Jimbob

Well.....all gud feedback here.....guess now instead buying A new sewing machine soon, I will have to save up Money to buy a small metal lace.....boy would that be the trick... Making ur own handwheel and hub! Then make small screwak And minor parts.....the possibilities are almost endless....haha... Just a thought... James

Patch machines rock, they are like a relique from past times, being build like a rock.....yet filligree in its mechanic's....almost a piece of art, a sculpture in it's own way! They make "normal" people look, kids smile and leather guys like us drool....oh and did I mention they sew too!! Lets just say you have a spot reserved on your biker leather jacket just for that absolutly cool looking skull patch of the year....guess what....only a patcher can sew that.....!! and lets just say you have other machines in your shop.....put that extra threadle patcher in a corner for all to see....saying: look, I have something special..... I just sold not long ago a mint ADLER patcher and still kicking me into the "beehind" every day.....!! Aloha James

Been using my new/old Singer 211-155 for a few times now Yesterday made a wallet.....after all stitching done, I stitched on Some scrap....suddenly making a nest....got bobbin out and it Was almost out....new bobbin thread (138) back in shuttle, suddenly the needle/hook will not catch loop anymore....making all kind of nests and bogging down.... Had to engage clutch two times.... Startet all over again, bobbin in right....needle ok, hook no burr....now looking close...hook is just a tad under needle window.... If I drop needlebar a bit will that work....?Any ideas?? Thanks so much.... Jimbob

my man Chris.....I love the traditional style.....but in me heart it is all flames skulls and dragons.....and every now and then an alien or two!! So keep it going and show us the endproduct.....I am sure it will be extra cool..... I think, ur thinking is on the right track.....thinking out of the box is this called.....I think,,....nice!! Aloha James

Howdy Certainly can and should glue your top to the foam.....as spoken, will secure it to center when stretching and pulling to form and shape skirts around edges! Also as said, hard ass no or little foam need to be glued period....never glue vinyl to foam!! I use Barger cement,,,,you only get one shot to lay it down straight....and I mean one shoot only...!! After that it stays on period and will not harm foam or leather, no wrinkels, shifts or any goofy tricks...I have dudes they ride with me scooters where I made the seat for 50K and more...never had a problem!! remember these seats are not for show, they meant to be ridden hard....and I mean hard....... greetings Jimbob

hey there... Go and get two ice cold beer....one for you and one for the dude you gonna ask if you can hold some brown paper to the swingarm thingy....then trace, draw and make a pattern right of the bike....make sure you mark where the dude wants the straps....drink the beer, go home and trace to poster board....lay out the skirts and top flap.....make it three dimensional with the help of a little tape....get some more cold beer......lay out on LATIGO leather...trace, cut ( meanwhile get another beer....) sew it up....add hardware....call dude with the softtail buy two more beer and then sit together in front of the bike and and drink up!! Done..!! Hope that helped.... Jimbob

Here are some of my latest seats I made...nothing fancy but I had fun doing my thing....and people actually use them to sit on...cool !! Any comments or critique is welcome! Greetings

Ok, one more purse and then I go back to my flames and skulls!! This one is a set of wallet and purse....in natural veg tan and purple Acryl paint.....sealed and sold... Greetings James

A little while ago I started making purses, for my mom, wife and daughter as for friends....me the tuff guy....doing all these skulls and flames on biker seats...hahahaha:banana: But I thought I give it a try, what ya all think,,,, Greetings... Jimbob

Here is a doctors bag/purse....kinda western style and some old English touch to it...been thinking of making one of these for a while....found me a frame on ebay and now a few month ago I came up with this one....been a pain to make the liner, still lots to learn.....but also a lot of fun...will soon make more....have 2-3 more frames in different sizes...we see what happens! Greetings James

This motive rocks!! The paint is great and the dye is cool....but your stitching needs a lot of help....it is inconsistant and way to ruff....use a groover and a stitching wheel...then use thinner waxed Nylon thread....be consistant pulling both needles to a not to tight knot....make sure you do every stitch in the same direction and with the same pull.... Ohhh, and be aware that this wallet is already a killer wallet!!! Now you need to fine tune it and the old Chevy will purr like a kitten or roarr like a tiger, haha... Keep it up you are doing great work!! Jimbob

Me no pro, but I have done some seats before.....I always do tool the foam seats! flat on marble then let dry, oil and let sit....then a few days later I wet lightlyfrom BACKSIDE! and start forming the seat shape...carefully....then glue it on shaped foam and start pulling the skirts to be stapled down.....let dry, done!! On hardcore lead ass biker seats ( no foam ) I shape the heck out of the 13-15 oz wet leather, let dry, oil and then carve and tool on the pan directly!!! Let dry, oil done.... James

I have a lots of request for gelpads in my seats......anybody ever done a biker seat with gelpads....how deep do you sing the pad in the foam?? How big has the pad to be.....what finishing layer of foam on top do you recomend?? Any additional info would be helpful....thanks for any info on this topic!!

great tooling, love the detail and design...nice color....but your edges need to be darkened or cleaned up some more....maybe a light brown, then polish and burnish.....its all in the detail!! Greetings keep it up!!! Jimbob

Hallo Julia Gruesse aus Virginia......toll das man hier so viele internationale Leder werker findet. Meine Tochter heisst auch Julia, ist aber in den USA geboren....wir sind aus dem Schwabenland und schon lange in Virginia.... Alles Gute nach Malaysia aus Virginia..... Nun mal ran an den Speck und feste losgenaeht, mal sehen was es alls von dir zu sehen gibt.....die tolle Kultur in Malaysia wird dich sicher in deiner Lederarbeit beinflussen>>>?! Gruss James

Welcome Nomad Greetings from the heart of the Appalachian mountains in SW VA..... Glad you joined the leather gang here on this site....there are tons of info on bike seats, belts and general biker stuff.....and much more. I have been into leather for years as a hobby, but since I joined this forum I am learning quick!! Make some leather items and show them off, you will get help, critique and some real friendly advise....everybody here is here for one reason...to be with leather worker fellows!! Greetings keep it coming Jimbob

Wiz, I did not know about glazed linen....intersting info here.....sure is good to know that there are options.....on the second reply....I wonder if a Nylon thread is more stretchy....would that not be better not to put strain on your working parts....more flexibility?? But again, thanks for the good info....I keep my ears open for more on here... Thanks James

I go with Wiz.....I would never buy a clone.....they just not made that good, a Adler is well....a German quality product....there are Adlers around 50 years old and just work like a charm.....I don't think we will see any of these clones in fifty years! Parts are more expensive, but they last much longer......if you find a used one for good money buy. it..by all means....try to sell a 5 year old clone and see what you get out of it....almost none! Be aware, there are newer Adlers, made now in former Chechoslovakia.... And when you sew on an German Adler you need a room temperature dark beer beside you!!!.....on a clone that would be rice wine.......jukkkk...*** Greetings Jimbob

Hi there....... Me was wondering, since there is Nylon and Poly thread......if a man has to change any adjustments on any given industrial machine to use either Nylon or Poly thread in the same size,,,,I am aware that Poly thread is more for outdoors and Nylon is more flexible, but I wonder how different they behave in a sewing machine...... Seems like most leather guys use bonded Nylon in there work.....any thoughts on that?? Just put an order for thread in at thread-exchange in Weaverville, NC.....lots of thread info on there website but no info how machines need to be adjusted?? I would like to try some Poly thread.....just wondering if anybody has had any experience with that. Greetings Jimbob

Hello there... You can do several things...get used to the pedal....work the clutch.....that takes some training, but after a while u get the hang of it and get slower....Or you can get a speed reducer, a bracket with different size pulleys to reduce motor speed, as last post mentioned.....then there is a much smaller pulley on the clutch motor itself....that helps some....just reduce the pulley to the smallest possible. The cream of the cream is a DC servo motor......that baby slows it down BIG time....mounts easy just as your old motor.....there are differnt ones out there....watch the available watts and see if you want build in set of gears to really reduce speed and gain stitching power....that's what I have, a DC servo motor on my Adler 105-64...works like a dream!!!! I can start a stitch cycle....go and make me a sandwitch and be back before the cycle is finished You can go from extreme slow to race the beast.....especially as a beginner which meself it still is, haha.... Call different people and also call Bob Kovar from Toledo sewing machines in OH....that's where I got mine from, you love that one!!! Need pics and info from that motor,,,,give me a shout.. Greetings James

tis IS the best leather work of art I have seen so far....period....and I have been around for a while...!! Tel the gentleman I pull my hat!!!!!!!!! James

hi there ya all... OK, been doing black seats and some black seats...then some more black seats...finally a friend want's a natural leather color seat!!! hurrraaaaa!!! The bike is candy pearl orange!!!!! So my idea was to make it out of 3-4 oz natural veg tan leather ( top ) 2-3 oz ( skirts ) tool the difficult design and then add orange highlights... Now the question is HOW?? Let me know if I think this right: First tooling, then dry....later a coat of neatsfoot oil, then I would use neat lac to seal....next I like to add opaque orange color to some main details....now it gets difficult: I want to add a antique finish/rubb , but not brown...I like to use orange!! Would I use orange dye?? Or could I use orange leather acryl paint ( that's what I use to add color to the main details in the design ) can I rubb dye into the cuts and whipe of...or is the more paste like acryl color better Should I thinn down the acryl paint....to rubb into the cuts....will I be able to whipe exess off so only a light hint/rubb of this orange will be seen on the carving??? After that I would let it dry, then seal all with more neat lac.....last some kind of wax finish to get it somewhat water resistant??? Crazy....yea, impossible....dont know...guess I need help from you guys! Let me know what you think and any idea how to pull this off right would be so cool!! Thanks and thanks again.. Greetings Jimbob

Bob Would you be able to share some of your biker chap patterns....? Or let me know where I can get them...? I would love to make one pair for me to ride this season on my old iron horse...haha... I thank you for your time and effort... Greetings James

Rob I am trying to find biker chaps pattern....no luck, only cowboy stuff....would you be able to share some of the patterns or let me know where to get them...? I would love to make me a pair of riding chaps.....for my iron horse...and me!! Thanks so much for your time and effort... James