built a saddle on a flex-tree?

[Mike Craw]

Have any of you built a saddle on a Steele flex-tree? We had a lady come into the shop and ask us to build her a barrel racing saddle. She had been using a tree-less saddle, which we repaired and she sold on ebay for a pretty good price. Once I got a look inside a treeless saddle, it called into question everything I thought I understood about saddle making. Foam padding taped together with cellophane tape, covered with fake sheepskin. Progress, I guess.

So now, after we agreed to build this saddle, she has come in with a Steele saddle tree. The fork and cantle are standard issue wood covered in fiberglass, but the bars are some sort of semi-flexible material covered in a rubberized coating. The ground seat pan that she got with it is roughly 3/16" fiberglass. Naturally, there are no instructions as to how to affix the pan to the tree, or more importantly, how to build a ground seat over top of this whole contraption and have anything stick to anything else...

Anybody with experience, please jump in here!!!

Mike

[steve mason]

Sorry, I can't help you with how to build this saddle.

But I would like to offer some advise that was given to me years ago buy a very talented and experienced saddle maker.

you will be building this saddle with your name stamp on it (which carries with it your reputation), therefore you should only use trees and materials that are up to your high standards, not the customers standards. If you build this rig on this gimmick tree, and it does not work out, all the customer will remember is that you made the saddle and it does not work, she will have forgotten that it was her tree that was the original problem.

Everything I make has my name on it, so I will not build anything using poor quality materials. Just last week a potential customer came to my shop and asked if I would build him a saddle on a tree he owned, it was made by one of so call high end production makers. In comparison to the true custom trees that I use this tree was junk. I explained what works better with the trees I use compared to his tree and told him that I would not build or put my name on his tree. He did not order a saddle and I don't think he will from me. I would rather lose an order than lose the integrity of my saddles and my name.

just my 2 cents

[RyanCope]

QUALITY...."There is hardly anything in the world that some man can not make a little worse , and sell a little cheaper. And the people who consider price only are this man's lawfull prey." A quotation by John Ruskin

This sign hangs in my shop, and is the FIRST thing people see when they enter my shop. It was passed on to me by my teacher when I started out on my own. He drilled into me not to bother with people who are cheap. If you do, your saddlemaking career will suffer because of it. Cheap people make lousy customers ( I'm generalizing ), and are not loyal. I had a woman yesterday who wanted 5 dice cups for Christmas, basket stamped with brands tooled on them. I quoted her $75 a peice, and she about hit the roof. Which was fine because I quoted her too cheap, and I was booked for Christmas in September anyway. Point being, I didn't even blink as she walked out the door. We've all had people walk in that are cheap, and/ or don't know quality. And, frankly I've met many saddlemakers that are not much different. Each individual has to decide what type of saddlemaker they want to become, as well as what type of customer they wish to cater to. Don't waist your time with people that are cheap. People who are uneducated as to what is quality can sometimes become great customers. I understand there is a big difference in perspective depending on whether your building saddles as a hobby, full time, first timer, veteran, different regions and everything in between. So, I can only speak for myself. But it seems to me that THERE IS NEVER A RIGHT WAY TO DO SOMETHING WRONG.

I hope that helps. I know this is a little off subject, but I've been where you are, and I'm where I'm at now, because of the choices I made then. Good, bad, or indifferent. I am certainly no expert, and have much to learn. But I don't deal in crap. Granted ,there are exceptions to every rule, but exceptions will become habits if you are not carefull.

Ryan Cope

[Hidemechanic]

You guys are sooo right.

I've always threatened to hang a sign that says"This is not K-Mart, and the cutomer is not always right!!"

It takes a certain amount of tact to deal with people that 'know' they know more about your job than you do.

As for the flex tree, I can't speak for Steele Trees but I thought they only sold in volume to the prodution out fits. Now Ralide does too but If you know what you want when you call you may get a sample tree from them(free). Just dont' tell them I told you. Anyway, I got one from them that is what they call their flex-tree and it would make a good barrel tree.(it's a variation of the other recipe but has flex to it)

It's been my experience that every gimmic has it's limitations, and myself trying to find other ways to do things to accomadate those with special interests or disciplines, I have found that there are really few changes that you can make from the standard. Some things work on some horses and not on others. Kind of like and un-named flex tree on the market, you either like it or you hate it, it either works for you or it doesn't.

Solid wood trees have been tested for over a century and are still being used with little improvement made to them.

I struggled with raising prices as my quality improves because I for one thought too much about economy, and second having confidence that the pride and quality of workmanship that I put into my product is well worth the higher price that some people get all offended over. That, in and of itself gives me the right to be offended that someone would presume that I (or you) should take a pay cut or cut the quality of our product to make them feel better about buying from me(us).

What's the best way to handle those people?

You might say," don't dothat sort of work maybe you could talk to what's his name down the road, but I could show you what I do if you are interested.

Maybe that's another good subject to persue in another thread.

Best wishes, G. Hackett

[greg gomersall]

Nos Hoc Capio Sus Greg

[AndyKnight]

Greg , Nos Hoc Capio Sus

what the heck is that in english....??

I mucked with a couple of rubber barred trees..a number of years ago. A royal pain.in the a...!. also agree not a good Idea to put ones name on some of these.

[steve mason]

"Nos Hoc Capio Sus Greg"

Me don't understand???

Edited November 22, 2007 by steve mason

[Hidemechanic]

Greg, what do you no compredo? GH

[greg gomersall]

I fully understand. The translation from latin to english is " we don't rent pigs". In other words build on it if you like but a man that would rent a pig won't stop at other things. Greg

[steve mason]

I was pretty sure that qoute came from Augustus McCrae.