Cutting and Tracing Weights

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Hello Pards

    I thought I would share the way I do my cutting and tracing, I started using these old weights that wouldn't stay on the handles, thanks to my kids dropping them on the floor,  they just sat there for a long time until I started doing leather work, the leather was always rolling up on me when I would want to cut a pattern out, so  the lights went on, and I remembered the weights that were doing nothing but gathering dust, I cemented some veg-tan leather to there bottoms, and put a coat of Tan-Kote on them, and now I have some great cutting and tracing aids, I've been using these for about three years now , and they work great, because there weight goes up and down, they don't take up too much space when I'm tracing or cutting, they do a great job of keeping my leather down so I can get an accurate cut, or trace, so if your out and about and stumble on a pair of old weight ends at a garage sale or where ever, you might want to pick some of these up, they do a dandy job of keeping things down. I also use these weights for tamping down my cemented leather after gluing to get the air bubbles out, it's great for this too.


                                                              tEN wOLVES 

[cowboy316]

TW
very smart idea i need to find something like that for holdin patterns down ill keep my eye out
for things like that
   Thanks for the good idea
         CB316

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Good idea, 10W. What weight are those? I can't use my old weights because my wife grabbed 'em to use in the trunk of her sidecar for ballast.  There are yard sales now and then around, though.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Hello Cowboy316 & Marshal Will


         Glad you pards like them, Will the weights were 15 pound dumbbells each with the screwed in handles, I never weighed them by them selves I'd say at least six pounds each, IMO, but they are enough weight to do the job well, and as you can see they are small enough that they're not in the way at all, I leave them on my bench at all times, and use them constantly, Cowboy316 just keep your eyes open for these, I think you will be real happy with them, or you could also make the kind that Cowboy WC has.


                                                        tEN wOLVES   

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Ten Wolves,

That is a great suggestion. It sure beats the one quart cans of paint I use. I like the idea of a leather pad against the leather... no marks on the leather. Please keep those tips comin' in Pard.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, 10W. That sounds ideal.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

       Pards I've seen these chrome dumbbells on sale at  pretty good prices, we have a Big 5 Sporting Goods store here that puts them on sale from time to time, once you have cemented the veg-tan leather on the ends, you could still use them as dumbbells, at least until the ends  no longer stay on, LOL, I like the chrome ones , because they're easier to keep clean.


                                                  tEN wOLVES 

[Irish Dave]

Good idea, pard.

I've just been using 1lb lead ingots and a circular block of cerrosafe.
These all work fine, but yours are dandy.

[JD Alan]

10 Wolves, that is a great idea. I use some flat 5 & 10 pound weight plates to hold things. I hadn't thought about covering them with leather, though they are painted.

No one's going to question and/or comment on the "Weights in the trunk of the sidecar" remark? Sidecar? How COOL is that! A picture would be really cool! If this forum is not appropriate, how about a PM?

I love sidecars! We have one running around Sherwood with a (dummy) machinegun. He also has his pit bull riding in it. A white one like from Spanky & our gang. Quite a sight. 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

When we go riding, NO ONE notices me because all eyes are on the blonde on the white rig. Here's a pic, JD. LOL, I had to trade her my weights to get my bullets back so I could do some reloading. To make it leather related, I put the spots on the sidecar seat and arm rests to match her bike seat.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

          Good looking Will, I especially like the blond and brunette, I bet they really like riding around with you, the bike is sharp too, we have a pard that is wheel chair bound that has a set up something like yours, but he rolls his wheel chair up into the back of the side car, the side car looks like a chariot with the back end open so he can load and unload his chair,  and some how rides it that way, with nobody on the bike, he has the  handle bars on the bike connected to the side car some how, it's the darnedest thing you ever saw, when he's going down the road, he always looks like the rider bailed out on him. ( LOL ) 



                                                      tEN wOLVES 

[JD Alan]

Great looking bike Will. Thanks for sharing the pic!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, pards. Remember, it's her bike, not mine. Mine's just a black 2-wheeler. The dogs don't have much interest in black, either.

I like the small weight idea. I may have to grab steal borrow a couple of the 2 1/2# round weights and sew some leather around them.

[Springfield Slim]

I use old antique irons. And everyone knows the only "proper" color for a hack is black!  http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c262/mwhyte123/BMWsidecar.jpg

[JD Alan]

Once again very cool pic. I'll bet there are some big smiles under those helmets!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Nice, Slim. Is that a Urinal sidecar? Black, eh? Then My black bike would do?

[Dr. Bob]

Did I miss something??  Is this a motorcycle board now?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

You didn't miss anything. We strayed off track some. Now I have to kick my own butt.

[Dr. Bob]

I wasn't complaining!      I have lead thread astray before and have enjoyed the pics of the bikes,  but just couldn't resist commenting!

[Springfield Slim]

No, it's a Chang. The Ural's look too modern for me. Plus this has the original BMW/Steib style leaf spring suspension, the Urals have coil springs. I plan on making a leather tonneau cover for my sidecar, that makes it a leather related subject!