So how do YOU do it?

[Facebiter]

We all have our own little rituals we do when we do leatherwork, I'm sure. I'm interested in hearing some of what you guys do!

For me, I like blasting my music really loud (so I can sitll hear it while hitting things. :D) and lighting some incense.

It really let's me tune out the world at large and I jsut sit in my room, me and the leather.

Sometimes I eat my lunch in my room while doing work.

[Hilly]

I turn the XM up, since it's in the kitchen, and I work in the dining room. I get myself a big cup of coffee with a cover, 'cuz I hate spills. I never eat while I work - greasy finger prints don't work well with dye. And you'd be surprized just how fast leather absorbs odors. If it's my own stuff, then fine, but if it's for a customer or not for me, I wouldn't burn anything nearby...

Sometimes I forego the coffee, and do a couple of Coronas with lime. Note: Beer doesn't stain like coffee

[TomSwede]

I turn the XM up, since it's in the kitchen, and I work in the dining room. I get myself a big cup of coffee with a cover, 'cuz I hate spills. I never eat while I work - greasy finger prints don't work well with dye. And you'd be surprized just how fast leather absorbs odors. If it's my own stuff, then fine, but if it's for a customer or not for me, I wouldn't burn anything nearby...

Sometimes I forego the coffee, and do a couple of Coronas with lime. Note: Beer doesn't stain like coffee

Hey Hilly keep a couple of cold Guinness handy when I visit you and I'll show you beer that stains alot;-)

[DG Leather]

I am new...but i like music on soft....tesla or monster magnet.....a coffee on the side table and sometime...maybe a person i am chatting too....and taking pictures of every project i do !

[scottishshoemaker]

Stick on some northern soul and dance my pants off, while pounding to the beat. maybe thats where I'm going wrong?

[BruceGibson]

It might be one extreme to the other, but it's either classic country, or classic rock. And, I turn the telephone ringer off.

[BearMan]

I'm with Bruce,

Out in my shop, music up just loud enough to make me sound good singing along, to some good country or classic rock. Can't drink anything other than some soda,,, makes my lines go "squirlly"

[jbird]

Well for me it's a system the same every time plugin my iPod and turn on some classic country or western some cowboy songs and every now and then some Celtic music, I don't drink so it's usally a coke or grape juice but never by were I am working got a spot all layed out for beverages and they stay there and every now and again I put on a aduio book and drink that in, most of the time I am sittin or standing in front of a massive window that looks in to the open plains and mountains passing by are some rabbits wild turkey, some hundred deer and other wildlife keeps me relaxed.

Josh

[rawhide1]

Yawls lucky I have to try and keep the kids from fighting while trying to work! Or else stay up late after they go to sleep. Oh well one day they will grow up and be gone. And I'm not looking forward to that at all.

Mike

[JayO]

I like to tune the local oldies station or plug in an mp3 player loaded with all my early bluegrass cd's.

Either way the music is LOUD. More often then not my project ends up with tear stains when the bluegrass is playing.

Gets me every time.

John.

[SunshineNative]

Don't worry Mike, they come back!!!!

Yawls lucky I have to try and keep the kids from fighting while trying to work! Or else stay up late after they go to sleep. Oh well one day they will grow up and be gone. And I'm not looking forward to that at all.

Mike

[SunshineNative]

I have learned a few things lately. Number one- wolves like the smell of leather, deer and elk hides are like candy to the little buggers! So I now go hide in the kitchen with either coffee or a big ol' iced tea, and bang the heck outta stuff while the wolves howl outside. Now who can beat that for music? Believe me its better than hearing myself sing along! I can't carry a tune in a bucket!

Dianne

Edited March 22, 2009 by SunshineNative

[tashabear]

Diet Coke on the counter behind me, audiobook on the iPod (or Pandora.com, streaming new-to-me music). Usually an audiobook, though; my Audible.com membership is worth the expense.

[TrooperChuck]

For me, it's 1970's pop music or new country, sometimes some talk radio. A diet coke or iced tea. Take a break at noon to give the horses their lunch time hay and take the dogs for a walk. In winter time, stoke the wood stove. In summer time thank God that my shop is in our basement and it's always 65 degrees in there!

And of course, I take several breaks to sit down at this silly computer to see what the folks at leatherworker.net are talking about.

[azrider]

I have an old desk I work on upstairs, and will blast anything from Hank Sr. to Pantera. Drinks go on a table a few feet away. My last big project though, I actually dragged my stone and tools downstairs to the coffee table, and watched about 5 seasons of the Simpsons and the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. The key for me is that it needs to be something that I will pay too much attention to while I work on the leather.

[TwinOaks]

I listen to a couple of different genres- anything from Bocephus and Charlie Daniels to Garbage/techno to classical guitar. It depends on my mood.

Right now, I'm listening to my neighbor try to figure out why his Harley with straight pipes is backfiring.....

I work at the dining room table, so sometimes I listen to kids (6&8) fighting, other times it's my wife asking if I'm coming to bed yet.

On a brighter note, I've cleaned out my workshop so I'll soon be moving out there. Just as soon as I replace the meter box on the house with a 200A service and run some power out to it via underground conduit.

Edited March 22, 2009 by TwinOaks

[MarshalWill]

I did a stint building machinery. More often than not, there was loud music playing on both sides of the shop, never the same type and I worked in the middle. Usually Mexican folk music battling it out with hard rock. Both sides turning the music up so loud they didn't have to listen to the other. I got tired of being surrounded with noise. Now I enjoy quiet while I work. I suppose some good music would go well but I just don't think of it. I like having iced tea on hand. Maybe I'll try some music one of these days.

[SunshineNative]

I like having iced tea on hand. Maybe I'll try some music one of these days.

Some of us walk to the beat of our own hammers.

Be Well. Live Long.

Dianne

[flyingcuda]

music..usually tea party...metallica. then i have to have a drink, usually a beer to steady the hands...i am the type to beat myself up before i start the kids and hubby know that they don't come near me when i am working...i can mess things up pretty good on my own now if i can figure out a way to make a leather boo boo eraser...i'd have it made!

[Shelly]

My computer is in the shop, so I use it to stream oldies rock, pop, and classic country, depending on the mood. Sometimes just background, and quieter, but, when I decide to play the Eagles, EW&F, etc, from My Music, it's usually cranked up! Have thought about audio books quite a bit, just haven't taken time to check on that...!

[MarshalWill]

Some of us walk to the beat of our own hammers.

Be Well. Live Long.

[Rayban]

Lately I have the TV on in the garage to watch some of the tournament basketball games, but that's a hard way to get work done, especially during the last 2 minutes of the game, which can last an hour.....

Usually I have the music on just loud enough so that if my wife calls out to me to do something, I can use the excuse that I didn't hear her on account of the music.

"Don't blame me, blame the kids for getting this iPod for me...."

[leatherworklee]

Must have music usually old cowboy or celtic. Native American flutes , drums, chants. Herb Alpert, Dave Brubeck or ???????? whatever. Maybe a pine or fir scented candle across the room and a bottle of Green tea(with lid). Lots and lots of light both natural and electric. Two goose neck lamps on table to eliminate shadows an overhead with 4 bulbs and between two windows. A good friend built me a tool box out of black walnut wood it is about 30 inches long 16 inches wide and 24 inches tall with 2 lift out stamping tool blocks that will hold about 200 tools it has 2 drawers for sewing/ lacing supplies and tools and one for hand tools such as grovers, edgers pliers etc. This sets on a hardwood furniture dolly. So it's lights on , music on ,roll out the tool box open up and go to work.

[MarshalWill]

A good friend built me a tool box out of black walnut wood it is about 30 inches long 16 inches wide and 24 inches tall with 2 lift out stamping tool blocks that will hold about 200 tools it has 2 drawers for sewing/ lacing supplies and tools and one for hand tools such as grovers, edgers pliers etc.

You have a picture of that toolbox? I've been planning to make a new one and am looking for ideas. Thanks.

[bustedlifter]

Now that my new shop is done I can't wait for summer weather! I love working when it's good and warm even hot. As far as listening pleasure, I do a lot while the EIB network is on, other than that my musical tastes are pretty varied.