stirrup leather stretchers

[lelk82]

I am currently in the process of building a Stretcher for my boyfriend based on the stretcher made by "Ron" in Kalispell MT. http://ronstools.com/images/NewStirrupStretcher020Medium.jpg

Based on all the stretchers ive seen his seems the simplest except...

I need help finding the spinning handle on the top of the stretcher that stays stationary but threads the rod up and down to stretch the leather. Anyone with any ideas or maybe recognizes as something theyve seen before?

Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

LELK

[Echo4V]

I don't know what that one particular is but it reminds me of an old manual style car window crank. You could probably get one at an auto parts store. Some of the old ones connected with a screw, if you could find one of them then you could just drill a hole in the top of the bolt and screw the handle right to it.

[bruce johnson]

I've got one and like it pretty well. My wife talked me into it with a stand and both have been worth it for me. It looks like he made the handle out of some heavy SS strapping welded to the collar and then bolted the turning handle on the end. The collar above and below the top bar have set screws that bind them into the threaded rod.

I like his design although I have seen some homemade ones pretty handy too. Some have jacks instead of a screw mechanism.

[Timbo]

If anybody has any pics of homemade ones please post them up.

Question on stirrup leather stretching though. If your fenders are going to be sewn onto the stirrup leathers do you stretch without the fenders on yet or after you have put the fenders on???

Tim

[bruce johnson]

Tim,

I stretch them with the fenders on. It is probably more of a shaping deal and mating the fenders to the leathers though. I soak and prestretch my leathers first on a long board. Then dry and cut them to the finished size. While the fenders are still cased from stamping I shape them instead of letting them dry flat. Once I put them together and on the the stretcher, there is not a whole lot more stretch taken out, but it helps to "set" the twist and the outside stretch for the stirrups to hang more level.

[greg gomersall]

Check into the design that Bob douglas makes as well. In my opinion you get a better set on your fenders with Bob's design. As for the handle you do not even need one. anything you can get ahold of to turn will work just fine. I have a pulley about 4" in dia. on mine and can turn it just fine. Greg

[Hidemechanic]

Convert a bicycle crank, that's what Ron's looks like in the pic.GH

[Timbo]

I always figured you could make a cool stirrup leather stretcher out of one of these. You could sure crank 'em hard with this.

Tim

If it doesn't show up it is a trailer tongue jack from harbor freight.

jack.bmp

jack.bmp

Edited October 30, 2008 by Timbo

[Elton Joorisity]

Easy now Timbo! I honestly doesn't take muck cranking to rip out a stirrup leather buckle hole or two!! mine only has a 2" dia. knob

[okiwen]

Why don't you buy one from Ron instead? After all, it is his idea and design. I also bet that if you spent the same amount of time on a saddle for your customer you would have more than paid for the stretcher. Do you think that you can get the parts and assemble this in the, oh...four or five hours that your time would be worth to pay Ron for it?

I know Ron and he is a pretty good guy. I bet he would love to help you out here and you both would benefit. And the bottom line is it truely is my guess that you would be ahead in time.

[Alan Bell]

The rod is a piece of all thread and the wood at the top has either a nut counter sunk into it at top and bottom or a little deal you tap into the wood at the top and bottom. The handle or crank can be just about anything that the all thread is set into and held in place so that when it turns the all thread turns. Mine is a big round piece of wood from Home Depot that was supposed to be a knob on the end post of a hand rail for a stairwell. Really a great design and pretty simple.

Vaya Con Dios, Alan Bell