Cas City Forum Hall & CAS-L

CAS TOPICS => The Leather Shop => Topic started by: Dalton Masterson on June 13, 2008, 11:23:53 PM

Title: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on June 13, 2008, 11:23:53 PM
Show us what your buildin your stuff on!! Is it permanent? Portable? Kitchen table? Clean ;)? Cluttered? Multi-use?

Well, it seems I misplace the camera friday, so.... hopefully will find it at work tomorrow and will take pics then.

DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 14, 2008, 01:37:56 AM
I don't have a dedicated leather bench. I have materials to make one, but I just grab whatever surface will work for my purposes. I have a slab of slate that was a tellers window in an old Bank of America branch that I use to tool on. A lot of my work gets done on the corner of my loading bench. Often I grab the kitchen table for large layouts and cutting. I suppose I should upgrade one of these days.  ::)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ace Lungger on June 14, 2008, 06:29:22 AM
Right know my is a mess, and mostly will allways be a mess!!But i do have a area just for that, but because of the back, i can't build anything! I gace a friend of mine a Fender strat Guitar to come fix things  around the house that i use to do my self, so I am hopeing to talk him into building me a nice bench, right now I have a LARGE wooden barrel and a small dresser with a wooden door laying acrossed it, (not very pretty), but it works!
ACE
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Johnny Dingus on June 14, 2008, 06:39:09 PM
Well I spent the better part of today moving mine around.  It was in the middle of the garage and there wasn't much light at the table.  So I decided to put in a leather shelf for my extra leather and a light.  Normally it isn't quite so neat.

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c105/BlueViffer/leatherbench002.jpg)

And the Bench.....

(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c105/BlueViffer/leatherbench001.jpg)


Johnny Dingus
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on June 14, 2008, 08:38:15 PM
Howdy Gents

          That looks real nice Johnny Dingus, it's nice and neat and plenty of room to work, enjoy Pard. ;D :D ;)


           Here's a look at mine it's a little cluttered right now , the better half keeps searching out horizonal surfaces to PUT THINGS ON , but i love her dearly, and I put up with this. anyway I have two pictures, one is my work area, the other is a 4'x 8' free standing work bench, and I built it high so I could work on this one standing up, I cut my leather out on this one , and do my finishing, the long board that is wrapped in brown paper and clamped, is where I finish gun belts , it lets me stretch the belt out, without being in the way of anything else, I share this bench with my ammo loading too. ??? :o ;D


                                               tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: cowboywc on June 15, 2008, 04:39:32 AM
I used this desk for 20 years, now it just holds tools and my laptop. I do most of my tooling on one of the
class tables now.
WC
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: cowboywc on June 15, 2008, 04:40:48 AM
A couple more pix of my workshop.
WC
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Pitspitr on June 15, 2008, 07:09:23 AM
 ::) I really don't remember what my work bench looks like, but I'm sure it's under there somewhere  ;) I do remember this much about it; its a semi-permenent freestanding bench in the basement with reloading and reloading supplies on the right half and leatherworking on the left half. I sometimes bring stuff upstairs and steal a corner of the dining room table so I can be with the fam or watch TV while I work.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: will ghormley on June 15, 2008, 08:00:45 AM
Man!  You guys have lots of tools!  How can you guys afford all that stuff workin' leather?

Will

Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: santee on June 15, 2008, 09:09:47 AM
This is also my reloading bench. Limited space, so this area is for stamping, dying, sanding, etc. The cutting and sewing happens various other places in the house.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 15, 2008, 09:40:22 AM
OK, I took a picture of the side of my loading bench where I do some of my leather stuff. The loading bench is going to get replaced when I finally get to making a new one. The materials are in the garage, all I need is to put it together. We're looking to maybe make a move soon so I'm dragging my feet since it's easier to move sheets of wood than to move a whole workbench. I have to keep my tools in dedicated toolboxes because I don't have a good permanent place to work. You can see one of 'em in the picture. Like I mentioned before, I move into other places to do larger stuff. I consider the kitchen and dining room mine, also.  ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: outrider on June 15, 2008, 10:17:33 AM
howdy pards,

I believe I have already posted these pics..
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Pitspitr on June 15, 2008, 01:17:45 PM
Hey WC how do you get any work done with the decorations you have hanging above your bench?  ???
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: cowboywc on June 15, 2008, 09:30:21 PM
Man!  You guys have lots of tools!  How can you guys afford all that stuff workin' leather?

Will


It's an addiction.....
That's why I ride a 24 year old motorcycle, I can't afford a new one. There might be a new tool I need.
Oh ya, I just bought 2 from you.... :)
WC
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 16, 2008, 12:28:33 AM
It's an addiction.....
That's why I ride a 24 year old motorcycle, I can't afford a new one. There might be a new tool I need.
My wife knows that distant stare when I get thinking about tools. She won't let me near any place that has leather or gunsmithing tools. I ordered a new couble-cut ceramic swivel knife blade online last night last night when she was out of the room.  ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Johnny McCrae on June 16, 2008, 04:50:50 AM
My work area is in the basement. Sometimes I will stamp on the kitchen table and stitch on my reloading bench.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: santee on June 16, 2008, 07:22:18 AM
Hey Johnny,
I notice you are a motorcycle enthusiast. Do you make leather items for that interest as well?
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Johnny McCrae on June 16, 2008, 08:30:54 AM
Howdy Santee,

The only thing I ever made for motorcycles was a leather pouch for a customer's Air Shock Pump. I work at a Harley dealer part-time in Sales & Finance.

I thought about making a saddle bag kit where everything would be furnished and die-cut. One would just lace the bags together. I thought it was a good idea with the cost of Harley's saddlebags. Our local Tandy store stocked a saddle bag kit made by Tandy and it did not sell very good. Maybe a saddle bag kit might sell well on the internet.

I can think of many motorcycle related items that could be made using the great talents of the Pards here on this forum.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 16, 2008, 08:57:10 AM
Somebody mention motorcycles? ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 16, 2008, 09:03:42 AM
I thought about making a saddle bag kit where everything would be furnished and die-cut. One would just lace the bags together. I thought it was a good idea with the cost of Harley's saddlebags. Our local Tandy store stocked a saddle bag kit made by Tandy and it did not sell very good. Maybe a saddle bag kit might sell well on the internet.
I've only made one motorcycle related item myself. It was a bag to go on the sissy bar of a bike I had years ago. I'm surprised the pre-cut kit didn't sell well. Maybe they didn't market it correctly. Of course, you can buy stuff already assembled for a fairly reasonable price so it would depend on cost.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: cowboywc on June 16, 2008, 10:45:45 AM
Somebody mention motorcycles? ;D

Howdy Marshall Will
Nice Iron Horses......
I have the best of both worlds, Iron & flesh and blood....
WC
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 16, 2008, 11:29:36 AM
I have the best of both worlds, Iron & flesh and blood....
Nice. I don't have the room for both.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on June 18, 2008, 12:41:10 AM
Alright, I finally got some pics of mine. It is an old drafting table, 5' wide x app. 3' deep. I put a big poundo mat on top of my work area, then another 24" x 12" under my marble. I use the extra 12" of that one for my hole punching, quick cuts, etc. I have a poly cutting board layed against the wall at my feet for cutting out projects. I tend to start a few projects, then go back to them later, hence a bunch of the holsters at my left. A few, like my shield ones, need some scuff repair after the state match last weekend, so they are there too. The others either need stitched or edged, which I like to do while upstairs in front of the tv.
I have a clutter corner to the right, which is just crap I dont want to put anywhere else, mainly cups of pencils, bags of sheepskin remnants, etc. I have cats, so open sheepskin gets attacked when its not looking. :-\ 
I try to keep most of my pattern packs in the center drawer, but also have a cardboard poster tube full of larger patterns.
My scraps are kept under the bench along with my uncut hides. Keeps them out of the light, and mostly out of harms way.
DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on June 18, 2008, 11:16:39 AM



                     :D Nice work area Dalton, I 'd have no problem making myself at home at your work bench... :D 8)


                                                                 tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ace Lungger on June 23, 2008, 08:33:56 PM
Dalton,
 Awesome work are :o i most likely won't post pic's of mine! You pards are awesome, i am not that neat, and I wished I was but it isn't in me to be that away! I can make it look nice for a ic, but it won't look that away the next dat :o No since lying about it, i am a pig!

Great work araea Dalton, thanks for showing it!
ACE
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on June 23, 2008, 08:58:58 PM
Well, to be honest, once I start a project, it gets pretty messy on there. I have been trying to keep stuff put away as soon as I use it, but it doesnt always work.
Go ahead and post Ace!
DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Pitspitr on June 24, 2008, 08:16:31 PM
I finally got some pictures of mine. The basement is kind of a cave. :-[

(http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1900/1000162fi3.th.jpg) (http://img144.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000162fi3.jpg)

(http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/5874/1000166dc2.th.jpg) (http://img144.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000166dc2.jpg)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on June 24, 2008, 10:26:50 PM
Looks like your bench serves double duty as a loading station too, there Pitspitr!
Is the drop tube for your 45-70? You takin that to the games again?? Cant wait to see ya there in July. Will be fun!
DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Pitspitr on June 25, 2008, 06:44:42 AM
Yep, it does.

And yes the drop tubes are for the BP big bores. I probably won't bring any of the trapdoors or Sharps with me this year. J. Dawg is gong to shoot with us this year, and with the extra guns I'll have to bring for him I don't think there will be much room for more than just a spare Cowboy gun or two. If you come to the Muster in Oct. I'll have them there....

CSG here we come!  WOO WHOOOO!
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Tac on June 26, 2008, 12:09:52 AM
My work bench (area) is on an old kitchen table out on the back porch... In Phoenix, that means 110 degree temps in the summer and 40's in the winter (occasionally  ::).... (Keeping wax for thread and such is a chore! I gotta remind myself to take it inside and put it in the fridge!)

I don't have a picture of it, but if you use your imagination, you can create a good mental picture... a kitchen table that has a table top drill press on the far right side and looks as if a grenade went off on the left side...  ;D

I'm sorry, I thought I heard some one mention MOTORCYCLES in a previous post...  :D

I have two.. a 2007 HD Peace Officer Edition Road King and a 2005 HD C.V.O. Soft Tail....

'05 Soft Tail: http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j296/Tac56/100_0829.jpg

'07 Road King: http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j296/Tac56/100_0734.jpg

I often say, and am often reminded that I have a VERY Understanding Wife.... (who won't learn to ride, but likes the back seat.)

As far as leather work for the bike goes... I have made my wife a couple of hair ties and that's about it... I haven't the need for much in the way of leather for my bilkes (as you can see by the pictures, both have saddle bags.), and I don't deal with leather that is thin enough to be used for clothing. I have thought about making my own chaps on several occasions, but until I get my self a sewing machine that is capable of leather sewing, I don't see myself trying it.... (That's ALOT of hand sewing.....)

Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Sawdust Jim on June 26, 2008, 11:41:47 AM
Hi All,
Right now my shop has to do double duty so my "leather bench" is also my "wood bench". As I do more leatherwork and less woodwork, the leather gets more priority. I envy you folks that have a dedicated setup.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on June 26, 2008, 01:00:37 PM


   ;) ;D Nice shop Jim, looks like you've been doing this for a while, and that red cushion remines of John Waynes in The Shootest,

                                                                   Thanks for sharing


                                                                   tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 26, 2008, 03:56:13 PM
Good lookin bikes, Marshal Tac. Thanks for the links.

I like your workspace, Jim. Those pillows look like they'll do the job. ;)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: kid sheleen on June 26, 2008, 09:56:22 PM
Come on you guys give him a break on his red pillow.  Its not exactly the same(no tassles) but if he got it where duke got his,  I wouldnt mind having one myself!(  I believe it was a house of ill repute in Creed, Colorado.) ;D

Kid
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on June 26, 2008, 11:38:26 PM
...if he got it where duke got his,  I wouldnt mind having one myself!(  I believe it was a house of ill repute in Creed, Colorado.) ;D
A pillow? Or a house in Creed? ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dr. Bob on June 27, 2008, 12:09:37 AM
YES!!!! ;D ;) ;D ;)  ;D ;) ;D ;) ::) ;D ;) ;D ;) ;D ;) ;D ;) ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ace Lungger on June 27, 2008, 08:47:47 AM
 :)Jim, AWESOME shop, mine was that clean the day after I built it ::) ::) and it will never be the same again ??? ??? ???

Thanks for the look
ACE
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Sawdust Jim on June 27, 2008, 12:03:50 PM
Hey! I like my little red pillow, It's helped me through some "hard times". ::) I thought about suggesting one on the money belt thread but realized they were looking for something else.

Thanks for the complements on my shop. I do try to keep it pretty clean, mostly because I hate hunting for tools. Also, here in Oregon we have mandatory fire inspections and I've found it a lot easier to sweep the floor and pick up once in a while than to loose two weeks getting ready for the fire dept.

Jim
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: kid sheleen on June 28, 2008, 06:12:53 PM
Mostly the pillow! :D
the house in creed would be too much like work!
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Johnny McCrae on July 03, 2009, 08:19:05 PM
My bride helped me clean up and repaint our basement so I could redo my workshop. I bought an Orbital sander mainly for making grips but I'll try it out on leather also.

Special Thanks go to Ten Wolves for his input and suggestions on this project.

Now it's time to go to work!
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Johnny McCrae on July 03, 2009, 08:37:19 PM
Here are two more pictures...
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on July 03, 2009, 09:00:08 PM
That looks like a great work space. Thanks for the pics. Congrats.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 03, 2009, 09:07:55 PM
Howdy Pard

      Will Johnny it looks great, :o ::) you and the Bride did bang up job putting this together, ;D I know you will get a ton of enjoyment out of it, I also know you went to get some leather today, so you should be ready to get it going by tomorrow, unless you take the Forth off, and you do a little fishing and then a little BBQ, sounds good don't it, I'll be right over, LOL

                                    Best Regards Pal

                                  tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 03, 2009, 10:22:05 PM
Hi John, nice work on the shop. It looks familiar! Oh yeah, the DVD you so kindly sent me! JD
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: GunClick Rick on July 03, 2009, 10:34:36 PM
I used this desk for 20 years, now it just holds tools and my laptop. I do most of my tooling on one of the
class tables now.
WC

HEEEY,that's my dads old office desk from the Beacon gas station :D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: GunClick Rick on July 03, 2009, 10:37:38 PM
My bench looks just like my cousins upholstry shop ;D HEY CUZZ you busy?????????? ;)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: cowboywc on July 04, 2009, 01:16:37 AM
No, no, no! That's not a leather shop, that's an operating room! It's too clean.....  ;D
WC
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Skeeter Lewis on July 04, 2009, 03:52:57 PM
Hey pards, you're prettying up your work area for the camera. Now let's have some pix of what that bench really looks like.  ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: santee on July 04, 2009, 05:50:08 PM
Nice, Johnny.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: WaddWatsonEllis on July 04, 2009, 05:59:34 PM
My immediate, tongue in cheek answer is that it looks very much like my woodworking bench, which looks very much like my electrical repair bench, which looks very much like my plumbing repair bench ... cause its all four ... LOL
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 05, 2009, 08:36:00 AM
Seems to me like you got a fine looking shop there. Lots of good tools, and you obviously know how to use them.

We got a fella that shoots with us who buys all sorts of tools, but they sit in his garage, in the boxes they came in. He's got lots of money, but no knowledge of tools. I've asked him if he would adopt me, but he's only two years older than me, and doesn't think it would work out, seeing as we are both grandpas.

Darn it! JD
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Gun Butcher on July 05, 2009, 10:02:49 PM
Aw heck JD being a grandpa is mostly just a state of mind. I am grandpa to about two thirds of the kids in the neighborhood. At least when they need something fixed ;).
  Great looking shops guys. Johnnie I am thinking that the pic was took 'before' your first project and it will never be that clean again, right ::)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on July 05, 2009, 10:37:03 PM
Well guys, its been awhile since I started this post, and my bench has changed since then. Here is the newest incarnation, which has been this way about a year.
Its the same drafting table, but the shelving on the back was added when someone decided to throw it away. Made a LOT more room for stuff, including some of my watches, and the top even has some hats and other things on top of it.
Everything else is pretty much the same, just rearranged.
I also straightened the top of it up today, but the clutter is from this afternoons projects.

DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Johnny McCrae on July 06, 2009, 07:06:54 AM
That's true enough GB. The pictures were taken right after finishing it. I've started a few projects and it will never look the same.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ned Buckshot on July 06, 2009, 09:09:20 AM
Here's a picture of my main work area. It's used for everything from leather to knife making to custom cabinetry.

Ned
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 06, 2009, 09:54:17 AM
I'm blessed to have a 12X15 room that doubles as a laundry room and shop. The cabinets and draws were here when we moved in. It's an old place, with this shop attached to a single car garage. The garage has cabinets and benches too, so I have room for a drill press and grinder in there.

To the right of the washer/dryer is a deep sink, which is very handy. I have enough room for my safe and a rack of motorcycle stuff, hiden behind the flag.

I have a better shop than I am a leather worker, so I have room to grow, so to speak. I also have room to bring out the reloading equipment. The antler in the foreground is being shipped to Ned Buckshot for a handle on the knife he is making me. 

(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u51/HarleyPastor/New%20shop/July6shop1.jpg)
(http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u51/HarleyPastor/New%20shop/Newshop3.jpg)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 06, 2009, 10:47:28 AM

   Howdy Gents

       Will Dalton and JD, you both have nice work areas, and have made nice improvements, there is nothing nicer than having a well organized work bench, where you know where everything is, and easy access to all of it, Well done pards.

      I never posted my improvements to my shop, so I guess this is as good a time as any, I made a new reloading bench to free up my leather bench which shared my reloading press, I added a shelve to my leather bench which has proved real handy for storing supplies, and having a reloading only bench is really working for me. Here are some pictures of my shop.

                                    Best Rgards

                              tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 06, 2009, 10:51:07 AM
MORE PICTURES
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 06, 2009, 10:56:07 AM
A FEW MORE
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on July 06, 2009, 11:50:28 AM
Very nice man cave 10W!!
I have my reloading room out in the shop, while my leather bench is in the house in a spare bedroom/office. I do wish it was together tho in the same area, as much of it migrates back and forth.
DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 06, 2009, 12:11:53 PM
Very nice man cave 10W!!
I have my reloading room out in the shop, while my leather bench is in the house in a spare bedroom/office. I do wish it was together tho in the same area, as much of it migrates back and forth.
DM
   Howdy Dalton.
 
       You know where you live plays a big roll in where you have your work areas, I know where you are it must get colder than all get out in the winter, having a room in the house would be luxury but to say the least, but it allows you to keep working, my set up is great for me, but there are times in the Winter and Summer that I wish I had an extra room inside to get away from the cold or extreme heat, the last week here has been too hot to work in my shop, and air conditioning is too costly to even think about, so I try to work around the elements, I just had to learn how to play the weather game, but it's all good.

                                    Thanks for the compliments Pard

                                             Regards

                                       tEN wOLVES  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 06, 2009, 12:27:50 PM
Wow, 10 Wolves, now that is a shop! I think the whole west coast had a heat wave last week. Weather in the high 90's is very rare in NW Oregon, so most of last week was a scorcher for us.

I mentioned to WC that I'm going to try to go to the Western 3 Gun Shoot in Piru in early August. He said Piru is about an hour away from his shop, so if I do make it down there, I'm planning on meeting WC in person. If you happen to be home that week, I'd sure like to meet you as well. I understand you don't live too far away from him.   

Have a great day, JD
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on July 06, 2009, 12:41:50 PM
10W, you are absolutely right on weather and temperature having a big part of this setup. In the summer, my reloading room is about 110-120 when its all shut up. I keep a fan going in there, and try to leave the door open to the breezeway between the house and the garage. That helps a bunch, but its still miserable until after 930 pm. I get lots of late night loading sessions in in the summer time.
By contrast, in the winter, I leave a little oil filled radiator heater out there, and it stays between 45-50 most of the time. There are a few times it gets a little colder, but not much. I insulated the loading room portion and it helped a lot too.
DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Preacher on July 06, 2009, 05:51:57 PM
Howdy everybody. I am new to the site and saw this thread and just had to share. Its nice to see other work shops. I actually do boot and leather repair for a living. But when the repair slows down it seems like god  bringing me custom leather work more and more.It's actually nice to work with new material sometimes. So to accommodate the larger leather pieces I had a friend build me this new work bench. 8) :P SWEET! Can't wait to get it dirty.  It's 4'x6'x 40" with a chunk of granite that's 2'x4'. I just got it put in the shop and have not found a cutting or pounding mat to cover the rest of the table.I'll post some pic of my work in the appropriate thread.  have a lot of ? to ask but all in time. Thanks for looking, Preacher
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 06, 2009, 06:09:57 PM
Howdy Preacher

       Welcome to the Leather Shop Forum, we're happy to have you join in with us, your shop looks great, and I really like your new bench, the one I had was free standing until I put a back shelve on it, now when I want to cut any large pieces I have a folding table I use for that, and then it's put away, we'll be looking forward to seeing more from you.

                                      Make yourself at home Pard

                                            Regards

                                      tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 06, 2009, 06:19:00 PM
Wow, 10 Wolves, now that is a shop! I think the whole west coast had a heat wave last week. Weather in the high 90's is very rare in NW Oregon, so most of last week was a scorcher for us.

I mentioned to WC that I'm going to try to go to the Western 3 Gun Shoot in Piru in early August. He said Piru is about an hour away from his shop, so if I do make it down there, I'm planning on meeting WC in person. If you happen to be home that week, I'd sure like to meet you as well. I understand you don't live too far away from him.   

Have a great day, JD
         Howdy JD

       Well I guess we're all cooking in this heat right now, I always thought of Oregon as being cool most of the time, but then our family in Idaho has some hot weather too.
       By all means tell WC to give me a call when you're down here, I'm only ten minutes away, I'll look forward to it.

      Well Dalton

            I guess we all have to fight the weather in our own way, the best part is, is that we can do it.


                                    Enjoy your week Pards

                                          Regards

                                     tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on July 06, 2009, 09:30:39 PM
Veri nice work spaces, pards. One of these days, I'll get to building a better bench. I have the materials, I just need the room to put it together. Thanks for all the pics.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: WaddWatsonEllis on July 06, 2009, 10:13:34 PM
Marshall,

Isn't that always the way ... the constant search for space.

I like to maim wood into simple furniture ... and if one was going to do a shop 'right', one would need 8' in front and back of, and to each side of the blade ... just to cut a sheet of plywood. Sometimes I have to cut it in half crooked with a circular saw, then make it parallel with the table saw and just accept that 1" loss of the width or length ....

Right now I need to plane and join some wood before glue up in order to get a 12" deep box on a gun cart, and I don't own either machine because I have no place to store it .... So, I have to go plead to one of those people with the 30' by 20' shops who DO have the space and own the two tools.

And a clean, dry place for varnishing? Fuggetaboutit!

... And no one can claim that this shop was cleaned up before the pics!
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: WaddWatsonEllis on July 06, 2009, 10:16:15 PM
And now I have to go clean guns in my leather/gun/wood/lawn working shop.

Nite Y'all.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Johnny McCrae on July 06, 2009, 11:14:36 PM
Howdy Everyone,

Wow! I gotta say I'm really impressed. There are lots of outstanding workshops out there. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: WaddWatsonEllis on July 07, 2009, 12:53:45 AM
John,

I can't speak for anyone else, but my shop was built at the cost of a marriage.

Long before I was married, I worked overtime so that when a vacation came, I took no PTO.

So when I retired, they owed me over 450 hours of Paid Time Off.

I think it was the beginning of the end when I went down with that check and traded it for a brand new Unisaw with all the trimmings ... LOL

It made sense to me; I had been planning to do that for years. But she saw (no pun intended) it as unbridled irresponsibility ... maybe it was in retrospect.

So I salute the men here who share their space with the laundry and such ... their Christmases and holidays must be much more full of joy.

Me, on Christmas Day I get up and take off the tags of the presents I bought me and go turn on my tablesaw ...

In fact, I am hoping 'Santa' (me) might have a lightly used Spencer sitting underneath the tree ...

Or maybe a Sharps ....
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 07, 2009, 08:50:27 AM
Well WWE, you sure bring up a sobering point. As a pastor, I've heard many sad stories about marriages breaking up over all sorts of things. If it doesn't involve infidelity, then it's usually a build up of things that seem small at the time, but lead to an eventual disolving of the relationship. One of my shooting Pards had his wife leave after 41 years of marriage. It's been three years since it happened, and he's still messed up about it, 'cause he didn't want it to happen.

My 32 years of marriage has come with lots of compromises on both sides, and it hasn't been easy. Heck, I not only share the laundry room, I do the laundry from time to time! Buit then she was out helping me get set up to stain a new gun cart last night, so it works both ways.  JD 
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Slowhand Bob on July 07, 2009, 06:35:26 PM
NIGHTMARE ON OYSTER HOUSE ROAD chapters 1 and 2!  Its hard to look at it from the outside and imagine the horrors that await within.

Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Slowhand Bob on July 07, 2009, 06:39:11 PM
And last but not least, The Yellow Terror That Lies Within.  Never paint yore walls yeller my friends, even if the paint is free!!!! 

 
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Gun Butcher on July 07, 2009, 07:55:28 PM
Slowhand, I want you to know that I wouldn't do this for just anybody but for you I will.

      Just send me one a them sewing machines and that rack of leather scraps and you will have achieved the ultimate. An uncluttered workshop. And if I can be of help with anything else that is in your way, you just let me know ;) ;D 8)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dr. Bob on July 07, 2009, 11:23:05 PM
Dang Bob,  that's right cheery lookin!! :o :D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 07, 2009, 11:32:24 PM
Well shoot, Bob, how do get anything done with such a lack of tools? Now I see why you make such great stuff, By the collection of equipment you've amassed, you've been doing this awhile. Your holsters show it as well as your shop. Thanks for sharing the pictures, JD  
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on July 08, 2009, 12:31:10 AM
Nice workshace, Bob. I keep thinking about how to make a decent shop, but my property just isn't level enough.

My wife would love to have the 3rd bedroom and garage back. I don't think there will be too much conflict there when the time comes. ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Slowhand Bob on July 08, 2009, 08:36:14 AM
Takes longer to make a spot than it does a project!  White ceiling and canary yeller walls, well I see yeller fer ten minutes after leaving it.  It got trashed about three years ago, during some home remodeling, and I just aint been brave enuff to try and face the clean up. 

Butcher, I have not bought leather in several years now and at the rate of my current consumption, I may be good for life!!!!  Some of that stuff has actually been going on Ebay fer a spell now and more will continue to be sold.  Though I never use the Tippmann anymore I am very wishy-washy on it.  From some comments I have seen people make, mine must have been the best one they turned out.  It is the easiest machine I've had for sewing bullet loops pr extreme slow stitching in extra heavy leather.

Getting off topic, but we do all need to get together someday for a shop clean up party.  ;D 
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Mogorilla on July 08, 2009, 12:27:52 PM
I am in the process of designing a new space.   I have my space in the garage, but it gets too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer and those are the only two seasons we seem to have any more!   Either way, bounced the idea off my wife and she said the basement's yours, provided you clean out the garbage we have carted around for 20 years.   Every good thing comes at a price, but she has already book marked three different work surfaces for me to look at.  She must really want that basement cleaned.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: WaddWatsonEllis on July 08, 2009, 01:49:27 PM
Sounds like she figures that she has a win-win situation. She gets all your tools off her kitchen table/etc., and gets the basement cleaned at the same time.

If you want to condition the air temp in a shop, get to be friends with a local mom & pop heating/air conditioning service. They often get a deal where the people just want to move up to a larger, more powerful system and the old one often gets junked even if still quite new. If you have them look out for you, you can often pick up the old system for very little more than the cost of hauling it away ...
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 08, 2009, 01:57:02 PM
I really do feel for you guys who live in locations where extreme weather, especially cold, is a fact of life. This year in the Portland area we had 16 inches of snow, which is very rare for us. The snow hung around for about a week. We also just had a few days in the mid to high 90's, again rare. Most of the time we are somewhere in the 50's -60's range, with a fair amount of rain. Every area you live in has its positives and negatives. Our area is fairly easy to control, temperature wise. Some people have depression problems with so many gray dreary days  :'(
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: WaddWatsonEllis on July 08, 2009, 02:10:13 PM
Around my birthday in the dog days of July and first week of August, it is normal here in Sacramento for the weather to have a high of over 110 degrees. If there is any possibility of leaving, one spends that time at Tahoe, on the coast, or up north in Oregon/Washington. Otherwise, one just stays inside or by/in a pool. The Delta Breeze usually fills in by 6:30 PM, and the temp will drop up to 30 degrees. So if one has outside work, one does it in the AM or after 7 PM at night.

Hence my interest in an AC/Heating system for my garage workshop.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Preacher on July 10, 2009, 12:02:48 AM
Hey Slow Hand. What is the machine in the back ground along the wall. I'm looking for one and am always interested in what others have. Like it --not like it. Pros and cons. Preacher
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: outrider on July 10, 2009, 06:47:36 AM
Preacher,

From the position of the manual foot lifter..it appears to be an Adler 205...But Slowhand can confirm or not
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Canelo Kid on July 10, 2009, 03:33:37 PM
What a sick bunch of individuals, what with all the neatness and order!  ::) :o ;D



This is where it will be when I get all the crap out of it..... 8)
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w169/canelokid/CK%20Leather/Moreofshop002.jpg (http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w169/canelokid/CK%20Leather/Moreofshop002.jpg)

This is where the magic happens for now.... :-[

Someday, I hope!

Safe trails,
CKid
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Wiley Desperado on July 10, 2009, 05:26:18 PM
My hide out.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on July 10, 2009, 07:08:43 PM
Very nice gents!
Wiley, is that a baby toilet seat made from leather on your bench?

Or a horseshoe?

DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 10, 2009, 07:43:02 PM


 Howdy Willey and Kid

        You Pards have some nice units there, that was a good idea, my Brother in law has a shop like that but bigger  so he can park his tractor and suv, these out building pretty much give you everything you need, and a man needs his shop  ::) :o 8) ;D

                                            Thanks for the look see

                                                 Regards

                                                        tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Slowhand Bob on July 10, 2009, 10:11:50 PM
The machine is a TORO and I like it. 
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Wiley Desperado on July 10, 2009, 10:58:55 PM
Dalton you need to make you one of those leather covered horseshoes makes a great whatever you need it for weight.  Leather baby toilet seat, yeah... now there  is an idea someone needs to jump on might be the next hula hoop $$$$
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on July 11, 2009, 01:35:18 AM
Nice workspace, pards. I keep looking hard when I pass the shed outfit on Hwy 101. All I need is a good place to put it.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Canelo Kid on July 11, 2009, 02:39:24 AM
I had to get some place other than the dining room table, where I worked for several years, after I drilled a hole in it working on a non-leather project.  :o  :o

Boy, did I ever get "THE LOOK"  :o for that one! In all fairness it was a cheap old table my ex picked out years before so it was a good reason to do a little "I'm sorry" shopping.  :-*-UP

Someday, an air compresssor, clicker, sewing machine, fridga'tator, 52" flat screen. You know the comforts a good working shop has.   ;D

Safe trails,
CKid
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 11, 2009, 07:46:54 AM
Boy, if I drilled a hole in the dining room table, I'd probably get "Drilled" by one of my own guns ::)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dr. Bob on July 11, 2009, 08:44:47 PM
JD,

At least, ya know the boundaries!!  That's most of the battle.  ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Gun Butcher on July 12, 2009, 05:24:39 PM
I can relate to that drilling a hole in the wrong place.  My little oops was a half a bottle of med, brown dye on the carpet and man did I get more than the LOOK :o

Anyway, Here is what she calls the swamp. It shore won't scare anybody that is afraid of neatness ;D

Oh, I just noticed at the bottom of the pic is my Ace Lunger inspired sewing horse. Can't see it to well but she works like a champ. A big HATS OFF to Ace for giving me the idea.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on July 12, 2009, 05:58:43 PM
Nice workspace, GB. I have the materials to make a good workbench but am still trying to figure out where to do my work.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: JD Alan on July 12, 2009, 07:42:54 PM
Gun Butcher, you can tell that your shop is a working shop. It looks like yer gettin lots of stuff done. Cool.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on July 12, 2009, 08:21:54 PM


   Howdy GB

       You have a real nice work area there, it looks like you have pretty much everything you might need, just the way it should be. 8)

                                                                 Regards

                                                             tEN wOLVES  ;) :D ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Gun Butcher on July 13, 2009, 08:25:29 PM
    Yea JD, it looks like I am getting stuff done but if it was cleaned up and everything where it goes it would probably get done faster ;) 
I have always been a tool nut TW, and it doesn't always have to be something new. The old tools and there "proper use has always fascinated me. I have found that when you learn to use some of those oldies they can get things done almost as quickly as the new power tools can.
 Marshall I had the perfect setup when I lived in Wisconsin, the house was 100 yrs old and included a cheese factory. Everything was under one roof and heated (Big plus in Wis.). When we moved to Alabama the first thing on the list was a workshop. It is just like the ready mades but was built on site because we did't have enough acess to bring one in. It is a 12x24 and there is already a plan to make it bigger.
What with the gunsmithing and building and now the leather work is back it is getting a little cramped already.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on February 20, 2012, 12:41:46 PM
OK, time to resurrect this thread. There are new pards here who have cool work spaces and here's where we show them to each other.

I just finished my work bench. It doubles as a loading bench, too, so I have pics of it both ways. The presses are mounted with 1/4x20 stainless flat head screws that go into tee nuts set into the bench underside. No need for two wrenches to put them on or take them off. The screws are countersunk into the work top so when the press is elsewhere, the screw is flush, leaving the workbench un-cluttered and totally usable. I put felt chair glides under the press stands so they can be slid around without gouging the bench top. The bench itself is assembled with the tee nuts and bolts so it comes apart to transport it. Good thing, too, since it weighs over 200 pounds empty and with the shelf underneath stacked with bullets and supplies, it doesn't move at all. The front of the solid plywood sides have adjustable legs at the front so it can be leveled to fit any floor.

On the other side of the room, I mounted an old desk top to the wall with a piano hinge and a latch so it can be folded up out of the way when not needed. For a leg, I have a shop stand I stick under it. That will get replaced with a folding leg eventually, but it's workable now and that is a low priority. ;D

Both pieces are 30"x60". I have a three-up track light directly over both with three 60W bulbs each. The goose neck has a 100W bulb in it. The floor lamp in the corner has a 500W high intensity bulb and turns the whole room almost shadowless with the reflected light. I had to turn it out for the photos because it blinded the camera. The power company loves that lamp. ::)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on February 20, 2012, 12:42:56 PM
Here are a couple photos of the press mounting.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on February 20, 2012, 01:04:49 PM
Thats pretty slick there Marshal! I like the fold down table!

I am in the process of reinventing my bench too. So far I have moved things from one side to the other..... ::)
But soon I will build another bench to match up to my drafting table, so that I have room to cut leather. There will also be blueprint size storage drawers underneath the new bench, so that I can move that file drawer out of the way of my soon to be here sewing machine.
I will definately post pics when its done.
DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on February 20, 2012, 02:00:05 PM
Dalton, the drawer is a great idea. I may have to come up with something like that for patterns.
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Dalton Masterson on February 20, 2012, 02:18:41 PM
I found some old extra ones at work, and was given a set of 5 drawers. They are the big steel ones, and heavy, but once they are under the bench, they should be in a spot to stay for awhile.
You might check with your local architect type folks. Our city engineers are not even making maps on the mylar anymore, so I scored a roll or two of the big sheets of that from them too. Most of its done on computer now, and then they just print them out.
DM
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Ten Wolves Fiveshooter on February 20, 2012, 04:59:35 PM


       Nice set up Will, and very versatile, not to mention neat and clean, I bet the prettier half your house has something to do with that LOL, either way it looks great, you made great use of the room you have, and that fold up table is a good idea.

          tEN wOLVES  ;D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Major 2 on February 20, 2012, 05:21:37 PM
this was about now last year  :(   I lost several shoulders & all my tools.

The new building was raised in March,  and here is my reloading and leather work area, project still in progress.


Fire Marshal statement cause.... Dewalt battery and or charger shorted and set the bench afire....total loss

Oh ! and the Ryobi charger is on a ground fault and is shut off whenever the building is not in use....
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: rickk on February 20, 2012, 05:35:13 PM
99% of the time, everything I do is in the spot between the  Lee Turret Press and the Corbin swage press (Where the elmers glue bottle is sitting in this picture). There is a 12x 18" poundo board there. You can see dye remnants on edge of the the bench ;-)

If it doesn't fit there I move up to the living room table, but I have done international sales from the little spot... it really does not take much room.

Of course, not seen in the picture is a 2'x4' x 6 shelf storage area for supplies. I have a whole bunch of supplies ;-)

Rick

(http://lioby.home.comcast.net/~lioby/im/misc/imgp8274m.jpg)
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: GunClick Rick on February 20, 2012, 07:20:03 PM
Could you guys go ahead and load me some ammo?I'll take 45s,12 gauge brass shells,and some 44 mag for my super blackhawk 10 1/2 inch barrel.. ;D and some 221 fireball would be apreciated.. :D
Title: Re: Whats your leather bench look like??
Post by: Marshal Will Wingam on February 20, 2012, 10:53:56 PM
Thanks, pards. The room is small and the fold-down table was a necessity. Having done it now, I'd do it again in a larger room.

Cool pics, Major2, Rickk. Thanks for posting them.