Harness question

[Kanga]

so many sub forums here I thought they'd cover everything but I dont know where to put this question.

A bloke I know is restoring a cart/sulky/buggy thingy (I'm not even sure as I haven't actually seen it) anyway he seems to assume that because I do a bit of leather work I have an inborn knowledge of everything related to it WHICH I DONT!

He said on the shafts where the harness attaches, often with a big leather ring, the shafts themselves are supposed to be covered with leather. He wants to know what type of leather and how is it attatched.

I have a feeling I've seen it stitched on but to be honest I've not seen that many and not paid all that much attention.

Can anyone help me, hopefully with pictures included because I have a feeling I am going to be expected to do the job for him.

If there are several different methods please let me know.

I hope someone here knows the answer.

thanks in advance

Linda

[awharness]

the shaft tips are usually wrapped with a thin, often naugahyde(sp?) patant or even chrome tan leather attached with tacks on the bottom of the shaft, with a strap around the shaft that allows the trace to go thru. depending on the length their could be two or three loops for the traces to go thru down the shaft as wel as the cross member where the trae will ride across to go to the wiffletree. go to jerald sulky and click on their pleasure carts, model A roadmaster and you will be able to get a picture of this

so many sub forums here I thought they'd cover everything but I dont know where to put this question.

A bloke I know is restoring a cart/sulky/buggy thingy (I'm not even sure as I haven't actually seen it) anyway he seems to assume that because I do a bit of leather work I have an inborn knowledge of everything related to it WHICH I DONT!

He said on the shafts where the harness attaches, often with a big leather ring, the shafts themselves are supposed to be covered with leather. He wants to know what type of leather and how is it attatched.

I have a feeling I've seen it stitched on but to be honest I've not seen that many and not paid all that much attention.

Can anyone help me, hopefully with pictures included because I have a feeling I am going to be expected to do the job for him.

If there are several different methods please let me know.

I hope someone here knows the answer.

thanks in advance

Linda

[Kanga]

thankyou so much for such a quick answer but wouldn't you know it. I went to jerald sulky and it seems they're updating their site and for now ....no pics.

My other problem is I dont know the terminology so alot of what you said is like a foreign language to me although from your description of the leather I can see you know exactly what I am talking about.

How do you think they would get the leather tight, would it be wet and stretched first or because it is tacked on perhaps it doesn't need to be so tight anyway. thanks again

[barra]

Kanga. I hope this helps. If you look at the pic of the sulky you can see the brown leather along the shafts. The most common method of attchment I have seen in Australia using the types of leather Awharness mentions is to stitch them on with a herringbone stitch on the under side of the shaft. The ends are folded under so you don't have raw edges.

If you look directly under the dash board (rounded blue board with the metal work around the edge) you will see what is known by many varients. Commonly in Australian circles it is known as a swingle tree. This has hooks on the ends for attaching the traces. Traces are the long straps that attach to the horses pulling device, that being either a collar and hames or breast collar. They then run along the shafts and have slots punched at the sulky end for attachment to the hooks on the swingle tree.

The shafts are held up on the horse via shaft tugs (the leather ring you refer to). See pic 1.

Barra

Edited August 12, 2008 by barra

[Kanga]

Kanga. I hope this helps. If you look at the pic of the sulky you can see the brown leather along the shafts. The most common method of attchment I have seen in Australia using the types of leather Awharness mentions is to stitch them on with a herringbone stitch on the under side of the shaft. The ends are folded under so you don't have raw edges.

If you look directly under the dash board (rounded blue board with the metal work around the edge) you will see what is known by many varients. Commonly in Australian circles it is known as a swingle tree. This has hooks on the ends for attaching the traces. Traces are the long straps that attach to the horses pulling device, that being either a collar and hames or breast collar. They then run along the shafts and have slots punched at the sulky end for attachment to the hooks on the swingle tree.

The shafts are held up on the horse via shaft tugs (the leather ring you refer to). See pic 1.

Barra

Ahh thanks Barra, now, what type of leather do you think it would be, I am assuming cow hide but there's so many types. I need something specific and how do you think they get it tight? That's not your sulky is it? It's very pretty.

Edited August 12, 2008 by Kanga

[tonyc1]

Ahh thanks Barra, now, what type of leather do you think it would be, I am assuming cow hide but there's so many types. I need something specific and how do you think they get it tight? That's not your sulky is it? It's very pretty.

Kanga, I've done a few of these over the years and I've always used black Boxhide.

Tony.

[Kanga]

Thanks Tonyc1 From a boxhead like me, what's boxhide To quote Pauline with those immortal words........"please explain"

Pics would be good too if you have them.

[barra]

Kanga. Work out where on the shaft they are going and also the length each leather needs to be. Measure the circumference of the shaft where the leather is going to start. Take more measurements of the circumference at various points along the way. You could then transfer your measurements to something like a cardboard weet bix box to make a crude template. The thickness of the shaft will vary so you wont have a rectangle leather but it will be a tapered shape.

As for getting them tight. They are cut a poofteenth smaller than your template so that when stitched on wet the tightening of the stitches will draw the edges together and thus tighten them.

MOST times they are stitched on wet so that when they dry they shrink nice and tight. How much smaller to cut the leather will depend on the leather you use. I would get a little scrap of the intended leather, say about 2 " wide X the circumference of the shaft. Cutt say about 1 1/8th smaller and herring bone on. If it closes up easily you have probably nailed your measurement.

Have a look at the actual cart/jinker/sulky/gig and see how the old ones were attached. A more informed decision on attaching them can then be made.

Barra

Edited August 12, 2008 by barra

[Kanga]

Kanga. Work out where on the shaft they are going and also the length each leather needs to be. Measure the circumference of the shaft where the leather is going to start. Take more measurements of the circumference at various points along the way. You could then transfer your measurements to something like a cardboard weet bix box to make a crude template. The thickness of the shaft will vary so you wont have a rectangle leather but it will be a tapered shape.

As for getting them tight. They are cut a poofteenth smaller than your template so that when stitched on wet the tightening of the stitches will draw the edges together and thus tighten them.

MOST times they are stitched on wet so that when they dry they shrink nice and tight. How much smaller to cut the leather will depend on the leather you use. I would get a little scrap of the intended leather, say about 2 " wide X the circumference of the shaft. Cutt say about 1 1/8th smaller and herring bone on. If it closes up easily you have probably nailed your measurement.

Have a look at the actual cart/jinker/sulky/gig and see how the old ones were attached. A more informed decision on attaching them can then be made.

Barra

thanks for this Barra, it helps alot. I have a side of what I think is called "bag leather", I got it from Packers a few years ago when I was toying with making dog collars from cow hide, that's what they sold me. I dont like it but do you think it might be OK for this? It's unstained, quite thick, well, a hell of alot thicker than roo, but fairly flexible and has some stretch in it.