Bigfoot

Sorry for the slow reply..I am rubbish at keeping up communications. The press I use has a wheel on the side so you can move it quickly for small adjustments...I wouldn't recommend one without it. If by hammering tools you mean crew punches and strap ends etc you can just put them under and press them through silently but you could also get someone to drill a hole to take the handle of a Tandy type handle and them it can be used for punching small holes, lacing or whatever you need....and all in silence!

Thanks for the reply Narvi, Is Highlead a good make...I think i read somewhere that it is and you can get parts? Does the binder effect normal stitching if you're not using it? Any idea what a cloned Juki 441 is called so I can look it up? Very sorry if these are stupid questions but we all have to start somewhere! Thanks again Bigfoot

Hi all, Any advice would be great as I'm thinking of getting a (hopefully) decent compound feed cylinder arm machine in the near future. The small amount of sewing i have done so far has been either by hand, with a Singer patcher or with Junker and Ruh SD28s (which I love and I think I will always use Junkers for some jobs) I would like any advice on the "Typical TW3-S335B" machine if possible. I guess it's a clone of something else so does anyone else have experience of these or know if I can change parts like the feed dogs to smooth so that they don't mark the leather and get other parts for it or is it just a waste of money? Also the synchronised binder thing.... what is that and can you sew like normal with it on a machine? Ideally I'd like a machine that will sew from approx 3mm to 12mm'ish and with a lovely slow servo motor for a novice like me! I've attached the pics to give some idea of what I'm normally trying to sew so if anyone knows of a great machine that will do it or has one that they want to trade for 2 or 3 Junker SD28s then let me know please!

Hi Paul, Welcome to the site. I took a peek at your knives and they look bootifull to me..but I like knives too....your sheaths like nice also. I hope you're feeling better soon and can carry creating your practical artwork. Please let me know if you do start making knives again as I'd like to chat about some ideas. All the best Bigfoot

Welcome Toolerlass from another addicted Brit! Enjoy the learning... I don't think the learning ever ends with leatherwork as there are so many things to try and create. Regarding neighbours, the only thing I can suggest if you have problems and decide to do alot of it is to get a ratcheting arbour press(big as possible and not cheap) but you can use that to quietly push large punches through leather and press stamps etc. Have fun and post some of your projects on here....you will get lots of helpful advice from some very experienced leatherworkers from around the world. All the best Bigfoot

I think any tools from the main suppliers are pretty much the same...to get the best from them expect to have to sharpen/strop/tighten/adapt them etc but they do function. pro tool prices are a huge leap so just go budget and enjoy your creations...bet your friends wont know if they were pro tools you used or not! like matt s said, le prevos ordering system is a drag so if we all keep moaning, they might update it!

I've not heard of thinning resolene before...is there any particular reason to do it? It did cause a strap to crack once but I presumed that was because I had put it on too thick or too quickly without allowing it to dry properly between coats?

Looks great to me, there's something special about using tools that you created yourself to produce your work...i've never used it but it looks like it would be deal for Kydex sheaths etc too?

Looks great to me. What finish were you using? Some finishes are too hard to use on leather that flexes and it will crack.

I had this issue with a 53 and it turned out to be that the bobbin carrier was sitting too high...I think the previous owner had "had a go at it" but gave up and sold it on. You should have no problems closing the cover over the bobbin...mine would just touch it and that turned out to be the problem. Also, make sure that the little bobbin tensioner thingy that you can see in the side of the bobbin carrier in pic 2 is not clogged with dirt and is working freely. I did take a few pictures before I took mine apart to make sure that cogs go back into the arm in the right place so that the timing was still ok. I will attach the pics as they may help you or others and pic 6 shows the gap under the bobbin carrier that caused the problems for me. Good luck with it and tinkering with these old machines will keep you sane like me!

Embossing has it's place......but it feels "empty" and there is no job satisfaction (might as well be flippin burgers or somethin!...not that there is anything wrong with flippin burgers and the pay is prob better!) so don't give up the carving, it will come with relaxed practice and all the info you will ever need to learn it can be found here, just browse or ask.

Can i be cheeky and ask for a copy too!? i have an old simplex outsoler that I am still struggling with and I think they are a similar setup? I have a badly copied copy of a manual for mine but it is printed so small and all the images for threading are no good.... Thanks in advance Gary

Another great post Bill, followed by more superbly worded replies...I think you are some kind of poet (or maybe people don't talk honestly anymore) with your words and I hope that in 300 years or so people will be quoting you just like they did with some hairy bloke called Shakespeare (and I still don't know what he was talking about!) Congrats ambassador Bill PS Can i have your autograph

Call Tandy, tell them it is not right, return it to them and wait for a shiny new one that does what you paid for it to do.......Worst that can happen is they refund you and then they loose another customer. They really do need to check quality control on their tools..and leather..or at least the UK supply...not sure if they are better in the USA

To clean compound?...i wish I'd invented WD40, it does soooo many things!

I did occasionally scrape off the leather strop with the back of a steel ruler...Right or wrong? but I now tend to just use thick, firm cardboard with compound on it as it's easy to replace and I seemed to gradually round off the end of my swivel knives using my leather strop. The card is dead flat on the table and has no "give" like leather so makes a good edge for me. My leather strop is glued to a wooden handle but is now covered in nicks from trying to learn how to keep my round knives sharp! For what?

Thanks all for your comments...in the end i decided to go for the smaller 1/2 HP motor as i will probably keep this machine when i upgrade as it is a handy cylinder arm. Anyhoo, fitted the motor last night and it seems like it will be a vast improvement on the clutch motor. The main thing I was worried about was if it had enough torque to push through the leather at slow speed but it will punch 8mm veg tan with no hand start. It does take off quickly and even with the small pulley it wants to go as soon as you touch the pedal but at least now I know what to expect...with practice, this will definitely work for me. Thanks again for your suggestions....I guess i now need to find a machine to attach my old clutch motor too!!

Hi Mike, That is soooo funny and priceless, never expected a reply like that...I think you probably know how addicted you are! Oooh Cheryl, I think that fine collection has got qualify for a mild to medium addiction!?

Hi all, I'm thinking of getting a "Reliable sewquiet 4000" to replace the current clutch motor. I'm new to machine sewing and most of what I do is short runs but very curvy and normally in stitch grooves so I would probably want the smaller pulley too so that it is as slow as possible. Does anyone know if this motor is suitable? The clutch motor on it at the mo is a Wimsew 400w 4P, 3Amp, 50Hz, and I'm not even sure if this is the right size but it seems powerful enough.... the only difference that i can see on the specs is that the sewquiet is 2Amps and the clutch is 3Amps but i have no idea if this matters?? Would I be better getting the bigger sewquiet 5000 or is the 4000 OK as a replacement?? Thanks in advance for your help and advice...

I like the way the stitch goes 1/4 way up the spine (there's probably a name for that?) and you can't go wrong with antiqued/distressed finishes in my opinion! Nice

I know Merl, there's always potential(and need) for one more! I forced myself to use the scary electric "Sieko" today with the run away clutch motor over the safe "junker SD28" option but it worked out ok'ish. Low value pouches to sew but they were all curves with stitch grooves to follow so good practice with the speed of the motor and clutch control! What did you want to know about the 29-4? ...I may not be able to help but I will bet my house that within the next 10,000 years of people reading this thread that someone will be able to help (spooky to think that everything we write will be here forever!) This is a link to another manual if needed..http://www.ps2netdrivers.net/parts/singer.29-4/

This is my prototype burnisher, made out of an old cotton reel and an old sewing domestic machine motor with a foot controler bolted to the table.....It does work OK and simple to make as I just glued the spool to the shaft and then turned the spool to the groove sizes that I wanted using files, gauges or anything else that was the right size. I'm gonna replace the spool with a nice piece of hardwood when i find something suitable and then it should be very good....even if the speed can be a bit erratic!

Can't advise where to get better beveller cos it's all about budget........personaly, i couldn't justify paying "ronstools" prices at this stage (although i'm sure they are good tools) I had always used the Tandy ones and didn't realise how hard they are to use until I got an old dixon type one in some old tools that I bought and what a difference! They are on my "list" of things to upgrade. Just thought, did you check the FOR SALE section, somone was selling some but didn't want to ship them to me in the UK...might still be available?

Nice rich colours, I like that effect alot

I'm experimenting at the mo with liquid latex, paint it on and peel it off masking. Tried it with Fiebings dye airbrushed on and it did get through the latex but that might be my fault as i only let it dry for about an hour...gonna give it another go but leave overnight to cure and see what happens...