frasermade Report post Posted March 26, 2015 Hi all, Long time lurker, first time poster. I've been making my own watch straps and buckles now for around 6 months and so far it's been a brilliant experience. Lots of nice positive feedbacks so far but there's always room to improve. Luckily I have this resource for help! A few examples of my straps and bespoke buckles below. I used to make the buckle bars (the bits between the end-plates) by hand, cutting the stainless bars, facing, drilling and hand-tapping the holes before final blend with the end plates - around 4-6 hours per buckle. I now get them made because I have more productive things to be doing than sitting at a mill hand-turning the head to tap a hole...the rest is hand-finished (drilled and sanded) and assembled before tumbling for 2 days straight! It's a long process but worth it. Thanks for your valuable info! Best Gordon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 26, 2015 Some more pics! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wicked Welts Report post Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Well that's quite an enternace there Gordon, your stuff is amazing! Thanks for sharing and welcome aboard! Mike Edited March 26, 2015 by Wicked Welts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camano ridge Report post Posted March 26, 2015 (edited) Gordon, welcome. Very nice work. You must be from a part of Scotland I have not been to. I have spent time around Isle of Sky, Invernese and a few other areas. Beautiful country, however I don't remember seeing the sun. Edited March 26, 2015 by camano ridge Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King's X Report post Posted March 27, 2015 Hello Gordon and welcome to the forum. Nice work you have shown here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 27, 2015 Thanks for the comments! I'm from Fife, where it's always sunny...although probably more due to Mossmoran than any solar action. Well that's quite an enternace there Gordon, your stuff is amazing! Thanks for sharing and welcome aboard! Mike Gordon, welcome. Very nice work. You must be from a part of Scotland I have not been to. I have spent time around Isle of Sky, Invernese and a few other areas. Beautiful country, however I don't remember seeing the sun. Hello Gordon and welcome to the forum. Nice work you have shown here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
humperdingle Report post Posted March 27, 2015 Welcome, neebs :D Looks like I live not too far from you! Bit jealous of the quality of your items, though :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 27, 2015 Welcome, neebs :D Looks like I live not too far from you! Bit jealous of the quality of your items, though :D Awrite pal. Haha don't be. But thanks! It's been a bit of work to get to the point where I'm happy but I think it's getting there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MonicaJacobson Report post Posted March 27, 2015 Nice work! They look practically tasty - I love the varied dye job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Half Goat Report post Posted March 27, 2015 nice work! where abouts in scotland are you? I'm fae Aberdeen but living down on the borders the now Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 27, 2015 Thanks again! Practically tasty is my new USP! I'm down in Cowdenbeath. Nice work! They look practically tasty - I love the varied dye job. nice work! where abouts in scotland are you? I'm fae Aberdeen but living down on the borders the now Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rawcustom Report post Posted March 28, 2015 "If it's not Scottish it's CRAP!!!". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnj Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Fraser; Sun in Scotland ? I was there two years seen the sun two times. Natural Gas : wife thinks I should bottle it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Fraser; Sun in Scotland ? I was there two years seen the sun two times. Natural Gas : wife thinks I should bottle it. Yeah but, those two days though... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leatherwytch Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Welcome to the best leather working site, Gordon. Your wee watch straps are very charming! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tugadude Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Your buckles are quite amazing. I do nothing with metal fabrication but can really appreciate good work when I see it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnj Report post Posted March 28, 2015 OH Yahh! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 28, 2015 Your buckles are quite amazing. I do nothing with metal fabrication but can really appreciate good work when I see it! Thank you very much - they're a lot of work! From scratch they take around 4-6 hours each to make, but recently I made the decision to take the longest process (making the bars - 1 hour per bar) away from me manually making them and got a bunch made by CNC. Takes a bit of pressure off me and will allow me to approach PVD coating too, to get them various colours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 28, 2015 I finished some of the new stock tonight and got some decent photographs of them. Really pleased with the way they are looking now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camano ridge Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Those look very well made. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OdinUK Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Very nice work. Will you be selling those buckles? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 29, 2015 Those look very well made. Very nice work. Will you be selling those buckles? Thank you both. I'm not sure of the rules of this forum yet in terms of what you can and can't do, but yes I already am selling them stand-alone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
camano ridge Report post Posted March 29, 2015 There is a for sale section that you can post in, also it is not uncommon for posters to post something they made then let people know that they have them for sale. You can always tel people to PM you for more information if you do not want to post the price and details. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frasermade Report post Posted March 29, 2015 There is a for sale section that you can post in, also it is not uncommon for posters to post something they made then let people know that they have them for sale. You can always tel people to PM you for more information if you do not want to post the price and details. Ok thanks, There's a wee link under my posts to my Etsy shop for all that are interested. Cheers Gordon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyL1 Report post Posted March 30, 2015 Nice work and welcome to the forum. Love your straps and that buckle is top notch! Cheers, Andy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
