Ferg

Maybe you don't really want to hear mine. LOL Celebrated my eighty fourth Jan. 21 with family and my fabulous wife providing everything for a meal. Fried chicken, Ham, Baked corn, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, Green beans cooked with Ham and potatoes, slaw, cream pie, brownies, chocolate cake, ice cream, and I made two loaves of home made bread. Wife decided she wanted to cook a meal similar to what my mom would have fixed in the forties. Don't know which the family members enjoyed more, the food or the "Idea". Ferg

MISHKIN, There has been a lot of discussion about, "Should I buy a top and bottom feed, can I connect a separate motor to the knife, etc. I have a Cowboy top and bottom feed, wouldn't bother ever buying one with only bottom feed after using this one. I have a Servo on mine so I can run it as fast or slow as I wish. Ninety nine percent of the problems folks have with these machines is the fact they don't sharpen the bell knife good enough. The other problem is frustration. These machines will drive you to drink if you don't get your "Head"on straight, meaning your human head. LOL OH YES! Proper adjustment. Five to six ounce leather is close to their thickest although I have done two passes on belt leather. Don't get fooled into being able to skiver wide pieces of leather, it ain't gonna happen without one heck of a mess of fiddling . I am not hot on selling my machine but I would sell it to the right person for $1400 plus shipping or you pick it up. The head alone will weigh in excess of 90 pounds. I made a chute for the garbage to drop into a bucket or box, I don't have much dust but that could differ with various leathers. Ferg .

My 29-4. I bought the head then built the table etc. and put a servo on it. Ferg

I have a 29-4 on a new stand with a servo motor I might consider selling. Won't take less than $900 for it.

I have three lower rollers for my CowBoy Skiver, top and bottom feed machine. The one I use most is the concave that matches the roller and knife radius. If you are shopping I am considering selling my machine. Ferg

In comparison to todays Sergers I would think that might make a good Paper Weight. lol Sorry, I couldn't resist. Ferg

You posted this same question several days ago. I have a COWBOY skiver that is a clone of the Fortuna as is the Cobra and Techsew skiver. Cannot vouch for the Cobra or Techsew since I haven't used one. The Fortuna is top of the HILL in skiving machines of this type. Also top of the HILL in cost. My COWBOY is bottom and top feed with a Digital Servo driving it. I have some additional attachments for it also. I bought it new several years ago. Don't use it much since I prefer hand skiving. I would consider selling the unit for $1400. There isn't even a scratch on it, I take very good care of my machinery. That doesn't include crating or shipping to anywhere within the USA.

I am not on the East Coast, Southwestern Ohio. I have a CowBoy Skiving Machine for sale. Interested? PM me please. Ferg

First thought after perusing the photos,"What the heck is anyone going to do with a truckload of old Patchers." I know, some one will think that is a great buy.

FORTUNA is top of the line if you can find a new one or an old one. COBRA, COWBOY, and some others are clones of the FORTUNA. I have a COWBOY for sale that is both top and bottom feed. Perfect condition and there are several feed rollers with the unit. For the CHRISTMAS SEASON I will sell for $1250. You would need to pay the shipping. These things weigh about 90 pounds. Has table and Servo motor that adds more weight to the unit. If interested and need more info just let me know. Ferg

I have a Cowboy skiver I will sell. Top and bottom feed, like new. It is a clone of the Fortuna. Let me know if you want further info. Ferg

Sometimes you can imprint, with an Arbor Press for instance. I believe carving would be a crap shoot although I haven't tried it. Ferg

As Wiz knows, I just built a modern table and stand for my 29-4 with a Servo. Ferg

I have CW-8B. There is no way that machine will sew with 277. If I go 3/8" in thickness it works real hard but really does nicely in most leathers I have used up to and through the 3/8" with 138 thread. I seldom load the bobbin with anything less than top thread. Ferg

Send pix to marion (at)donet.com Thanks, Ferg

This isn't intended to offend anyone. I just thought it appropriate for our time. Subject: Billy Graham and Einstein Billy Graham is now 98 years-old with Parkinson's disease. In January 2000 leaders in Charlotte , North Carolina invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he struggles with Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, 'We don’t expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.’ So he agreed. After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it. The conductor said, 'Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it.' Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his seat for his ticket. The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are; no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I , too, know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going.’" Having said that Billy Graham continued, "See the suit I'm wearing? It's a brand new suit. My children and my grandchildren are telling me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion. You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I'll be buried. But when you hear I'm dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I'm wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am, I also know where I'm going. May your troubles be less, your blessings more, and may nothing but happiness, come through your door. Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point. Ferg Amen and peace, my friends. And may each of us have lived our lives so that when our ticket is punched we don't have to worry about where we are going." Even at his age and with Parkinson's Disease, he could still deliver a powerful sermon.

I think you will find that most folks/men in particular won't give you the correct measurement. lol There are guides for determining the length of belts on-line. I think if you punch the question into Google you will find what you need. You should measure the guys personally or have them remove their belt so you can measure it. Ferg

Only my opinion..... You don't need a patcher. You need a Cylinder Arm machine that either has a removable table or would be easy to make one. Probably looking at $1500 up for the Cylinder machine depending on what thickness you really intend to sew. Ferg

All steel rule is presharpened. Access my post from yesterday for a company that has many types. There are other companies of course, this just happens to be who I use. Ferg

I have access to what is commonly called multiple solid ply Plywood. Apple Ply is one brand name. Steel Rule companies sell backer board that I am sure is perfect, I just happen to have this material available and have no problems with it. You have to remember, I have a large two head CNC Router that I write my own software to make whatever comes to mind. I use router bits that are made to coincide precisely with the different thicknesses of Rule. Steel Rule has to be installed in a backer of some kind. What we call CLICKER DIES are thick steel compared to Steel Rule and they are welded with stiffeners and a variety of other fastenings to ensure they stay true. The router bit depth of cut is set to a precise depth for Steel Rule Dies. The Rule is driven into that groove, that is what holds it true. All joints are welded. I use a wire feed welder. I modified a "Hydraulic Shop Press" from what the original was when I bought it. I use Air-Over-Hydraulic 20 Ton jack in my configuration. If you would happen to have a finger under the unit when it comes down to cut, I am afraid you would have to pick up the piece and sew it back on! LOL To answer your question, Yes I still make my own dies. All of this type of equipment is very expensive. My wife almost flipped out when I told her how much a manually operated bender cost new! I promptly told her I had bought a used one for $300. Ferg

I don't have the link. I just tried to find them with a quick search and find them no more. I questioned them on the shipping cost and got a bunch of "gobble-dee-goop". Decided the best way to approach for someone only wishing to make them for yourself, finding used equipment in good shape was the best way. I got a bender for $300. It had some rust on it which I cleaned up, tore it down and greased well. It works like new. I bought new or refurbished dies, still very expensive, for what I wanted to do. High learning curve, total exasperation at times, but fun to do. The next hardest thing is welding that relatively thin metal. I use #2 rule. Easiest to work with and holds up well. Bought my new product at Ameriken. Communicate with Ann Marie at: AnnMarie@AmeriKen.com> Great Lady to work with. Ferg

Jon, Daughter told me she is so busy with other accounts she wouldn't be able to help you. Sorry! Ferg

Jon, My daughter is a professional designer. She does this kind of work all the time. I have contacted her to see if she is interested in giving you a quote. Will get back to you if her answer is yes. Ferg

Teresa, You can have a two inch circle die made for less than $100. You could cut hundreds of your pieces without more than a touchup on the edge. I make my own Steel Rule Dies but that is another matter. An arbor press will do the job but you need at least a two ton. Your arm will get pretty tired so plan on doing this as you need them. A square piece of steel at least 3/8" in thickness and about one quarter inch larger than your circle. The steel would be square. That gives you more surface area than the ram that comes with the press. Plan on cutting just one thickness at a time. Easier and makes all of them accurate. Also: There are numerous other avenues to take with this if your business warrants that in the future. Ferg