New Hello From Vashon

[LNLeather]

New Member introduction

What a Great Group of folks here at Leatherworker.net. I am amazed at how helpful everyone is, and willing to share experience and knowledge. I have been learning soooo much here for the last couple of weeks and I guess it is time to say hello. Since I am not a harness or saddle maker, I have been hesitant to introduce myself. So far I have been making things with a combination of emboss plates and tooling. So, while I am learning, I am also trying to make a little $ too. I have been making some small things that might interest others and not hurt their pocket book. I have been making coasters, bracelets, watches, dog collars and some original items… And, I just found a New Store right in the middle of Vashon that sells only Local Hand Made items. I am having so much fun learning leather work… and it will be real nice if I can sell some things too. I like to color some things with antique, and also use a little diluted dye, and I picked up some Very important tips here in the forums… So Far the Best tips I have learned here are *the natural way of deepening the color by letting the leather get a Sun tan, *adding a coat of Neatsfoot oil, *and now I am so happy to be using the Leather Balm with Atom Wax for a finish. (I really didn't like the way the satin sheen makes the leather look like plastic.) I Love the color I can get now, with these additions. I have much more reading to do on the tutorials – So, thank you all for being so helpful,

and Please - feel free to critique or comment at any time.

I am totally open to learning new and different or better ways to do things.

~ AHH, you can critique or comment at any time...

as soon as I can figure out how to get my photos small enough to upload

* I think I got it figured out

Thanks again for all of your help!

Cheryl

Edited August 1, 2010 by LNLeather

[LNLeather]

Here's a couple more. I am sure you can tell what is embossed and what is tooled...

[terrahyd]

Hi Cherl;;

We are glad to have you with us..we have many members here from WA. state ..welcome aboard ..you will find friends quickly here....do like your work and glad you found a store where you can show your work, as that is a God send in this buss'...

thanks for sharing with us ......Doc..

[King's X]

Welcome to the forum!

[LNLeather]

Howdy terrahyd & King's X

Thanks for the kind greetings and even birthday wishes too.

I wasn't sure where to put this info, so I am putting it here.

As I mentioned above, while I am learning the leather working skills, I am also trying to make some money along the way. Well, the gal that runs the 'Made on Vashon' shop I am selling some things in, mentioned that a lot of people/tourists come in wanting something that says 'Vashon Island'. Something to remember their visit here. Well I have been working on some coaster designs, and I remembered seeing a gizmo that someone 'here' had made - to attach to a coaster with a pin in the center, that would swivel around the coaster so you could stamp letters in a circle. Well I didn't want to have to put a pin in each coaster. And I have never seen anything else written about how to do this. Soooooo, I figured something else out...

Some of the coasters I am making have no border, some have a straight line edge, some have a straight line edge and a camouflage stamp etc. So I have made a special tooling coaster to line up the letter stamps with to use with each different border design, because the distance from the edge will be different with each different design - and also for your different sized stamps...

So for the coaster with just a single line border, make 2 coasters (with just a single line border) and one will be the tool to line the stamps up on all the other coasters with the single line border. Take the coaster and place the stamp on the coaster where you want the letter to be - in the position you want the letters to be in... Cut out the leather under the stamp - straight up the left side of the stamp and straight out along the bottom of the stamp. I am not an engineer, so this might sound confusing, but the pictures should clear up any questions you might have... heheheh. Take the coaster you have cut out and just put it over the coaster you want to put letters on in a circle, and just stamp a letter and turn the tooling coaster in a circle as you go.

An easy fix to circular stamping on your coasters!

I hope this is as helpful to someone else as all of the tips I have found here

You will have to pre-plan what you want to say, where you want it, if it will read from straight on or if you'll have to turn the coaster around to read it... I know this sounds simple, but I can honestly say it is Real Easy to make scrap leather pieces out of your leather cut in perfect circles... Has anyoe noticed that you just naturally get more patience, while you are doing this leatherworking?

Thanks again for everyone being so helpful & sharing your experience! I love this place!