Money Belts and endless sewing

[santee]

So,
you guys who make money belts sewing all that by hand?
I did some math in regards to how long it takes me to awl punch/sew a 7.5" holster and applied that to a 38" money belt (realizing, of course, that I have only been doing leather work for about 4 months).
It came to about 15 hours.
That's probably the length of the entire Lonesome Dove series.

Just want to get a non-math related idea before I rent a bunch of westerns: How long does it take you fellas?

[HorsePen Henry]

Ya mean the whole length of the money belt is only 38" ?   You are a string bean, ain't ya?

That's a question that has not crossed my mind yet. Hmmmmmm.....I have a money belt in the planning but haven't done one yet. I just got the patterns from Will. They look like they are a comfortable belt to wear. Looks like they will move with you.
I guess ya need to set yer stopwatch and let me know how long it takes ya.

Good luck on getting enough movies,

X Horse Pen

[Johnny Dingus]

It took me 3 evenings and some cuts in the fingers,  one stab wound to do my 2nd holster.  So for the belts I thought I would get a Tippmann Boss.  During the Winter time when there isn't enough warmth to do things outside I might hand sew some belts.

Johnny Dingus

[santee]

I'll have to be careful with the bourbon intake on those nights. Might end up sewing the leather to my leg.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Gents 

        Sewing a money belt is really half as hard as sewing a lined belt , I have a bum hand so it takes me longer anyway, but I look forward to this stage , and enjoy doing it , like Santee said watch a bunch of westerns , and before you know it, your done, Ace Lunger maid me a heavy duty stiching pony , we call it a mule , because it stays on the floor and is built rock solid, it also has a wider opening to accomodate the bow or widness of a holster which  I think is a big improvment over the standard stitching pony, with this I'm going to be able to do my sewing a lot easier than just sewing things in my lap and I'm looking forward to sewing my next holster and gun belt on it. Pards this leather craft or work to me is the best therapy a pard could have it sooth's my soul and totally relaxes me , sure my fingers are sore, but when I'm done I'm usually so happy about finishing that I forget all about sore fingers.
             
                      So take care pards , I think we're all real lucky to be able to do this leather work , Good Luck to all of you.


                                                               tEN wOLVES 

[ChuckBurrows]

Nah - shouldn't take more than 2-3 hours at most  - even double that taint' too bad for a beginner. I sew them all the time by hand (I do this for a living and I've got arthritis in both hands, my elbows, and shoulders, the wages of a misspent life and ....      - bourbon - yep good stuff but it can sure get you in trouble fast  .
I pre-punch all the holes and then sew. The majority of belts I do these days average about size 44" - lots of chubby shooters out there    ; -  the largest belt I ever did was 76" (6 foot 4 inches) - the guy was 6' 9" and weight 475....
Full lined belts add another hour or two - they have all four sides sewn - not cowboy per se but this entire set was handsewn - the belt is a total weight of 12/13 oz:



now talking about time consumption take up beadwork - this one has about 30 hours of sewing in it.......

[Johnny Dingus]

Chuck,

If you pre punch all the holes what do you do your punching with?  Arbor press,  Awl,  Drill Press?  And do you use anything to back the leather up with?

I know some secrets are best not let out but we are all geting to old to be keeping secrets any longer.

Johnny Dingus

[ChuckBurrows]

Howdy Johnny - no secrets from me - I even put a bunch of what I know in my DVD's.
For pre-punching I do it all by hand - glue up, set your stitch groove, mark with a stitch marker (most of my work is done at 6 SPI), punch with an awl and hammer, sew, tap with a hammer, dampen, even everything up with the overstitch wheel. I use a rubber poundo board when punching.

I wote this tutorial up a while ago - http://www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/tutorials/_leatherstitch.html

[Black Powder]

Chuck, I could look at pics of your work all day.  I know that doesn't put food on your table, and someday I'd like to own a Wild Rose creation, for sure.  In the meantime, 

BP

[santee]

Well, I am encouraged!
Thanks, folks, for the input. Chuck, the first time I saw that stellar rig I didn't even look at the sewing. Phew!!

[HorsePen Henry]

Beautiful work, Chuck. Sure like the knife cases. How many stitches per inch on the beadwork? 
Real nice metalwork on the top rig, too. The whole set sure looks great together. The photography is exceptional as well.

I hope you'll keep showin' yer stuff on here more regular. I sure like lookin' at it.

Cheers,

X Horse Pen

[Dr. Bob]

Chuck,

Man, you sew them beads fast!!   Very impressive.  On both sides even.  I figured 30 hours on one side and my jaw dropped when I got to the next picture of the other side!  Great looking knife and sheath!

[Dalton Masterson]

Westerns are the way to go while sewing tho. I like to put in one and go lay in the recliner and stitch away. Sometimes I wake up and have a mess of thread knots, but.....

Chuck, when are you going to make a beading tutorial?? I was looking at a bunch of vintage beadwork at an auction this last weekend, and it really peaked my interest. DM

[cowboywc]

So,
you guys who make money belts sewing all that by hand?
I did some math in regards to how long it takes me to awl punch/sew a 7.5" holster and applied that to a 38" money belt (realizing, of course, that I have only been doing leather work for about 4 months).
It came to about 15 hours.
That's probably the length of the entire Lonesome Dove series.

Just want to get a non-math related idea before I rent a bunch of westerns: How long does it take you fellas?

As long as you don't keep stopping to watch the good parts (The whole Movie is good parts) it won't take too long.
Also forget math......
WC

[knucklehead]

Yep,

I agree about forgeting the math. cause i dont wanna know how long it takes before i start

see if i dont know how long it takes then i will do the sewing. if i know how long it takes before i start, then i just may put it off longer.
therefore its better if i dont know how long it takes till im done and im exicited thats done.

i also punch the holes in before i start sewing. then i watch tv while im sewing. a stiching pony may help my leg out though.
i was sitting in my easychair sewing while watching a john wayne movie and stuck the sewing needle in my leg.
was busy watching the good part while pulling the needle through with pliers. i jerked it too much and my leg got in the way of the dull sewing needle. stuck in my leg about 1/16".
and that hurt after i pulled the needle out

[Trailrider]

Howdy, Pards,
I am NOT proposing you do it my way...way too expensive, but I used to stitch the money belt seam by hand, after first gluing the two edges, grooving on both sides, marking with an overstitch wheel and then drilling each hole on a drill press using a #56 drill bit.  Then I'd hand stitch using a Landis machine hook (open-sided eye needle) in a Speed-stitcher haft.

Even watching T.V. while sewing, it took me way too long to be worth my time.  When I went into the business full-time, I acquired a Juki (Nakajima) TSC-441 with a synchronous motor that slows the machine so I can actually do one stitch at a time.  Still takes about 10 minutes to stitch a belt, as I have to be careful guiding the leather through the machine.

But I still sew holster main seams using the manual method, as there is too much tendency for the needles to "drift" off the edge of the bottom layer.  For those, I pre-punch the holes by hand-cranking the leather through the machine, one side at a time, then use the Landis hook.  Takes about half-an-hour for a 7-1/2" holster (unless it has an end plug).

(BTW, I call my sewing machine, "Kate".  Why?  Anyone familiar with WWII Japanese torpedo-bombers?  The Type 97 was made by Nakajima, and was code-named by the Allies..."Kate". 

[will ghormley]

I don't glue parts when hand stitchin'.  It's complicated.

When I'm layin' out the belt, and the leather is damp, I cut my stich groove and roll my stitchin' wheel to make a nice deep impression.  When the leather is dry, and I'm sewin', the deep impressions help the stitches lay down pretty even.

I line up the edges and clamp it in my stitchin' horse.  As I push the awl through, I use a block of bee's wax to back it on the other side and keep the leather alined.  An hour is makin' pretty good time for a money belt.  An hour and a half is more my speed.

Like Chuck, I've got the arthritis in the hands.  Mine wasn't a miss-spent youth, just a life of hard work and harder knocks.  If I'd'a known I was goin' to live this long, I certainly would'a taken better care of myself.  Oh well...hindsight.

After eight years in the plannin' and scrimpin', it looks like I may film my first DVD this summer or fall.  Just in the nick of time it seems.  I'm havin' more trouble this summer keepin' my thumb bones where they're supposed to be.  Gettin' old sucks, but it's too late to die young.

Will



Will

[santee]

Looking forward to your DVD, Will.