chuck123wapati

thank you! thanks LOL A long handled shovel goes with me everywhere in the summer.

thanks, it really looks nice on my black felt. Thanks.

Got my new summer hat figured i'd make a nice band for it. Prairie Rattler, locally sourced and ethically dispatched.

We could use a good stamping thread where everyone can show the different ways to use them.

Holy cow I'll bet you had fun for a minute. i converted a Coleman white gas lantern to kerosene once with a similar outcome lol. Had to buy a new globe after i tossed it out the door on fire. That oil has to get hot before it vaporizes well. Its too bad your so far away i have a wood lathe and enough metal working tools to build anything you would need for a bellows. I think i even have plans for a bellows in one of my foxfire books. Man I've got so many projects that I don't know where to start, bad thing is I don't really want to start lol fishing sounds more fun.

only one way to find out!

you rock my friend!!! a nice job of the holster too.

lol i asked a master carpenter once what the dif was between him and an apprentice. " i know how to hide my F*#k ups!!" was his answer. I spent 30 years doing it and never got the chance to get licensed working for the state. We did have licensed people once in a while i learned from an old master plumber from "Philly" We used hot water heat from three 750 hp coal fired boilers that traveled the prison in every thing up to 5" copper, miles of it all in tunnels underground pumped by dozens of pumps of every size you can imagine. About 50 air handling units run by Johnson controls pneumatics. it was a plumbers night mare and an hvac techs worst fears. On top of the industrial plumbing we had three wardens homes to maintain as well but all had hot water heat so my residential furnace knowledge is limited though i have done some tin work. I sure will bend your ear though my friend I don't know everything thank you for the offer.

that seems awful steep of a price. Blacksmith bellows probably have had a rough life to begin with not to mention few were probably saved in any shape, But as antiques go on the market i couldn't estimate the actual worth of one as a collectable. If its been hanging there for any length of time i would ask about it, give it a real good going over like your an expert, take notes and such lol then give a fair offer for it. Once all the damage has been pointed out they may drop their price. As for rebuilding one now that would be a fun project to jump on. From what little i have read most of the metal parts can be hand made so no real problem replacing those.

You never quit impressing. Friggin cool shoes!!

and custom made to fit what ever you want in it, Nice work my friend.

oh yea that would work great. man I don't want a new furnace, to many bells and whistles. its another example of over engineering a product for no good reason.

you condition the veg tan leather with an oil of some kind during the finishing stage. so it isn't dry. I use neets foot or mink oil. just a light coat all over your leather, don't get it on your wood though before you seal it.

i see what your trying to do now. You may want to rethink the perfect corner approach and round the box top corners slightly to fit the leathers bendability. And yes you can still form the leather, after you fit it and condition it the hinge/ bending areas will still bend because of the skiving..

I suggest Al Stohlmans series on making cases there are three books " The Art of Making Cases" On the above pictures you have skived on the wrong side or that would have worked just fine you need to remove your material on the inside of the bend Skiving for the magnet pockets also. or you could form your leather in a jig or form then apply it.

you might try some leather handle bar wrap like they use on the touring bikes or possibly rawhide which is put on wet then as it dries it shrinks up and tightens.

beautiful work and welcome to wunerful Wyoming!! I sure wish i could have made up that way to see you folks.

Very cool find!! who ever owned them first took mighty good care of them. I love old tools i have a plumbers stove i refurbished a few years ago. My dad picked it up to melt lead for his Black powder guns.

you did put oak leaves on it and they look great!! Nice leather !!

Our family Singer went to my brother, from my grandmother it was the only machine she ever used. We even found receipts from when her dad paid it off back in the early 1900's. If this wood wasn't in such bad shape i would refurbish it in a heart beat. I'll bet your niece treasures that old machine though its good you have someone who will. A brake is on my list someday too lol I'm going to have to change out my furnace one of these years.

Oh there is no machine in it. I was given the table because they were going to toss it. The top is water damaged and the glue joints are failing. But the treadle is still good and all the parts are there. I wish there was an old Singer in it too.

its currently in re thinking mode lol. I plan on putting it on this old treadle machine stand and making it foot powered.

welcome back!!! I enjoy seeing your work!

Here's the deal. man has been using leather since the stone age. They have been conditioning leather for the same amount of time using all "natural " products. to think that it hasn't been done or tried is just silly for lack of a better term that wont offend folks. But here is something to think about, if you use your new beeswax and olive oil conditioner that hasn't ever been tried before in the history of man. on leather you intend to use out doors you better stock up on bug spray!!!!! Bugs smell stuff, they like food, and you will smell like food to them ! Bees especially are attracted to beeswax for some odd reason, who knew right? Good luck to all in your endeavors to find out what cave men already knew and what your grandaddy forgot to tell you.