JLSleather

If I didn't have a machine, and was looking to stitch stuff like that great lookin holster you posted, I'd call Bob and ask if he got a Cowboy 3200 with no shipping label on it as yet. It's "under $2k", but sews with a pretty versatile range of thread / needle combinations, will handle a couple layers of heavy leather easy enough. And it's slow enough to be a "beginner" model (no fingers stuck to the table).

That lid is held on with glue. Got a hot glue gun? Turn the pot over, BOP the edge with a rawhide mallet (or similar) and the entire lid will come off. Then just PEEL the dried glue out.. maybe a use a dowel or such. It will come out like set-up putty. I say use a dowel, because something metal (like a butter knife will mar the teflon, and it aint so 'non-stick' next time Once ya gotter cleared, hot glue the top back on, and go on about the leather .... Oh, yeah -- once you got the top back on.. a little glue thinner in the pot and the brush set in place, and the brush will fix itself pretty quick.

SHARP! That the 3.5"? I got confused for a minute, reading "officers" and "python", since Colt makes BOTH. I got a piece o' snake left myself. Was gonna do it surrounded in black HO, but now I see how good it looks in that tan color... don't know why I didn't do that before!

TIP: If you use a spray adhesive, you can easily stick the printed pattern to poster board, or whatever you use for patterns you want to re-use. Spray both surfaces, wait a few seconds, stick SMOOTHLY, and THEN cut out the pattern -- being sure to cut the outline OFF. This way, you can use the sheet with the "hole" in it to mark you leather, and see the leather you're about to use. The cut out can still be used for glue / dye blocking, When you cut it out, keep in mind the line needs to GO. This way, the width of your pen / marker / scriber won't 'shrink' the pattern.

Sue weeeeeet I did email that web site.. see what happens there. But I WOULD be willing to test this out -- so I certainly appreciate your offer. We all know how that "sucks" ordering multiple 'versions' to get the one that fits what we're doing! So, the one that comes with the Cowboy machines is a curved mounting plate? Here's the back of the cobra (4). Not a metric scale, but the caliper says 20mm center distance, so .. .800-ish on this scale.

Well, yeah .. they can be made to get out of the way Two layers helps, and then DON'T form it around. SO simple, can't believe I didn't automatically see it in the first place!

That looks like it'd prolly work. Thing is, though, WHICH of the guides better suited? That site doesn't list ANY sizes / measurements. Ideally it would be large enough to reach without adding a lot of 'stuff' right in the work area. I should have measured from the holes down to the cylinder, but not much good to know what that is if that still doesn't tell you which guide to use !

I think that's the same company I tried to contact today. Figured I'd check on what they got (looked like the 767 and the 867 would probably work?). Long as there isn't a minimum order of like 1000 units, I might just pick up a few so they're around when other folks take the notion. But now that I'm done for the day, I think I'll go measure them there holes. Drilling a hole is fine. Long as we don't have to drill in one side of an existing hole ... OKAY< then.. the official version... two holes (up and down like in the pic Al put up there). Likely 6mm (hole measures about 4.4 mm) and spaced pretty close to 20 mm centers.

Yikes. Another video. Well, at least this one had SOME value... saved me spending $100+ on a cheap litle bracket. The roller guide would be the only thing on that costing more than $2. .. roller bushing maybe $10?

I don't think I'd use the word "offended". I thought it was unnecessary. I would never buy one, have one in my home, advertise them for someone, or likely hang out with people who own them But when I saw it, I just put it in the 'not for me' category and went on past it. People do all manner of things. Long as they don't do them at my house ... If all they're doing is posting things on a site which isn't mine... Not everything, everywhere, is "okay". If nothing is upsetting to you, that's called a sociopath. But if I let it sidetrack me every time someone said or did something stupid, inappropriate, or offensive - I'd never get ANYTHING done

If you got fellers stout enough to carry a pig on that strap, he don't need no gun -- just whoop the pig and make him walk to the house. I was gonna suggest THE best idea what to do with it is send it to Jeff, but since I don't know what I'd do with it either (and the fillin' station don't take AU yen - or whatever you folks got over there) that's maybe not plan A

Same thing here.. two holes in teh front, two holes in the back. "Manual" is basically useless, and I'm not seeing anybody posting any of it.

Yep, that's what I mean by "behind" the hammer. That one looks like a good candidate for a safety strap!

Yeah, purdy common to have a leather backer over the t-nuts. As for finishing suede, I gotta leave that to somebody else

Your "overstitch wheel" (I guess is what you're referring to) may have a '5' (per inch) wheel, which would be fine. And a relatively heavy thread.... 5-cord (ish). Again, this is just cosmetics... I'm sure the displayed one will hold up. And yeah, you can sand the suede, but it looks like you have a pretty good 'nap' already. IN the tool room , back when, if I needed something that smooth it was a combination of a surface griinder and lapping compound -- neither much use on leather! OH.. what tutorial did you see?

I mean half inch more to the LEFT, or other words make your reinf piece LONGER by about that long. I don't doubt it's safe as is, just thinking like potential customers will see it. I don't own any 1000 grit... not since i worked with oak and walnut! I usually do 120 to get close, then burnish. Maybe touch up with some 220 later after it's dry. Some leather is more stubborn than others about burnishing. I do have a little wax I use on the tough ones (roughly even mix of bees wax / paraffin). Actually sink it INTO the leather, then buff with a piece of canvas. The canvas will finish it up, polish it right purdy. And I use white canvas, so if there's any coming off, I'll know ..

Well done! I'd pull that "wrap" around just another 1/2" or so, to get more of the trigger area covered - simple adjustment really. If I was going to "nit pick", for myself I'd like to see that white thread with a little heavier thread and a bigger stitch length -- just for more contrast.. not structural. I'd certainly be interested in knowing how well the black holds up on the suede side. For a first, that looks purdy durn CLEAN. Shoot, that looks purdy good for a tenth one

Upholstery leather? Tough to get any kind of an edge on that stuff, I would think. So, from a guy who admittedly doesn't use it... here's a 'out loud' thought: Cut a straight strip about twice as wide as you want to end up with. Make a center line mark on the "underside" - can be pen, marker, whatever since it will get covered. Put yer glue on there (you could actually use rubber cement if you prefer.. only has to hold until it's stitched, really. Tap it flat (not so much you stretch the stuff), flip it over, and stitch 1/8" (ish) each side of the center. This would be all needed for a "straight" strap. Cures that 'rough edge' issue. Other things to "figger" depending on what you do with the ends (riveted? sewn onto rings or dees? etc?)

Full-size holster pattern available for this one FREE at http://www.jlsleather.com/diy/holster-patterns-diy/

Yeah, I can see where it's not a quick n painless setting, and I think the shims behind teh plate is certainly more controllable. i don't know a whole lot about these machines, though I catch on pretty quick. So I guess I'm thinking of the "new guy" when I say all this..... just cuz I don't want them to spend a couple grand and then think they're doing it wrong when they aren't, or think they "broke" something when they didn't. As a former tool and die man, I've installed a couple [million] shims...

I've seen some with screws, and some with a pin which is part of the buckle tip -- you punch a hole in the leather for the pin, then peen the pin to prevent it from coming out of the hole. Alex makes a good point, though. You should make sure your belt leather tip fits inside the metal tip BEFORE doing much of anything to it. Sometimes - particularly on less expensive "over the counter" sets, the belt width is the OUTSIDE of the metal tip. So if you made say .. a 1 1/2" wide belt, and lined it, and stitched about 1/8-ish from the edges, you might find out that getting the leather to go in the tip results in cut stitching....

But, the material is not "stickier" in reverse than it is in forward. It's the same material.

When you see someone familiar with sewing machines as Wiz clearly is making statements like "often compensates for mismatched stitch lengths", then you can REASONABLY assume the this is fairly common (which,it is). So, I "get" it. This is an adjustment which has no 'fine tuning' set screw. And to further complicate things, you're trying to make a LINEAR change in stitch length with a ROTARY control. While that can be done, it's not 'zip, zip, done' (probably). Has there ever been one delivered that showed up stitching back in the exact holes? Probably. Throw enough poop at the wall, as they say.... But it does "grate" me a bit that they are ADVERTISED "stitches back in the same holes", if they DONT. What they mean, apparently, is that is "could be" made to do that. So that's probably what they should say. $2500 isn't life-altering money, but it's not pocket change either (at least, not to me). For $2500, it should show up ALREADY doing what it's claimed to do. If not, it's like buying a new car, which runs GREAT once you tune it up....

Ho

Been a LOT of 'stuff' on lately about 'casting' stitches, and 'angling' stitches, and 'laughing till yer in" stitches....bleh! I like mine STRAIGHT. Comes out the awl, or comes off the machine - either way I want 'em STRAIGHT. BOTH sides.