Blog.jpg

This week in the shop

Posted by RodandDenise on September 16, 2011

We are no longer building saddle trees. We have two saddle fit videos available on our westernsaddlefit.com websiteWestern Saddle Fit - The Basics, aimed at riders, is available either on DVD or streaming on Vimeo while the six hour series Well Beyond the Basics, aimed more for professionals but understandable by anyone, is available by streaming on Vimeo. (We left this website up because we have had many requests to keep the information available.)

2011_Sept_16_1.jpg
Rod putting the finishing touches on a wood post Bowman fork.

Still no frost!  The grass is green and the flowers are blooming and it is still warm enough to be working outside - albeit with a jacket on.  In the summer Rod does as much wood working outside as possible for a couple of reasons.  One is that he just prefers to be outside, and the hotter the better!  The other is the dust.  Despite our great dust collection system, he still needs to wear a dust mask for all the carving he does with the grinder in the "dirty room".  Outside, the wind blows it away and it is much nicer, not to mention healthier.

2011_Sept_16_2.jpg
Here, Rod is installing the horn on a Martha Jose barrel saddle. He has already checked it up, down and sideways to get the horn lined up straight, marked and routered out the fork so it sits down well, and added the horn cap.  Now it is just a case of predrilling before screwing it on.  He angles all the screws so they seat into the hardwood core of the fork.  They aren't going anywhere!

2011_Sept_16_3.jpg
The Martha Jose is going to the eastern US, along with the Wade made the day before.  Both trees are waiting for their first of three coats of varnish before they get rawhided later in the week.

Comments:

Posted by RodandDenise on
We are pleased with how they turned out in the rawhide too, Joe. Looking forward to pictures of them all covered up. After all, that is what they are made for!
Posted by Joe on
Just saw the pictures of my trees. Can't wait to get started on the saddles It seems a shame to cover up your beautifule workmanship, however a good foundation makes the structure that much better!
Leave a Reply



(Your email will not be publicly displayed.)


Captcha Code

Click the image to see another captcha.


© 2023 Rod Nikkel Saddle Trees. All Rights Reserved.

Hosted by Tooq Inc.