Show your Shop

[shock]

21 minutes ago, Jake907 said:

I've been so inspired by all of you and your workspaces, from the little hole in the wall places to the big professional shops. Thank you everyone for sharing. So, now I've decided that I "need" a dedicated leather workspace of my own, so I gave away my old recliner and set up a table in the corner of my living room by the wood stove. 

That was my beer drinking recliner!

[garypl]

6 hours ago, Jake907 said:

I've been so inspired by all of you and your workspaces, from the little hole in the wall places to the big professional shops. Thank you everyone for sharing. So, now I've decided that I "need" a dedicated leather workspace of my own, so I gave away my old recliner and set up a table in the corner of my living room by the wood stove. 

Congratulations Jake on taking your first step to a dedicated workspace!  That table doesn’t look stiff enough to pound on though - where do you do stamping, rivet setting and other activities that require a very solid surface?  (Also, coming from someone in Georgia, I don’t think I could handle the cold up there!)

Gary

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

I love your living room, Jake!

[Jake907]

1 hour ago, garypl said:

Congratulations Jake on taking your first step to a dedicated workspace!  That table doesn’t look stiff enough to pound on though - where do you do stamping, rivet setting and other activities that require a very solid surface?  (Also, coming from someone in Georgia, I don’t think I could handle the cold up there!)

Gary

Thank you, It actually does surprisingly well, probably because I use a small sheet of 3/4" steel when I set rivets or stamps. 

P.S. It's -25 right now, they're calling for -30 by tomorrow

8 hours ago, shock said:

That was my beer drinking recliner!

Not anymore! Lol

39 minutes ago, Big Sioux Saddlery said:

I love your living room, Jake!

Thanks Sioux! We like it too, very cozy

[MakerUnknown]

Whoah! Movie set!

[alpha2]

Right! Somewhere near Cicely, Alaska.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

A little different perspective on what the shop looks like right now.  Still have some of the bigger machines to move, I just have to find a day when at least two of my boys can help at the same time.  It's a huge job to get everything set up and organized.

[bikermutt07]

16 minutes ago, Big Sioux Saddlery said:

A little different perspective on what the shop looks like right now.  Still have some of the bigger machines to move, I just have to find a day when at least two of my boys can help at the same time.  It's a huge job to get everything set up and organized.

When you run across that 3rd 6" cowboy hand crank splitter you didn't know you had, think of me. Lol.

That is quite an undertaking. Keep up the good work. I'm sure you will get it all in place, eventually.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

56 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

When you run across that 3rd 6" cowboy hand crank splitter you didn't know you had, think of me. Lol.

That is quite an undertaking. Keep up the good work. I'm sure you will get it all in place, eventually.

Will do, I've got two, although they're either American or Landis, I never can remember, so we're 2/3 of the way there. Lol.  I can't believe how much I've forgotten I had.  There are at least 3 more draw gauges than what are in the picture.  Out of all of them, there are really only two that I like to use.  Funny how we get used to the feel of a certain tool, and prefer that over others, kind of like my round knives.  I'll get a picture of them also when I get them all in one place.

[bikermutt07]

57 minutes ago, Big Sioux Saddlery said:

Will do, I've got two, although they're either American or Landis, I never can remember, so we're 2/3 of the way there. Lol.  I can't believe how much I've forgotten I had.  There are at least 3 more draw gauges than what are in the picture.  Out of all of them, there are really only two that I like to use.  Funny how we get used to the feel of a certain tool, and prefer that over others, kind of like my round knives.  I'll get a picture of them also when I get them all in one place.

Wow, I have forgotten having a thing or two in my day, but I have never re-bought an item 8 times.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

1 hour ago, bikermutt07 said:

Wow, I have forgotten having a thing or two in my day, but I have never re-bought an item 8 times.

That made me laugh!  Wait til you see my sewing machines.   Honestly, I bought my first one from a tool trader and it is still my favorite.  Just has a good feel to it and it draws beautifully. Then through the years  I'd buy one here and there on an auction or get a couple when I bought out some shops, and my intention was to have every one adjusted to a specific size so I'd never have to change one.  Never have done that because up until now, especially the last 7 years, I never had enough space to have more than one on my bench at a time, and no room to hang them.  Now I will, but we'll see if I follow through with my intention. 

[Orangeleather]

On 09/01/2018 at 5:55 AM, Jake907 said:

I've been so inspired by all of you and your workspaces, from the little hole in the wall places to the big professional shops. Thank you everyone for sharing. So, now I've decided that I "need" a dedicated leather workspace of my own, so I gave away my old recliner and set up a table in the corner of my living room by the wood stove. 

Tranquil working environment, I like.

@Sledzep01 nice DIY mini pony, I currently use same method.

[Rossr]

3 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

Wow, I have forgotten having a thing or two in my day, but I have never re-bought an item 8 times.

I have to back up Souix here.   you tend to accumulate tools if you keep looking and buying out leatherworkers etc.   You just sorta end up with extras lol.....and there are some great deals out there on buying a full lot of tools vs just buying one tool!

[bikermutt07]

4 minutes ago, Rossr said:

I have to back up Souix here.   you tend to accumulate tools if you keep looking and buying out leatherworkers etc.   You just sorta end up with extras lol.....and there are some great deals out there on buying a full lot of tools vs just buying one tool!

This is true. I didn't know she had bought out shops before her last post.

I have only had the chance to buy out an individual one time. And boy, what a deal. I think I paid maybe 3 cents on the dollar. Probably .02.

[Rossr]

3 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

This is true. I didn't know she had bought out shops before her last post.

I have only had the chance to buy out an individual one time. And boy, what a deal. I think I paid maybe 3 cents on the dollar. Probably .02.

Yep  there are always deals out there if you watch craigslist ebay etc.     

[bikermutt07]

1 minute ago, Rossr said:

Yep  there are always deals out there if you watch craigslist ebay etc.     

Yeah, he was just getting out of prison and bought a slew of tools with him. 

I met him on Craigslist to buy a heritage 8" splitter for 250.00. No reason to haggle at that price. Then he showed me all the other stuff he had. Saddler's tools, a gazillion stamps, boxes of books and patterns, just about everything under the sun. He asked me what I would give him for the rest of it. I told him it was worth a lot more than I had. I told him I had another 100 bucks.

He said "sold". It was thousands of dollars worth of stuff. I gifted a lot of it here. I still have a lot left. I know I have about a hundred or so stamps. I gifted probably twice that. There were four or five letter sets. Just tons of stuff.

[Rossr]

1 minute ago, bikermutt07 said:

Yeah, he was just getting out of prison and bought a slew of tools with him. 

I met him on Craigslist to buy a heritage 8" splitter for 250.00. No reason to haggle at that price. Then he showed me all the other stuff he had. Saddler's tools, a gazillion stamps, boxes of books and patterns, just about everything under the sun. He asked me what I would give him for the rest of it. I told him it was worth a lot more than I had. I told him I had another 100 bucks.

He said "sold". It was thousands of dollars worth of stuff. I gifted a lot of it here. I still have a lot left. I know I have about a hundred or so stamps. I gifted probably twice that. There were four or five letter sets. Just tons of stuff.

Wow.   that great you spread the wealth around.....karma coming you way !

[Sheilajeanne]

Okay, just thought I'd share this here...   Not me, but I'm sure some of you can relate!

 

I finally got my work space decluttered, and will post photos soon. 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2018 by Sheilajeanne

[Sheilajeanne]

Okay, here goes.

This is my tiny perfect work station. Underneath the work surface are two of my power tools that I haven't found another storage spot for, plus an old boot that I am planning to salvage the leather from. I may put the shelves up in my dining room one of these days soon.

Second picture shows the cupboard next to the work station where I store projects in waiting, dyes and other solutions, and stuff I don't use very often.

Third picture shows a kitchen cupboard that has been mostly taken over for storage of leather work items. It contains rolls of leather, books and patterns and some of the larger kits I'm planning to work on.

 

 

[Sheilajeanne]

And yes, I need to dust. 

And sweep. The joys of dog ownership... 

Edited to add: this is what I started out with, about 2 years ago: https://www.tandyleather.ca/en/product/basic-leathercraft-set  It all fitted in a box that was about 12" x 6"x 8" 

Before the 8 weeks of free lessons that came with the kit were finished, I had to graduate to using a Rubbermaid bin that was about 36" x 24" x 12" deep. 

Noobies, beware. You have been warned!

Edited January 12, 2018 by Sheilajeanne

[bikermutt07]

23 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

And yes, I need to dust. 

And sweep. The joys of dog ownership... 

Edited to add: this is what I started out with, about 2 years ago: https://www.tandyleather.ca/en/product/basic-leathercraft-set  It all fitted in a box that was about 12" x 6"x 8" 

Before the 8 weeks of free lessons that came with the kit were finished, I had to graduate to using a Rubbermaid bin that was about 36" x 24" x 12" deep. 

Noobies, beware. You have been warned!

Ha, yeah the fella on page one or two (of this thread) working out of the duffel bag is in for a rude awakening.

[Sheilajeanne]

  Indeed he is! :D

[Brooks125]

10 hours ago, Big Sioux Saddlery said:

A little different perspective on what the shop looks like right now.  Still have some of the bigger machines to move, I just have to find a day when at least two of my boys can help at the same time.  It's a huge job to get everything set up and organized.

Sioux, I think they have rules about posting porn on this site....

[Sheilajeanne]

On 12/19/2017 at 9:12 AM, DV8DUG said:

I'm loving this thread....

So did I miss the maid service? Everyone's shop is so 'clean' with the exception of Leathersmyth's and my own.

Show of hands... who cleaned up first before the pictures were taken? 

 Me!  My cat likes to sit in the window, and between the cat hair, dust and cobwebs, it was pretty disgusting. Tonight is the first time in nearly a year I've done any serious leather work, so a big clean-up had to be the first thing on the agenda.

My mom passed away a year ago last November, and I've been dealing with her estate, and I find dealing with grief really stifles creativity. Feeling pretty good about getting back into it again, even though my first project has been a major disaster so far!  i expected it might be, so I chose something really small and simple to work on.

Edited January 12, 2018 by Sheilajeanne

[Rolandranch]

On 1/8/2018 at 10:55 PM, Jake907 said:

I've been so inspired by all of you and your workspaces, from the little hole in the wall places to the big professional shops. Thank you everyone for sharing. So, now I've decided that I "need" a dedicated leather workspace of my own, so I gave away my old recliner and set up a table in the corner of my living room by the wood stove. 

Looks like a nice cozy space! That space wouldn't work for me because those pelts on the wall would be calling me all day coaxing me to make something out of them.