Brief general how to

[nobearsyet]

OK, folks, at the risk of being tarred and feathered, I am going to ask for it. I just finished my first project, my tree arrived when I was too busy to mess with it, and now I have some time on my hands. Would anybody here mind giving a very breif how to, mainly the order of things, and a few tricks here and thee. And before anyone asks I did a search first

[UKRay]

How to what, Nobears?

Ray

OK, folks, at the risk of being tarred and feathered, I am going to ask for it. I just finished my first project, my tree arrived when I was too busy to mess with it, and now I have some time on my hands. Would anybody here mind giving a very breif how to, mainly the order of things, and a few tricks here and thee. And before anyone asks I did a search first

[CitizenKate]

A brief, general how-to on how to build a saddle? That could be a pretty tall order, considering all that is involved. It will be interesting to see what the responses are...

Kate

[Johanna]

Johanna's method of building a saddle:

1. Buy a horse

2. Contact one of the 2348 people on the board who admit to being saddlemakers

3. Have credit card/check/cash

4. Wait patiently

5. Sign for UPS shipment.

Voilà! Done.

Johanna

[UKRay]

okay, okay, I'll try to keep up next time...

Ray

[nobearsyet]

johanna, I like your message, but there a few hitches in the gittalong with that one, 1. I already own 2 horses with a third on the way (she's due in October), 2. I don't have a load of cash, and really want to try and do it myself, 3. I work during the day and if the UPS man leaves something on my doorstep then it invariably gets stolen

As far as what I meant, I was just asking for a tutorial as to what order things get done in, I have a pretty general idea as to do most of them, but am not sure as to the order that things get done in.

[rickybobby]

Cover the gullett. It will get you going and primed for the next step!

Rick J.

[Frank]

Someone posted this a while back and it is a good reference if you need photos instead of words. Saddle Making Hopefully it gets you off to a good start. There are several relatively inexpensive books out there that will help you out as well. Dusty Johnson's book is $20 I believe and has a lot of good handy tips in it.

[TwinOaks]

The thing that's made me wondering is your 2nd statement: I don't have a load of cash, and really want to try and do it myself.

You kinda need to know that unless you already have a sqddle shop, you'll be well into a boat load of cash making this sddle. Probably close to twice what you'd pay for a decent cordura rig.

Doing it yourself, and wanting a leather saddle....that I can understand.

[nobearsyet]

Well, I don't have a saddle shop, but I do have all of the tools (I got lucky on Ebay and got a whole box lot of stuff that hadmost of it in it, and then bought what I didn't have), except for a draw down stand and I got an idea there (I am planning to take an aluminum saddle rack, you know the ones they sell at the tack shops, and cover the top in carpet, then put a 4x4 with a couple eye bolts at the bottom and do the draw down with ratchet straps off the 4x4). That link helped Frank, but they left out exactly where the skirts come into play, do they get layed on in the very beginning, or d othey come towards the middle, or are they the last thing that gets done? I bought a couple of books and they all go about it in a different stage of the game. As far as the cost issue goues, I got the leather for almost free (a buddy of mine butchered a couple cows at home and gave me the hides to send to the tanners, well, another buddy works at a tannery in NY state and got them tanned (veg tanned) for me pretty cheap), and the tree wasn't that bad, bought it from Bowden, as their wade tree fits both of the horses currently munching grain in my back yard real well. Anybody care to give me a general order.

[Bob]

Nobearsyet, there maybe 100 saddle makers on this forum. Chances are very few do things exactly the same. Frank make a good suggestion. "Buy a book" that way you can follow ONE persons directions.

Most all saddle makers start from the bottom and work up.

Start with the ground seat

put on the gullet

block and put on the skirts

cover the cantle back

prepare your swell cover

cover the horn

when you get to that point, you'll see yourself how the remainder will go together.

[yotebuster1200]

here are a couple more good links that should help you with the steps.

http://saddleblog.blogspot.com/search?upda...;max-results=41

on the last link go to the bottom of the page and work your way up

Scott

[nobearsyet]

I'll start with the ground seat, is 10-14oz going to be too heavy, I am under the impression that most of what I use thee is going to be skived off

And since it's not really off topic, and I forgot to mention it in the last post, how do I go about doing a half seat? None of my books (which aren't real specific as to anything BTW) don't mention anything about doing half seats

[oldtimer]

I'll start with the ground seat, is 10-14oz going to be too heavy, I am under the impression that most of what I use thee is going to be skived off

And since it's not really off topic, and I forgot to mention it in the last post, how do I go about doing a half seat? None of my books (which aren't real specific as to anything BTW) don't mention anything about doing half seats

Here is an example of a ground seat in a half seat saddle. A tin plate bottom covered with a couple of layers of leather. You can also use rawhide instead of the tin, old fashion way. This is my way of doing it, and there are more ways, as many as there are saddlemakers. Also a pic of a low budget saddle, still rideable and useful, although there is no seat at all. (I guess this saddle style was the start of the expression " a pain in the ass" ?)

Good luck, hoping this will help on your project / old timer

Edited June 14, 2009 by oldtimer

[electrathon]

I read through the posts and first off I want to say, I am not a saddle maker. But I think your question is too big. I have a suggestion: How about if you start another thread and possibly it can evolve into a teaching thread. You can start with a starting level question, post pictures and ask questions. Once step one is finished (hopefully a few makers will step in and all give suggestions) then you can show your progress and go on to step two. If done right this thread would turn into a tutorial with step by step construction. Show your mistakes, show your successes. Ask dumb questions, if you have them, so does someone else. You could end up with a thread that is many pages long that could serve as a guide to other beginners in the future.

Aaron

[mulefool]

I do it just like Bob, only different order. Helpful, huh? If you've got several different books and they all do things in a different order, then it just really might not matter. I agree with electrathon that your question is just too darn big. Sort of like, "Can somebody tell me how to build a house?" Maybe a question like "what do you do first, and is there a reason for doing it first". Then when you get that lined out, go on to ask the next step.

So, that said, I usually cover the gullet first, then the ground seat, then fork cover (unless the horn wrap will go under the fork) then cantle filler and back, and then skirts. Chris

[nobearsyet]

Thanks Chris, I think I'm going to do what electrathon suggested and start a new thread that will hopefully turn into a tutorial. But I am still planning to keep this one going if I can. BTW, pictures really help as I have no camera and the books I have are completely without pictures, being as 3 of the 4 were written before the turn of the last century (or photocopies thereof) and the other one is just a waste of good printing paper and ink IMHO

[bruce johnson]

NBY,

I am not trying to come off as a smart ---, but a few more questions here. What kind of tree is it? What are your plans for it? Are you comfortable with the tools? Is there any maker locally who you can go to for help? Not having a camera is going to be a bit of a hindrance to many being able to "see" what you have done and maybe what you are talking about as you progress. That said, there are a couple of middle of the road tutorials I think you ought to have a look at. One is Harry Adams' book The Saddle Maker's Shop Manual. Helps with making up your own patterns and good pictures about what is going on. I don't do everything like he does. I don't use screws for my strainers, and there are probably others who do things the same or different. Like Bob and Chris have mentioned, no two guys probably do things alike anyway. The other source that will get you some help is Bill Gomer's Saddlemaking video set. Good basic video that will show you in motion what to do. You could probably have both of these for under $200. It will be worth it in leather saved. Bottom line is that still would be way better to have someone looking over your shoulder.

[nobearsyet]

The tree is a Wade style from Bowden trees, my intentions for it are for an all around do everything (I have been known to do a bit of cutting, a little roping, bareback bronc once in a very blue moon, trail rider, everyday saddle), and it appears there are a few people around here that do this, and I might just be getting ready to take a class, but that isn't set in stone yet as it depends on a couple factors (like if they will let me build a full sized saddle as opposed to a half scale job like they will be building in the class). But otherwise, it's me and a set of really bad patterns and a couple books written before the turn of the last century. I am comfortable using the tools, I probably could be better at it, but hey, that's what practice is for. BTW, I am not planning to use a metal seat strainer, there has to be a wa yto build a half seat without the metal