RoToMiMo

Hi @Tastech, Thanks for summoning him @fredk, I’m a quick learner. I don’t do social media so I don’t know these things. Thank you for your very comprehensive and fascinating response, Tas. I look forward to your email. Cheers Ross (RoToMiMo refers to the first two letters of my complete name. “Ross” had already been taken by some lucky Leatherworker.net fan)

Hi Tastech, I’m a total newbie to this site and the world of leatherwork, and its specialised tools and machines but I’ve been researching how to find a new home for a beautiful old machine I found. I have an appreciation for the craft , elegance and skill required to restore such machines and after wandering around the InterWeb for a few days I found leatherworker.net and your post of July 31 2023 and saw the small machine on the right side of the pic , an “American St Louis’ “little brother” :). The machine I found looks very much like that, but mine is an Esto, which I believe is an Australian made machine (back in the day when we actually made stuff). Long story short: I was helping an old bloke clear out his shed after thirty years on a rural property here on the Mid North Coast. He’s 76 and said that his grandad had been a professional boot maker in the early 1900s. He had a lot of crap in his shed , most of which went into the skip bin, but I found this old Esto machine and a few boot lasts. He wanted to bin them (he’s not a sentimental guy, lol), but I refused as I could see it was a quality bit of manufacturing. I’d like to find it a new home, be restored and be used as it was meant to be used. You look like someone who could do all of the above. Pics attached for your opinion. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to put phone numbers here, but my email address is rmsisyphus2@gmail.com. Thanks, Ross

Hi Tastech, I’m a total newbie to this site and the world of leatherwork, and its specialised tools and machines but I’ve been researching how to find a new home for a beautiful old machine I found. I have an appreciation for the craft , elegance and skill required to restore such machines and after wandering around the InterWeb for a few days I found leatherworker.net and your post of July 31 2023 and saw the small machine on the right side of the pic , an “American St Louis’ “little brother” :). The machine I found looks very much like that, but mine is an Esto, which I believe is an Australian made machine (back in the day when we actually made stuff). Long story short: I was helping an old bloke clear out his shed after thirty years on a rural property here on the Mid North Coast. He’s 76 and said that his grandad had been a professional boot maker in the early 1900s. He had a lot of crap in his shed , most of which went into the skip bin, but I found this old Esto machine and a few boot lasts. He wanted to bin them (he’s not a sentimental guy, lol), but I refused as I could see it was a quality bit of manufacturing. I’d like to find it a new home, be restored and be used as it was meant to be used. You look like someone who could do all of the above. Most of the bits seem to move freely (crank handle, etc,) but all I’ve done is give it a good spray with WD40 and not fiddled with it as I don’t know what I’m doing! Don’t want to force or break anything. Pics attached for your opinion. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to put phone numbers here, but my email address is rmsisyphus2@gmail.com. Hope to hear back from you. Thanks, Ross