I’m in the middle of designing a new my shop apron to replace iteration number three. Although I have some specific ideas in mind, I thought it might be interesting to hear your ideas so I can steal the best of them and include them in my redesign
; – )
With that in mind:
1. What kinds of features are important to you in a shop apron?
2. What do you typically keep in your shop apron?
3. What kind of material is your shop apron made of?
4. Anything else you’d like to say on the subject?
I hope this turns out to be a fun exercise!
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.
Replies
Cover the pockets so they don't fill with dust. But make sure I can "lock" the covers open when I'm constantly reaching for nails or screws.
Make sure it does not cut my neck
When I bend, I don't like getting stuck in the groin with a chisel that's in the middle pocket.
Hang more stuff off the sides like my Starret 12" square.
Hammer hold loop should stay open.
Currently I use a canvas version of this Duluth without the crossed back straps. http://www.duluthtrading.com/items/98320.asp
I put my metal loop hammer holder on the waist strap so I can have the hammer behind me instead of next to me.
HTH,
Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
Mark,
Good suggestions.
Thanks!-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
I would really hope you have better stuff to design that shop aprons...
I have mine specially made- canvas, two pouches, pencil pocket up top, coss my back straps, split leg. I could take a shot if you're interested..., why is it I feel I already know the answer...
This is an olde (notice the "e") style, I don't wear it when carving but I do when doing other stand-up shop stuff.
Ya wanna buy one? I buy them from a seamstress at about $35 a pop not including hardware. I could con her into a couple more...
Lee
Hi Lee,
I wear them out - for some reason...
I've been buying a canvas model that has nylon straps that cross behind the shoulders with a click & pinch quick release strap around the waste, and moving and adding pouches for all the junk I end need to have on hand at school: dial calipers, scrapers, 4" combination square, writing implements, calculator, keys, cattle prod... ...you get the picture.
Decided to add a metal clip for the tape measure 'cause clipping it to the fabric casues the fabric to fray. I'm considering making other changes based on what I've learned wearing out previous aprons, and thought I'd see what y'all have to say on the subject. Briefly considered a wonderful looking leather apron with flaps over the pockets, but considering that fact that my apron already weighs too much, and the fact that I walk about a million miles per semester while wearing the doggone thing, I figured to would be too darned hot!
By the way, I got an "A" on my acanthus leaf - thanks for your feedback. I'm now in the middle of carving a walnut sign to go over the door to a wine cellar with a grapes & leaves pattern from Nora Hall, and a Queen Anne stool in Hunduras mahogany with cabriole legs, ball & claw feet, carved knees, and shells applied to the aprons. Turns out this carving stuff is fun to do!
Thanks,
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 6/16/2005 1:20 am ET by jazzdogg
Edited 6/16/2005 1:26 am ET by jazzdogg
Jazzdog,
post a pic of the sign when its done, or some in-progress ones.
I made up a, incised sign for my FIL who's big into wine.
Like to see what you come up with.
Hi, Nick.
I decided to do the lettering and the grapes & leaves as separate carvings as insurance against messing them both up with a single catastrophic mistake! This will be my first attempt at carving letters, and I believe a few practice pieces will be on the agenda before I tackle the real deal. I'm almost done with the grapes & leaves, and will post a snapshot when it's wrapped up.
Wish me luck,
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Edited 6/16/2005 4:01 pm ET by jazzdogg
Have you read Chris Pye's "Lettercarving in Wood"?
It totally changed the way I carve letters, and was a lot of general help as well.
Practice pieces are totally the way to go.
I made up these nameplate signs for my daughters as practice for the "sisters" sign.
As soon as I can find a pic of the Wine sign, I'll post it.
Hi Papanick,
Nice looking work! I have a few carving books by Chris Pye, but I'll have to obtain the one on letter carving. If your examples are typical of the results one can obtain following Pye's guidance on letter carving, I have lots to look forward to!
Your photo of carving tools reminds me of the kinds of close-ups that appear in a James Bond movie - just before the bad guy meets a painful end !
Have a terrific weekend - and Father's Day,-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
WOW.... That looks like about $800.00 worth of carving tools!
Shhhhhh.....Wife might be around somewhere........
I wish it was only $800..... about 26 Henry Taylors at an average $45CDN each. I got sick of the cheapo set I had (realy bad steel) and decided to invest a little at a time and bought 2 a week.
At least I can't blame my tools anymore. It's always the archer, not the arrows....The older I get, the better I was....
I just took out my USA Calculator.. Lets see.. 26 by $45.00.. Switched to Canada dollers.. It said Ya don't want to know?
Features I like in mine are the straps over the shoulder and a quick clip tie around the waist. No neck strap - those things make woodworking miserable. Mine is made from a medium weight denim. I normally only keep a pencil, 6 inch rule, and the remote for my dust collector in my shop apron. I would ditto the comment on covers for any pockets particularily if you turn, those pockets fill up fast with chips.
Steve
I like the duluth cross back apron
http://www.duluthtrading.com/items/83490.asp
One of the woodworking mags did a review of shop aprons a while back and while none were perfect, they felt that thos was the best commercial made one for woodworking.
What is important to me is that it be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. That it not get in my way while working (safety hazard that). That it hold the items I need most of the time. That it be durable(I don't want to have to replace it ever couple of months). That it will protect the front of my clothes
I had to modify it with a 10" slit up the front by adding 10" denim to the bottom, I like a longer apron down to the knees;and for the side pockets, I put a button on the pocket and up above and added a denim flap. That way I can keep open when I want (most of the time) and can leave flap down at others to prevent filling with saw dust.
I usually keep a 6" clip ruler, a .5mm lead pencil, a carpenters pencil.
I also tend to keep my tape ruler handy as well.
I find that one of the first things to wear out is the bottom of the pockets, so I would look at reinforcing them with either thin leather or a denim on the outside and the inside..
Use a cross back strap to take the strain off of the neck. I also put spring clips (sort of like alligator clips) at the end of the starps , makes securing it easier than tying bows behind my back. I do like the reinforced area where the grommets are and that the reinforcing is leather.
Rick,
Thanks for the feedback.
Believe it or not, my current apron has 13 separate compartments and they're all full!-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
13 separate compartments??? All full???Man, you are carrying way, way, way too much crap around.LeeMontanaFest
Lee,
I believe you have mastered the gift of understatement!
Needless to say, when working in my own shop (or any fixed location, for that matter), I am able to carry far less crap in my apron. However, at school, wandering between classrooms/benchrooms, labs/machine rooms, lumber storage & sales rooms, the finishing area, and the sawmill, etc., I have to carry more stuff than a sane person would tote of his own volition. Wait a minute, I guess that makes me crazy. That explains a lot!
Wish I had time to attend MontanaFest - sounds like a great time!-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
I initially thought this was gonna be another lightbulb thread... y'all are serious huh..??
I ask cos... I've been messin with wood for near 5 years now; never felt the need for one... SWMBO bought me a tool belt (so's I could look like a "real" woodworker says she)... it's been hangin on the clamp rack for 3 years...
Old jeans, old t-shirt, nothing in the pockets cept house and car keys along with a Swiss army knife..
First thing I built for the shop after the stock racks was a wee rack to carry the boxes o screws, marking knives, pencils, vernier, squares and a host of other garbage... it's right above the bench... gets in the way most of the time but when I need stuff... its right there...
Never could see the point in carrying extra ballast.. my increasingly barrelesque physeque takes care o that for me.... never could figure why I traded my 6 pack for a keg... ;)
Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
Mike,
That's not a beer belly, I call mine a "liquid grain storage facility".
The most important feature of my apron is a neck loop for hanging it on a peg in the shop. I tried to wear one years ago, thought it made me look more like a craftsman. Now I just use it at craft fairs, for the same reason ;-)
Cheers,
Ray
My apron is made of leather with crossed straps in back which put the weight only on my shoulders and not my neck. (Very important.) It also has a quick release clip sorta like the ones you see on grocery carts for strapping kids in. I forget where I bought it now, I think from Lee Valley
It doesn't have any pockets in the front which is the one shortcoming. I would rather it have a pocket like you see on railroader type coveralls for pencils, etc. No other pockets, they just collect sawdust. I usually just stick my pencils, and other stuff in the back pockets of my jeans. I have always clipped a tape measure to my left front pants pocket. It is much more handy there than anywhere alse. I got used to doing that from years of running conduit in my "regular" job and since I am left handed :-).
I guess the important points are:
*leather construction (it will last forever)
*crossed shoulder straps to keep the weight off the neck
*quick release snap in back
*small pockets in chest region for pencils
Michael Burton
Thunderbird Hardwoods
KD Mesquite
Llano, TX
I'd like an apron with spider resistance. Last summer, I put on my apron to glue up something or other. I took it off the old clothing tree. It's a 4x4 on a round base with a pyramid top and antique door handles to hold stuff like shop aprons, ball caps, and a weight belt - it was made by someone that owned the place sometime before me so I felt that it lives here and I have no right to toss it!
Anyway, I took the apron off the cloths tree and put it on. Then, a black marble shaped object with 8 legs caught my eye as it ran up the (it was once) white apron towards my neck. I swiped at it reflexively as it moved off the apron onto my tee shirt. It flew to the floor and I stomped it into a grape stain with 8 legs on the floor.
This incident at least gave me some confidence in my circulatory system. No hard work or nasty stress is likely to ever get my heart rate that high!
Holy cow, Batman! Your story reminds me of my days as a Boy Scout - getting ready to put on my pants in the morning, while camping, and saw a scorpion crouching in the crotch; talk about getting a tent full of kids excited!-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
I just use a smock.. I find if I have pockets and 'places' I still forget where I put stuff.. And carrying around to much,,,
I have a small table with some compartments and a edge so stuff does not get knocked off onto the floor...
I stabbed myself in the eye once with a pencil in my top pocket.. I was lucky.. At least the ER Doctor said so.. Sure hurt ALOT!
Design one you can wear at the lathe and it wont get loaded up with chips in the bib section. Turtle neck shop apron?
Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
"Turtle neck shop apron?"
John,
That would have been great when I was living in Anchorage; woodworking in San Diego, however, is another story altogether!
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
The feature I was looking for was something to keep fine Rosewood dust from penetrating my clothing and getting on my skin. So, I bought some split cowhide that was smooth on one side and made my own. Also, no pockets are wanted when running a lathe. I made it long, almost coming to shoe level. That prevents shavings and dust from falling on top of my shoes and working it's way into the tops of my feet. (I'm allergic to Rosewood)
By the way, when I do break out from Rosewood dust, I start taking Benadryl capsuls and that clears it up in 2 or 3 days.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Mike,
I bought some long-sleeved Tyvek coveralls that I wear when turning. They cost less than $5.00. They breathe just enough to keep me from stewing in my own juices, but don't admit shavings or much dust.
I also wear them whenever I have to crawl under a house, or barbeque for 600 hungry students & faculty members at our annual end-of-semester bash.
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
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