With summer being so busy, I haven't had half the time I wanted to work on tack. Things are slowing down around here so I hope that will change.
For now, here is what's on the workbench!
Showing posts with label Tack Making. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tack Making. Show all posts
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Loser of The Year
I am so disappointed with myself. My goal of keeping my workspace clean seems to be gone with the wind (or maybe it washed away with all the rain we have had?). It's a mess! I know it could be worse, but it could definitely be better. I need to get more drawers so I am more organized. Maybe then I will have motivation to keep it clean?
Along with that, I forgot to record the time I spent tack making tonight! Bummer! In the long run, it probably won't be a big deal. Especially considering I have no way to tell how much time I have put into it so far. Maybe I should try keeping track of time from now on, then in the end figure out some way to account for what I have already done...
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
A Tack-Making Expert
According to Malcolm Gladwell, it takes about 10,000 hours to become an expert. That's only 417 days... if you work constantly without eating, sleeping, or doing anything else.
If I want to become an expert tack maker, how long would it theoretically take me? Right now I can devote about an hour of time to tack making each weak. At that rate, it would only take me about 191 and a half years. Not too shabby...
But seriously... considering I don't plan to live to be 211 years old, I don't think that's going to work. Right now I don't really have time to do anything but study and work, and occasionally see Sonny. Hopefully later on in life I will have more time to make tack.
Even though things sound pretty impossible the way they are, I think I am going to keep track of the hours I work from now on. Just for the fun of it and so I can see how I progress as the hours go by. It will kind of be an experiment of sorts!
Now my question is, do I want to count all hours? Does that include skiving, ribbion halter making and such, or should I just count the hours I put into saddles (which is currently a big old 0)? Either way, I will keep my progress posted here for those of you that might be interested :).
If I want to become an expert tack maker, how long would it theoretically take me? Right now I can devote about an hour of time to tack making each weak. At that rate, it would only take me about 191 and a half years. Not too shabby...
But seriously... considering I don't plan to live to be 211 years old, I don't think that's going to work. Right now I don't really have time to do anything but study and work, and occasionally see Sonny. Hopefully later on in life I will have more time to make tack.
Even though things sound pretty impossible the way they are, I think I am going to keep track of the hours I work from now on. Just for the fun of it and so I can see how I progress as the hours go by. It will kind of be an experiment of sorts!
Now my question is, do I want to count all hours? Does that include skiving, ribbion halter making and such, or should I just count the hours I put into saddles (which is currently a big old 0)? Either way, I will keep my progress posted here for those of you that might be interested :).
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Dilemma
I was really looking forward to getting a good chunk of a custom halter done yesterday. Of course, it didn't goes as planned.
I understand that not all leather is the same, especially from different orders. I have had great luck with one distributor until this batch. I could tell right away that it was different: if was much thicker, didn't like my Safety Beveler, and had fuzzies galore. Even with an absurd amount of sanding and gum tragacanth, I just can't get it to look right. I have tried all different sections of the leather piece, but they appear to all be the same.
The top piece is from a previous order. The bottom piece was form the recent order. I want to note that the leather is laying flat, so the curves you see are the actual leather, not due to it being bent or sticking up.
It kind of looks like my dog either cut it herself or chewed it. Either way, this is not going to be sellable which really puts me back. So now what do I do? Place another order, hope for the usual quality, wait for it to get here, and spend another $7 on shipping for under $2 worth of leather? Oh, joy ;).
I understand that not all leather is the same, especially from different orders. I have had great luck with one distributor until this batch. I could tell right away that it was different: if was much thicker, didn't like my Safety Beveler, and had fuzzies galore. Even with an absurd amount of sanding and gum tragacanth, I just can't get it to look right. I have tried all different sections of the leather piece, but they appear to all be the same.
The top piece is from a previous order. The bottom piece was form the recent order. I want to note that the leather is laying flat, so the curves you see are the actual leather, not due to it being bent or sticking up.
It kind of looks like my dog either cut it herself or chewed it. Either way, this is not going to be sellable which really puts me back. So now what do I do? Place another order, hope for the usual quality, wait for it to get here, and spend another $7 on shipping for under $2 worth of leather? Oh, joy ;).
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Good Investments
Through my very limited tack making experience, I have come across some things that I would never want to live without. In case you might find them helpful, here they are:
For ribbon work:
Strong Glue
Ribbon does not like to stick to itself. I find that my super tacky glue does work much better than the regular glue. It is a pain in the butt to use though.
Where to buy: Michael’s
Cost: $3 -$4
(Jo-Anns has it online only, I believe…)
Sewing Pins
Along with the super tacky glue, you are going to definitely need some sewing pins. The glue clumps up easily and the hole in the cap needs to be cleaned out often. I replaced the cap asap after use. Oh, and don’t leave it upside down! Even though it is a pain to get out, it is an even bigger pain when its all clumped up around the cap.
Where to buy: Any craft store, maybe even Wal-Mart
Cost: around $4, but you only need a few
Mini Clothespins
I got this idea from a fellow blogger, and boy they are great! The glue needs a good bit of time to set properly. While the glue is still wet, I move the ribbon pieces around so they match up exactly and none of the bottom ribbon can be seen from the top. Once I have it in place, I let it dry for a bit between my fingers. After it has dried enough to not come undone when I let go, I quickly replace my fingers with one or two pins and let it dry even longer.
Where to buy: Michael’s, Jo-Anns
Cost: $2 - $3
For leather work:
Safely Beveler
If you have read my blog before, you aren’t surprised to see this here. This cheap little gadget is wonderful and easy to use and really cuts down skiving time!
Where to buy: Tandy leather Factory
Cost: $6.99, but they go on sale
Exacto Knife
Although I don't use it for skiving, it always comes in handy. It is so small and so sharp it has multiple uses. Sometimes I do use it for skiving when I come across a "knot" or stubborn leather.
Where to buy: Michael's, Rio Rondo, probably Jo-Anns or Home Depot
Cost: $2-$5
Wood Mallet and Mechanical Pencils
Thanks to Jennifer Buxton, hole punching is so easy! I can't imagine doing it any other way. You just have to make sure to get the metal tip pencil, not plastic!
Where to buy: Mallet: Tandy Leather Factory; Pencils: Anywhere that sells pencils, including Michael's!
Cost: Mallet: $4; Pencils: Mine were $7, but that's expensive
Gum Tragacanth
This stuff makes leather so smooth and easy to work with. I wouldn't skive without it!
Where to buy: Tandy Leather Factory
Cost: $8
In general:
Good Cutters
I haven’t had these long, but I picked up these scissors at Jo-Anns for $10. They work great for cutting Rio Rondo hardware! The curved end makes it easy to get in close to the hardware so I don't have to do much sanding.
Where to buy: Jo-Anns
Cost: $10
Good Scissors!
For a long time I was using scissors I found in my kitchen draw. When i finally bought my own, it made a world of difference! There were so sharp it made cutting so much easier.
Where to buy: Basically anywhere
Cost: Varies, mine were $5
Those are just some things that I use on a daily basis. Of course, I will probably be adding on later, but I thought it might be helpful to share!
For ribbon work:
Strong Glue
Ribbon does not like to stick to itself. I find that my super tacky glue does work much better than the regular glue. It is a pain in the butt to use though.
Where to buy: Michael’s
Cost: $3 -$4
(Jo-Anns has it online only, I believe…)
Sewing Pins
Along with the super tacky glue, you are going to definitely need some sewing pins. The glue clumps up easily and the hole in the cap needs to be cleaned out often. I replaced the cap asap after use. Oh, and don’t leave it upside down! Even though it is a pain to get out, it is an even bigger pain when its all clumped up around the cap.
Where to buy: Any craft store, maybe even Wal-Mart
Cost: around $4, but you only need a few
Mini Clothespins
I got this idea from a fellow blogger, and boy they are great! The glue needs a good bit of time to set properly. While the glue is still wet, I move the ribbon pieces around so they match up exactly and none of the bottom ribbon can be seen from the top. Once I have it in place, I let it dry for a bit between my fingers. After it has dried enough to not come undone when I let go, I quickly replace my fingers with one or two pins and let it dry even longer.
Where to buy: Michael’s, Jo-Anns
Cost: $2 - $3
For leather work:
Safely Beveler
If you have read my blog before, you aren’t surprised to see this here. This cheap little gadget is wonderful and easy to use and really cuts down skiving time!
Where to buy: Tandy leather Factory
Cost: $6.99, but they go on sale
Exacto Knife
Although I don't use it for skiving, it always comes in handy. It is so small and so sharp it has multiple uses. Sometimes I do use it for skiving when I come across a "knot" or stubborn leather.
Where to buy: Michael's, Rio Rondo, probably Jo-Anns or Home Depot
Cost: $2-$5
Wood Mallet and Mechanical Pencils
Thanks to Jennifer Buxton, hole punching is so easy! I can't imagine doing it any other way. You just have to make sure to get the metal tip pencil, not plastic!
Where to buy: Mallet: Tandy Leather Factory; Pencils: Anywhere that sells pencils, including Michael's!
Cost: Mallet: $4; Pencils: Mine were $7, but that's expensive
Gum Tragacanth
This stuff makes leather so smooth and easy to work with. I wouldn't skive without it!
Where to buy: Tandy Leather Factory
Cost: $8
In general:
Good Cutters
I haven’t had these long, but I picked up these scissors at Jo-Anns for $10. They work great for cutting Rio Rondo hardware! The curved end makes it easy to get in close to the hardware so I don't have to do much sanding.
Where to buy: Jo-Anns
Cost: $10
Good Scissors!
For a long time I was using scissors I found in my kitchen draw. When i finally bought my own, it made a world of difference! There were so sharp it made cutting so much easier.
Where to buy: Basically anywhere
Cost: Varies, mine were $5
Those are just some things that I use on a daily basis. Of course, I will probably be adding on later, but I thought it might be helpful to share!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Busy as a Bee With a Beveler
Okay, Okay, I'll admit it: I love my safety beveler! As crazy as it sounds, I was excited to come home from class and start skiving! You might think I am crazy, but I really enjoy it. I put on some Jack Johnson and skived away! I got quite a bit done; hopefully I will have something to show for it tomorrow. :)
Friday, January 21, 2011
Get Set
WHOA...was the first word out of my mouth when I sliced through leather with my safety beveler for the first time.
Previously, I had been using some random blade that I found in my kitchen drawer for skiving. It was getting the job done, one ratty, rough, time consuming piece of leather at a time. But, I wasn’t complaining. I know that skiving is no one’s favorite thing to do on a Saturday night, so I wasn’t expecting much.
Then along came the safely beveler. There is nothing to compare the smooth, easy slice that it performed on that little piece of leather. I have had a harder time cutting through cake than that. If you can’t tell, I love it! I bought it here for $3.99.
It is not perfect; it will definitely take some getting used to. I am sure it would with an exacto knife, too. You have to be VERY, very careful! It cuts so smooth it will easily cut right through the whole piece of leather before you even know what’s going on. After some experimentation, I have found that it is good to go with cutting off short, thin pieces. Obviously it is more time consuming, but it works better. Then once you get most of he thickness gone, sand out the rest. Once it gets to a certain point, it is really hard not to cut through the leather when it is so thin.
This is what can happen in one slice. It completely cut through the leather on top; the bottom piece is how the leather lace is originally.
Here is another example of how it can cut right through the leather.
I also got my wood mallet yesterday! I have picked up some mechanical pencils at Micahel’s a few days ago to try Jennifer Buxton’s technique for hole punching. It worked as great as I expected it to! It will take some practice to get the holes even, but overall it works perfect. As far as what mechanical pencil to use, it doesn't matter as long as the tip is metal! I got mine at Michael's, but I am sure any place like Staples or even grocery stores have metal tip pencials.
After some time and some Gum Tragacanth, I ended p with three pieces of leather that I am decently happy with!
Previously, I had been using some random blade that I found in my kitchen drawer for skiving. It was getting the job done, one ratty, rough, time consuming piece of leather at a time. But, I wasn’t complaining. I know that skiving is no one’s favorite thing to do on a Saturday night, so I wasn’t expecting much.
Then along came the safely beveler. There is nothing to compare the smooth, easy slice that it performed on that little piece of leather. I have had a harder time cutting through cake than that. If you can’t tell, I love it! I bought it here for $3.99.
It is not perfect; it will definitely take some getting used to. I am sure it would with an exacto knife, too. You have to be VERY, very careful! It cuts so smooth it will easily cut right through the whole piece of leather before you even know what’s going on. After some experimentation, I have found that it is good to go with cutting off short, thin pieces. Obviously it is more time consuming, but it works better. Then once you get most of he thickness gone, sand out the rest. Once it gets to a certain point, it is really hard not to cut through the leather when it is so thin.
I also got my wood mallet yesterday! I have picked up some mechanical pencils at Micahel’s a few days ago to try Jennifer Buxton’s technique for hole punching. It worked as great as I expected it to! It will take some practice to get the holes even, but overall it works perfect. As far as what mechanical pencil to use, it doesn't matter as long as the tip is metal! I got mine at Michael's, but I am sure any place like Staples or even grocery stores have metal tip pencials.
After some time and some Gum Tragacanth, I ended p with three pieces of leather that I am decently happy with!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Get Ready
Do you find it weird that the name of my blog is "Sonshine Saddlery" and I have yet to make a saddle? I do. Or maybe it's just silly. But, saddles are my intention and in order for anyone to get anything helpful out of this blog, I think they should see my work in progress.
So, today's progress is to start getting everything I need! I started by going through Jennifer Buxton's blog and creating a list of things I should get.
My list looks something like this (in no particular order):
1. 3 piece pound wheel set (leather stitching)
-Micro-mart $22.65
2. Wood Mallet (Hole Punching)
-Tandy Leather Factory $4.99
3. Metal tip Mechanical pencils (Hole Punching)
-.05 and .07
4. Gum Tragacanth
-Tandy Leather Factory $5.99
5. Beacon 527 (Glue)
-Hobby Lobby $4.47
6. Safety Beveler (Skiving)
-Tandy Leather Factory $3.99
7. Mini Dremmel (Sanding)
8. Exacto knife (Skiving)
I think I am going to get a Keri Okie saddle set to get started, so until I do that I don’t think I am going to buy any tools. Just in case I am leaving something out.
Instead, my progress of the day was getting my leather, buckles, jumper rings, and slotted rings to at least make some halters! My order came to $33 including shipping, which I don’t think it TOO bad considering I got pretty decent sized quantities.
Now I have to run over to Hobby Lobby and get some glue so I can get started!
Happy MLK Day!
BBF Storm Chaser
So, today's progress is to start getting everything I need! I started by going through Jennifer Buxton's blog and creating a list of things I should get.
My list looks something like this (in no particular order):
1. 3 piece pound wheel set (leather stitching)
-Micro-mart $22.65
2. Wood Mallet (Hole Punching)
-Tandy Leather Factory $4.99
3. Metal tip Mechanical pencils (Hole Punching)
-.05 and .07
4. Gum Tragacanth
-Tandy Leather Factory $5.99
5. Beacon 527 (Glue)
-Hobby Lobby $4.47
6. Safety Beveler (Skiving)
-Tandy Leather Factory $3.99
7. Mini Dremmel (Sanding)
8. Exacto knife (Skiving)
I think I am going to get a Keri Okie saddle set to get started, so until I do that I don’t think I am going to buy any tools. Just in case I am leaving something out.
Instead, my progress of the day was getting my leather, buckles, jumper rings, and slotted rings to at least make some halters! My order came to $33 including shipping, which I don’t think it TOO bad considering I got pretty decent sized quantities.
Now I have to run over to Hobby Lobby and get some glue so I can get started!
Happy MLK Day!
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