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Good job Chuck, I did much the same thing. Got half way through and got fed up trying to work things out so bought a pattern. Easy enough to do and I had a piece of sheepskin. I ran out of sheepskin so used a bit if something else. I have lots of real fur that's just sitting there cos many over here are squeamish about real fur. Turns out I don't like the open back so will prolly put a back on. I'm not keen on the boot type but they look good. I do like the blue ones for something you can go out in in fact, when I bought the slipper pattern I bought this one also which is closer to what I was trying to do in the first place.

Well you've already bought the kit now which will serve for a while. As you're finding out, a question like this has a multitude of answers. They all mean well and as in all things, everyone has their own take. I'll just add this. Start with a pattern! Everything will be explained in detail, you'll understand each step and why and will give you confidence to look for the next project. Many pattern sellers provide a step by step video and tell you what leather and how much you'll need. This was my very first project (I'd done some reading of course). It's a Dieselpunkro pattern (Motoko3) and I made it with the minimum of tools. I have no affiliation with Dieselpunkro but from recollection I know he has some mask patterns.

I very much like the 237. Straight stitch and zigzag. Some versions had a way to drop the feed dogs, some didn't. It sports pretty much the same guts as the Class 15 machines that have been sewing relentlessly for a hundred years, except they added the swing needle mechanics. When you say #45 thread, I assume you mean Tex 45, well in the range of a domestic machine. Another machine I like for that application is a Kenmore 158 or 385 series machine (though avoid the later, plastic bodied 385s). They have all metal running gear and you can find them in free arm configurations.

Hi everyone! I am looking to see if anyone here is a bit of an expert on Steele saddle trees, more specifically ones used by Crates/Fabtron currently. I am trying to fit my young mare with a saddle from them and I just need a bit of guidance from someone more expert on these saddles than myself. Ideally I would like to have their Cheyenne Ranch Roper with Cantle Roll on her #7211-CR, but the website says it has a truefit reining tree in it, and from my understanding those trees are narrower through the bars, which my mare is wider. Any help would be appreciated!

You don't say how you're fixing the liner. Does it have to be completely detachable? If not, could it be just glued in? How about this before you spend important money. Presumably the bottom can be just a fold over. the top can be hidden under a turned and stiched leather top seam. That just leaves the sides. If your machine won't do the job after a couple of folds, how about packing it out with a strip of leather welt which can be held in place with double sided or basting tape. Just a thought but I'm a bugger for solving problems with what's to hand before throwing money at it. Of course, if you intend production runs that's a different matter.

Thank you!

I would recommend a bottom feed machine. I've been using this bottom-feed Singer 31-15 on a tabletop skirt for my thinner goods. We have a domestic sewing machine that would work as well, but I like bigger toys I guess. If the machine you're looking at is in sewing condition, you could take some of your canvas and thread (TEX 70 I'm guessing) and make sure it will sew through as many layers as you are likely to need, and make sure it has even stitch length when going over minor humps.

still for sale?

Help! I cannot find the donate link on the front page

Hi everyone, I own an adler 269 and make the odd handbag, tote, etc. The thing is, I have been lining them, mostly with light to medium fabric which is a bit of a pain to stitch on the adler. I mostly stitch with 135 top and bottom and a 130 needle, so need to change everything out, plus loosen the tensioners to get it to do a half decent job with #45 thread. I was considering a home sewing machine - I lack the space for another unit with its own table. There's a singer 237 (70s model with straight stitch and zig zag-full metal gearing) available from a used sewing machine dealer, who assures me it will suit my purposes. It may very well be enough, does anyone in here have any experience with something similar? At most I will be sewing light canvas, around 8 or 9 oz, but mostly lighter, stretchier fabrics. Thanks for any info!

Great find and great save. These might have been lost to the recycling bin

Hi Constabulary I will try to contact them The manual is available in German, but I would prefer it in English. Cheers

Hello I’m needing some help with pattern creation. I’m wanting to share a pattern with the man who will be making my backpack as he is in India and isn’t quite understanding what I’m referring to, but I can’t find any online. Does anyone have a standard tappered PDF pattern you could share with me? Photo for reference.

make sure the whole machine incl rod and coarse threading is well oiled and the stitch length mechanism parts are not gummed with old oil.

I spotted these whilst searching through an antique book store, I was so excited with the find the owner almost gave them to me for free. He said chances were pretty slim anyone else who might recognise their significance would find them there. Thought I'd share just for the historical significance. If anyone is interested I may be able to photo and email better quality files., just let me know.

@Constabulary I added some pics, they both seem to be in working order. @Wizcrafts Thank you so much! I'll see if anyone in the shop can do that for me or if I can scrounge a replacement part.

basically that's it but I would check the needle hook timing too - that never can be wrong.

Is it enough to lower the needle bar 1mm or ist there more adjusment necessary if i do this? an thanks for the Answers!

I purchased three brand new Adler 669 sewing machines in November 24. The machines are great but will need to be dialed into what ever leather you are using. I already have three other sewing machines so I purchased these as back-ups. I am selling each one for $1,800. All three have speed reducers, come with a removable tables, have drop down guides, and are mounted to sewing machine desk with rollers. If you are interested please send me a text. Local pick up only. Ernie Contreras, Bull Sheath Leather, Mansfield TX, 817-673-0602.

@ohLyssa The taper on the end of the stitch length rod is what does the adjusting. You need to get somebody with a machine shop to turn the rod and recreate a nice long taper that ends in a sharp point. That system is long obsolete. I have the same machine and baby the adjuster any time I move it.

For tack repairs I match colors by trial and error, testing dye mixtures on a scrap of the same leather I'm using for the repair. I am usually adding a small amount of Fiebings brown dye to their English bridle (yellow-tan) or mahogany (red-brown) dye as a base. The Fiebings brown dyes I've used are, from lightest to darkest, are light/medium/dark brown, show brown, chocolate, and dark chocolate. To my eye, the show brown has a bit more reddish hue than the others. To simplify, I'd get show brown (dark red-brown) and chocolate (dark brown with a black tone) and dilute them in a tan or mahogany base. Based on the picture of your saddle I'd guess that a pinch of show brown in mahogany dye would be an acceptable match. My go-to dye for dark brown Asian tack is 7% show brown in mahogany dye. Your saddle is not that dark. As others have said, oiling and sunlight will also darken the leather to improve the match.

are all the parts as shown in your diagram present (See text / parts list)? The tip on your adjustment rod is damaged as you already noticed, tip should be very sharp (see picture below). Not sure how much this affects the stitch length regulation. Is the small stud inside the adjustment knurled knob present? Is the coarse threading at end of the top shaft in good order? Please post some pictures. edit: Quick picture of the stud from my 107w1 rod and the top shaft threading. Stud slides inside the coarse threading.

I recently inherited a Singer 107 w1 and I am trying to get it all set up. Everything seems to be in working order, except when I turned the dial to change the stitch length, it lengthened the stitches to just over 4 per inch and now it won't change at all. The zig zag still works fine and it's not skipping any stitches. I tried the adjustments it says to do in the manual (pictured below) but that didn't do anything. The only thing a did notice was that the tip of the stitch dial rod is slightly bent (pictured below), but I'm not sure if that is major enough to keep it from adjusting at all. Does anyone have any experience with this machine? I can't find any information online other than adjusting those two screws.

Check with Fuchs Elektronik in Germany they have the Quick Rotan Service: http://www.fuchselektronik.de/index.php?vid=302&mid=1&lid=2 However - not sure if they are still in business - looks like an early 2000´s website

Dear friends I am looking for a manual for the Quick Rotan P70SE motor in english (all three parts). Does any of you have one, I am interested in buying it. Cheers Danish Man