probably first order the dies I need and see if I can rent time at a local shop. Is it possible to use the Tippmann dies by hand and then cut out the pieces completely with a knife? That would still be a time saver. I've emailed Tippmann to get a ballpark figure on the cost for the dies. To start me off, I need a die that's 16" x 12" and one that's 8" x 20." Do know of a place that makes hand clickers? How loud is the Tippmann 1500 and the air compressor that has to be used with it? Thanks for the help, Ed

What's the best way to set steel tubular rivets and caps? Hit the cap onto the tubular post, or hit the tubular post into the cap. All the presses seem to be set up so that you are pressing the post down into the cap, or if you are peening, you are pressing the post down onto the peening die? Ed

I just received some samples from Keith and Tracy Brubaker at The Leather Guy in MN. Beautiful leather, absolutely beautiful. www.theleatherguy.org Ed