Improving stitching pony

[alpha2]

I got one of the Tandy ponies when I started this leather thing. I got the higher level one, but it still needs some help to be "not annoying" to use. So far I've re-contoured the top of the clamp. (cut/peeled off the leather, contoured the wood on a disc sander, reglued the leather.) It was just too blunt for my liking. I also added a wire to guard the thread from hanging up on the wing nut. THAT is really annoying! Then, I counter sunk the bold head at the other end of the bolt from the dastardly wing nut. There are many ways to immobilize that bolt, this is just what I came up with. As you can see from the pictures, I have some extra Styrofoam insulation hanging around. I used contact cement to put a small piece on each side of the clamp, tapered so as to not let the thread hang up. Also put a larger piece at the bottom of the clamp to hold the awl. It's all easy stuff to do, but it makes a huge difference when trying to get a stitching flow going.

Oh, and still had a lot of Styrofoam, so I made a holder for various misc. stitching stuff. It won't last forever, but I can make a thousand more with my stash of material.

 

[Bodean]

Cool mods. I got to get off my keister and build me one.

[bikermutt07]

Thanks for sharing the ideas.

[NCArcher]

A more permanent solution to the styrofoam is to set a couple of rare earth magnets into each side. 

I like your wingnut guard. I need to do something to stop the thread tangling on the wingnut. As you say, REALLY annoying.

[Sanch]

necessity it truly is the mother of invention and creativity!! all of the issues you ran into you overcame in a cost efficient manner way to go!

[alpha2]

32 minutes ago, NCArcher said:

A more permanent solution to the styrofoam is to set a couple of rare earth magnets into each side. 

I like your wingnut guard. I need to do something to stop the thread tangling on the wingnut. As you say, REALLY annoying.

Good idea. I love rare earth magnets. These are on a plug strip at my bench. They hang on to the plugstrip and release the tools, except for the roller at the left. The wide metal bracket on the roller pulls the magnet off of the plug strip, no big deal, it goes right back on when I'm through using it.

Edited May 14, 2017 by alpha2

[Mattsbagger]

And I have magnets on the side for needles. I do hate the thread snagging the wingnut.

[keplerts]

Changing the wing nut to a "Cam" clamp as pretty much eliminated my thread catching problem.  Love the cam clamp.  I took that suggestion from someone who suggested on this board a while back.

[alpha2]

I agree that would be a nice improvement, but I haven't seen a plan for one. I suspect the geometry for that would be critical for effective use. I'm up for it if someone does the R&D!

[Sanch]

No need for cam nuts or wing nuts if the clamping is done from the center also no need for magnetic needle holder.my "wing nut" is in the center of the jaws and needles go in the neoprene inserts on the jaws see red circle for "new wing nut" and lower red circle for insert ...

[keplerts]

Now that is and interesting pony design!  Looks like lots of top to bottom jaw clearance.

Here is a link to a cam clamp.  No redesign of the pony needed.  Just screw on the clamp.

https://www.amazon.com/CAM-ACTION-HOLD-DOWN-CLAMP/dp/B000KUXOTE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495339136&sr=8-3&keywords=cam+clamp

[bikermutt07]

Mine has a cam of sorts. It doesn't work very well. But it does have a simple wooden triangle glued underneath to keep the thread from snagging. 

Just find a small triangle block and glue it under the wingnut. 

[alpha2]

9 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

Mine has a cam of sorts. It doesn't work very well. But it does have a simple wooden triangle glued underneath to keep the thread from snagging. 

Just find a small triangle block and glue it under the wingnut. 

Well, heck, that's easy! I tend to over engineer when I'm bored.