Handy tool

[BigJohn]

I wouldn't doubt that that tool was made from or could be made from stock off the shelf parts a small slide hammer and an extractor mated together.

[bobbin]

And I was feeling pretty pumped up about splittin' the leather for a pneumatic stapler (long nose!)... .  I am in awe of the variety of tools some of you have.  (But you'd prolly be in awe of my sewing macihine armada, too, so it all works out in the end).

The pneumatic stapler has proven its worth on the upholstery recover I did for a designer, BTW.  It's so much lighter and more easily handled than the electric one I was using before.  A very wise purchase indeed!

[sofadoc]

I am in awe of the variety of tools some of you have.  (But you'd prolly be in awe of my sewing macihine armada, too, so it all works out in the end).

Something tells me that all those little gadgets that I have pale in comparison to some of your full function sewing machines with all the whistles and bells.
Simple tools for simple minds. ;D

[alge]

Im working with a guy called peter at the moment who has more kit than i have ever seen in a a three man shop, It would be right up your street Doc. He showed me his converted pfaff the other day which is a small domestic machine that he had a metal fly wheel fitted to so it could punch through tougher fabrics but is light weight for use on site.

I'm pretty sure that the socket puller was invented in the uk about twenty years ago, the story i heard was  that the guy sold the rights to osbournes after getting them made personally got too time consuming apparently he donated the money to a benevolent fund for retired upholsterers and their widows.

Another upholsterer i know has an amazing tool in his arsenal, he is around 65 now and was an apprentice in the docks at 15, there was an upholsterer called Earnie who had this tool which is a bit like a bullet braised onto a two foot length of steel rod with chisel handle on the other end. he used it to manipulate stuffing if he had to, in the same way keyhole surgery is done. really handy say where the inside back bottom rail meets the arm and needs a bit poking in or anything like that. It was called Earnie's jiggler, 30 years or so later my mate was at a closing down sale at a huge workshop in london and he saw this handle sticking out of a bin and he recognised it straight away as Earnies jiggler (confirmed with the owner that indeed an old upholsterer had once worked there before retiring and he was indeed called earnie) he still uses the jiggler today, I too have jiggled with it and i have to say its awesome.

Personally my coolest tool is a simple piece of rose wood shaped like a letter opener. I use it to manipulate pleats into shape on leather and fabrics, its a god send for deep buttoning (tufting).

[sofadoc]

OK , here it is:


I had the caster socket puller and an Osborne staple lifter welded together.
I added a hand grip off an old lawn mower (filled with silicone).
It's pretty good on delicate antiques, where you might need more control.
It works well on sturdier stuff too.
In time, after I get used to it, I might prefer it to the mallet.

[gene]

Excellent! I have been inspired to try making one of these. Thank you for the pic. I'll post my pic when I get it done.

This looks like something dentists might be interested in??? You'd want to sterilize it first, of course. "Spit!"

gene