Repairing A Broken Tree

[BOOTMKR]

Let back up a bit, I have a saddle in my shop that in real good condition but the left side of the tree bar in the front is broken right where the rigging is attached is there any way to fix it??? Or can a guy some how fix a cable to the front swell and make a cable rigging . I have seen saddles change over from a dee rig to a cable but for the like of me I can seen to find the article ...

[kseidel]

I don't think you can convert a standard tree to a cable rigged tree safely. You could change the entire tree in the saddle to a LaPort cable rigged tree, but I would not try to do an after market modification to add a cable rigging to an existing tree. You can repair the broken bar, just depends on the type of tree construction and end use. Best to remove the tree and send to Precision Tree Co. They will accurately duplicate that bar and replace it using the original tree. That way the leather will fit back on correctly.

Keith

[BOOTMKR]

I don't think you can convert a standard tree to a cable rigged tree safely. You could change the entire tree in the saddle to a LaPort cable rigged tree, but I would not try to do an after market modification to add a cable rigging to an existing tree. You can repair the broken bar, just depends on the type of tree construction and end use. Best to remove the tree and send to Precision Tree Co. They will accurately duplicate that bar and replace it using the original tree. That way the leather will fit back on correctly.

Keith

Thanks Keith, the customer decided not to fix.. I have'nt talk to you in years since last cowboy poetry in Riverton Wy. years ago I made you a pair on lace-up boots..

Take Care.

Lonnie Smith

Boot Hill Custom Boots

[kseidel]

Hey Lonnie! That was 18 or 19 years ago! Great to hear from you! I still see Hutch a couple of times a year. Guess our paths do not cross. Hope all is well in the boot making arena for you.

Keith

[PcCowboy]

We have fixed many a fiberglass covered tree that broke at the rigging. You sand away the glass and glue the broken piece back in place and recover with fiverglass. We go with extra glass because appearently the maker didn't use enough layers. We use 3 layers (30,000 PSI per layer) in our trees.

Now a rawhide cover tree is a little harder. We cut away the rawhide from the break. Gluing the broken pieces back. The we tapper the rawhide edges and nail them in place. And we recover the broken place with fiberglass going pass the rawhide edges about half an inch.