Stitching Pony

[dwdjr]

So I watched a few videos from Armitage Leather and Leodis Leather and well need less to say I was hooked. I rounded up a few tools, bought a side of leather from Tandy and today I built this. Do you guys/gals think it will vwork?

[biglew]

built what? no images

[dwdjr]

Apparently the pics did not load from my cell phone.

[Eric1978]

Looks good. It should work just fine. Here's the one I built and it seems to get the job done ok

[mikeyes]

The nice thing about your design is that you really don't have to measure anything to build it. Instead you can take one board and some leather and put it together using small cutoffs for the spacer at the bottom (along with your leather in the middle) and at the top for the jaws and the same length jaw arms. It automatically goes together, all you have to do is get the overall length where you want it. Most of the cost is in time and finish.

I built one just like it with added small magnets and a beeswax hole (for the needles), features stolen from other designs. You did a very nice job on yours! I had all the components in my shop. It is amazing how cheaply you can build things if you have $5000 worth of woodworking tools in your shop! <G> (It can be done with hand tools too, just not as fast.)

Mike Keyes

[dwdjr]

Thanks....Yeah total cost. Free! Material left over from building my slot car track. Now to build a second one, shorter to attach to a desk.

[silverwingit]

Several comments.

One, all of us who have made stitching ponies after the plans on Chuck Burrows' web site (Wild Rose Trading Co., http://www.wrtcleather.com/, http://www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/tutorials/_stitchpony.html), should take up a collection to thank Chuck for posting those plans! [if you didn't get the plans there, it looks like your pony is at least a descendant. ]

Second, I like the looks of your pony and being tall I know you will come to appreciate its height. Your back will thank you.

Third, I think you will eventually want to replace the leather on the jaws with thinner leather. That leather is so thick that it will be cumbersome when holding small or thin items. And when you decide to replace the leather you will regret having nailed it on. Next time, if you just cement it on you will be able to peel it off and replace it when it needs to be replaced because it is worn or stained.

Last, I noticed you did the same thing I did on mine when you made your first set of holes for the adjustment screw a bit high on the posts. When I did that I found that the screw that high created clearance problems with large items. The problem with putting the screw too low is that reduces the force that can be applied to hold items tightly. There is a happy medium somewhere.

Looking at your clamping screw I noticed the wingnut. Being as low as it is will help avoid tangling your threads but when you stitch long runs with long lengths of thread, it will still cause problems. I have a plastic knob right now and it causes the same issues. I have been seeking a way to eliminate tangling with the adjustment screw mechanism. I have two thoughts. One is an idea I saw on a Japanese pony. That was a conical shaped wooden knob that had its base flush with the post of the jaw. If you have access to a lathe you could easily turn such a knob and put a slot in its base to accommodate the wingnut. My other thought comes from a post on this forum. It is called a "Cam clamp," and it is designed for just such applications:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DT1WUE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I actually have a set on my workbench but I haven't had a chance to modify my pony to try it. Looks pretty good to me, though.

Just trying to help.

Michelle

[Frayed01]

As far as the 'adjusting screw' goes, it's a pain tightening the wing nut all the time, my solution.

Go to your local cycle store and buy a 'quick release wheel spindle', get someone to cut a continuous thread on the spindle, cut it to length, fit, and then all you need to do to tighten the jaws is push the lever down.

[stu925]

Your stitching pony is very similar to the one I built. I agree about the clearance issues, I have a couple sets of holes in mine, one up high for smaller pieces and one set down lower for larger pieces. I used 3/8" all thread and a couple of stainless nuts on mine I keep a set of wrenches in my leatherworking box for tightening those nuts. It's a little more work that way but I can control the tension on the piece better. Thread tangling only seems to be an issue if I'm not paying attention to what I'm doing.

Stu

[Ol Bill]

Michelle,

An experienced guy told me the other day to attach a leather strip above the wing nut and velcro it below the nut. Keeps your hands from hitting the nut as well.

[silverwingit]

Thanks, Ol Bill. I had seen that done but forgotten about it. Simple enough, eh?

Michelle