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True. About a third of my stamps are ones I've made. I usually only make ones that I can't buy. Why make one when someone else has gone to the trouble to make it? There are some I don't have the ability to make. Then I'll buy what's close.

How does this "tilt stump" attach to the table? Is there a nut under the table? Or do I pry the plastic cap off to reveal a bolt head and it screws out the top? This is a customer's machine, a FEIT DCL-8500N. The closest manual I have found so far is this one for the Artisan 8500N. I brought the head unit home with me for repair. But I'm convinced that the tilt stump is in the wrong place. It prevented the head unit from tilting all the way back. But after a couple minutes, the handwheel end of the head unit slithered off the table hinge and into the drip pan. Nobody was hurt in the process, but seems liable to happen again. My intention is to move the stump further away from the operator, and a maybe a couple inches left (from the operator's perspective) so that it loses its tendency to lift the machine off of the table hinge closest to the hand wheel. But I'll need to pack the appropriate tools to do so, and while I was there I did not manage to figure out how it attaches. artisan-8500n__similar-to-feit-dcl-8500n__manual.pdf

I’ve done both. Straps loosely rolled in a jumbo zip lock. Flat pieces left flat. I left enough air to keep the plastic off the leather surface. Initial case in the morning or evening, 12 hours to even out, then tool. If I didn’t finish then back in the bag. I didn’t see much difference in the refrigerator or not.

Haven't heard from you lately. Are you lost under your AC?

I agree you can't make 'em all, but you can make the easy ones with simple hand tools, save a bundle, learn a new skill, and have unique stamps no one else has.

Downside I think is getting the bobbin tension adjusted. The Juki style is where the bobbin is placed in the top half part of the bobbin assembly, threaded and tension adjusted while still in your hand and then dropped in place. Personally I like being able to adjust the bobbin tension this way as I can do a bobbin tension drop test. kgg

A plastic bag works for me, or even plastic wrap but my biome is in a very high-altitude desert environment. Plus i have a sealed box that is for acrylic paint palette that I use for large flat pieces. And not in the fridge, just leave it on the worktable.

Thank you, making a few stamps also, background and border out of bolts. It is cheap to try and if it fails put it in the scrap metal pile. I do buy good stamps too, their is a skill to it and I don't have it. Simple things are fun who knows what happens though. I like the stacked handle. I wouldn't say fancy, more options.

Thanks Keith. Seems like a foolproof way to do it. I wondered if I was doing something wrong.

I've never done that . . . and it would take a bunch of convincing to get me to do that. Stuff dries out in the fridge almost as fast as laying on the counter. For what stamping I do . . . if I have to shagnasty for a while . . . I leave it and hit it with the sponge when I get back. Works fine for me May God bless, Dwight

That is correct for the Cobra Class 26 it does not have a Juki compliant bobbin assembly. Here is a video for the bobbin installation. kgg

I got so used to working on small items I could tape down to a modest stone slab, and stick it in the fridge in plastic, when I'm not finising it in one evening. This is about keeping the work moist until the next go. Now that I'm moving to giant-breed dog collars (and probably human belts) I was wondering if there was any option other than carefully, loosely coiling the belt and placing it in the fridge on its side...? It gives me the willies not lying flat becasue I don't want it to deform r get squished etc. Or... presumably people put work in the fridge because they don't want to start rotting the leather, moist in a bag without cold, but I'd never tried just leaving work room temperature for two or three days, in a more convenient spot to spread out than a fridge. I don't know how much preservative is left over in veg tan leather. There seems to be something. I mean, I've used oils that go rancid smelling in wood or rags, but which seem to do so much, much less in leather. This made me think there is at least some light preservative left over in veg tan leather, but I don't want to start unecessary bacteria colonies. The real pros seem to trace and tool a belt all in one go. If you don't, I'd like to hear how you store the long, moist leather belt overnight for finishing the next day or so. Thanks! Jeff in FL

Oh wow thanks! This was a post I made back in June but I'm glad I popped in just now and learned this term escapement files. I looked at some based on your reply and, indeed, found files useful to this end which I'd not found, before.

That cabinet manual might be interesting to important for Singer collectors. Cabinet information for antique machines is sketchy. Ismacs.net has a number listed but it's far from a complete list.

Ohhh ok. Thanks

That is how they are supposed to look. They are designed mainly for floral carving and especially beveling tight stem work with close lines. You can bevel a line without mashing down the adjacent cutc. Also to bevel a crossing element without mashing and leaving a large halo on the part below lie a flower over a stem or leaf. I liked steep bevelers for lightly breaking over the outside of a cut line for beadlines too. just lightly break that square edge.

Just got my new set of steep angle smooth bevlers from Barry King. When I compare to recent project with my textured craft tool bevel I can barely notice the bevels with the new steep angle. Am I using the steep angle bevel wrong or is this how it's supposed to look?

what you really want are escapement files, originally designed for watch and clock maker use

You can get a trial version of LightBurn and you won't have to do all this fiddling you guys are doing. Yes it has a learning curve. I find anything worth doing is doing it with the right program or tools. Personally, I hate InkScape.

I have an xTool S1 40w. I tried using the "score" feature to place the pattern on a knife sheath. Then used my SK and tooled it like I normally would. I'll try to post a photo of what it looks like. The only problem I had so far is A) some of the finer lines it combined in the bitmap so the laser made some odd figures to try and tool and B)its less forgiving if you stray off your original line since it puts such a dark line on the leather. I have not tried to dye it yet so it might cover it.

The knife was made by my blacksmithing mentor, I have tried teaching him sheath making but something just don't work out for him. I don't make many knives.

Bruce, that's the simplest solution. 15 cents at most yard sales. That said; Chuck, I like your stacked handle on that double-ender.

Both look good. Nice sunburst dye jobs.

I wouldn't deliver a flawed product in this case.

And here I just make them out of old screwdrivers...you guys are fancy!