what have you learned?

[Skipknives]

Wear rubber gloves a week before the show

never wear your new shirt out to the shop

Exact-o knives on the bench will roll off

never wear flip-flops by the bench

never use a plasma cutter near your vacuum table

somthing flamable is always under your bench

compleated projects should never be displayed near leather dyeing area

Grandsons will repeat what they hear in your shop at the wrong time.

[Michael Sheldon]

Never store leather (especially veg-tan) near sunlight. Shop windows should be blacked out.

Ironic corollary: There's no such thing as too much light in the shop.

Cheap tools are worth exactly what you paid for them.

Good tools are also worth what you paid for them.

Good parts organization is the only way you will keep track of how much you have.

Corollary to above: If you get sloppy, you will find out you don't have enough of X to finish a piece.

Don't use a substandard completed piece as a demo at shows unless you are willing to sell it. SOMEONE will want it and won't take no for an answer.

And, an old truth from my days running a graphic design shop:

It's a fairly common thing when designing something for a customer, to present sketches of different options. It's also common among designers to present one sketch that is truly hideous as a contrast to make the others look good. DON'T DO THIS!!! The customer will pick the @$%*& ringer every time. :scratchhead:

[esantoro]

I just had to copy and Paste some of the "Things I have learned" from other posts that really resonate with my own experience:

No matter what angle you twist yourself into, the light is never right.

After two hours of precision work...then you make your mistake.

Never work on leather when you're tired.

When hand stitching, your thread will always be too short!!!!!!

Your sewing machine will always screw up half way through you project.

Every project cost more for materials than you thought it would.

Keep you fingers away from the bobbin on cylinder bed sewing machines!!!!!!!

Good parts organization is the only way you will keep track of how much you have.

[Beaverslayer]

Never shake a "Sharpie" close to your project.

Ken

[Kevin King]

Never shake a "Sharpie" close to your project.

Ken

[pete]

always mark the "fold line" on a wallet, billfold, or anything else that is "almost square"

\10 times out of 10 you will tool the pattern in the wrong direction........

ok,ok I'm the only one to have done this more than once

Edited December 24, 2007 by pete