Thanks so much Dale. I appreciate the kind words.

Thanks Rolf! It has been really handy. However I can't take credit for the idea. I just looked at similar ones online and built my own extra sturdy version! I have since made a few modifications to include a magnet to hold my needles. It is a great addition. Thanks so much for the watch and all the kind words and idea. I really appreciate it!

Thanks for the kind words and suggestion. I added a magnet a couple of years ago after someone else suggested it. It is a great idea. Thanks again!

Thanks Ronald! I have really gotten a lot of use out of it. I did make one addition to it to keep the thread from getting caught on the knob. I mention it in my Leather Portfolio video. You might want to check that out and incorporate that addition when you make yours. Thanks again for the kind words from Down Under!

Thank you Donnie! I hope your Ponies turn out well. I appreciate the view and comment!

Thanks Darlene! Sorry it took so long to answer, I've been out of town this week.

Thank you. I'm glad it was helpful. I really enjoyed this project, and I am glad you did too. Thanks again for watching and commenting. It means a lot.

Thanks Jon!

Thanks Davin! I'm relatively new to leather working myself (about a year and a half). I am mostly a woodworker and general Tinkerer, but I like collecting other skills. Thanks for the view and the nice comment!

Thank you TJ for watching and for the very nice comment! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope your ponies turn out well. Thanks again!

@@thetennesseetinkerer WOW! THANK YOU ! FOR REPLYING BACK TO ME SO QUICKLY ! I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR VIDEO ! AND I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME STICHING PONIES THIS WEEKEND ! HOPE TO SEE MORE OF YOUR VIDEOS AGAIN !! TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS !

Turn off your "CAPS LOCK"!!!!

Thanks Matko! Yes I have seen it done that way as well. I would probably use that method too, but my holes are too small to easily pass both needles through at the same time. They get wedged and really hard to pull through. Instead I use a technique where I pull the first thread against the back of the hole as far as I can and insert the second needle toward the front of the hole as far as I can. It usually prevents any unwanted thread piercing but not always. I usually have one instance of it per project. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Thanks so much Tom for the view and the kind words! I'm mostly a woodworker, but I love to dabble in other skills, and leather work is one of them. This project combined my woodworking passion with an element of leather work. Again, I really appreciate the words of praise and blessings!

Bruce, Thanks so much for the kind words! I did find out very fast that the thread gets caught on the knob and bolt constantly! My fix was to make a box that sits on the base and slides over the knob after tightening. It seems to solve the problem. I also added a magnet to this box to hold my needles when I take a break. I mentioned and showed it in one of my more recent videos. I think it was the leather knife sheath video. Lastly, I am a novice leatherworker, and mostly do woodworking. For this reason I'd say woodworking with a side of leather craft is terrific fun! Thanks again Bruce for the comment and the view!

You had me at Koi...Thanks Gary! That's an excellent idea. I'm definitely going to do that. Sometimes my old thumbs just need a break. Thanks again for the watch and the suggestion!

Read this just in time, before adding the leather to my new pony. thanks, brilliant idea.

Craig, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I too am mostly a woodworker, but I dabble in a lot of different areas. This is definitely a handy tool for holding the leather, and I am sure it would be a great help to you. Thanks again!

Wow, that's crazy. Great minds think alike I guess. I've seen the basic design a lot. I think the plastic knobs are so much easier than a wing nut though. As for the white leather, the Tandy store I go to had it in the clearance bin for $5, so I couldn't pass it up. Thanks for watching!

Thanks for the nice words!

Thanks Craig for the view and the nice comment! I mostly do woodworking too, but I do enjoy learning new skills. As one of my favorite KZfaqrs likes to say, I am a collector of skills. I too do a bit of sewing. I learned it from elderly aunts when I was a kid. One day, I'd be in the garage making a wood project, the next day I'd be in the house sewing a pillow! I really enjoy the projects where I can combine multiple skills. Thanks again!

Thanks for watching and subscribing! I'm glad you found it useful. It is a pretty straight forward design that I got from watching someone else's KZfaq tutorial. I'm glad I could pass it along!

I can see your point, but believe me, there is more than enough clamping pressure in the current design. I've been using it for several years and have never had the leather slip. The thickness of the leather is not so much that it creates a situation where the bottom of the jaws get tight before the top does. Plus it doesn't take much pressure to hold the piece for the sewing operation anyway. That being said, if someone wanted to offset the moveable jaw a bit to compensate and keep it more parallel, that would work too. Thank you for watching and taking the time to leave a comment! Thanks also for the suggestion. Good luck with your projects!

Thanks for watching and commenting! I really appreciate it.

Thanks so much! They are really handy to have. I appreciate the view and the kind words.

Thanks Michael! I too noticed that the ones you buy in the store are pretty cheaply made. In fact, and I think I mentioned it at the end of the video, I ended up making one of these for an instructor at Tandy because he saw how sturdy mine was. Thanks for watching and commenting, and best of luck with your projects!

Thank You for the watch and comment.

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words!

Thanks QJ! I appreciate the view and the comment! Also the fact that you liked my music.

Mike, thank you so much for subscribing and for commenting! I agree that a stitching pony is very handy to have. I do mostly wood working projects, but every time I make a leather item, I find myself using the pony. Thanks again!

Thank you for the view and comment!

Thanks Ian! I appreciate it very much!

This one is definitely high quality and plenty sturdy (I call it a stitching "mule"). You can probably build it for under $50.00 also. I don't know how much the cheap ones cost, but I'd be willing to bet they are more than that. Thanks for the view and the comment!

Thank you so much Chuck for the view and the kind words. I am definitely a woodworker first, and a leather worker farther down the line! The base measures 5"x20". The jaw assemblies measure 5"x17" overall, with the clamping blocks measuring 5"x4". The spacer blocks at the bottom measure 5"x4" each. The carriage bolt is 3/8"x6", and the hinge is 3"x2". Thanks again!

@@thetennesseetinkerer Muchas gracias..! sos un capo!! :D

Sorry it took so long to answer. I started out using a hand saw years ago and gradually added power tools over the years. Some of my favorite KZfaqrs just use handsaws, and they do a beautiful job. I have seen the ponies that swivel. I think they would be very useful. I am just an amateur leather worker, so this pony has been adequate for me. Thanks so much for watching and for commenting!

@@thetennesseetinkerer you are most welcome… I finally built something that works for me… it looks NOTHING like a regular stitching pony thought… it’s only 4 inches tall and it is 6 inches long… I made it to sit on my work desk and I can move it around to where I need it… I’m set starting out so I just wanted something I could use to free up my hands… I have a completely fused spine and the base of my skull is also fused to metal rods that are fused to my spine… so I can’t look up or down like most people can… can’t turn my head either… so I needed something I could manipulate… my hands also go numb and I drop stuff… A LOT… another reason to have something that holds my work… oh and I took your idea to use the door hinge! What a difference that makes! I like your videos… they have been very informative! Have a blessed day!

I can see they might.. I've since made a fourth one of these for another friend, so I'm getting pretty proficient at it! I also made a modification to mine that I show in my leather portfolio video. It is a definite upgrade. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Mi espanol es limitado. Gracias.

It's well worth it. Thanks for the comment!

Ian, thanks for the watch and comment. It may be ok with no gap if the leather was thin or your workpiece was small, but for most applications, the gap is probably needed. The gap allows the extra leather at the bottom of your workpiece to have a place to hang down and be out of the way. Also, if the pony is too short, you won't have room to clamp a project that is wider than the depth of your pony jaws. I would suggest building the pony with a gap and not making it too short. Instead of setting it on the table to work, consider sitting it on a chair. Or if you put it on the table, stand up and work on it. Thanks again!

Thanks Ken. I don't really have a reason for putting leather that low below the jaws. I don't think I even thought about it when I did it. I probably just thought it would look good aesthetically. I guess it gives more surface area to glue it on with and make it less likely to peel off too. It's probably not necessary for functionality. Thanks for the view and the comment.

Thanks for the view and the tips Tim!

Thanks for the tip! If I ever make another one, or redo this one, I'll be sure to try that. Thanks for watching and commenting.

I gave one away and kept one. I do take it when I go camping though. It has become a tradition now that I do a leather project at the camp site. I can't just sit around. I always have to be making something, and since I can't take my woodshop with me, I do leatherwork. It's very enjoyable. Thank you so much for the view and for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it!

Well thank you Gordon for watching and commenting! I really appreciate it!

Joe, if memory serves, I used 2-1/2" black drywall screws on the pieces that were three layers thick. Anything two layers thick I would have used 1-5/8" drywall screws. I use a lot of drywall screws (billed as all-purpose screws, and not just for drywall), but as I'm sure you know, you have to be careful with their application. They are very brittle when they get in a bind and can snap off easily. In a project such as this oak, I recommend carefully choosing the proper drill bit size to predrill so as not to have breakage. A better option is to use a "deck" style screw. They are dimensionally the same as a drywall screw but much tougher. Thanks so much for watching and for commenting!

@@thetennesseetinkerer thanks again for the information on the screws. I am in the process of making. I will post a picture was created.

Thank you so much!

Thanks for the view Alex. Not sure what the "eccentric tipe" means, but I can attest to the fact that the thread does have a tendency to get caught on the knob. I did find a remedy for this by building a snag-free cover that slides over the knob after tightening it down. I showed it in my Leather Portfolio video if you are interested in seeing what it is. Thanks again.

@@thetennesseetinkerer I mean "eccentric type",like eccentric hub on bike wheel,or mountain bike got it on the saddles.

Shelly, thank you so much for the kind words and view! These are most definitely way sturdier than store bought. Before you make yours, please check out my Leather Portfolio video to see a modification I made so the string doesn't get caught on the knob. It is a worthwhile addition. I am a woodworker that dabbles in leather working, so I am by no means an expert on the subject, but I am happy to give my opinion. Tools you can't do without are first a leather punch tool for making your stitch holes. I use the diamond shaped punches. I have a 5-prong, 2-prong, and single prong. You could get away with the single prong if you are on a budget, but the multi-pronged ones make punching way faster. A hammer to hit the punches is necessary. You need something to cut with. A razor knife works, but I bought a rolling cutter (like a pizza cutter) and I wouldn't have anything else. Of course you need some needles and thread. It's nice to have an edge beveler, but I suppose you could make due without. It just cleans up the edge of the piece nicely. You need something to burnish the edges of the leather. A simple burnishing stick works great and isn't very expensive. That's about it for must-haves to get started. As you do more leather work, you will get a sense of what works for you and what doesn't. I hope this helps. Again, I really appreciate the view, and I'm excited for you on this new adventure!

Chuck dorsett and Don Gonzalez on KZfaq have alot of great leather tips.

Thanks Kevin for the view and question. I got my knob at Lowes. It fits a 3/8" bolt. As far as bolt length, it would depend on the thickness of the stock you end up using. I would build the pony first, then measure for the bolt length. One thing to watch out for though is getting the bolt too long. It needs to be long enough to allow the jaws to open wide enough to accept several layers of thick leather, but not so long that it is constantly snagging your thread. It will probably snag your thread regardless from time to time, but it is less likely to snag the shorter it is. Hope this helps. Good luck on your build! Thanks again!

Randy, first of all, thanks for the view and for taking time to comment. I really appreciate it. It has a great deal of clamping pressure at the top. Since the jaws are parallel to each other, the clamping pressure is consistent along the pads. I have found that it exerts more than enough clamping force to clamp any project I do. Thanks again!

@@thetennesseetinkerer I guess I was concerned with projects that have some mass below the top like a bag or messenger bag etc. Well I bought some wood today and I will build one tomorrow based off of your video. Thanks for the reply

The base measures 5"x20". The jaw assemblies measure 5"x17" overall, with the clamping blocks measuring 5"x4". The spacer blocks at the bottom measure 5"x4" each. The carriage bolt is 3/8"x6", and the hinge is 3"x2". Hope this helps. Thanks for watching and commenting!

@@thetennesseetinkerer char du @@thetennesseetinkereryou merci beaucoup pour les dimension

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Thanks Brian! Those knobs came from my local Lowes store. In their screw and bolt aisle, they have a drawer with specialty knobs of several sizes and styles. Recently though, I have made my own knobs out of wood. Look for that project video to drop soon. Thanks again!

@@thetennesseetinkerer thanks for letting me know.

Thanks for the view and the kind words! It is a relatively straight forward build and definitely worth it. Just take your time and cut carefully. In a previous comment below, I gave the dimensions of the pieces. Check that out before you start, and it will be one less thing to figure out. Thanks again!

You very good my friend, could you make me a pony too please?

Thanks Z-man. Don't worry about the cows, they are very dead when they peel their hide off to make leather, and the rest of their carcass goes to making tasty food. Thanks for the view!

Vegan

Thanks for the comment and for subscribing! I am in Clarksville, TN, which is northern middle TN.

Oh nice. Yeah my dads side is from crossville and we have some property in Monterey. Of course!

Dale, you should build one. Since it's made from an oak stair tread, it's a full 1" thick, and strong as a bull. I refer to it as a Stitching Mule because it's so hearty. You can get an oak tread at the big box stores or your local building supply for under $30. Along with a few dollars in hinges, carriage bolt, and knob, I bet it wouldn't be $50 total when all said and done. Life's too short to be using Caca. Thanks for the view and the comment! It means a lot.

@@thetennesseetinkerer Unfortunately I live in an apartment with no access to woodworking tools of any kind.

Thanks David. If you are asking how much the materials cost, making one like I did would probably run you around $40. You could do it cheaper if you choose pine or spruce instead of oak, however, it wouldn't be near as sturdy I bet. Thanks again.

Thanks for watching and commenting!

No Thomas. I don't sell my projects. It would become too much like work then. Thanks for the view!

No, I don't sell things I make. I do this for fun, and I am afraid it would feel too much like work if I was doing it for money. Thanks for the comments and the view!

@@thetennesseetinkerer I will be making me one. I like the wider stitching surface.

Joe, thanks for the sub, watch, and the comment! I don't have a PDF of any of my designs. I'm not that organized. About the best I can offer is if you check the other comments on this video, I have left the dimensions several times for people. It's pretty straight forward using those and watching the video to see how it's assembled. Also, it is a pretty common design so I am sure somewhere on the web someone has posted plans. I hope all goes well and you make one for yourself. It sure is handy. Thanks again!

Danke furs Zuschauen und Kommentieren!

I liked the music. Haha. I guess since it's his video, he can put whatever music he likes to it. Sadly, you couldnt just bite your tongue and stick to being appreciative. Ya just had to ruin it. Haters gonna hate!