It's more than $50 but well worth it...

[David]

Another thread asked what's a good gift to ask for that's about $50. Last year my wife splurged on a leather woodworking apron for me. It wasn't something I'd ever thought about, but after trying it on, I'm never without it when I'm in the shop. It keeps the irritating bits of sawdust off my clothes. I think the one she bought was just shy of $200 with shipping and tax, so it ain't cheap, but now that I have it I wouldn't be without it.

Just like a fairing on a motorcycle keeps the bugs from whacking one in the mouth, a leather apron keeps those pesky wood chips at bay.

Dave

[DonkeyHody]

Thanks Dave, that's just the sort of suggestion I was looking for.

DonkeyHody

[Leon]

Great Idea but Harbor freight lets you have 6 leather aprons with 4 pockets for under $50.

[David]

Cool. If you never wore a leather apron in the shop, you'll be in for a suprise as to how clean your clothes will remain if you get a well fitted apron. Mine cost a lot because my wife bought one to fit a tall guy. Had I seen the price ahead of time, I'd have nixed the purchase. There's got to be cheaper ones out there.

she got it at woodworker academy, alameda, Ca.

[David]

the pictured apron looks orange!

Mine is dark brown.

Dave

[Leon]

I used to use a denim apron with pockets and found that the pockets filled up with saw dust. Perhaps it is because the cloth relaxes and the pockets stay open. How does the leather do in that category?

[David]

all the leather pockets have flaps over them. very cool!

Dave

[Dan]

On Tue 08 Nov 2005 08:58:07p, "Leon" wrote in news:3Bdcf.14378$ [e-mail]:

I use Duluth's apron

the pockets get sawdust in em and I throw a handful out every now and then, and it doesn't bother me much. Kind of like "Gee, look at all that sawdust that somebody would be complaining about because I didn't brush off well enough, if I wasn't wearing this here apron." The tools still stay in the pockets. :-)

I like that one because it holds the tape measure, square, and saddle where I can get to 'em easy and it fits good. Plus extra pockets for an apron plane, twelve inch rule, and a place for the safety glasses when I take a break. I think I'm going to get mad one day and put those plastic quicklock connectors on it instead of tieing it up, but that's the only thing I'd change.

I like an apron because it holds stuff. The wife likes it because it keeps the sawdust in the shop. Unless I forget I've got it on and go inside to get something. :-)

[David]

I've given up putting pencils in my apron. I keep getting stabbed. My favorite tape is too large to comfortably fit in a pocket, so basically I don't put much of anything in my apron.

Dave

[Leon]

Yeah that would be cool. I would probably prefer no pockets as I do not care for them at all.

[David]

I think you could order it without pockets.

Dave

[B a r r y]

Did she ask you to wear just the apron?

[Robatoy]

I have mentioned here before, that a decent leather apron is a safety device. I will never spin (hand-held in a big router) a 3/4" full-bullnose bit without that protection. I use those bits a LOT in solid surface fabrication. If one of those ever breaks, the height of trajectory of flying metal is right where I think it would change my voice an octave or two. It also allows me to do a quick glue-up without worrying about getting any adhesive on my SpeedO's.

[Leon]

Keep this in mind also. Do not assume that the leather will stop a sharp chunk of anything. While I agree that leather is better than cloth I conducted an experiment a few years ago that confirmed my suspicions. The topic of whether it dangerous to wear gloves while operating a TS came up. The thought was that the glove would snag on the blade and pull your hand in. I pushed my combination cloth and leather work glove in to my saw blade with a stick. The glove held its shape as the blade simply cut through the cloth and leather with absolutely no resistance nor did the glove snag and get pulled in. The glove simply sat on the TS with the blade spinning inside the cut after I stopped pushing. I do not doubt that a broken piece of carbide would easily penetrate a leather apron given the right circumstances.

Now for the comment about your SpeedO's, umm the visual really scared me.

[Mike Berger]

[Pat Barber]

[mac davis]

I was kind of wondering if the octave change would be up or down.. (did I really say that out loud?)

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Leon]

Yeah I do need one of those. Although the leather does not have the flap on the pockets, they look tight enough to stay shut. IMHO the cloth tends to attract saw dust that falls off the minute I walk in the house. I wonder if the leather is the smooth side out?

[David]

the one I have, it's smooth side on the outside. as nice a leather as you'll find.

Dave

[J T]

It is a bit disturbing to me that a bunch of men are doing all this discussing of aprons.

JOAT If it ain't broke, don't lend it.

- Red Green