DoubleC Report post Posted January 29, 2012 Well here I have this gorgeous (to me anyway) molded box lid, and I removed the box today and I think perhaps there's something wrong with the design BESIDES the fact the top will wrap 1/2 way around it, LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rickybobby Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Cheryl, It appears as though you have ideas, tools, leather, skill set, in that order. Get some books!! There are some great books on making cases written by Al Stohlman that will help you execute this box. There is nothing wrong with trying but you need a little backup knowledge for a foundation, books on leatherwork can help with that. Then it is just practice. Many of the books are available online from Tandys, Ebay, Springfield Leather, and many other places. You have said in other posts that there is not a Tandy Leather store near you so there is no help/advice there. So you need to get as much information in writing as you can. Part of leatherwork is the collection of books and magazines that help us with our projects. They are as much of a tool as the bevel and maul are. I refer to these almost everyday for something whether inspiration or construction tips. Look up The Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal magazine ($36.00 per yr.) they have projects for all skill levels almost every issue and it includes the patterns and directions! Also there are many tooling tutorials on you tube. You have been all over the place with your work since logging on to the forum. You have gone from a business with a partner painting tack to tooling (with I assume no guidance), to boxes! Those are not a beginner project, to making things that you really need some beginner basics and background before tackling, then you post for help. We really don't know how to help because you don't have a question. You show something that you want to look like a rose or a box but we don't know where to start. I may be wrong (please correct me if I am, and I apologize if I am) but it appears you have not done enough basic things to build up to the projects you are trying to make and want a "magic trick" from someone to make it look right. Beginners log on to the forum all the time, upload photos of what they are trying to make but, the difference is they have not extended so far past their skill level and are aware of what they have done and, are asking for advice on how to make it better, specific questions like "how to make a smooth bevel" "how to make a leaf look curled" "how to make the edges slick" things that they have done but need a little tip or advice to make it that much better. We all try to extend our comfort zone and take our work to the "next level" but you need the basics first. Your posts are not like that. You have poured your heart out, shared your drama, made a few posts that well, maybe you should have cooled off before making. Take a direction for your work and it should be basic, perfect it and move on the the next level, perfect that and start building a foundation of skills. Get some magazines (even the old LC&SJ's) books and try some basic tooling and look to improve from there. The forum can help you then, no one can help what we don't understand, or have any idea what you are asking (besides a magic trick) there are none we all started somewhere and ruined a bunch of leather. There are some things I have made that no cow should have had to die for! I started with a bunch of tools a old cowboy sold me (he had no idea how to use them either) and the "Figure 8" book on belts from tandys. I pounded on my mothers kitchen table for months (35 years ago) before I made a belt for myself. I tried all of the patterns in the book, made a bunch of mistakes, learned a lot, and started making belts. I still made mistakes but I had some basic foundation to draw from to help. Cheryl, I don't want to discourage you, I am trying to help, with what I think you are lacking for skills you make up for in courage and enthusiasm. I want you to have the foundation to create whatever you want and that takes a little time and investment. Keep at it, consider what I have told you and if I am wrong ignore it and go on your way (please don't flame me on the forum) if I am right, myself and many others here will critique and ad pointer tips to everything you post. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Cheryl, It appears as though you have ideas, tools, leather, skill set, in that order. Get some books!! There are some great books on making cases written by Al Stohlman that will help you execute this box. There is nothing wrong with trying but you need a little backup knowledge for a foundation, books on leatherwork can help with that. Then it is just practice. Many of the books are available online from Tandys, Ebay, Springfield Leather, and many other places. You have said in other posts that there is not a Tandy Leather store near you so there is no help/advice there. So you need to get as much information in writing as you can. Part of leatherwork is the collection of books and magazines that help us with our projects. They are as much of a tool as the bevel and maul are. I refer to these almost everyday for something whether inspiration or construction tips. Look up The Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal magazine ($36.00 per yr.) they have projects for all skill levels almost every issue and it includes the patterns and directions! Also there are many tooling tutorials on you tube. You have been all over the place with your work since logging on to the forum. You have gone from a business with a partner painting tack to tooling (with I assume no guidance), to boxes! Those are not a beginner project, to making things that you really need some beginner basics and background before tackling, then you post for help. We really don't know how to help because you don't have a question. You show something that you want to look like a rose or a box but we don't know where to start. I may be wrong (please correct me if I am, and I apologize if I am) but it appears you have not done enough basic things to build up to the projects you are trying to make and want a "magic trick" from someone to make it look right. Beginners log on to the forum all the time, upload photos of what they are trying to make but, the difference is they have not extended so far past their skill level and are aware of what they have done and, are asking for advice on how to make it better, specific questions like "how to make a smooth bevel" "how to make a leaf look curled" "how to make the edges slick" things that they have done but need a little tip or advice to make it that much better. We all try to extend our comfort zone and take our work to the "next level" but you need the basics first. Your posts are not like that. You have poured your heart out, shared your drama, made a few posts that well, maybe you should have cooled off before making. Take a direction for your work and it should be basic, perfect it and move on the the next level, perfect that and start building a foundation of skills. Get some magazines (even the old LC&SJ's) books and try some basic tooling and look to improve from there. The forum can help you then, no one can help what we don't understand, or have any idea what you are asking (besides a magic trick) there are none we all started somewhere and ruined a bunch of leather. There are some things I have made that no cow should have had to die for! I started with a bunch of tools a old cowboy sold me (he had no idea how to use them either) and the "Figure 8" book on belts from tandys. I pounded on my mothers kitchen table for months (35 years ago) before I made a belt for myself. I tried all of the patterns in the book, made a bunch of mistakes, learned a lot, and started making belts. I still made mistakes but I had some basic foundation to draw from to help. Cheryl, I don't want to discourage you, I am trying to help, with what I think you are lacking for skills you make up for in courage and enthusiasm. I want you to have the foundation to create whatever you want and that takes a little time and investment. Keep at it, consider what I have told you and if I am wrong ignore it and go on your way (please don't flame me on the forum) if I am right, myself and many others here will critique and ad pointer tips to everything you post. Hi Rick, I'm sorry I didn't respond earlier because I forgot to hit watch topic. I posted this kinda as a joke because trust me, it was way out of my skill set. I took your advice earlier, and bid on a set of the old LC journals including lucky seven and figure 8 but was outbid. I wrote it down when you told me about them and started looking. Then I recently bid on Tech Tips, leather carving, and a set of Al Stolman books but was outbid again. This was advice from another LW. I may not seem like it at times Rick but I listen to everything that people tell me on this site, well unless it's confrontational. What you say is right, I am all over the place. I'm like a kid in a candy store right now and trying to learn everything. I'm not making excuses but my whole life is like what you see here. I have an attention problem, they are trying to treat it but it's hard at my age. I flit all over the place in real life too. I'm not making excuses, it just is what it is. I wouldn't 'flame you' because you didn't attack me, you made suggestions about my work. And I am going to keep at it if i can just find something to focus on again. I was so focused on that eye I didn't do anything else. Then trying to get the rose right. After that, I had leather and no direction. Actually Tandy has some free patterns you can download and I put a bunch in my 'basket' and then forgot to download them :-( That was around Christmas. So a lot of them dealt with Christmas stuff. Honestly though I wasn't looking for pointers on this. I was just making fun of myself. I jumped in, without thinking it through and got exactly what you would expect...an unusually shaped piece of leather not god for much except 'unmolding.' I appreciate you writing and again I'm sorry I forgot to watch the topic. Sincerely, Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted January 30, 2012 I jumped in, without thinking it through and got exactly what you would expect...an unusually shaped piece of leather not god for much except 'unmolding.' Like I tell my work study's all the time when they screw up (just about every day actually), as long as you learned something from it then it was a worthwhile process. I'd say, since you have your knife and leather now, just do your best to stop and focus on tooling for a little while. Tell yourself "NO, I have to get better at this" every time you want to go work on some other aspect of leather. I have the same attention problems, but I like to think I've done a fair job at learning how to work around them. I'm going to send some links your way here in a little bit - hopefully they won't add too much fuel to your fire. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Like I tell my work study's all the time when they screw up (just about every day actually), as long as you learned something from it then it was a worthwhile process. I'd say, since you have your knife and leather now, just do your best to stop and focus on tooling for a little while. Tell yourself "NO, I have to get better at this" every time you want to go work on some other aspect of leather. I have the same attention problems, but I like to think I've done a fair job at learning how to work around them. I'm going to send some links your way here in a little bit - hopefully they won't add too much fuel to your fire. OMG, don't make them something I can spin into something else I can't do, LOLOL. Seriously I did learn something, and I'm actually thinking of molding a bottom and will sew on up to the top. Just not today :-) Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted January 30, 2012 I figure you're already trying, so why not read up on how to do it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 30, 2012 I figure you're already trying, so why not read up on how to do it? Well I did read the tutorials and threads here, LOL but must not have absorbed much. Thanks for all your help Allen, here and other threads. We're gonna rock one of these days (well at least you are). Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Like I tell my work study's all the time when they screw up (just about every day actually), as long as you learned something from it then it was a worthwhile process. I'd say, since you have your knife and leather now, just do your best to stop and focus on tooling for a little while. Tell yourself "NO, I have to get better at this" every time you want to go work on some other aspect of leather. I have the same attention problems, but I like to think I've done a fair job at learning how to work around them. I'm going to send some links your way here in a little bit - hopefully they won't add too much fuel to your fire. This is what I like about you Thrasher. You understand how some people need to learn. Some folks can learn through reading, others have to work through the process. Still others have to see the process done a couple times before they understand. At one time they called the latter two "hands on learners" and "visual learners" (and usually they had some sort of attention deficit) Rare is the mentor and friend who recognizes that mistakes need to be made in order to learn. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Probably because that's how I am myself. I can read all day but I won't really retain much until I go through the process of screwing it up. I have shelves full of books from college that never got cracked open because I couldn't learn from them. Now I'm to a point where reading is a roadmap, but I still have to actually learn the hard way for most things. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 30, 2012 This is what I like about you Thrasher. You understand how some people need to learn. Some folks can learn through reading, others have to work through the process. Still others have to see the process done a couple times before they understand. At one time they called the latter two "hands on learners" and "visual learners" (and usually they had some sort of attention deficit) Rare is the mentor and friend who recognizes that mistakes need to be made in order to learn. You're very right there Sylvia. I told Rick this earlier, and said I wasn't making excuses for flitting around, it just was what it was. And Allen's been there helping through everything. You should see what I do around the house. I went to look for one of my leather water containers the other day and realized I was standing with the fridge open, listening to myself tell me what I wanted to do for the day. The container wasn't even in THAT room, LOL. Well I don't have to tell you Syl, you've been right there on the road with me. However, I am going to try my best not to start a saddle tomorrow, LOL. But I've had a lot of people be really good to me on here, you included. And Allen, like some of the rest of us know what it's like to try and make do with what we have because we can't have it all today. But we're all gonna make it!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted January 30, 2012 . However, I am going to try my best not to start a saddle tomorrow, LOL. ROFLMAO! Yeah, I think that might be prudent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 30, 2012 ROFLMAO! Yeah, I think that might be prudent. See? and I say I can't focus, ROFL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Yeah, that's probably a good idea - maybe the day after though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 30, 2012 Yeah, that's probably a good idea - maybe the day after though I was thinking the day after might be a good time to start, LOL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elliot Report post Posted January 31, 2012 I was thinking the day after might be a good time to start, LOL I have been following your posts. You do not lack for trying, but at times I see you are flying blind. I do have a extra set of Stohlman Making leather cases. Have been looking for a someone that would really put them to use. You are the one for them. If you can just pay postage. I will put them in the mail in the morning. If you send me your address by PM You have my private e-mail. Elliot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sylvia Report post Posted January 31, 2012 I have been following your posts. You do not lack for trying, but at times I see you are flying blind. I do have a extra set of Stohlman Making leather cases. Have been looking for a someone that would really put them to use. You are the one for them. If you can just pay postage. I will put them in the mail in the morning. If you send me your address by PM You have my private e-mail. Elliot That's very generous of you Elliot. If CC doesn't want them I would love to have them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DoubleC Report post Posted January 31, 2012 I was thinking the day after might be a good time to start, LOL I have been following your posts. You do not lack for trying, but at times I see you are flying blind. I do have a extra set of Stohlman Making leather cases. Have been looking for a someone that would really put them to use. You are the one for them. If you can just pay postage. I will put them in the mail in the morning. If you send me your address by PM You have my private e-mail. Elliot That is so nice of you, I would be happy to have them and pay the postage. Although I'm sorry I couldn't until the 3rd. I'm sorry I didn't respond earlier too, but I dozed off yesterday afternoon and forgot to undoze. I do that sometimes when I'm really stressed and for all the jokes flitting around is not a fun way to live. But that's just Friday so I will leave the saddle making and case making alone until then if you don't mind if I wait until Friday. I will send you my address Elliot. Thank you so much. Cheryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
