Tack repairs

Grr.

I hate repairs of any sort but tack repair Really suck. The items are heavy, bulky, awkward to maneuver. But expensive enough to replace that when my daughter asks me to fix something I feel obligated to at least try.

So yesterday I repaired two sets of saddle bags. The first was basically shredded on one side. I patched it front and back, reattached the d-rings and straps and banged in new gromets for lashing.

The second set of saddle bags had basically been torn in half along a seam line. No big deal, I just re-attached the bag and reinforced seaming anywhere else where it looked sketchy.

The saddle was the worst. It was a cheapo neoprene trail saddle that she'd lent to a woman, who by the looks of the thing, tied a rope to it and dragged it behind her truck. The woman reimbursed her for the cost of the saddle but DD asked me to try to restore it so she could get some more use out of it, if at all possible.

I had some tuftek on hand that seemed appropriate for patching the shredded cover and a trip to Home Depot yielded waterproof contact cement and some tubes of super glue.

The hassle was that the areas to be patched involved rather complicated curves. And so I sat down and started draping the thing, fitting it the way you would the bodice of a dress for a decidedly non-tubular female human. And it worked.

It's not beautiful, but function has been restored, and the areas of highest stress have been reinforced. If she'd had to pay me for my time of course it would have been more cost effective to just buy another cheapo neoprene trail saddle. But right now I'm long on time and short on cash and actually enjoyed the project as a learning experience. And I have a much better idea of what to charge if a paying customer ever proposes such a project.

Reply to
Kathleen
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hi Kathleen--

oh boy, I'm not sure any of my machines would have handled the work! Right now I'm trying to screw up the courage to cut into some ultrasued to make a show vest for this summer. I know they are dated...but i'm a chunk and i think it will present a cleaner image to the judge rather than a skin tight slinky shirt

betsey

ps-do you do leather work?

Reply to
betsey

I used my industrial machine - a 35 year old Consew.

Suitability.com has patterns for tack and western show apparel that can be done on your average home sewing machine.

I would suggest something like this:

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offers a lovely, clean vertical line.>

Yup. Feel free to e-mail me for info and tips, deleting the obvious.

Reply to
Kathleen

Hide quoted text -

I do have that pattern, as well as their vest pattern...but tomorrow will be the day! come hell or high water...this vest is getting started (and done!)

for showmanship I scored--a friend was selling some of her show clothes, and i picked up two lovely showmanship jackets that i just need to do some minor alterations on....i could never have afforded to buy them new.

betsey

Reply to
betsey

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