How to "Tool" Leather

What does the term "leather tooling" mean and how is leather tooled ?

Step1
Just what is Custom Leather Tooling ? The American Heritage Dictionary defines with word custom as something made according to the specification of an individual purchaser. Leather is dressed or tanned animal hide. Tooling in our case is ornamentation done with tools on leather. So we when we speak of a Custom Leather Tooled belt we speak of a leather belt made to the specification of our customer and embossed or decorated by carving or using dies and tap hammers.

Some of the tools used to emboss or tool leather include: a swivel knife, venier, beveller, pear shader, seeder, cams, backgrounder, dies and tap hammers. The swivel knife is held in the hand like a pencil and dragged along the leather to outline patterns. The other tools are punch-like instruments which are struck with a maul or mallet to further add definition to the lines.

Very common leather designs in the United States are stylized roses and acanthus that make up the well known Western Floral style. At LeatherBeltsDirect we offer our own version of this style. It comes as a tooled design on the belt with the option of an additional second color that gives the belt a rich, two toned effect. We also offer our own versions of geometric and basket weave designs.


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How to Attract Woodpeckers

There are more than 20 species of woodpeckers found in North America. Not all will come to feeders, but there's a good chance that a few species in your area will be responsive if you put out the welcome mat. Have your field guide handy to identify any takers.

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Step1
Put up a suet feeder or hang suet in a mesh bag. If the suet is mixed with nuts or raisins, so much the better.


Step2
Offer nuts. Peanuts--preferably shelled--are favorites, but woodpeckers will eat most any kind of nut. They will also eat black-oil sunflower seeds and cracked corn.


Step3
Preserve dead trees. Dead trees or snags offer perfect perching and nesting opportunities for woodpeckers. While the tendency is always to just clear away a dead tree, if the tree poses no danger to life or property, leave it standing for the woodpeckers.


Step4
Put up woodpecker nesting boxes. The size of the box depends on the species of woodpecker you are trying to attract, so you'll need to do some research beforehand. Set the boxes out in spring and take them down in the fall.


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How to Attract Quail

Quail are ground-dwelling birds that associate with one another in groups called coveys. They are more common in the southern part of the country, but the range of the Northern Bobwhite - the familiar quail of the East - extends quite far to the north. Check a reliable field guide to see what species may be in your area.

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Step1
Restore some habitat. Quail habitat is fast disappearing as development sprawls across the country. If possible, set aside several acres and plant them in native shrubs and grasses. They should be low-growing plants that provide cover as well as food.


Step2
Consider planting a food plot if you have the space. A food plot is especially planted with plants that attract quail. For ideas, enter "food plot +quail" in a search engine and see what the possibilities are for your area.


Step3
Scatter seed on the ground or place it in a low feeder. Quail will eat cracked corn, millet, sunflower seed, or mixed seed.


Step4
Add a source of water. Shallow ponds or birdbaths placed low to the ground are perfect for quail. Be sure there is a source of cover nearby so the birds can get away from would-be predators when they are wet.



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How to Attract Hummingbirds

The greatest variety of hummingbirds occurs in the American Southwest. In winter, hummingbirds are almost exclusively limited to California, Arizona and Texas.


Find Real Lovers

Step1
Look at a birding field guide or consult your local chapter of the Audubon Society to determine if hummingbirds are normally found in your area and, if so, in what season.


Step2
Visit your local nursery for advice about local plants that attract hummingbirds.


Step3
Plan your garden so it contains several varieties of nectar-bearing flowering plants or trees that are attractive to hummingbirds.


Step4
Hang hummingbird feeders in several locations around your property.


Step5
Fill each feeder with a mixture of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.


Step6
Clean feeders often and thoroughly (see "How to Clean a Hummingbird Feeder").




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How to Attract Chickadees

Lots of people will tell you that chickadees are their favorite feeder birds. They are easily attracted, and can often be hand-tamed. Cheerful as a Christmas card, chickadees are versatile acrobats who can either perch or hang upside-down to glean seeds from your feeder.



Step1
Plant trees and bushes that attract chickadees. Depending on the species in your area, these can include pine, hemlock and birch trees, and berry-bearing plants.


Step2
Buy a bird feeder. Because chickadees are so physically versatile, you can use tube, domed, satellite, hopper or platform feeders with equal success.


Step3
Fill the feeders with black-oil sunflower seeds or shelled peanuts.


Step4
Put up a suet feeder, or hang pieces of suet in a mesh bag from a tree branch.


Step5
Make a mix of peanut butter and birdseed and spread it on a tree limb or make "cakes" to hang in a mesh bag.


Step6
Put up a chickadee nesting box in the spring. Make sure it has the exact dimensions specified for a chickadee.


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How to Attract Cardinals

Cardinals, or "redbirds" as they are often called, are large, sturdy birds that need a sturdy surface to feed from. They often feed on the ground, but a solid feeder filled with their favorite goodies is sure to attract them to your yard.



Step1
Buy a tray or platform feeder with space enough on it for larger birds to land.


Step2
Fill the feeder with any of the following foods: black-oil sunflower seeds (a cardinal favorite), safflower seeds, peanut or other nut kernels, or dried fruit such as raisins or apples.


Step3
Use mealworms (available at most pet stores or online), especially in spring when cardinals are feeding young.


Step4
Consider offering seeds from fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, cantaloupe or squash (including pumpkins).


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How to Attract Blue Jays

Wait!" you say, "blue jays may be pretty, but they are also loud, querulous, chase other birds away and even eat the eggs and young of other species." Still, if you are a blue jay advocate, here's how to get them to your feeder for a great photo op (especially when they're next to cardinals or goldfinches!).


Step1
Erect a large platform feeder that is easy for blue jays to land on.


Step2
Fill the feeder with peanuts. You can use whole, raw peanuts, peanut kernels or peanut halves.


Step3
Include sunflower seeds. The birds will eat whole seeds, but shelled seeds are a special treat.


Step4
Hang a suet feeder, especially in winter when the birds are looking for high-energy foods.


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How to Assemble a Model Train Layout

There are train sets, and then there are model railroads. The difference is that one's a toy and one's a somewhat obsessive pursuit requiring careful assembly by very intense adults.



Step1
Decide how you are going to lay out your tracks.


Step2
Test your tentative layout to ensure that you have enough track and couplers for your design by placing the tracks end to end without attaching them.


Step3
Lay out the tracks on the floor beside the area you're building them on to make sure you get each piece installed in order.


Step4
Decide whether you are going to glue or pin down the tracks. Glue is more stable, but less authentic.


Step5
Clip the first section of track to the second. Depending on the type of train set, the tracks will either be laid end to end (flush at the ends) or will slide into each other with small grooves and tabs.


Step6
Press the track into the glue or pin down securely.


Step7
Even if gluing, secure with a few pins.


Step8
Wipe away excess glue with a paper towel.


Step9
Continue attaching sections of track until the route is complete. Wait overnight for the glue to set, or pull the tracks slightly to make sure pins (like real rail spikes) are secure.