Designing a Stitching Pony (Aka - Stitching Clam) - would like some help.

Diomedes Industries

Diomedes Industries

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Mar 19, 2007
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For those that use, or have used, a stitching pony - I would love some help in designing one. I have the basics figured out - but would love any advice you can give as to how to make one (Length, material, closing mechanism, design, and the like).

Thanks for your help - and I plan on updating the thread as we go here to included my design.

TF
 
Chuck Burrows, iirc, has made and has designs for his available. Take with a little salt as I breathe a little contact cement from time to time.

I look forward to seeing how this thread progresses, I dont use a pony, tried a few times but never caught on. But some of the ponies I've seen were so nice.

Are you looking at making a bench type or a sit under you while on the couch type? I have a couch type and it was more fuss than function. :p
 
I made one using Chuck's very generous and easy plans.

If I had it to do over, I'd still use his plans as my base, but also do a Google image search for some good modification ideas.
 
I've used the good pony from Tandy and the horsey from Weaver, Made a cushion for the horse it works great and keeps your work at eye lever rather than scrunched over all day with a pony. Still need to build an add on table top to it for the other tools, needles, pliers etc that get used.
 
I too would recommend the horse over a pony. Just like Sky said you can sit upright and work for hours comfortably. I too have used both of the ones he described.
 
This is why I was asking. I wanted to get a length that would work for me. I don't want to sit hunched over. So either I want to build something that attaches to my table - or one with arms long enough to be comfortable while I sit in a chair.

TF
 
The difference, i believe between the pony and horses that the horse is free standing and you sit on it as a chair. I sold mine some time back so don't have any specs for you. I got it through Weaver.
 
I believe there are plans in the back of the first Cases (or is it Sewing) Stohlman book. I wish I had the time to build one. There's an absolutely gorgeous one for sale at LW. I think it's $250 or 350. The person described it as nice enough that your wife might allow it in the tv room. Mine definitely would. It's purdy.
 
Did someone say Stitching Pony?

These from Horsewright.

gUsDLev.jpg


NJ1cJY1.jpg


Nice clean shop Dave. Might be a bit of a stretch to the machine though. :)
 
Yep. The wife was riding the other day and she said Lil Man wanted to go someplace. So she just dropped the reins and he walked up the hill and right into the shop to see what I was doing. He spent some time checking out the Ferdco stitcher in the first photo. Hence the "stitching horse". He was also intrigued by the lathe next to the stitcher. The lathe has a piece of rosewood chucked up in it. The rosewood has grooves of different sizes and this is how I rub edges. In the second pic where he is standing normally are where my grinders and buffers are. They are on eight foot benches and I roll them outside. That's why the dolly under the bandsaw. When I use it I roll it outside. Yeah would have to put the stitcher on stilts to use it from the saddle.
 
You have certain times of the day that you like to work under? There have been discussions about the best natural light to do work under. What little I've done, I like early twilight (5-6am) best, especially in the hot summer. Something about a hot cup of coffee, a good night's rest and God's glorious sunrise that gets me feeling at my best. Wish I could spend more time out of doors.
 
I'll work all day outside. Best lights in the world still don't beat daylight. Can't say certain times of day are better. Noon is a little tough if grinding knives. Have to put on dark safety glasses otherwise things are too bright. That is why I have that stitcher right by the door. I get almost perfect light there for that work.
 
Small but mighty! He is a brave little guy. That's why we call him Lil Man. He is afraid of nothing. I rode my big ole battleship of a tank up there yesterday evening. I could get him to the shop door but that was about it. I could of rode him in but I would have had to make it happen. Lil Man walks right in. Now if I can just get her to park her lawn tractor someplace else.....
 
I'm gonna have to buy another horse one day. For me they are expensive and totally impractical, but they are amazing creatures. I miss feeding them and caring for them. Lots of work, but it's worth it when you see your children riding and learning. Some of the most stressful times in my life were transporting them (kinda like riding a motorcycle home for the first time), but there's a sense of accomplishment that goes with it.
 
I'm not a prolific maker of sheaths, but I use the hand stitching and piercing method that Al Stohlman describes in "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather". Yes, there are very well illustrated design plans in the back of the book for a stitching pony . . . and the pony looks to be very versatile and practical. I just never had the time to start another project in order to make one for myself.

I used the low cost Tandy pony for years. Up until about a year ago, they only offered one very simple and almost rudimentary pony. I bought one years ago and have cursed it almost since day one. I could rant for a while about the downfalls, but won't. Now they have a nicer one that looks much better. This raised my interest and made me consider an upgrade.

After looking closely at the new Tandy pony and doing some comparisons, I bought a pony last week from someone in Wisconsin off of Ebay for well under $100. The pony measures a total of 16.5" tall. The clamps are 4" wide and the base is 16 3/4" by 5" 3/8.
The wood clamp loosens and tightens with a large wing-nut on the side that requires little effort to hold and release your project. The clamp (base) also swivels 360 degrees for added convenience. The hinge at the base of the clamp is spring loaded so it automatically closes on your project to hold it as you tighten the wing-nut.
Click to expand...

I received it today, and found the claims to be accurate and true. I can't wait to use it this weekend. I have no affiliation with the Ebay seller.

Since I work on small projects like sheathes, I may end up modifying it to reduce the "depth" of the clamping jaws as indicated by the blue mark-ups in the image below. So far though, I've prevented myself from becoming involved in another project and feel that I bought a nice pony at a reasonable price.

Just a suggested alternative to making your own.

Pony.jpg
 
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Ah yes, I saw that one too. Nice snag. I'd have considered it, but I don't know enough about them yet to make a good decision. I gotta really keep my back (spine) in mind whenever I do anything and I just plain don't know if one of those will work for me or if I'd be reduced to a cussing mad prick within 5 minutes. No one in my house needs any of that. :o
 
Strigamort said:
Ah yes, I saw that one too. Nice snag. I'd have considered it, but I don't know enough about them yet to make a good decision. I gotta really keep my back (spine) in mind whenever I do anything and I just plain don't know if one of those will work for me or if I'd be reduced to a cussing mad prick within 5 minutes. No one in my house needs any of that. :o
Click to expand...

The height is such that I believe the only thing that you would have to do is look slightly downward while stitching without bending your back. It is, after all, an elevated vise that puts the work at the most comfortable level to enable most accurate stabbing with the awl, while not putting the stitching height too great to make it uncomfortable . . . all while sitting on a chair of your preference. :)
 
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