Homemade Modified Arbor Press For Border Stamping. Video Link.

[Tallbald]

Hi. Several years ago when I first started working with leather I modified an inexpensive arbor press to become both a border stamping machine and a drill press for a hand grinder style tool. The adjustable fence works very well, and the accessory table removes quickly to let the circular press table be used as the press was made for. I also made a return spring for the spur gear stud by using a leather strap, a tension spring and a small head bolt drilled and tapped into the spur gear stud. The fence is a strap of scrap stainless steel, the base and other wood parts are scrap oak. A cutting board section was mad into the new table surface.

Hope the link works. Just now learning to upload to Youtube. Thanks for looking. Don

Edited August 24, 2015 by Tallbald

[natenaaron]

That's pretty handy. Thanks for posting. I am sure my one ton arbor press is too big but been wanting a small one.

[tossik]

Awesome mod. Thanks!

[Tallbald]

Thank you. I hope that my design will help some other leather crafters here who might have disabilities like mine. I built it because I have a spinal injury, can only set for rather short times, and also have prsoriatic arthritis in my joints. Hammering a border stamping is very difficult because of the needed movements. My hands also go numb after a few inches of decorating. This modification have been wonderful for me, allowing me to stamp an entire line in one setting. It is, I seem to recall, a one ton press from Harbor Freight. Don.

[Vikti]

I like your set up. The one question I have is on the fence why do you have your contact point against the fence so small? Don't you have an issue of keeping your work square? I bought my arbor press for mainly setting snaps, do you do use yours for snaps also? I'm trying to improve my setup for snaps.

[shtoink]

I like your set up. The one question I have is on the fence why do you have your contact point against the fence so small? Don't you have an issue of keeping your work square?

If I were to guess, it'd be to make it easier to put a border around and inside curve. I noticed when he was doing the demo on that bit of scrap that he had no issues transitioning along that odd compound curve. I don't think a flat fence would work for such a task.

It'd probably be easy enough to make a flat faced guide to do up a continuous straight edge, like a belt. He might even have one that just got camera shy, too.

[Tallbald]

Truthfully I "eyeball" the perpendicular to the fence. If a customer desires a "perfect" line they need to buy from an import CNC embossing setup. I point this out. My arbor press is an adjunct to hand stamping. This may not be for everyone, but as a physically challenged (hate to be PC) fela it has worked well and I hope it helps another crafter.Don.

Edited August 31, 2015 by Tallbald

[Colt W Knight]

I have been thinking about making a similar setup for a while so I could border stamp at night without a noise issue. Thanks for the post.

[gottaknow]

Very nice!

[Tallbald]

Thank you all. My press is indeed nice and quiet in the evening when I work after Miss Penny must rest. it easier too on my arthritic hands and arms. And I can set snaps precisely and quietly. I even made a drill press attachment for it to use my Proxxon rotary tool for drilling small holes for hand stitching before I bought Bertha Jo, my Cowboy 3500 sewing machine. Don.