JLSleather

TIP: It takes less time to post a link to the info someone is asking for than to bitch that they asked.

IN case that wasnt' clear - the FUNNY part was not my CL post, but that people were REPLYING to it

It's a spot for the leather, and the die, to sit. I use 3/8" thick plates, but they aren't welded. Just set on there -- it's not going anywhere. Top plate laid on the die the same way (for smaller dies, I don't even use the plate -- just the little steel "blocks" that came with the press).

If a search is SO easy to do, then when somebody asks that "dumb" question -- just post the link to the information for them. Simple. It may be that there is SO much info that the new guy can't 'sort' it. And often a simple search returns some not-so-simple results (I have had people get red-face mad about things I never said ). This is likely the reason for the gloves - and other such. "They" likely don't care if it's on the front lines.. they just know that a search for leather 'stuff' often produces this site.

I actually think this "modern society" illusion is largely the same regardless of a few hundred miles. Kid I talked to the other day says the Electrolux plant is closing. He has decided that is "because of all the Somalis". But, the Electrolux plant up the road from where I moved also closed (a few years ago) and best of my knowledge i've never met anyone from Somalia. That plant in northwest Iowa closed because W.A.S.P. laborers depended on their union to keep their job - complete with increasing pay and benefits - whether they actually DID anything or not. I agreed with the closing, personally, since I would not personally pay people AT ALL, much less pay them $1000-$1500 per week to do NOTHING (which I personally witnessed repeatedly). The apathy at the plant down there does not mean that is also the cause here, but it does make it suspect. I assume the difference between here and the twin cities is about 60 miles - and not much else. My TV states violent crime up in Minneapolis by 37% (channel 17 two days ago). So, the people want more police "protection" - more money to pay them for more hours. Gotta wonder if that 37% of violent crime INCLUDES the assorted police currently facing criminal charges, or are the police crimes IN ADDITION to that? In the end, everything from people stuffing mailboxes with something to sell to global companies wanting to save on labor costs to police beating the crap out of somebody because they don't realize they're being filmed... all the same -- attitude is "gimme what I want regardless of the next guy". Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. ALl of that to say this: I don't say much - or even think about -- "immigration". I find it absolutely RIDICULOUS for a nation of immigrants to go on so much about immigrants. We've all seen the dna testing right -- that claims they can tell you where you "came from"? So, how many of those "ancestry" things come back saying "north american"? MAYBE 1 in 1000? Mom's side of the family clearly Austrian/German, and Dad's side from up the road from LumpenDoodle (that area anyway). So, wouldn't it be a bit ignorant for me to go on about "immigrants"?!@ I know there are some who will want to jump in on that but -- careful! You'll say you were BORN here in the US. And so was I. And so were those kids some call "anchor babies"... born in the U.S. to parents who were not born in the U.S. Go back a few generations, and this was all of us (you "native americans" or "indigenous" americans excluded). Ah.. no point winding up over it. When the alleged "basis" for teh country has "all men are created equal" written up by slave owners .... well -....

$1200 isn't much if you're doing any volume of leather craft. Even if you bought nothing but leather, at over $200 per side then just ordering a side every other month would meet the "minimum". I wrote 'em, got the price list, and ordered a couple of sides to "test the water". i wasn't at all happy with the leather i got, so I haven't been back. So, count me as one who would have met the minimum (multiple times), but had other concerns preventing me from becoming a regular customer. I DO think the 'group buy" thing is a good idea -- I've suggested it before with Hermann Oak and with Rings gun molds. Never been much interest in either. I've had people "want in" when I was getting volume cost, but none who were willing to contribute SO THAT we get volume cost.

That will work just fine.

Verified. never hurts to check that But I'm tellin' ya - it aint me Hillbilly boy at Walmart today, carryin a S/W on the way into Walmart. Don't think I ever seen anybody armed at Walmart before (at least not so openly), but you could feel teh crazy radiating off the guy.... no idea who decided that guy should carry a gun (assuming that anyone actually did).

That's the reason for the bolts (pronounced "positive stop"). Set the height of the bolts so that top plate hits the bolts just after the leather is cut. If your dies are the same height (mine are) then you don't need to change height. IF you also use the press for wet forming and thus need a different height on occasion, then add a jamb nut to teh bolt(s) so you can remove teh bolt, do the forming, and put the bolt back in the same position easily.

It's true -- "you kaint fix stupid". But, within the boundaries of my lawn there are some things you just can't do. You and your boyfriend want to do cocaine.. have at it. But not at my house Whole thing was intended to be funny - -no more and no less POINTLESS than anything else you see / read. Course.. the QUICKEST way to get somebody to do something is to have them think it's THEIR idea

That's a big part of my aggravation. SInce you have another bin you can put all this crap in, people are apparently able to just ignore it. Many people think it's "okay". But how is this okay? Trucks and equipment mine petroleum products and plants. These products use petroleum and other fuels to turn the raw materials into paper and ink (and similar). Trucks burn fossil fuels to deliver all of the above to printers, mills, warehouses.... Electricity (often fossil fuels) is used to print the petroleum onto the plants. Trucks burn fossil fuels to deliver all of the people (whether they want it or not). I get a bunch of stuff I don't want, so I put it in this "bin". Trucks burn fossil fuels to pick up all of the poop, and transport to a "recycling". Fossil fuels used to "melt it down" again .... ALL for something I didn't want in the first place. I can't be the only one who thinks this is moronic. Next thing you know, your mailbox contains "flyers" telling you to limit the number of fish you eat, since the water is now contaminated with the crap the "manufacturers" dumped in it. Seriously.. where did you think the "waste" part was going?!@ You want the REAL kick in the groin? You know.. the one that you SEE every day? That guy in front of you causing the backup on I-94 is on his way to print MORE of this crap ...

They're gettin' even better. Just a part of one response from a fella ... ...I'm thinking of a trap door below by mailbox; If I don't like what I see I'll release the second lid to the garbage can planted underneath....Wonder if its just the 'homeowners' who get pounded with it or if the renters are informed about the 'great savings' they could be making (sarcasm)...once the wallets' out, you aint saved anything!No where to put the paper?....take up fishing, I use it to clean fish...probably what its worth! Seriously now, they think I'm gonna be into organic recycling too? I mean, we do get a good NW front coming through every so many days but that still won't cut it!

Since re-locating to MN, my mail box is EVEN MORE full of CRAP. While folks in MN seem quite friendly, they do like to sell you what they can. And seriously -- it's a bit like stalking. For anyone who didn't know that, the sale of a house is generally widely available information. Even if it doesn't show in public records, it does show on realty sites 'n' such. And apparently, these predators watch for the sale of homes for people to "market" their crap to. I've received "stuff" from everyone from landscapers to siding installers, carpet people and curtain people, gyms and satellite providers, assorted restaurants and misc crap ... blahblah... Get a grip, folks.. the roof and siding are relatively new. The lawn is fine. I have a phone, so if I need something I'll call and ask. Filling my mail box with junk is probably the NUMBER 1 way to ensure that I will never buy anything from you. The kids' dogs got new license, but NOT from the animal place that stuffed my mail box. So, here's teh amusing part. I put an ad on craigslist -- wanted: info on how to call off these idiots who all want to "help" me. And I'm getting some fairly quick and thoughtful responses They do seem quite proud of "vets" around here. Not that that's "bad", but it was a vet who broke into my front porch and stole $1000 worth of fishing tackle a while back, so being a vet does not BY ITSELF mean anything at all at my house.

Often, the leather used in wallets and the leather used in sheaths is not the same thickness (or perhaps not even same type). HERE lies your question... what WEIGHT and TYPE of leather would you like to sew? AND, the material and thread size you want to use will [somewhat] define which machine you'll want. My opinion: Forums, including this one, are perhaps not the best source of information / reviews about equipment. And that includes me -- I'm NO sewing expert. At all. Often what you will see is someone asks a legitimate, sincere question - and instead of a reasonable answer they get opinions and conjecture (though it's often presented as factual information). My recommendation: Look for a machine in your area. This is BY FAR the best approach. Take some leather with you to see the machine work, and see it work with teh leather YOU intend to use. If that's not doable, and you can't talk with someone you know (or at least can see), then were it me I'd CALL BOB. Based on your location, and my own conversations with Bob, I'm confident he can fix you up. Just let him know WHAT you want to sew (tooling leather, garment leather, upholstery, etc) and teh approximate weights you'll want to work with. I will say that if you want to make wallets (on the thinner end) and sheathes (the heavier end) I would say that MOST people 'round here would recommend thread size from about 138 to 277. And one final note of common sense.... if another member goes by the name of WIZ pops in and disagrees with anything I've said --- go with what HE said It's possible that some are looking for ONE machine which will perform well in every situation. Tough to do with anything, though. I mean, at one point I owned both a dump truck and a sports car. While both quite good, neither will do the job of the other.

Tugadude - what is this to you? That's not false advertising. The pieces ARE more than (somebody's) hand and smaller than 1 sq ft. So, no legal claim to resolve here -- no grounds for suit. I don't want any of that, so I don't buy any of it. Simple. It may be worth noting that SLC charges $9 for a 12"x12" piece of what they call "import tooling". So, I would assume that if you want a 12" piece then you would need to buy a 12" piece. Realistically, THIS site is much the same as SLC or any other -- if you don't like it, don't use it. Don't like the conversation? Don't join it. I understand that I'm in someone else's back yard, so if my posts are edited / removed not my playground. Like above, I don't say anything which might rise to the level of legal action -- so worst can happen is I get "booted", and I'm guessing I'll continue to sleep okay ...

For tooling, I've always liked the 11 oz Garland rawhide mallet. It will wear, but it will last so long it don't matter. I have worn them out, but that's talking about tooling leather 8+ hours a day, 5-6 days a week, for a long time. Then, just buy a new one, and keep the old one for driving letter stamps and snap setters.

IN that other video you posted, it looked like the needle was actually TRAVELING TO THE RIGHT as it comes down. You know -- that OTHER issue.

I don't know about that. I once bought backs, and what I got had bellies still attached (the reason for buying backs = no belly leather). Some genius cut the leather the wrong way. If somebody told me I was getting pieces 6-8" and I got 5-7", prolly not an issue. If I got 3-5", yeah-- that's a return. As to SLC specifically, I didn't take offense wen they stopped "free shipping"... don't blame 'em one bit. But send me what you advertised.

It's the one you're not looking for that gets you. Always. You spend 40 years looking both ways before you cross the street. Then you figure 'hey, I'm used to this.. I don't need to look any more'. That's the one that's the problem Just one reason to get OUT of making holsters. If you look around, I think you'll find that most of the planet wants most things done for them. Many holster makers include some variation of that same speech you linked to (I've seen a few that are nearly a copy of that). I would dare say that the majority don't have even liability insurance, much less any other. Somebody tell me where to get leather, what tools to use, give me instructions, but let me keep the money Not just holster makers, though -- and there's the problem. People buy cars, then want to sue the manufacturer when they wreck it. Walmart charges $3.88 for a $1.29 item, to cover teh cost of paying someone to move signs around that say "caution: wet floor". It should be obvious to all but the very young that a wet tiled floor is slippery -- but it's become necessary to TELL them that in a 'cover yer own butt' world. Seriously, you didn't know that fresh coffee would be hot? And, I personally saw two situations where people deliberately got themselves seriously injured on a construction site so they could collect disability. And I know one guy -- nice enough guy, but always wants work for cash so it doesn't alter his disability payments. Nothing wrong with him -- he just likes getting a check for couch sitting (I tell him I'll gladly hire him for cash soon as I can get that same check). My friend investigates disability and workman's comp claims, and she says "you have no idea" what people will do to get out of working. I could go on about that all day -- but what's the point? Truth is, holsters are the "low end" of leather -- anybody can do it (which is why there are so many). I stopped making holsters for a good while (years), but started again just because my buddy Robert was making them, and we had fun. Now Robert is gone, not so much fun (in fact, it's a bit like a job ). Plus, walleye season before long! So, what to do? I'd sell all this holster making stuff if I could. But i won't be listing it here -- I'd prefer to sell it all in one shot and not to get a bunch of lowball offers. So, maybe just put it in the garage at the house, and don't worry about it? Well, 'til that wench complains she can't get her car in...

Regardless of they're "named" or not, there are a number of "suppliers" jacking up the price of .. oh.. pretty much everything. One of the biggest problems with the country -- we get "incentives" to hire people, then get billed for several types of insurance (liability, work comp, unemployment to name a few), taxes, overhead, operating costs... and then expect someone ELSE to pay for it In the end, they'll keep doing it as long as people keep paying it. It's smoke 'n' mirrors. My buddy bought a brand new truck for himself -- pulled up just to show off to me. Nice truck, but not enough to impress me. He says he's a contractor, and you have to "look professional". I told him when I see the con-man-tractor pull up in a shiny truck, I don't see "professional", I see a guy who likes shiny trucks and thinks I should pay for it! It isn't him doing the work anyway -- and I think the money should go to the guy doing the work. Personally, I cut out the middle man nearly every chance I get. ALL of that above could have been bypassed by ordering from Hermann Oak. I have ordered from other suppliers, and I may again down the road. But as a rule, I like to pay the guy who makes the product I need.

Looks pretty good!

Tha's just the baby. Seen his mother the other day...

Make your back piece of out two layers of 4 oz --- prollem solved

I made the same mistake thinkin' I "need" a 5' brunette. Once I sold that out of here, things started workin' out

Standard cold rolled 1018 or 1020 (mild steel) will be fine. If you're worried about steel contacting the leather, the cutting board will be in there anyway. The bolts are exactly what I recommend to folks -- thanks for adding the pic. For height, not really necessary to get overly critical on the height. As a rule, most dies are made consistent height anyway. Set the bolts to close, thump it, and adjust as needed If teh hole is threaded, and you add a jamb nut, then you can remove the bolt (say, for wet forming) and put it back in teh same position when ready. Likely ohly need 1, but 1 each side don't hurt (just longer to remove and put back). As for creating waste, if you know the die you'll be using, you can cut the leather just slightly larger (which is what I do). Since you save about $3k NOT buying a different clicker, it would take a good bit of volume to come up with that much waste!