ripped off horn

[pavilionpony]

Oh boy. A customer has brought this saddle to me with a ripped off horn. I have to tell you, this saddle is CHEAP, I mean chinsy cheap. But, none the less, they want it filled and covered where the horn was. Any ideas on what to fill it with? I thought about resin, but I don't want anything that has any weight to it, as the swell is completley hallow. I also thought about putting a piece of wood in there to take up some of the space other than whatever I use for filling. Suggestions?

Cindy

[Elton Joorisity]

You could try light weight body filler.

[dbarleather]

I have used fiberglass before.....just an idea.

[greg gomersall]

If the tree is missing the horn from a wreck the odds are it will be split elsewhere as well. I would tell them that they have 2 options, 1 replace the tree and 2 throw the saddle away. If they will not let you replace the tree I would not do anything to it for them due to the liability factor. Greg

[skip]

I had a similar experience with my daughter riding under a guide wire for a telephone pole and the horn didn't get ripped off but it made it loose enough that I wanted to check the rest of the saddle and found it had broken the tree in five places. so I would have to agree with greg and either give the rest of the saddle a good going over before you fix the hole or let them know that you don't want the responsibility of fixing it. could be trouble down the road. good luck

[TwinOaks]

Hey, removeable Launch Tabs! Whooda thunkit?

Make up a liability waiver for them to sign. That ought to show how serious the tree issue is. Then raise the price right through the roof...to the point that they can go buy another cheap saddle for almost the same. Then, if they sign away liability, and still insist on giving you money try an expanding polyurethane foam for a filler, then glass over the top for rigidity. Note: As you'll probably overfill the cavity with the foam, securely plastic wrap all leather around it. Do it as well as an OR lays that blue sheet around the surgery site. Then once the foam expands and dries, apply your fiberglass and resin. Allow that to dry, then add the patch work, and lace it in place to make it purty. Just my idea of how to do it....

[sheathmaker]

  greg gomersall said:

If the tree is missing the horn from a wreck the odds are it will be split elsewhere as well. I would tell them that they have 2 options, 1 replace the tree and 2 throw the saddle away. If they will not let you replace the tree I would not do anything to it for them due to the liability factor. Greg

Excellent, sound advice. You would do well to follow it. There are some orders you should just walk away from. this sounds like one of them, and very likely if you do repair it and something else happens, then your repair will "have caused this". Pass them by!@

Paul

[pavilionpony]

Thank you to all for these suggestions! I will be sure to check out the tree. Again, thanks so much!

[karl]

Cindy, I honestly would walk away from this one due to the liability factor. It's not worth it

Even if you fix it and it last for 3 or 4 years and then breaks somewhere else and by chance

someone is injured, they will hold you liable because you were the last one to work on it and

in their eyes did a lousy job.

Just tell them it would not be worth fixing and they can buy a new one cheaper than what you

would have to charge even if the horn is the only thing wrong and no breaks or cracks elsewhere.

Karl