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Thread: Arts & Crafts style benches with Axis Deer Hide seats

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Eureka Springs, AR
    Posts
    779
    Jason, is your ranch a hunting ranch? How do you deal with bullet holes in the hides?

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Cedar Park, TX
    Posts
    172
    Quote Originally Posted by Jack Curtis View Post
    Jason, is your ranch a hunting ranch? How do you deal with bullet holes in the hides?
    As a matter of fact it it, Jack. We try to avoid having bullet holes in the hide by utilizing careful shot placement. If we can, we will try a neck shot on the deer just so there aren't any holes in the finished hide. Sometimes that clear of a shot isn't available though. Instead of risking injury to the animal, a shot through the vitals is sometimes necessary. On these two benches, one hide was blemish free, the other had an entry and exit hole. I had to cut around the holes in a football-ish shape. Then I pulled the hole together and stitched it shut by hand. I ran a bead of superglue over the stitches to help keep them in place. Hand stitching through tanned deer hide is no easy feat!

  3. If you can build your project to that level of fit and finish then everything in the genre is your oyster.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Eureka Springs, AR
    Posts
    779
    Quote Originally Posted by jason thigpen View Post
    ...On these two benches, one hide was blemish free, the other had an entry and exit hole. I had to cut around the holes in a football-ish shape. Then I pulled the hole together and stitched it shut by hand. I ran a bead of superglue over the stitches to help keep them in place. Hand stitching through tanned deer hide is no easy feat!
    Thanks. I bet it is hard to sew deerskin. My favorite shoes are Minnetonka deerskin moccasins, which last forever, even when worn outside for dog walking.

  5. Jason,

    I made the same bench from those plans this summer. Great to see the through tenons. I like the square pegs. I used one of the Jeff Jewitt mission finish techniques, but I like yours better. Mine got a little dark.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Cedar Park, TX
    Posts
    172
    Thanks for all of the encouraging comments guys! This was a pretty satisfying project to take on. I had just rid myself of all of my power tools except for my bandsaw. I learned a lot and really appreciate the precision that hand tools offer. Every through tenon fit like a glove and had zero gap where it came through. I'm thinking a big 'ol Morris chair with Axis hide cushions might be next.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Prince George, BC
    Posts
    35
    Very cool Jason....gives me ideas using a couple of moose hanging around the back yard.... Did you tan the hides yourself? Thats one of the big issues I've had...we usually give our hides to the elders on one of the local reserves. I've always been intimidated by the thought of treating my own hides...

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Cedar Park, TX
    Posts
    172
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Dickson View Post
    Very cool Jason....gives me ideas using a couple of moose hanging around the back yard.... Did you tan the hides yourself? Thats one of the big issues I've had...we usually give our hides to the elders on one of the local reserves. I've always been intimidated by the thought of treating my own hides...
    We let our local taxidermist handle the tanning duties. I wanted to make sure it was done right. Wouldn't want the hair falling out a few years down the road!

  9. #24
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Prince George, BC
    Posts
    35
    Quote Originally Posted by jason thigpen View Post
    We let our local taxidermist handle the tanning duties. I wanted to make sure it was done right. Wouldn't want the hair falling out a few years down the road!
    Been there....I once had two wolf hides that were supposed to be used by a local military band...one was usable while the second looked as if it had been attacked by a group of PETA hair dressers.....

    Thanks again for sharing the project!

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