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I do some casting. I use 'model metal' which is a tin alloy and also pewter, which is a lead and tin alloy. For multiple castings I use a heat-proof silicon rubber mould and for one-offs. or two, I did the casting in oil sand For making conchos I'd use the rubber mould. Its good for about 100 to 150 castings. Less if you allow the metal to get too hot.

I already use LED lights by my spraying set up. I cover them in cling film and when that gets a bit grotty I take it off and put on fresh

Hum, that can't be right. I know casting, how can I make it easier. As a replacement to the lost wax method of casting maybe use 3D printed castings. kgg

I follow your you-tube channel so watched it the other day and I was impressed at the fine detail you got, not easy with sand-casting. For tin-casting you might be able to get away with making the mold from silicon, it would allow for repeat casting and give very fine detail. As an aside after watching your episode about the Vevor press I just had to buy one - I don't really need it (yet) but it's a solid bit of engineering!! Keep the vids coming, they're always good to watch.

My order is on the way. I preferred to get complete sets, that's the way I roll, as I have needed to modify/finish pieces in the past.

Yep - much to my wife's dismay. Whenever she goes through her clean-up phase she says "is all that necessary?". I'm currently melting aluminium to make it useable in a lathe (casting cylindrical shapes and some square bar stock), next is brass and copper scrap. The foundry/furnace was built from scrounged material, as was the burner, the only thing I bought was the hi-temp lining. And not a 3D part to be seen! (Sorry kgg).

I think for photo's they maybe good but not so much for spraying as the LED's would probably get covered from overspray. Thank you. I think some of the fumes comes from the thinner being used. I use alcohol as the thinning agent. I think that would work really nicely. But remember no project is complete with 3D. You must have a bit of Newfoundlander in ya. It's always nice to scrounge materials. kgg

I have two and think it are good machines. good for bags and wallets. On my machines the feed dog only goes forward and backwards (not up and down) but since there is also top feed and needle feed it works fine for me

Hello everyone. I'm in the process of cleaning up an old landis 3. Does anyone know if the rubber seals for the campbell randall wax pots will work for the landis 3 one? The campbell seals are the only ones I seem to find. Thanks you much. Brian Merrick

Thanks--those parts aren't in their catalog, but I'll give them a call. None of the local dealers are able to help.

Mine was £25.78 in the UK.

Nice work as always. Do you recall what brand of knife with the stag/antler handle? Thanks.

seems I´ll get my order within the next few days.... curious me is 😉

since you are in the USA I´d contact a sewing machine dealer in you area. I´d probably check with Toledo sewing machines https://www.tolindsewmach.com/parts.html They for sure can get you the parts you need or even have them in stock.

Help me out, I need few parts for Adler 20-20. -Presser feet -Shuttle/hook and parts surrounding it and keeping it in place. (I assume they are two horse shoe shaped parts and spring?) Also those few screws that keep it in place. -Leftmost slide plate -Needle clamp Located in EU, you can make offers from anywhere.

This looks terrific! I am considering trying to make a rifle sling, and while I can't get croc hide here, I may try using some hair-on sealskin...

Nice! I setup on top of my deepfreeze too. A bathroom exhaust fan on the bottom of a cabinet above the freezer, ducted into my furnace room, just the other side of the wall. I setup a cardboard spray booth with open front. The furnace room had 2 gas fired water heaters and a condensing furnace. The water heaters are vented up through a chimney. There is enough air flow that the furnace room never sees the atmosphere go above the LEL (lower explosive limit) for the dye or paint, or finish, so no worries there. Combustion air is drawn from outside, none of the air from the furnace room ever gets drawn back into the house, standard design according to safety codes for furnace and water heater requirements and fresh air makeup to the house. Compressed air comes from my shop compressor in my detached garage. Just had to run a hose between house and garage through an underground conduit that was already in place for power, network, phone lines. My only cost were the air hose and good quality quiet bathroom exhaust fan. All else is was scrounged materials from my hoard or free like cardboard.

Hi Folks, I'm in need all of the reverse feed parts shown in the attached parts list for my Singer 211G156. Basically, I have the stud that the lever attaches to, but not the screw, and I have the plate on the sewing machine body that the roller contacts. Everything else in between is gone. I managed to find a couple things at Dowling and College Sewing, haven't yet contacted Ronsew, but I'm hoping someone has some salvaged stuff stashed that covers everything. Thanks!

Nice work. They look great.

Welcome, Josh. I'm in Germany too, near the Black Forest area, but originally from England. Where is the best place to search for craft fares dates and places? Is there a website to go to? Paul

You give far too much credit to our governments. It was just a few years ago, maybe during Covid, that our government decided in their great wisdom to extend the return to standard daylight into November in order to improve energy savings. Studies have been done several times over the various years daylight saving time was implemented or repealed. All showed there was no real energy savings, just shifted the usage period. Ontario and BC have decided that they will move to eliminate DST when the states south of them decide to. They make claims that it interferes with business if they are not on the same time. Seems that doesn't bother Arizona or Saskatchewan. South Easter BC used to stay on STD time year around. So part of the time there were with Alberta and the rest of the time they were with the rest of BC. Their major trading is with southern Alberta as it is closer than the rest of BC. I have worked on projects with partners in the UK, Germany, France, India, Shanghai, NY state, and Ohio at the same time and never had trouble with communications with them. With UK, France, and Germany, we could conference in the morning my time, and any revisions end of day or next morning. Just part of business to make things fit. Sometimes coming in an hour earlier, or staying an hour later, pretty much my typical day anyhow. It's time to get rid of this flip-flopping back and forth. It is healthier to be on a STD time and far fewer accidents and heart attacks in the 2 weeks following each change while people are having to readjust. For shift workers, make no difference as they are always changing their awake hours according to their shift schedule. My rant, done.

I tried my hand at a new skill: sand casting my own conchos. I would say the process was a tad more difficult to learn than I expected. However, after a couple of lightbulb moments (a few actually), I was able to churn them out pretty successfully. These are cast in tin, which is easy to melt and work with. I plan on making them in silver eventually.

Check out Tony See patterns.

Hello Tobias, and welcome to the forum 🙂 At first your backpack reminded me of an old military backpack (Tornister), but with a different type of leather. My concerns with a backpack that is 25 x 20 is that it could easily look "roundish". Unless you add some stiffeners inside the sides like a small frame - or in the back part so that it will remain flat even after you put in a sweater or some other stuff. If you look at something like Schweizer Armee Segeltuch Rucksack, It is a classic rucksack, and it has a front pocket, and it still looks good (in my opinion). I am not sure how the internal stiffening is made on that one, but I think it important to have something to make it last for the next 50 years. It looks very similar to your picture, and one could make the backpack in the size that you are aiming for. I suppose it also depend on if you want to use the backpack for hiking or for everyday use or something else. If you want to use it for hiking, I think the shoulder straps should be wider compared to if you are going to use it as an everyday backpack to and from job/school etc. Brgds Jonas

Olena, you're doing great!