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I feel your pain. I don't have hearing aids, but I do have arthritis. Many medications (including some kinds of arthritis pain medication) come in blister packaging like your batteries. They SUCK to get open. - Bill

ok I don't rant much anymore, but today is an exception. You know, we used to just call it bitching about really stupid shit. Anyway, I went to buy some hearing aid batteries yesterday. I'll repeat HEARING AID batteries. They changed this round little pack to a childproof thing, Big letters and everything so you know your kids will be safe if they swallow a battery smaller than the size of a friggin pencil eraser. You have to cut each little battery out with scissors, two cuts for each little battery in a ten-battery pack. Now I'll go out on a limb and say MOST people who use HEARING AID batteries have kids at least 20 years old, not only that, they probably also have some form of arthritis and possibly just possibly some vision problems, as well because they ARE FRIGGIN OLD PEOPLE. Can anyone see the stupidity in this besides me, a man whose youngest is 22 and has arthritis in both damn thumbs? Now, as I was writing this i just realized the whole friggin package is small enough for a kid to choke on before they even knaw through it getting to the damn batteries, so it wouldn't help the dumb little shits anyway.

Buy up all the yardsticks/ Metersticks ? lol you can, I hear they aren't making them any longer.

I'll add to what Bruce was saying about the good tools. Not only good, but the right tool for the job, they were invented not only to make the job easier but also safer and to keep you healthier in the long run. The right weight maul or mallet to do the job, a good sharp knife, is essential, also, so your muscles and joints, especially, don't overstress, or the properly sized awl and needles for the thread size, and don't be afraid to use pliers so the joints in your fingers don't take the abuse. Just a couple of examples that affect you over time, kinda like loud noise and wearing earplugs. It may not seem like a big deal, but a few years down the road........

As one ruler said to the other "you're not being straight with me" "Yes , I can see the angle you're coming from" said the protractor. Took me a whole 20 seconds to make that up while repairing an old table...... ....I'll stick to leatherwork HS

Awesome little pouch

Very nice Geez

Thank you Painted, ready to make the inner flaps.

I've had the 205-25 machines. They're for sewing moccasins like mentioned. They were unique in that the upper foot feed and the feed dog can be adjusted independently-and very easily, one having more or less than the other. Downside is that while you can do some leatherwork with it, they kinda suck. You need to hold the work just right to keep stitching consistent. There might be some feet to be had for it, but probably not the types you'd like to see. Maybe you can find something on Aliexpress or Ebay?

Nice work !!!!!

Thanks Chuck Thank you Diesel

The back cover of the note book finished tooling, now to paint.

Have these sold Chris?

Nice work.

Looks great! Clean and to the point. Yes, the pressure of tooling causes the mirroring.

another long shot as this is an old thread and all search turned up. If this posting should be in another location please move. Siruba737D 3 thread serger. Found a service manual. Was in process of replacing oil..The manual does not state the volume of oil. Oil is supposed to be at mid points of the sight glass. Added almost three liters and not showing yet. Suddenly oil was leaking fro I don't know where. Anyone happen to know what the volume should be? If I can find where the leak is and repair. Thanks

Personally I prefer rawhide mallets. I also have a Bakelite mallet from Tandy that I got when I first started and still like. I’ve tried to use mauls and never liked the feel of them. I have a weighted mallet I got as a gift and I have the same problem with it. I personally don’t like the weight in the handle, I like the weight forward in the head. I think it is because that is what I’m use to with the other hammers I use in my life. But a good balanced striking device weather that be a weighted maul or mallet, or a regular mallet is important as is sizing the weight to the job at hand. Hope this helps.

What causes the mirror of the tooled image on the inside of the flap? Is it the pressure during the tooling? The thickness of the leather? How much dye was used? How deep the cuts were made? Sorry, I haven't done any tooling yet.

As a follow-up, at one time when I was doing a lot of semi-production work I figured up the cost per hit of my one-pound Jueschke maul. It is on some posting on this form someplace. On a rope can cover between beveling, border, and basket stamp or floral patterns, I had at least a thousand hits. At that time I had done about 150 rope cans. On that $90 maul, it had cost me 0.06 cents per hit. Good tools generally pay you back in either dollars or ease and pleasure of use.

With no disrespect, anything will be a step up from a rubber mallet. The soft face of the rubber mallet absorbs a lot of the force so it doesn't transfer to the leather. Once you upgrade there are a ton of choices. There is the mallet style, not as popular as the maul but available. Materials may be urethane, versions of nylon, or rawhide. There are fans of each. If you look at mauls, there are a lot more options. If you've never used a maul they look a little intimidating. You are hitting a small object with a round object. The learning curve goes pretty fast though for most people and once they use a maul they don't go back to a mallet. You can buy mauls in all kinds of quality and price levels. I have had mauls through here from $15 Amazons up to $225 custom-made's. Head material could be a whole topic by itself – urethane, nylon, Delran, other exotic plastics, rawhide all have fans. Some materials are more slippery than others, some are more durable, and some just have a certain "feel" that a person prefers. Straight versus tapered – again fans of each. With the straight mauls you need to hold your elbow higher than you do with the tapered maul. The tapered mauls for many people are easier to use for longer runs, especially if you've had shoulder injuries or just have large projects. With the tapered maul I can have my elbow at my side instead of up level with my shoulder. That makes a huge difference. Handle material is another factor. Wood and plastic handles tend to transfer more vibration than leather. That can also be a fatigue issue. There are some rubberized sort of handles or foam covered that are okay. I prefer the stack leather handles - less vibration and better grip for me. Finally handle shape – everyone has a favorite. I like a handle shape that is fairly narrow behind the head so I can almost ring my thumb and index finger to grip it. Then widening out past that so the maul doesn't slide up my hand as I use it. Some like a big fat bulb at the end, some like a gentle taper. It's all personal preference and definitely one size does not fit all. Everybody has a favorite, some for me just fall right into my hand like an old glove and others feel like I'm holding the fat end of a bat. You get into weight of the mauls and that is another factor. My belief is that everyone tooling leather needs a 1 pound maul. That will do most stamps with little effort. You may find with larger basket and geometric stamps you want something heavier. Then the 1.5 or 2 pound mauls fall into place. You may find for small faced sharper stamps like seeders and bar grounders that a lighter maul is easier, and I like a 12 ounce maul. I sell mauls from Wayne Jueschke. I do that because I believe in them, I've been a user for probably close to 20 years. The first maul I bought from Wayne is still in great shape after thousands of hits. Like pretty much all leather tools I was a user for a long time before I became a seller. I like the handle shape, I like the material, I like the balance of the Jueschke mauls. Other makers to consider for better quality mauls would be Barry King, Clay Miller, and Ed LeBarre. I know that Barry and Clay make mallets as well as mauls. I'm not sure if Ed makes a mallet. Hope this helps, – Bruce

I recommend taking up exercise, with some of your newfound time. I've been both lifting things, and jogging. Whichever fills the biggest 'gap' in my physical being. If you didn't have as much of that as you wanted in your working life, this is a great time to fit some in. I have never regretted adding strength.

In my area I owe one of the smallest properties, 120 acres with 250 acres of crown land attached to one side. I probably only use about 10 or so but to have a dog boarding kennel in my township you need 100 acres. The closest neighbour is about 1 mile away. You will go through a brief period of withdrawal just like any other bad habit. Ease back and treat it as want not as a necessity. You just got to cut the apron string. kgg

beautiful!!!

I guess I know where you got your need for structure lol. There's a time for everything on a farm, but not much extra time for anything else lol. But I bet you remember some fun in those hard times. We did just that, but with no 100 acres, just our back yard, we grow a huge garden most years, we used to raise meat rabbits, we can everything or preserve everything we grow, and make i also make my own wine. Man, it makes a guy feel good to work in the dirt in the fresh springtime earth. Gardening or farming is a structured life, and when you're retired and don't truly need it for survival is a lot less stressful. I would say it's good food for the soul you would be surprised how much energy it will give you.