JLSleather

Crisp stampin', even colors, clean uncluttered look, contrasting stitchin'.... AND you didn't drown it with that ant-streak crap! I like it One simple "fix"? Keep a piece of 3/4 or 4/5 ish leather next to yer machine - size of a belt keeper all you need. When you turn a corner (like in the middle of your binder spine piece), set it on the leather under the center presser foot and you won't git that 'booger' outside the stitch line. Just stitch to the turn, lift the foot like normal, slip the slip under there before setting the foot back down, and resume stitching. No booger Note there is another way, but that way is SO simple to do AND to explain ...

Just FYI - that 867 guide works well on the 441-style too. http://www.ebay.com/itm/252204937725?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

40070 downloads (woohooo) No visible wear on 'em I can tell, but I s'pose I better get some more ready.

Gonna depend on the amount of curve, Josh. If you're only dropping a few inches in 50"+, then you CAN use the strap cutter after the first one. But I do NOT think the curve is the same for every body shape, any more than I think all blonds are the same level of stupid I also don't think there is a "right" distance to put slots out from the gun on a pancake holster. On a round fella you can put the slots closer than the one for the narrow fella. Not that you need to, since he has less "curve" (more gradual) in his waist. Nor do I think there is a "right" amount of curve in a belt when I glue the layers together. A guy with a 34" waist needs his belt glued with more curve than the fella with the 44" waist... NOT the same radius I've made belts for slim fellas that looked a bit like dog collars. And I've made belts for big fellas where you 'n' me could both be talkin to the guy and never see each other But to answer the question, I don't make that many curved belts (very few last few years) so I cut them with an x-acto

https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/p-1185-truckers-log-book-cover-kit-pattern.aspx?

Sounds like you got plenty of pressure.

Me, too, Josh. That belt is a bit snug? Yer fault for skippin' the gym Still, seems like if a fella cut a curved belt from a hide, there would be some waist (hehe).. But after teh first one, should be able to cut MORE curved straps with a strap cutter and no more waste. But I'm not seein' why a belt couldn't git shortened.. 'less moving the billet back would run into bullet loops..

Said he was holding the thread, or that's what I woulda thought too "... when I go to stich no matter how strong or hard I hold both top thread and bottom thread, my top thread gets caught down around the bottom bobbin.." And if this is recurring, I would take the hook assembly out and make sure there's nothing in behind there.

I've seen some great work using a hydr press...maybe you didn't have enough padding in there?

Cant' tell where it's wedging from that angle. Got a video camera? Pop the end cover off and "film" the shuttle / hook thingie while stitchin' a couple inches. First, clear everything out of there. Take teh top thread out of the needle (don't have to go back any further,.. just out of the needle. Turn the machine a couple revs to be sure nothing is trapped in there. Then just hand crank it a couple times... check for the notch in the needle to be in line with the hook of the assembly. If it is, then put the thread back in the needle and crank a few stitches.. where we can see straight in I had a short vid of that inside working, but aint sure where it went

Pay no attention to people on about "one and a half times around" those discs. If you go through a loop, then come back out the SAME loop, then you must be going all the way around twice. WHere's the half? If you have to cut the BOTTOM thread to get the part clear, then it's not an issue with the top tension discs. But where do you cut it? Once you cut the thread, can you pull thread from the bobbin with your fingers? First thing I'd try is ... verify that you have both threads outside the cylinder and toward the back before sewing. And if you do, then pull the bottom thread... to verify that it pulls smoothly (some tension, but not sticking). Might even take the end plate off the machine while doing this, so you can see it's going out the carrier (hook assembly) and straight up through the slot in the plate. That much is so simple to check, there's no reason to NOT check it. Beyond that, I agree that a new machine should work. Shouldn't have to 'trouble shoot' a new machine.

You're pressing in a press AND using a vacuum? Now there's commitment

Nah.. never been one who bought into that. When I oil, it's after the dye.

FWIW.. the angled slits leave the project much stronger and less likely to tear through.

I'm using HO "A" grade with the occasional "B" in there. And the saddle tan is NOT thinned ... straight out the bottle. Sometimes dipped, sometimes daubed, and a few times sprayed. Just not consistent. If it happened once I'd complain, have coffee, and go on about the work. But this is 'yet again'... No trouble... W/C sells a "chestnut" skirting so close to the same color I'll just go with that.

I thought about those computer case cooling fans (probably because mine are loud) but I don't think they move the volume of air i want going. As for timers, any digital stop watch will work (I have one that does a countdown you can program up to like 9 hours) or a $3 alarm clock. Dwight.. ya still gotta remember to SET IT I've never used a "hot box".. just good size fan in front of the work at room temp (75-ish all year). And I generally end up with holsters you could defend yourself with without the gun! But now you folks got me started ....

I don't have a problem with "minimums" existing. But I don't see the point of paying minimums at retail level. No matter - I dont shop down that way anyway. Ordered a couple of sides to 'test the water". What I got didn't look "so" bad on the grain. But the underside of one was discolored and clearly received some treatment, and the underside of the other had "bark" marks across every square inch. See it and feel it... like that goofy grate they put on the highway where there's a stop coming up. Couldn't swear it was from a feed mechanism, or perhaps a blade bouncing. WHY would you send out something like that? So, question for Jeff is... Do I want to do business where they think this is 'okay"? No. Do I want to do business where they don't think it's 'okay', but think I won't know, or won't care? No. No third question, really ... I could have returned it, I suppose. But I'm not really into 'mail tag', so ...

So, then -- you could simply add a loop much like the one shown above. Skive the ends (outside the loop) and stitch between the layers just like the previous 'version' of the pattern. OR, almost as simple, you could cut the parts from one piece (except the card pockets, for reasons already covered about the stitch showing). So you'd have 2 pieces instead of 4.. and they'd be 'joined' by this loopy thingie (in my case, 1.75" long) you made... You could use a "single" strap, or alternating to form a closure (hey, the girls liked that in the 60's, so ...). Which "could" be done by cutting a solid piece and then cutting out the ovals Cut out the shaded sections-- wide or narrow as you like long as they alternate positions. Remember the 1.75" is between stitch lines, so the "between" distance would actually be 1.5" (minus 1/8" per side). I added a "fold line" here just to be clear -- still just a matter of lining pocket tops up with the witness marks. Remember to stitch the card pockets on before folding over, and yer done.

So, if you took your case parts, and laid 'em out side by side flesh side up, you'd have this (note i added a 'pretend' stitch line on the pockets for illustration): Gitcha two pens -- one to wrap, one to mark. Use hers... tha'll fix 'er And a piece of the same leather you're using (3/4 here) Wrap one, mark with other. "Fancy" stitch line on there for clarity -- just mark across the top of both pieces. This one is just over 1 3/4", but again - it will matter what pen you're using. Measure distance between marks.--- use this measurement to move your pockets OUT from the body of the project. This will be your "loop"

No worries. Now, keep in mind that if your girlfriend likes that goofy pen loop thing added in, that's a 2-step simple process: Try to talk her into elastic or velcro (hook n loop) -- which will fit ANY pen size, and easily replaced if worn. OR if that fails, Then adding the girl stuff becomes a simple matter of creating a loop long enough to go around the type of pen you want to use, and ending up back where the stitch line of the pocket is on the stitch line of the main body. How to do that reliably, quickly, and easily (so you can get back to listening to the next thing she wants changed )

How you finish them edges, Red? Without actually holding one, I've always thought your rigs look good 'n' solid (in a impressive way). So you DO use the acrylic, or no?

Yep. About 100 times. And out of 100, it maybe "worked out" like 97. WHich is about the same as a dauber or dippin'... about 97% of the time it's fine. When it's not fine... I got several hours of my time just GONE. Now, I'm thinkin' if I'm gonna have several hours of my time gone, it should involve less leather in trash cans and more beer in brunettes Oh, this bein' 2016 and all, lemme just specify that when I say 'beer' I mean bud, and when I say "brunettes' I mean girls [only] ...

I didn't take it as "bad"... that's what they're there for.. so people can USE em

Yeah, I really do NOT "get it". But, that walnut looks purdy good ... even on the floor

Actually, I think 'selling' them for $0 can still get you sued... for loss of [their] income, damage to [their] reputation, etc. Not uncommon to see damages awarded 6- and 7-figures. No thank, I'll pass Incidentally, I was notified that someone contacted a 'clicker die' maker recently and had most of those patterns on my site made into dies. So, maybe see a lot more of those here shortly ... Difference is, I OFFERED them with the INTENT that people would use them and share them and email them and fakebook 'em....