roperdad Report post Posted October 12, 2010 Thanks to the browsing I've done since joining this site, I was introduced to Steve Mason's saddle blog. In one of his pic's regarding fitting jockeys, I noticed a contour guage. They are super handy, but I'd never considered using them for that?!?! Thanks, Steve! Does anyone else use them building saddles? What applications am I missing out on here? Once in a while you pick up a little time saving hint like this, which all adds up- Looking forward to more ideas- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shelly Report post Posted October 12, 2010 (edited) I have two contour guages - a plastic one, and a metal one...tried to use both at various times for the back of the cantles, in order to transfer to the backhousing....both are just not workable for me, for what I do. I have a 3 or 3 1/2 inch cantle, a cheyenne roll, and these things just don't cooperate well in tight spaces (plus, the ones I have don't go completely around from the center of the cantle to the point, so I have to hand fit them, regardless!). Possibly someone else that uses them alot can enlighten me about them, but I can be a lot quicker with my trimming by just eye-balling it, and trimming out a little at a time, refitting, etc. Only takes me a few times to get the trim where I want it, in order to have the housing tight. (I start with a rough cut for the cantle on the backhousings, tie them together about a 1/4 inch from the edge at the back, so I can spike them both into position for the final fit) Once they are spiked into position, I will lay out my final lines for them, following the skirt lines and corners, and making sure the backhousings cover the rear riggings, if I have them, or, if there is a slot in the skirt for the billets, I'll mark each one however many inches up from the bottom edge of the skirt - I never fit one, flip it over on the other, and just cut on the line...seems that no matter how well you fit everything together, I have rarely had them be exactly alike, and I want them to look as uniform as possible to the eye, on the saddle, not the bench. I think these guages can work with higher cantles, with possibly pencil rolled cantle binders, or straight up cantles without a cheyenne roll. Just my experience with this stuff, and I may not have figured out the best approach to the use of the guages...and, I've never found that I can get a nice, tight fit, with the outside edges of the backhousing 'tight and snappy' to the skirts, if the backhousings are fit exactly to the cantle. I have to trim a little deeper as the cantle comes around to the points, leaving a little larger space, but still the same shape, so, once it's spiked into place, it will put the correct tension on the backhousing to fit like I want it to. Another thing you have to consider is to trim a little more off the outside edges if you are basket stamping or floral carving, as the housings can stretch a bit, and then your lines won't match...I haven't always figured that as well as I've liked, and I amd a little unsatisfied about it when it's buttoned up. I try not to beat myself up about it, just to do better next time...taping the back of the housings does help a little, but not always...! I'd be very interested to hear from anyone that uses them religiously and really likes the results...a tutorial would be interesting?! Maybe I'll learn a better method to use them, and they won't lay on the bench gathering dust!! I'll make you a deal on my guages if you want 'em!! Shelly Edited October 12, 2010 by Shelly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roperdad Report post Posted October 12, 2010 Shelly, Sounds like you are doing what I have been. I'm kinda frustrated with it, and hoped this was the 'easy way out.' Conceptually the contour guage would be perfect... I'm hearing you say application is different than theory!?! I'll give it a try and see if I have any luck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shelly Report post Posted October 12, 2010 I'd be very interested to hear from Steve on this - all I know is I have less frustration doing it as I've always done - and a lot less time invested messing with the guages...I might be tempted to use them a lot more if I did more straight up cantles...the more room you have, the easier they are to use, but, as I said, mine don't go the full half of the cantle, from the center back to the point of the cantle - also, these guages are flat - haven't had a lot of luck being able to follow the curve around the base of the cantle, as well as the curve that you have from the center to the point, to accomodate the shape of the skirt and bars, etc. The frustrations come from the fact that I can't 'bend' the guage to follow that curve, while the rest of the guage is being set to the curve it has to follow to allow the backhousing to fit snugly around the back of the cantle...I think, possibly, one of those flexible deals you find in an art store to make freeform curves and such, might actually work better, if you can bend it in more than one direction? Then again, you have to take that form, and transfer it's shape from the cantle back to the leather on the flat of the bench, the compound curves don't always play nice when you have to try to make that work on a piece of leather that is now flat on the bench...I have found I still need to handfit the darn things to get what I want, so find it easier to just rough cut the curve, (I have a couple patterns that I use to block out, so use that curve to start with), then fit and will mark and trim out a little at a time until I have them fitting as I want...I'd be interested if there is a better way to skin a cat, and make the process a little quicker and easier! In the meantime, I'll get along as I do!! SL Shelly, Sounds like you are doing what I have been. I'm kinda frustrated with it, and hoped this was the 'easy way out.' Conceptually the contour guage would be perfect... I'm hearing you say application is different than theory!?! I'll give it a try and see if I have any luck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tkleather1 Report post Posted October 12, 2010 Just out of curiosity are you two talking about french curves? if not could I get a ;icture of what you are talkin about? Tim TK-Leather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gtwister09 Report post Posted October 12, 2010 Tim, Contour gages are used by several of the building trades...finish carpenters, trim, tile and so forth to transfer a shape to another product. Here's a picture below as well as the link to Steve's page showing where he was using it... look under skirt and jockey section as well as the ground seat section. Steve Mason's Link Hope that clarifies it for you. Regards, Ben Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tkleather1 Report post Posted October 12, 2010 Tim, Contour gages are used by several of the building trades...finish carpenters, trim, tile and so forth to transfer a shape to another product. Here's a picture below as well as the link to Steve's page showing where he was using it... look under skirt and jockey section as well as the ground seat section. Steve Mason's Link Hope that clarifies it for you. Regards, Ben Excellent, and Thank you very much Ben Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
