ArkieNewbie

Very nice @Simplejack1985 ! Is this a bifold?

Thanks for the suggestions @kgg ! The Juki LS-1341would be a good bit outside my price range but this used one would fit in the budget pretty well and it sounds like it has been serviced and should work well. https://dixietailoringsupply.com/product/juki-ls-1341-used/ I think the ticket may be a used 1341 with @Uwe's flatbed attachment. That would give me all the versatility I should need, at least for now. Now comes the tricky part. Convincing my wife! haha

Let me preface everything that follows with this, I have no idea what I am talking about and only know what I've read on websites as it relates to sewing machines. I am starting my research process for purchasing my first sewing machine. The number of options are just as daunting as the prices. I make a wide variety of things. I like to make belts, wallets, journal covers, and laptop bags. The only thing that I want to do that I haven't done yet is cover hat bills with leather and also doing leather patches on hats. I've read enough on here to know that one machine will not be the best for all of these things but unfortunately I am limited by budget and space to one machine for now. From my research I am drawn to the Cowboy CB3200, the Consew 206RB-5, Consew 1206RB-1, the Sailrite Fabricator, and the Cobra Class 20. I like the cylinder arm prospects of the CB3200 and figure it would be a necessity for hat patches. Am I looking in the right direction? Are there other machines to consider? Thanks in advance for your help and input! https://www.sailrite.com/Sailrite-Deluxe-Fabricator-Sewing-Machine-Package https://www.springfieldleather.com/Sewing-Machine-Cobra-Class20 https://www.tolindsewmach.com/cb3200.html https://www.tolindsewmach.com/consew-206rb.html https://www.tolindsewmach.com/consew-p1206rb.html

In my experience with using saddles, not building them, there is a continuous strap or band (adjustment strap) that runs under the seat but is also riveted to the upper part of the skirt to hold it in place. The fenders are then affixed to this strap with rivets. The part of the Blevins Buckle with the "peg" ends is attached to the end of the strap on the fender and the other part of the buckle slides up and down on the adjustment strap. Cutting saddles typically higher seat rise to keep the rider in the seat because of the posture the horse takes while cutting. They also typically have a longer thinner horn on the saddle that a lot of folks will hold onto. It's considered better showmanship to be able to control the horse with reins in one hand than to have to pull them from side to side with the reins. Roping saddles with typically have a higher cantle because the horse's rear end will squat down when sliding to a halt. You're right about mule saddles. They are completely different. Mule saddles will almost always have a strap that goes around the mules rear end because they don't have the pronounced withers of horses to keep the saddle from moving forward. Another difference is also the rear cinch. Typically folks don't tighten the rear cinch up on a horse. There is usually a gap. In my experience it's there as kind of a "last line of defense" for the saddle flipping forward. However, the rear cinch is important on a mule because of the way they're built.

I need you to clutter this up a little bit before my mind explodes.

Springfield Leather sells 13/4" wide rough out strips too.

Exactly what happened here! I think if i was to make this for someone else I would use some pig skin for the middle layer to cut down on the thickness. It's not uncomfortable but it could be thinner. I also think I would make the "hidden" pockets open the inside. But so far I am satisfied with it, except for the edge finishing.

This is from Buckleguy's website. I 100% agree with @chuck123wapati. It depends on the end use, customer's needs, and the end price point of the product being made. If it's a buckle I'm just putting there for "show" because there's a magnetic snap under it, why pay more? However if it's a buckle on a horse headstall or a piece of hardware on a holster of some kind, absolutely, get the best you can. I looks at it the same was as picking leather for a project. Sure, leather XYZ might be the best of the best, but is it really needed for the small pocket knife sheath you're making for your nephew? Just my $0.50 (rounded up for inflation).

Compared to the first pictures this looks amazing! Did you ever get this project finished up?

Thank you sir!

Afternoon Everyone! Me and my girls did a craft fair a couple weeks back and I ended up selling a gentleman the wallet out of my pocket that I had made for myself. So, I needed a new one. Here are some picture of it. I'm pretty happy with this design. If I made another one I would make it about 1/2" wider so the card pockets would lay better but. I have 8 cards in the pockets and my work badge in one of the outside pockets. You can see in the last picture that I put pockets on each side between the cash pocket and the card pockets. I could have gotten a little more meticulous on my corners but I knew I was making this one for myself so I called it "good enough." Let me know what y'all think!

This is the very early stages of a briefcase/laptop bag I am making for myself. These are the front and back panels. I'm thinking about putting a large pocket on the back panel so the stitching for the inside pocket doesn't show. There will be a 5" gusset to form the sides and I plan on putting a heavy piece of veg tan in the bottom to reinforce it. I haven't decided on straps yet.

I have to agree with you there. I wouldn't watch it with my kids. And the whole Billy Knapp and Alice Longabaugh story is very sad. But you can't help but laugh when James Franco looks over and says, "First time, huh?"

This is one of the most awesome things I've seen on here!! I love that movie!!

I agree with what others have said here. I have never heard of this stuff, didn't know it was a thing. And I'm relatively new to leather working so there's that too. I have tried a couple of different contact cements and found my favorite to be SLC's Ever-Tack. It's water based, not flammable, no bad smells, cleans up pretty easily, and when applied to both pieces holds pretty darn good. At least good enough to get my stitching holes made and get the piece stitched up. This has kind of been my philosophy on cements too. It doesn't really seem that I need something that's going to glue a bowling ball to the ceiling if it's going to get stitched. Just my opinions, take it for what it's worth.

Awesome work on the mauls! I'm constantly impressed by what folks can do with a lathe. I find myself starting conversations about leather off like the quote A LOT! "So you just cut stuff out and sew it together?" "Well stitch actually, it'll be easier if I just explain the whole process..." And by the time I get done they no longer care

@ScottWolf I just ordered all of the ingredients to make this. I am really excited to give it a try. If you don't mind, my girls have a craft fair coming up with their 4H group and would like to make this to sell there. Let me know what you if you're opposed to that. I don't want to step on any toes.

I bought the 8 oz economy poly mallet from SLC when I got started and I love the handle on it. It is nicely contoured and fits my hand nicely. Only $16. It has worked great for me so far. There are some time I would like to have one a little heavier but for the money, it ain't too bad. @Rich1 I use the mallet mentioned above for EVERYTHING. Now, obviously I am just a beginner and I have never used a maul so, if you have your mind set on a maul, I'm not much help.

@Gezzer that gave me a good laugh for the day! The reason for the edit cracked me up!

Oh come on now! I saw that carving you did the other day, don't sell yourself short, I thought it looked great. MUCH better than my first try!

Here's a couple more things I've made. The other side of the blue wallet is the thumb of an old baseball glove my brother in law accidentally mowed.

Thank you for the kind words and tips as always! Yes sir, there are a few things I would definitely do differently on the laptop case. I made it after I had only been going for a month or so, I was even more green then than I am now. If I remember correctly the spot on that pocket is where I ran short on thread and had to start a new line. That case was auctioned off to benefit my daughters' home school co-op. I wish I could get it back and fix some things haha. But, I told my wife yesterday I am going to make it again but this time I am going to add a gusset and shoulder strap, and it will be for ME to carry my computer to work in. I agree about the strap also. I am thinking on the one I make for myself I'm going to opt for a Loxx fastener and lose the strap and buckle all together. I have also learned the benefits of the beveller in the past few months as well and the value of burnishing the edges of all pockets and pieces before assembly.

Afternoon Everyone, I am a new leather worker located in North East Arkansas. I got into this as a hobby about 7 months ago and I have loved it so far. I have made some minimalist wallets out of oil tanned and old baseball gloves, some valet trays, some purses, a wallet for my wife, I've done some glasses cases I shared recently on here, a laptop case, and a drawing pad cover I just finished up this week. I've just recently started trying my hand at carving and tooling and really enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who has responded to my posts so far with tips and tricks!

Thanks for the tip! I will definitely try that. As I do more and more projects it becomes more clear that the little fine details are the hardest things to remember to do and to learn how to do well.

Thank you for that feedback! I do see what you're saying and I agree. Honestly the rounded edges on the blue one were an after thought after the rectangle patch had been sewn on and I didn't want to risk cutting and my stitches popping out. I definitely agree with you about the thinning. The only tool I have for it is a French edger. Not ideal but it gets the job done, but I do agree it could definitely be cleaned up. I definitely appreciate your comments!