Re: Daily Fixing and Riding Diary on a mainly Ariel 2018

[iansoady]

That's a lovely job. I take it the tools & skills are the ones you use in your "day job"?

[Steven.Carter]

Well done Steve,
the leather looks familiar to me.

Markus

Yes it should

[Steven.Carter]

That's a lovely job. I take it the tools & skills are the ones you use in your "day job"?

It's what I used to do when I worked on the railway. Leatherwork is more a hobby nowadays.
Cut out the top and gave it it's first swipe of dye

Stuck it all together ready for stitching5

Most of its sewn up now, gave me something to do whilst everyone was watching the wedding.

Next part takes ages, I've to sewn on the buckles and fittings.

[Bob.Murphy]

Most of its sewn up now, gave me something to do whilst everyone was watching the wedding.

You could have done the whole job while listening to the Episcopalian Bishop (He was good - but went on a bit !).

For some reason I kept thinking about James Brown in "The Blues Brothers" .

Bob.

[Steven.Carter]

Here I've sewn on some loops for the two straps.

The lid needs lining now before I can sew it to the the back to form a hinge.

Sewing the lid on is tricky as you've to use the awl as a guide to pass the needle through as you can't see it with the lid nearly closed.

[Steven.Carter]

I've a Plough used for strap cutting. Made in 1979 in the railway works. Beautifully made by the guys in the tool room.

I've put a row of stitching around the edge which also attaches a D ring to the end.

These are the two sewn on straps that hold the buckles in place. A tongue punch  is used for the oblong hole for the tongue on the buckle

[Steven.Carter]

The vegetable tanned leather I'm using becomes very soft and malleable when it's wet. With a set of leather carving tools I made a small round Ariel Horse. I just traced it out onto the leather, cut the surface around the outline and stamped down the outside with the tools. After dyeing and polishing I sewed the straps and Ariel Horse onto the front.

Two straps stop the lidfalling back to far on its hinge.

Now to finish lining the inside. I've sewn a zip pocket into the back

[Steven.Carter]

Made up a bottom lining that will hide the fixings on to the rack.

Just about finished. I've just got to make some p clips to fit to bike.

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Absolutely wonderfull !

[Eero.Korhonen]

Great job Steven!
Br, Eero