No Welt Fork Cover

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Mike, Troys method is very much like mine, and the differences are so minimal it is not worth mentioning, especially as each time I do it, it seems to be a "well that's different, guess I'll need to do this, kind of a thing". Once you've done it a few times you'll get the hang of it. Like both of the guys said, it's not that difficult, just takes a little patience, and sticktoativeness, excuss the pun! Good luck!

Bondo Bob

[kseidel]

This has been an interesting topic, and I have not had time to reply. I will put a one piece swell cover on most swells without a lot of undercut for the leg. All roper styles up to 15" wide, Associations up to 14", BW with 8" high gullet up to 14" and with 9" gullet up to 13". Will James and Tiptons up to 13". I have done a low moose 14", but never again! I use welts for "Form Fitters", Lewellens, Ellensburgs, Miles Citys, etc, that have higher corners and lots of under cut leg.

My method of fitting is a little different. I wet fit the swell cover, let it dry, and then take off and trim, skive, and roll front, then re-install and glue for a final fit. This initial fit up takes only 20 -30 minutes. After it dries and shrinks tighter around the swell, it is much easier to get the edges correct and glue in place. Like many others, I also cut the swell cover from the center of the belly with handhole to the bottom. Like Troy, I level the swell thickness to about 10/11 oz. Thicker leather stretches and shrinks more than thin. With the horn hole cut and skived, I wet the cover and roll it up and bend it over the side of the tub, then dunk again and roll the other direction and bend over tub. This loosens up the fibers and allows the leather to get thoroughly wet. Then I pull over the horn and pull both sides straight over the center of the swell from side to side, putting a nail on each side to hold it centered. Then I smooth the slack in front of the horn and down to the front corner where the gullet and bar meet, and put a nail there. I pull some slack to the front... as much as possible without making a big bubble around the gullet front, but keeping the front edge as straight out as possible allowing enough slack to roll under. Then I push as much slack as I can into the hand hole... pulling around from the back of the swell also. Cut and fit corners of hand hole around ground seat. Now I am fitted around horn and front and back and side pinned in place. Now all I have to do is shape the front between the gullet and bottom center, and the back from the ground seat to the bottom center. This is where the "work" comes in. I also use an hammer and piece of leather, as well as rub sticks and such. Curved sticks like the inside of a seat stick also work well. I have had very good results using a stapler to hold the leather in place and work out the bubbles as they hold a wider area than a single nail. If using nails, I only use two or three in each side front and back. On swells with more undercut, I may use a strap or a rope around the bottom edge and thru the gullet to hold and work out the wrinkles. Once this is all fitted, I put in front of a fan, and dry several hours.

When dry, I mark gullet line in front and back and take off. Then I can trim edge and roll front and pink back gullet, and skive all edges to lay smooth under the seat. Then it is ready to glue into place. I put a layer of glue on the swell cover and on the swell. I use contact cement. Let the glue dry. Then wet again... medium moisture, not soaking wet. Then apply a heavy layer of glue to the swell only and put the swell back on using the same order as originally used for fitting, and using the nail holes and hand hole cuts for placement. The wet cement allows the swell cover to slip around and be manipulated into place easily. I usually do not need any nails to hold around the bottom as it will slip right into place, and the cement will hold. I use a spike to stretch the front gullet line tight and nail in place. Nail off the underside of the back gullet, and smooth with rub stick. As it dries, it will shrink a great deal and set real tight.

Troy said it is not as difficult as it sounds, but it is not easy either. But with practice and perseverance, it is possible to make it perfect every time. I do a lot of swells with the seat recessed into the swell, and this is much harder. It is these that make my hands remember all the years fitting saddles and complain!

Great fitting!

Keith

[mworthan]

Gentlemen,

Thanks so much for all of your input and instruction. I have created pdf's of all of your instructions (with some editing using an outline style - not content) and hopefully I captured this in a format that you all are okay with. I wanted to contribute in some way to help further the learning process for others and capture the spirit of all of your willing attitudes toward helping folks like me. I personally like to use this kind of process to create material I can reference later for my own personal use. Hopefully these load up okay. I hope that I can ask again for your help and expertise. If any of you have a problem or suggest a correction I would be happy to make that revision and re-post. Also if any of you want me to remove the instructions for what ever reason, I will do so as well.

Thanks Again,

Mike Worthan

Rome, GA

Fitting the Weltless Swell Cover - Bruce Johnson.pdf

Fitting the Weltless Swell Cover - Troy West.pdf

Fitting the Weltless Swell Cover - Keith Seidel.pdf

[Bar C Leather]

You all are just awesome! It's so great to find such helpful fellow crafters and Mike, a special thanks to you for sharing your outlines! )