TomWilson

What a great skill to have! Did you make your own equipment for steaming?

Thank you! I’m using bass wood for all parts. It’s lightweight, rigid but flexible, and mostly free of knots. It’s not recommended for steam bending. I was going to use fir, but the bass wood was less expensive. I too would like to try steaming wood to bend, and make a traditional saddlers clam someday. Post an image of your stitching pony?

Thanks! I really enjoy designing in something like SketchUp. It frees your mind to try many options prior to building. It works well to design using the same steps you’d use if you were applying tools to the material. This idea for a clamp came from working with the curve / circle tool, which then resulted in creating blocks of wood that I’d drill through. Anyway, I’ll post a photo of the actual pony when I finish it!

Thank you!

Thanks! I cut the blocks for the clamp on my RAS (radial arm saw), glued and clamped them, and then marked the 1.5" hole center and outer 2 3/8" hole and cut lines on all sides. I used a forstner bit in a drill press for the 1.5" hole. I then flipped it upside-down and cut the circle open with two cuts on my RAS, with clamping blocks on either side of the work to keep my fingers away from the blade. I used a bench mounted belt sander to round the corners off the top of the clamp. As always, we learn a lot when making the first of anything... Eventually I'd like to make a stitching pony bench to sit on. Are you a woodworker, too?

Nice hat! How did you size it for your head? You've inspired me to make one for myself. It'll be after two or three other projects in the queue.

My second project after making a wallet. This is made from the Tandy Clifton Messenger bag paper pattern. I use it for taking my Bible and tablet to church on Sundays. The next one I make will have some internal and external pockets. This was really a project to gain experience with saddle stitching, and other aspects of leather working. I'm in the middle of making an accordion wallet for my daughter with veg-tan. I made the mistake of using my airbrush for the dye colors inside the house. Wherever we wipe a surface, we see blue dye! The airbrush did a nice job applying the dyes, but it'll be used outside from now on. Enjoying the learning!

Just started the build of my first stitching pony. The overall height will be about 16 inches. I'll use two cam clamps, one for closing the clamp, and one for locking the rotation to the base. I'll wrap and glue veg-tan around each half of the clamp. I'll also insert magnets for holding the needles. I created the design in SketchUp. Feedback welcome... Has anyone made a clamping mechanism that uses magnets to hold your work?

I’m a newcomer to the craft of leatherworking. Way back in 1977, I started at Tandy Radio Shack where I bought a TRS-80 Model I personal computer, which kick-started my 40-plus-year journey in electrical engineering. A year ago, my wife—an artist, school teacher, and creator—and I discovered a Tandy Leather store not far from where we live. She picked up some leather and tools to create a collar for our new Norfolk Terrier, a rescue from South Korea. Her recent creation of a beautiful leather bag impressed me so much that it inspired me to try my hand at the craft. I began with a front pocket wallet pattern, which taught me a great deal. Now, I’m gearing up to make a messenger bag. I’m excited about sharing our conversations and supporting each other along the way!