Greetings From A Fellow Biker

[Thumper]

Greetings,

My name is Dennis and I've been riding motorcycles since I was 6 years old. I've always been good with my hands and have learned to do MANY things all on my own. Electrician, house framing, plumbing, roofing, landscaping, ornamental horticulture, farming, computer work, Unix Systems Engineering, IT Disaster Recovery, mechanic work to keep my stuff fixed, and one of my long time loves, woodworking and custom furniture. I've been working wood for well over 30 years and I've been turning wood for about 6 years.

I love to work with my hands and I've always wanted to learn how to do leather work for myself and my family to start with. I'm just reading and learning right now, trying to figure out what tools to buy to get started in small leather work.

I'm wanting to make my own tank bib for my newly acquired VTX-1300. I'm trying to find out what weight leather to buy, lacing, and what tool stuff I'm going to need and then learn how to make my own tank bib.

I'm not afraid to trying anything and when I set my mind to it, I'm pretty tenatious to learn and get the job done and done right. I want to learn how to do leather work and teach it to my kids. They are all teens now and loving motorcycles as well.

I'm an acitve member of the CMA and I'm also a local Patriot Guard Rider (when I'm not stuck at work). The LOML and I have a commercial sewing machine for upholstery work (that we are learning that too) and I have a full 1800 sq ft shop for my woodworking stuff and my motorcycle.

Well...that sums me up in short order. I'm here to learn and to find out what I need to get myself start in the craft of leather work.

So...thanks for listening to me ramble on and thanks for allowing me to join what appears to be a fine bunch on a very informative forum.

Thanks,

Dennis Peacock

[abn]

Welcome, Dennis, and good luck with your project. Lots of knowledgeable folks hang out on this site, so feel free to fire away with questions as they come to mind.

Best, -Alex

[Luke Hatley]

Welcome, Dennis, and good luck with your project. Lots of knowledgeable folks hang out on this site, so feel free to fire away with questions as they come to mind.

Best, -Alex

Dennis Welcome...If you get to Memphis Look me up, I might be of some help to you.

PS... do you have any releatives over here..(Tony Peacock mabey)

[Thumper]

Dennis Welcome...If you get to Memphis Look me up, I might be of some help to you.

PS... do you have any releatives over here..(Tony Peacock mabey)

Luke,

No, I don't think I have a relative there. However, I lived most of my life in Alabama and moved here to Arkansas for my job. I pass through Memphis a few times a year on the way to visit family. I normally go from I-55 south to the 240 loop and then off on HWY-385 to HWY-72 into Alabama.

I'd love to look ya up sometime, meet, and talk leather work for bikes.

Thanks for the welcome.

Now...back to my original questions:

I'm trying to find out what weight leather to buy, lacing, and what tool stuff I'm going to need and then learn how to make my own tank bib.

[billymac814]

Luke,

No, I don't think I have a relative there. However, I lived most of my life in Alabama and moved here to Arkansas for my job. I pass through Memphis a few times a year on the way to visit family. I normally go from I-55 south to the 240 loop and then off on HWY-385 to HWY-72 into Alabama.

I'd love to look ya up sometime, meet, and talk leather work for bikes.

Thanks for the welcome.

Now...back to my original questions: [/size][/font][/color]

You should be ok with about 6-8oz for a tank bib, I'm sure if you got thinner or thicker it would be fine as well for that. I'm by no means an expert but my suggestions are to buy good leather and lace and the best tools you can afford. Kevin at Springfield leather can get you Kangaroo lace for a fair price, thats the only lace I use. I use #1 grade from Wickett&Craig. It's more expensive but when I break it down to each project the difference in price is minimal and it's much nicer to work with and since it's nearly perfect there is very little waste.

The tools you will need depends on what you will be doing. I look at all the stuff I've bought since I've started and it's almost mind boggling. You could get a starter kit with some basic tools and kits to practice on, the tools aren't good and you'll likely replace them but it comes with good directions and little items to practice on and if you buy it on sale it's usually a good deal. You can find those at Tandy.

I'm sure some other people will chime in soon.

[Thumper]

You should be ok with about 6-8oz for a tank bib, I'm sure if you got thinner or thicker it would be fine as well for that. I'm by no means an expert but my suggestions are to buy good leather and lace and the best tools you can afford. Kevin at Springfield leather can get you Kangaroo lace for a fair price, thats the only lace I use. I use #1 grade from Wickett&Craig. It's more expensive but when I break it down to each project the difference in price is minimal and it's much nicer to work with and since it's nearly perfect there is very little waste.

The tools you will need depends on what you will be doing. I look at all the stuff I've bought since I've started and it's almost mind boggling. You could get a starter kit with some basic tools and kits to practice on, the tools aren't good and you'll likely replace them but it comes with good directions and little items to practice on and if you buy it on sale it's usually a good deal. You can find those at Tandy.

I'm sure some other people will chime in soon.

Thanks Billymac,

Good info there and I'm trying to do research and reading and I get time. There's so much to learn and so little time any more.

I'm going to look at Tandy Leather for a good starter book and kit and see where I can go from there.