Measuing Leather Thickness; 1 oz equals what thickness?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

Not that I am anything of an 'experienced leathermaker', but I sure wish I would have had this website when I started buying leather ...

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/infoandservices/leatherguide/leatherguide.aspx

TTFN,

[Slowhand Bob]

I was unable to get the Tandy site to load.  Several of the good catalogs will actually have several pages of good info in them concerning leather terms, measuring and grading.  Weaver does a pretty good general info section in the front of their catalogs.  As I remember it, Tandy used to add more than they currently do

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Slowhand Bob,

This is the gist of the page ... and perhaps because it was a png it did not come up for you ... although my 'puter is antique and it loaded right up:

[Boothill Bob]

Wadd my man
That photo means lot to me.. We got the metricsystem over here.. Thanx for the help pard

[WaddWatsonEllis]

BB,

Even without the metric system, the ounce system puts a real learning crimp into buying leather ... I am glad it helped!

[Slickshot]

WaddWatsonEllis,


I just bought an antique thickness gauge off Ebay last week...It's gauge is in Thousands.  So how should I use this chart to make sure I am using the correct thickness of leather???

Again - American thickness gauge in thousandths - I am not sure..


Slickshot

[Ned Buckshot]

Slickshot

I've got a chart that converts fractions to decimal numbers. If you want I can scan it in and send you a copy.

Let me know.

Ned

[Slowhand Bob]

I have had a couple of the micrometer style leather measuring tools and found them seriously lacking.  First we do not measure in thousands of an inch, the compressibility of leather just makes it unreliable and most of those gauges are either small with almost no throat reach or extremely expensive for models with several inches of throat reach.  By far the best one I have ever had is the very old model that I purchased off Ebay.  It was actually somewhat rough and beat-up when I first got it but a small bit of work has it working like a champ and very dependable BUT they do need a bit of protection and care for dependability.  Once zeroed properly they are more than accurate enough for leather work.  Since these are often promoted as collectors items you might find that sometimes the price gets a bit unreasonable for a working tool but patience will sometimes prevail when shopping Ebay.  Here is one that I am considering as a back up, it actually looks nicer than mine, but will step aside if anyone here wants to give it a whirl.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/280922772482?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_954

PS:  I actually take mine along on leather buying trips to make sure that the selections have been labelled properly and it has helped me cull several hides in the past.     

[Springfield Slim]

Slickshot: The chart has thousandths listed. Me, I just use a cheap plastic caliper. Every 1/16 equals 4 ounces, usually gets me close enough by eyeballing the scale.

[Ned Buckshot]

Slickshot

I've got a chart that converts fractions to decimal numbers. If you want I can scan it in and send you a copy.

Let me know.

Ned

DUH!!!!! See what happens when I type before my first cup of coffe! That wouldn't do you a darn but of good would it!!!!