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Quick update to Pony

Posted by bedhead on January 21, 2016 with No Commentsas , , , , , , , ,

I know, when I write, I have a tendency to generate some really long articles. This article, will be so different, that I’m almost done! Ok, not really, but it will be super short, for me.

I’ve written about completing my Stitching Pony, and it was doing its job, but there was one aspect that needed tweaking. When I was securing some leather in the Pony’s jaws, it would begin to tighten, and then it almost required a tool to hold the head of the bolt while I further tightened the wing-nut.

 

Pony rotated slightly, to hopefully capture details better.

Pony rotated slightly, to show the bolt at the inside surface of the left leg, which at this point, would rotate when the wing-nut was tightened.

When I stitched up the second head-cover for the Plumb hatchet (see here, if you’d like to read the article), the simple solution just flooded over me. I got me a nut (what we called Aircraft nuts with the nylon on one side of the threads, as they were used on aircraft, so they wouldn’t loosen due to vibration) that fit the 3/8″ – 16 pattern of the bolt, and another washer.

I took the wing-nut and washer off of the existing bolt, pulled the bolt back so the thread-end was only through one of the Pony’s legs, and put the other washer on followed by the new nut. I snugged it up against the inside surface of the Pony’s leg (the first one the bolt passes through), which held the bolt secure, while allowing the second leg to remain unimpeded by this setup.

 

Up close of the pony, showing the extra washer and the new

Up close of the pony, showing the extra washer and the new “Aircraft” nut (at the red arrow).

 

Now, with the Pony’s base held in my vise, I can easily snug up the jaws, with only dealing with the wing-nut. If I find that I still want extra holding power, I still have another idea to handle that issue, but that’s for another day.

If you’ve made a similar Stitching Pony, or have something else along the same idea, this is a really simple modification that makes it much more friendly to use. I hope you’ve enjoyed this article and as always, please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Lee Laird

#Woodworking #Leather #Leather working #hand stitching #Lee Laird #Aircraft nuts

Better leather protection?

Posted by bedhead on January 19, 2016 with No Commentsas , , , , , , , , , , ,

I posted a Tweet yesterday that had some shaped leather, and a few tools, on a leather-working board from the 1960’s. It’s interesting how different certain items can look, especially when they are in their basic 2-D form (even though the leather of course has it’s thickness, making it 3-D, I’m referring to the flat nature), prior to completion.

The leather will end up as a more fully-formed head-cover design, for my old Plumb hatchet. I wanted to get the “what is it” question out of the way early on, so this article would put more focus on the design and/or how it’s made.

I’m betting some may wonder why I’d spend more time making a second head-cover, for this old hatchet, when the first one seemed to “cover” the bases. (Ok, ok, I won’t give up my day job!) While my previous leather head-cover allowed me to add some “chops” to my repertoire, as it was my first hand-stitched piece, it almost immediately became obvious that I needed to pay closer attention to the order of my operations. I was so excited to get after the “meat and potatoes” of the stitching, that I didn’t fully take into consideration how I would handle attaching rivets, straps or snaps, after the two main pieces were essentially locked together. For those who have never installed any rivets or snaps, it can be an interesting experience, which I’ll provide a tip or two a bit later. I may still play around with modifying the first head-cover, at some time, even if just to test ideas.

As some of my followers will know, I made the first leather head-cover for this hatchet out of some really heavy-duty saddle leather. I used this type of leather for two reasons: it is very robust and strong, and it’s what I had on hand! I’ve since purchased a range of leather types and colors, so I can make more of my decisions based on design rather than simply inventory of materials. As I examined a range of commercially made leather head-covers, the differing designs and heft of leathers used seemed to run the gamut. This was time well spent and definitely broadened my thought on the matter, which at the very least aided my choices for the updated head-cover.

I started the new head-cover in much the same way I do for most projects, with a sketch of my design, laying out all of the parts and any perceived pitfalls. The learned pitfalls are important in most every type of creation or design work, and some are avoided purely using your logic, while others take time doing the work. After my initial sketch on paper, to scale, I cut my design out and compared it directly to the Plumb hatchet. The design looked like a decent fit (the 3-D nature of this type an item can add complexity, so keep that in mind), so while the pattern was around the hatchet’s head, I marked where I would place the rivets and the snap. Marking directly from your workpiece is so much more accurate than measuring one and carrying it over to the other.

 

Initial design on paper, with much already cut out.

Initial design on paper, with much already cut out.

 

Testing paper pattern on Plumb hatchet's head. Snap location marked.

Testing paper pattern on Plumb hatchet’s head. Snap location marked.

 

Now that I had confirmed the pattern looked viable, a quick trace onto my chosen leather, and then I cut to my line. As information, the leather I used is decently textured, and even though it is a very light color, no pencil lead showed up on it. I ended up choosing a super fine-tipped Sharpie to mark this puppy, including where the rivets and snap would attach.

 

Paper pattern showing location of rivets and snap, outline transferred to leather.

Paper pattern showing location of rivets and snap, outline transferred to leather.

 

After I cut out the main part of the head-cover, I took it to the hatchet’s head to test, just to make sure I wasn’t wasting time on a piece that would never work. As everything was still in the green, I found a piece of dark leather to use for the strap. I used the head of a snap I purchased for this type of project, to help determine how wide I should cut the leather, for this strap. After using the grooving tool to mark out the width of my strap, I used a metal ruler as a guide for my X-acto knife, while cutting the leather. Just remember that many similar blades have bevels on both sides, which can require a bit more attention to follow your guide. I cut the strap intentionally long, as I planned to trim it to final length, after the head-cover was complete and on the hatchet.

 

Leather cut out and tested against Plumb head. Mark for snap.

Leather cut out and tested against Plumb head. Mark for snap.

 

Leather still on head, showing rivet locations on rear face.

Leather still on head, showing rivet locations on rear face.

 

I had an old adjustable-headed punch that was having some trouble cutting cleanly through materials, and when I examined it, the jaw that has the anvil was bent so the punch only hit on one edge. As this tool wasn’t very robust, I upgraded to a heavy-duty design, that still has a similar adjustability. I knew I needed holes for a snap as well as a couple of rivets, and I decided to use a scrap piece of leather, to determine which of the punch’s cutters would be the correct size. It turned out the shaft of the rivets was a bit smaller than that of the snap, and there was a one-size difference, on the punch’s head. Now that I knew which punch number related to each, it was time to punch a couple of holes in the leather. I punched the hole for the snap first, as there was only one at this point. After changing the punch for the smaller size of the rivets, I punched only at the mark that was deepest from the leather’s edge. Then I punched the same size hole in the strap, just centering the hole across it’s width, and slipped the shaft of a rivet into the leather body and placed the strap down onto the rivet. This will keep the two pieces aligned, while I punched the second hole through both the body and the strap, at the same time. Before I pulled the trigger on the second rivet hole, I compared the strap’s orientation with a mark I made on my pattern, which pointed toward the intended pathway of the strap.

 

Four pieces that make up male/female snap, with setting tool and anvil.

Four pieces that make up male/female snap, with setting tool and anvil.

 

Hole for male snap (blue arrow) and first rivet through body and strap (red arrow) but still loose.

Hole for male snap (blue arrow) and first rivet through body and strap (red arrow) but still loose.

 

With all three of the holes punched, it was time to set the rivets and the male portion of the snap. Both the rivets set and the snap set came with small anvils and a driving tool each, to apply the pressure in each’s needed manner. *(Tip: Make sure you are working on a really solid surface, when setting the rivets or snaps, as it can make a huge difference. I initially was setting the snap, while on a workbench with a 1/4″ plywood top. Even with a strong smack, the snap wouldn’t completely seat. I took my setup to my shop workbench, and using the same hammer and strength of blow, the first hit almost completely snugged it up. The thin top of the other bench was absorbing enough of the impact to effect the outcome.) Make sure you choose and orient the snap parts correctly, as a snap is made up of four individual pieces. The anvil is slightly curved on one face and flat on the other, so you will also want to make sure the correct side is facing up. The curved surface is used when setting the female portion of the snap, and the flat surface for the male portion. On the rivet kit that I have, the anvil is like that included for my snaps, but the flat side is the only one used, when setting the rivets.

 

Anvil under body (yellow arrow) readying for rivets.

Anvil under body (yellow arrow) readying for rivets.

 

Rivets set but male snap parts not yet set.

Rivets set but male snap parts not yet set.

 

Male snap parts now set.

Male snap parts now set.

 

With the rivets both set, and of course the strap attached, and the male portion of the snap set, its time for some pre-stitching work. I planned to use some contact cement along the stitching edge, to prevent the parts from moving around, like occurred in the last head-cover. On the inside surface of the mating edges, where I will later stitch, I drew a line about 3/16″ from the edge. This was just as a visual guide for me, as I was applying the contact cement, and no one would ever see it again. I used the corner of a small paint brush, to keep the contact cement into such a small pathway, and lightly covered the designated areas. The directions for my contact cement says to wait 15-25 minutes after applying, so it is no longer tacky, but no longer than a couple of hours, before bringing the two surfaces together. I tested it after about 40 minutes, and it was perfect, so I very carefully aligned an edge and then gradually brought more area together. After all of the mating surface was together, I gave it a good squeeze, and set it to the side for a couple of hours. I had something else on my plate at that time, or I would have moved forward on the stitching, without the extra delay.

 

Closeup of contact cement applied to inside surface of leather body. (red arrows)

Closeup of contact cement applied to inside surface of leather body. (red arrows)

 

Contact cement along the mating edges (red arrows).

Contact cement along the mating edges (red arrows).

 

I set my grooving tool so it marked where I wanted the stitching to occur, and ran a line between my start and end positions. I setup my Thonging tool with the thin 3-toothed head, and placed my backer board on my bench top, to keep both the tool and the top protected. I used a little paraffin on the chisel tips of the Thonging tool, every so often, to reduce the effort of removing the tool from the leather. I placed all three of the chisel tips into the line I made with the grooving tool, and made a couple of hits with a Japanese hammer, piercing both sides of the leather. I found it was better for me, if I made one pass over all the stitching area, just barely coming out the back piece of leather. Then coming back for a second pass and going deeper. It seemed more difficult to remove the tool from the leather if I went deep on the first pass. Your milage may vary. On this cover, the placement of the Thonging tool was perfect, as I didn’t end up needing to change to the single-chisel head as I reached the corner. Its nice when things work out like that.

 

Part of the stitching holes complete (red arrow) and groove along other edge (blue arrows) where stitching will follow.

Part of the stitching holes complete (red arrow) and groove along other edge (blue arrows) where stitching will follow.

 

All stitching holes complete.

All stitching holes complete.

 

With all of the stitching holes created, the cover went into my Stitching Pony, and I put some waxed thread into my needles. I followed the same stitching pattern that I used on the previous cover (seen here).

 

Head-cover loaded into Stitching Pony, with stitching holes just above clamping surface (red arrow), but no stitches yet.

Head-cover loaded into Stitching Pony, with stitching holes just above clamping surface (red arrow), but no stitches yet.

 

Still in the Pony, but all stitches are complete (red arrows) while threads still hang long.

Still in the Pony, but all stitches are complete (red arrows) while threads still hang long.

 

After the stitching was complete, I put the cover onto the Plumb hatchet, so I could determine where the female portion of the snap would go. I pulled the strap so there was no slack, but not stretching tight, and made my mark between 1/8″ – 1/4″ shy of directly on top of the male snap below. I took the cover back off the hatchet and used the punch, set again for the snap’s shaft diameter, to make a snug hole. Since this is the female portion of the snap, the curved face of the small anvil faced upward, with the cap of the snap resting in the center. A few focused blows with the hammer set this part of the snap.

 

Cover back onto the hatchet, with strap pulled so all slack is gone. Strap is over male portion of the snap (red arrow) to mark for female portion of the snap.

Cover back onto the hatchet, with strap pulled so all slack is gone. Strap is over male portion of the snap (red arrow) to mark for female portion of the snap.

 

Hole for female snap punched and cap/shaft through strap (red arrow), while remaining part and tools are close.

Hole for female snap punched and cap/shaft through strap (red arrow), while remaining part and tools are close.

 

I again put the head-cover onto the hatchet, and brought the strap up under the shoulder of the head, and snapped it in place. Since I offset the location of the snap slightly, there is a little tension when you reach the attaching point, which is just what I wanted.

 

Up close view of completed Head-cover, with strap snapped.

Up close view of completed Head-cover, with strap snapped.

 

New head-cover is on Plumb hatchet, while 1st version is just below head.

New head-cover is on Plumb hatchet, while 1st version is just below head.

 

If you have a hatchet or an axe, currently without a head-cover, you may want try making one, too. I personally love that feeling of accomplishment that comes from making what I have, even better!

I hope you enjoyed the article and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Lee Laird

Pony gets leather

Posted by bedhead on January 13, 2016 with No Commentsas , , , ,

I finally found the time to apply some leather to the heads of my Stitching Pony. I was originally planning to use some of the thicker leather I knew I had on hand, but ran across some that was at least twice, and probably closer to 4 times more thin.

I first measured out my leather, via direct contact with the Pony, as it is way too easy to make mistakes when you measure with a ruler (or whatever) and then transfer that to leather, wood or anything. I placed the leather on, and lined it up with the edges of the head, and pressed my finger down firmly so compressed the leather over the wood’s edge. After cutting the two pieces of leather, and taking my Pony apart, it was out to the shop to apply some contact cement to the mating surfaces on each.

 

The leather for each of the Pony's heads is coated with contact cement (red arrows) as is the heads of the Pony (blue arrows), and also the back of each head.

The leather for each of the Pony’s heads is coated with contact cement (red arrows) as is the heads of the Pony (blue arrows), and also the back of each head.

 

I let the contact cement dry for a good 25 minutes, and when I checked my pieces, both leather parts needed a second application of cement. Another 30 minutes and all of the contact cement was looking just like it should.

Knowing the contact cement adheres immediately on contact (funny, guess the name implies that, huh?), I held the leather very carefully, aligning with it just barely above the wood surface. I tried to keep my final orientation as I slowly lowered the edge of the leather, meeting at the lowest edge of the Pony’s head(s), and once I felt it grab, I used a polished block of wood to apply pressure to the portion of leather on the inside face of the Pony’s head. After spending enough time to this surface, I slowly worked the leather down, from the already contacted area to the back of the Pony’s head. I used the wooden block again to apply pressure to the newly contacted leather, making sure all of the edges were touched.

 

This photo shows one head after the leather was applied.

This photo shows one head after the leather was applied.

 

This shows the inside face of a Pony's head, with it's new leather.

This shows the inside face of a Pony’s head, with it’s new leather.

 

After repeating the same process on the Pony’s other leg, I re-assembled the Stitching Pony and the new leather should help protect any leather I’m stitching, from the hardness of the wood from which it is made. Per the instructions on the can of Contact Cement, it will have full strength after 72 hours, above 65-degrees F. I don’t have any leather on my to-do list currently, but I’ve been thinking about some more items that I might make, that have direct relationship to my woodworking and tools.

 

The Stitching Pony is again a solid unit, but it has some nice leather now.

The Stitching Pony is again a solid unit, but it has some nice leather now.

 

Using the Spreading Block to create a little more space between the jaws, to better see the leather.

Using the Spreading Block to create a little more space between the jaws, to better see the leather.

 

Remember to always work with Contact Cement in an area that isn’t close to an open flame, as most is very flammable. There is some available, that is not flammable, but I have never used it and can’t comment on how it is to work with.

Thank you for stopping by and checking out the article. As usual, please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Lee Laird

 

Dyson DC14 repair

Posted by bedhead on January 13, 2016 with No Commentsas , , , , , , , ,

I know repairing vacuums aren’t my usual core focus, but I thought this might help others that have a similar issue, and one of the Dyson vacuums. We’ve owned our Dyson DC14 for over 10 years, and it has truly been the best vacuum that I’ve ever used. With some companies seeming to make products with […]

Leather cover for Plumb

Posted by bedhead on January 9, 2016 with No Commentsas , , , , , , , , , ,

I finally found a little time to finalize the basic head-cover for the old Plumb hatchet, from the design I spoke about a couple of days ago (if you haven’t already, you can check it out here). After amassing some leather stitching tools (while I got beginner versions of most items, I still got a couple […]