Bigfoot

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...

What make of Resist and dyes are you using...Eco-flo block will definately not stop Eco-flo dye going through? Haven't tried resolene yet so maybe that works?

I use Timebond or doudle sided seam tape depending on what i'm up to...I did try, and still have cheaper contact glues but they are stringy=messy but Timebond so far is clean to use and strong once pressure is applied.. I'd imagine that there's loads of suitable glues but now I have something strong and controllable then my hunt is over.

Welcome to the group... doorstops have become my favorite as I don't have to tinker with em! Welcome to the group....When I first read your post I really thought that you might be a hard case but it sounds like you've got your machine fetish under control due to stern warning by..your children!?? All good though, you have lost 15 sewing machines!!...Well done you! Hello Merl, welcome to the group.......I must admit, I think you are the most serious case but with time and care from your group, that understand where you are coming from everything will be fine. PS. Has anyone got any pics of the old machines to share?? all the best Bigfoot

Did you do it yet Cheryl?? Huh,huh huh,did ya, did ya do it yet, go on, show us what you did Cheryl..................................................................................................................... and PS. the customer is not always right!

Hi Mike, Thanks for joining the group, 100 years old is a good vintage but don't feel you need to say any more.... just take a seat and have a read .. ..and I'm sure we'll all be feelin better soon...ish All the best Bigfoot

Tis bad... if you add up all the money that we(me) spend on "old iron" we (I) could by now have some lovely state of the art, triple feed, walking foot machine that I still wouldn't know how to use !