megabit Report post Posted February 24, 2011 New bosalita by ss1442, on Flickr One of these days I'll pick the right sized string to not end up crowded on my nose button. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted February 24, 2011 Hi megabit. For some reason I don't think it is the lace size. I am not sure if you are just using one strand to make your nose button with or not. But here's an idea that I came up with when lilpep and I were working on one. We initially started with multi-strands. We worked one pattern up to the point of where the bend in the bosal would start, then we changed out patterns to a herringbone pattern which then would bend a little easier with the rest of the bosal without all the bunch up in the center. Once we cleared the center part of the bending on both sides of the nose button we changed back to the started pattern and finished it off. Hope it might help out some. It's just an idea to toy with or stuff in your tool box for later. B... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted February 24, 2011 Brian, It was made with four strands. I do have a pattern change it is gaucho on the ends (3 overs) then changes to herringbone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curlyjo Report post Posted February 24, 2011 Megabit, I did the same thing with rawhide. To much crowding on the nose button. I switched to Roo and it seemed to be easier. But I think the problem was not leaving enough space between strings on the first pass. And not having to worry about moisture with the Roo. I think I'm about comfortable enough to make another go at all rawhide and try again. I've been building 5/16ths Bosals but that Roo is getting a little pricey. Brad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KnotHead Report post Posted February 24, 2011 Brian, It was made with four strands. I do have a pattern change it is gaucho on the ends (3 overs) then changes to herringbone. Sorry megabit. I could not get the image to enlarge so I could see it better. Now that I've seen the lace a little better, I am thinking that maybe the lace is too thick and that could causing the pile up in the center. Of course I could be wrong. I have never built a bosal before. I just lent a hand in one. We were using horse hide and it was a bit thinner than the lace you have on yours. Another thing that could be causing the pile up in the center is that the center has no swell in it. On some of the bosals I have seen, they have two smaller ends and a swelling center. This is just what I have noticed and I still like it. The actual braid work is tight and that heel knot looks good. B... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lilpep Report post Posted February 24, 2011 looking really good Megabit !!!! just my two cents on the crowding. when ever i made my first bosal it had an even nose button (no swell in the center) i measured the circumference and figured that eight strings would cover it so i only used four strands becasue they would end up going through the nose button twice 4x2=8 and it gave me eight bits on the ends. this has held up for me. like Brian mentioned i made one with horse rawhide once, but i dont work it too wet to control the stretching. i noticed with other raw hides i had to make the lace a little bit wider because i would case it a bit more and it would stretch a bit their fore reducing in width. but over all a guess trial and error has helped me eyeball more or less the width i need to cover a particular circumference. great job on the bosal it really looks good !! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rgerbitz Report post Posted February 25, 2011 Something that has helped me get a little better at avoiding the bunching on the nose buttons. I cut string for the nosebuttons at the same width and thichness everytime. Then have gotten a decent feel for what diameters and lengths that size of string covers best. I drove myself half crazy trying to size my string to each bosal, when all I was really needing to do was length or short the ground work a little or add some more tape to increase the diameter a little to get things working out. I haven't perfected this yet, but I am avoiding moving into a full crazy state. Rob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Bell Report post Posted March 19, 2011 Hey Mike, sorry for the delayed response but here is my .02: If my body is 1/4" lace then my nose is 1/8" lace or smaller. We want the nose band to be the smoothest part of a bosal. Of course we want it all smooth but the nose band should be REALLY smooth. Next, I would stick with no pattern changes till you've done quite a few and then a few more. Don't try calculus while you are still learning your times tables. I admire your adventuring spirit but I guarantee you will get there faster by going slower. Next, when we braid and it is lying straight that is one thing but once the braid is finished and we bend it things change. There should be bunching up on the inside and gaps on the outside. With a no swell nose band we must braid really tight so that there will be excessive bunching on the inside to keep from having large gaps on the outside. If I braid one 7 1/2" long laid out flat the inside will measure about 6 3/4 - 7" and the outside will be 7 3/4 - 8 when bent. Those changes must come from somewhere. With a swell nose (and somewhat with a flat) the bunching up on the inside makes a flat area. I like to take my rub stick and flatten it out some more because it is what rest on the bony part of the horses nose. Now by flattening out that area I've created a shelf sorta or at least put more rawhide in contact to spread the bosals weight over a greater area. One reason I prefer a swell nose over a flat nose. Fit, form and function, get that down first and then worry about fancy, by then fancy will be easy! Vaya con Dios, Alan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
megabit Report post Posted March 20, 2011 (edited) Alan, the body diameter is 1/4" not the string width. I think the strings on the body are about 1/8" 6 plait with no core. The nose button is calf string of a somewhat smaller width I think maybe 3/16" or a little less than that. It does have a very slight swell in the center. Lot's of good tips in your post though. I did have a reason behind the pattern change though, I wanted to just work with 4 strings but get 8 bights. Ohh and I had some good help the nose button a guy you may have heard of Nate W. I took this project to the workshop he did down the road last month. vaya con dios, Mike Edited March 20, 2011 by megabit Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
