Northmount

Try an open end wrench to measure the size. (As long as it hasn't been sprung.) It won't give you measurements to a thousandths of an inch. but will at least give you size to 1/16" (or mm if you use metric). Tom

I'm thinking that an 18" tray will be kind of floppy if you attempt to pick it up off the coffee table with anything much in it. Consider using a piece of plywood. Cover it with leather on both sides, glued in place. Cut a strip 2" or so wide. Glue and nail it to the plywood with upholstery tacks. Something like this would give you lots of options for decoration too. Inside could be tooled/stamped. Top edge of the side could be laced. Side could be double layer so the grain side shows on both inside and outside. Might have to try this myself for a fun project! Tom

IP address indicates "Palau" as his location. I would recommend that all members of Leatherworker.net update their profiles to show their location so they can get more relevant information from those that are responding to their posts. You might even find someone near your location that you can work with or visit. Tom

You could try placing a piece of card stock (or what ever cardboard you think may be the right thickness) over the stud first, then place the bur and peen it. Then cut the card stock right up to the bur, pull as much off as possible, and pick out the rest with an awl or other thin pointed tool, like a craft knife blade. Be careful in peening as too much/too tight, will make it harder to get the card stock out. A scrap piece of hard thin leather might be better, at least it has some fibres to hold it together. You maybe able to make a relief cut on one side of the hole in the scrap to make it easier to pull and work it out. Experiment on some scrap first! Tom

100 grit sand paper will work. Doesn't make deep gouges, so should not show through thin leather. Just needs to get rid of the real smooth/glossy surface. Tom

Are you gluing to a smooth shiny surface? Most glues/contact cements don't adhere well to such surfaces. Smooth surfaces need to be roughened up to provide a "tooth" for the glue to hang onto. I've used water-based contact cement to cement kydex (smooth) to leather. Just roughened it up and have had no problems. Other solvent based contact cements work well too. Tom

Clean it outside, don't let the mildew and any possible mold spores contaminate other leather. Clean the shed out well too. Bleach will work on the shed. Tom

Make sure you keep your work piece flat on the table. If you lift the outside edge, bottom stitch will move towards the edge. I've learned the hard way! I assume you are also using an edge guide to help follow the edge too. If not, it helps most of the time. Tom

OP advised that this item is no longer listed for sale. Tom

If you get any iron/steel filings on veg tan leather, when wet it will react with the tannin in the leather producing blue/grey/black spots. You can bleach it out with oxalic acid or with lemon juice. Make sure to keep metal working operations away from your leather. I saw a comment a few days ago about some leather being contaminated before you get it. So that is another possible. Tom

Did you take a photo with your smart phone? Tell us how you did it and we might be able to help get it uploaded a little larger. Tom

Here is one thread with some info. http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/78562-glueing-large-areas/?tab=comments#comment-525042 Do a google search like this "site:leatherworker.net 3M adhesive" without the quotes and you will find many posts. Tom

Tons of posts here about making and using vinegaroon. Do a search, too many for me to list! The product of the reaction between vinegar (acid) and iron will react with the tannins in veg tanned leather to turn the leather blue/grey/black depending on various factors. It is not a dye, so there is no chance of it rubbing off onto your nice white shirt. Tom

If the vinegaron is still working (vinegar and steel wool still reacting), don't seal the lid. Else if it decides to blowup, you will have a mess to clean up. Tom

Butch's zip files copied to a PDF. DR Bag.pdf Parts available at Ohio Travel Bag. https://ohiotravelbag.com/ Tom

As above, and gaps between the table and the feed plate. The feed plate is flat too. This would really help keep the material you are sewing flat and allow you to do a better job. Tom

Are you using the same type thread on top and bottom? If not, one could be cutting the other. This is just a guess. Tom

Welcome Judith. You should add your location to your profile so people know where you are so those that are local to you can respond. It appears you are in Willis Michigan according to your IP address. Tom

You can limit google searches to a particular site by using a search string like: site:alibaba.com metal bag tags The site:xxxx.xxx is what restricts the search to the site. Tom

I knew I had seen it and couldn't find it. Then looked through notes and photos I had saved for reference and found the url. Just lucky! Tom

You need fairly strong magnets to hold through 2 layers of leather separating the magnets. I have found 5/8" diameter and about 1/8" thick. http://www.kjmagnetics.com/ has lots of information available for holding strength and applications. (As well as selling them for what I considered to be reasonable prices, even considering shipping and import fees to Canada.) Using a single magnet and piece of sheet steel for the opposite flap doesn't have the holding power you want. On a small purse flap, had to go back in and add 2 mating magnets to the original 2. You can pull apart an old case and salvage the magnets if you have one laying around, or go to a goodwill store. Tom

I assume you saw this thread http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=278#entry297272 I've been thinking of doing something like the table in her post March 28, 2013 Tom

You don't show the top guide post in your threading pics. If you take a wrap through it, you can further increase top tension. Too small a needle in tough leather makes it hard to pull the knot up into the leather. Where it was doing fine in textile material with 69 thread, it would appear that the combination of thread, needle size and leather you are sewing is at the root of the problem. Try going up to a larger needle size so there is a bigger hole to pull the knot up into the leather. I imagine you have read a number of posts about bobbin and top tension, so you already know that you don't want much tension on the bobbin. Should be easy to pull the thread from the bobbin. Tom

Why? Hard to reach over the Christmas / New Years break? Or do you know something the rest of us don't? Try https://www.leathermachineco.com/ Phone number listed at the top. Tom

You should show us your thread path from spool to the needle as well. It is critical to being able to adjust the top tension. Tom