Welts And Swell Cover

[CWR]

Can any of you give me any tips or tricks on get nice smooth welts down low on the swells? I'm covering a full association with 14 inch swells. I got it covered but my welts were too high and not as straight as I wanted so I pulled it off. I think my main problem is not getting it fitted right to start with. Any help would be appreciated. I'm using folded welts by the way.

We may run out of cows if I have to figure this out on my own.

Thanks,

CW

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

CW, there is a very detailed explanation of how to do welts, both folded and flat in Vol # 3 of the Stohlman Encyclopedia of Saddlemaking. I know they are not cheap, mine were just under $100 for all three back then, however; even at the current price, the information is not only envaluable, but, will save you from slaughtering your whole heard to get the job done. I have built many saddles, and I would be a lyar if I I said that I never look at these books. I always look at them on each saddle. You never know what you can learn, and I always seem to pick up something from them every time I open one. I just wish they had a book on how to rebind them. Mine are getting worn out.

Bondo Bob

[east NM]

Can any of you give me any tips or tricks on get nice smooth welts down low on the swells? I'm covering a full association with 14 inch swells. I got it covered but my welts were too high and not as straight as I wanted so I pulled it off. I think my main problem is not getting it fitted right to start with. Any help would be appreciated. I'm using folded welts by the way.

We may run out of cows if I have to figure this out on my own.

Thanks,

CW

Harry Adams Jr. the Saddlemakers Shop Manual has the best detailed instructions I have ever seen on this subject. If you follow it exactly, it will turn out very well.

[CWR]

Bob,

I have The Stohlman series and I agree with you they are an invaluable resource. I was just hoping some of you might have some tricks you had learned through experience that might go with what was in the book.

The problem I'm having is the shoulders on the swell drop off quite a bit and I'm having trouble getting the cover down to the point of the swell to punch the hole and fitting the welt jig. I guess I just need to wrestle with it some more.

East NM,

Id odn't have the Adams book but glad to hear it is good. I'll add it when I can.

Thanks,

CW

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Bob,

I have The Stohlman series and I agree with you they are an invaluable resource. I was just hoping some of you might have some tricks you had learned through experience that might go with what was in the book.

The problem I'm having is the shoulders on the swell drop off quite a bit and I'm having trouble getting the cover down to the point of the swell to punch the hole and fitting the welt jig. I guess I just need to wrestle with it some more.

East NM,

Id odn't have the Adams book but glad to hear it is good. I'll add it when I can.

Thanks,

CW

CW, without seeing and "feeling" it I have to guess here. I am guessing that you are using a substantially thick piece of leather here. This will make it difficult. Sometimes when I am having problems with something like this, not just in this area, but in other areas also, I will turn the piece over and skive the the thickness down to a manageable amount in the local area. In the case of the swells, up around the area where you are going to punch it, I would estimate the approximate area of the punch, and using that as a starting point, skive the leather to about 7-8 oz thickness in a circular patch out to about a 1"-2"radius, feathering it as you go. That works for me, I would take that piece that you are not happy with first and practice on that to see if it will work for you. Hope that helps.

Bob

[Cowboy Crafts Online]

CW,

The best trick I can say is practice. I do not know how many saddles you have built. I have done a few with welts and then some Will James with out welts. The last Assc I built I had to do the swells 3 times before I got the look right, I wanted. It was a waste of leather, but that is the devil in this world of saddle making you have to waste leather for the practice. I have always said it will take a person starting building saddles twice as much leather as seasoned pro.

Ashley

[kseidel]

Can any of you give me any tips or tricks on get nice smooth welts down low on the swells? I'm covering a full association with 14 inch swells. I got it covered but my welts were too high and not as straight as I wanted so I pulled it off. I think my main problem is not getting it fitted right to start with. Any help would be appreciated. I'm using folded welts by the way.

We may run out of cows if I have to figure this out on my own.

Thanks,

CW

CW,

I will try to offer a tip or two.... It is difficult to address your problem without knowing exactly what you are doing, but here is a try.

Try to cut your swell ccover from a part of the hide closer to the belly. For swells with welts, I like the center area of the belly away from any flank wrinkles, but fairly thick and firm. This will stretch and absorb well, and still have the thickness to hold up under hard use.

cut your center horn hole, and then get wet thoroughly. Wet the leather, roll up like a tube and flex the tube, then unroll, and roll the opposite direction and repeat. Then unroll and wet again.

When you put on swell for initial fitting, center over horn, with the firmest edge to the front. Stretch hard from side to side, pulling down over the tips of the swell. Then stretch front to back between horn and swell tips on each side. then fit the front edge along the gullet tight and put a nail on each side under where the concho would go later. Then fit the hand hole, pulling as much slack from each side into the hole, cutting around ground seat, and smoothing out all wrinkles.

Now you have everything fitted around the center and the ends are sticking out. Continue stretching down over remainder of the sides, pulling a fold out where you want your welts to be on one side only. Do not cut any relief at this time! When you have your welt where you want, push the balance down to the bottom of the swell and put a nail about a half inch on either side of the welt position. (a note to remember here: push some slack between the welt and the nail in front and the hand hole at the back. You will need this to be able to get the welted swell over the widest points of the swell. This does not need to be real tight, as you can squish a lot of leather into this area later. Remember, with a one piece swell cover with no welts, we are pushing all of the slack into this area.)

Now pinch the extra leather together at the welt and trim some of the extra. Use a rub stick to help get this position and not cut off too much. Use a pair of cantle pliers to crimp the welt position from top to bottom. Your highest point should be as low as you want it at this point. If not, stretch it lower and re-crimp. Mark where you want the top of the welt, and the bottom edge for trimming. Then remove the swell cover.

Lay flat on a bench, and punch a round hole about 1/4" at the top of your welt position. Add the thickness of your swell and an additional 3/8" to the crimped line, and cut from the hole to the bottom. Trim off the bottom edge and the front gullet and handhole however you want to finish.

Let dry adequately before skiving and stitching. Skive as you wish for your welt placement, and stitch in welt. Then replace for final installation. You can re-wet before final installation, but you do not need to be nearly as wet.

Hope this helps,

Respectfully,

Keith

[CWR]

Keith,

Thanks for the tips that is exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I needed some guidance from some of you who have worked out the ways to make these things easier. I really admire your work. Sorry it took me so long to reply, been away from the computer for awhile.

Much obliged,

CW

[Steve Brewer]

CWR,I just finished a welted cover it came out good

Follow Kieths post and it should come out as good.

Steve

[kseidel]

Great Job Steve!

A tip: To avoid the gap in the hand hole at the ground seat on each side, push a bit more slack into the hand hole before cutting, and allow for the thickness of leather when making the cut. Put as much leather into the hole as possible.

Keith

[CWR]

Steve,

Thanks for posting the pics. I have another side of leather ordered and when it gets in I'm going to get started again. I always like studying the pictures you post of your saddles. They are the kind I want to build someday.

Thanks,

CW

[CWR]

CW,

The best trick I can say is practice. I do not know how many saddles you have built. I have done a few with welts and then some Will James with out welts. The last Assc I built I had to do the swells 3 times before I got the look right, I wanted. It was a waste of leather, but that is the devil in this world of saddle making you have to waste leather for the practice. I have always said it will take a person starting building saddles twice as much leather as seasoned pro.

Ashley

Ashley,

You got that right. This is the first one I have tried to cover. It's just a rebuild of an old saddle I swapped for to ride colts in. Thought it would be good practice befor I started from scratch. If it turns out alright I want to sell it and turn it into more tools and leather.

Sorry I missed your post before.

CW

Edited February 20, 2010 by CWR