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Posted

I swear, I'll measure and measure again... punch the cotton-picking hole and it's off... just a hair. But enough that I can see it. Uggh.

So I've been thinking that I need a better system. I have an idea but I want to know how you folks manage to get the spacing and centering just right.

A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"

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Posted

I usually measure it side to side to get center then poke it with an awl to mark it.

The last belt I made I could still see the divider line down the center and used that.

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Posted

I usually measure it side to side to get center then poke it with an awl to mark it.

The last belt I made I could still see the divider line down the center and used that.

Sounds like what I've been doing. Hmmm....

A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"

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Posted

I swear, I'll measure and measure again... punch the cotton-picking hole and it's off... just a hair. But enough that I can see it. Uggh.

So I've been thinking that I need a better system. I have an idea but I want to know how you folks manage to get the spacing and centering just right.

Are there any other ideas?

A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"

Posted

If you were using dividers and the leather varied in width, that would throw your marks off center.

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Posted

If you send an email to Weaver Leather Co, . . . explain it all to them, . . . they may still be marketing a little tool they had up there a year or so ago.

It literally "centered" your punch for you on various widths of belts, straps, whatever. I looked at it, . . . decided that if my eyes ever got bad enough, . . . I'd make me one of them.

May God bless,

Dwight

If you can breathe, . . . thank God.

If you can read, . . . thank a teacher.

If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran.

www.dwightsgunleather.com

Posted

You could make a pattern with your holes in it in the different widths and mark your holes with it. If their wrong you can make another pattern.

I'm old enough to know that i don't know everything.

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Posted

You could make a pattern with your holes in it in the different widths and mark your holes with it. If their wrong you can make another pattern.

I did make a pattern, since the straps are typically a fixed width, but.... when I mark the spots where the holes are supposed to go. Well what happens is when I go to set my punch as careful as I am... I still seem to get it off some house.... to close to me... to far back. So instead of 1 inch apart.... one will be an inch and 1/16th or so apart from the previous one. UGG that is what driving me crazy.

If you send an email to Weaver Leather Co, . . . explain it all to them, . . . they may still be marketing a little tool they had up there a year or so ago.

It literally "centered" your punch for you on various widths of belts, straps, whatever. I looked at it, . . . decided that if my eyes ever got bad enough, . . . I'd make me one of them.

May God bless,

Dwight

that sounds like what I need. I've been thinking about how to make one with a rack and pinion set of gears.

thanks Dwight.

A teacher pointed at me with a ruler and said "At the end of this ruler is an idiot." I got detention when I asked "Which end?"

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Posted (edited)

I measure the middle and then measure over from the previous hole and place the punch edge on the mark not try to center the punch over the mark. but maybe a hole fixture like they use in woodworking could be made for this...

Just put the hole you made over the pin and the guide holds the punch at the right distance.

Belt hole fixture.bmp

Edited by TTcustom

I am fifty years old and I have always lived in freedom; let me end my life free; when I am dead let this be said of me: 'He belonged to no school, to no institution, to no academy, least of all to any régime except the régime of liberty.'

"What we need is more cowbell!"

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Posted

I have several leather templates of various widths and hole spacing. Once you have a template that is "perfect" you can clamp it to your new belt and punch it out.

John Schmitz

New to Oklahoma City

via Baja Arizona

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