Northmount

Not too bad really! Just accept the learning experience and continue on. If you want, you can beat it up a bit and call it distressed, aged, etc. Now you know that dye can bleed right through the leather. So the best treatment inside may be just to slick the inside with gum trag to lay the fibers down. Or better yet, line it with a thin lining leather like pigskin. Tom

Take a look at this "thread" http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/9223-need-supplier-for-bonded-kevlar-thread/ There are other "threads" here on leatherworker.net if you care to do a search for them. Do a google search with the following search string. "site:leatherworker.net kevlar thread" minus the quotation marks. Restricts the search to this site. Tom

Cut the end off the posts if they are too long. Often giving one heavy wack will bend to one side if not perfectly lined up. Tapping and rotating the tool angle a little may help you. Tom

Needle thread size chart http://www.tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html 16 or 18 for 69 thread Tom

Here are a couple I found. You can do a google search for more. Found some that sell only in lots of 500! That would last forever. http://www.talasonline.com/Ring-Book-Mechanisms https://ohiotravelbag.com/products/item/70d2bb14-d915-47ff-b95e-d4442388697d/BINDER-7 Tom

Used mine a couple weeks ago, had to replace a line on my compressor. I have a newer one that works a little better than the old one. Should dump the old one someday I guess. Tom

For general information. 1 oz = 1/64" and of course there are 25.4 mm per inch. Tom

Bottom item looks an awful lot like half of my copper tubing flaring tool. Check out Bruce Johnson's rein rounders for comparison. https://brucejohnsonleather.com/leather-tools-sale/leather-bench-machines-sale/ Tom

You appear to be USA based. Would be a good idea to add your location to your profile so you can get location specific responses rather then half way around the world from you. Try http://www.texascustomdies.com/products.php for new dies. They have some standard dies, ready made, plus can make any you wish. Tom

Yes, they don't bottom out, letting you cinch down tighter on thinner materials. Tom

Buff it off. Remove the extra pigment from the surface. Next time, preferably before you start putting any finish on top. Tom

Reset the safety clutch Tom

Fingernail polish works to lock the threads too. Tom

Very neat and precise work. Tom

Belts don't need to be really tight. Some users leave some slack so they can use the right hand to slow the machine down somewhat, especially if they are using a clutch motor. A little slack is also good if you happen to pull the needle to one side, breaking it, and causing a jam. Then you don't have to rely as much on the safety clutch to protect your machine. Generally there is enough adjustment on the motor bracket to allow you to tighten the belt as far as needed. If the belt is not the right length, you won't be able to adjust it. Vee belts should not ride on the bottom of the pulley. The top of the belt should generally be flush or nearly flush with the top of the pulley. It is the friction on the sides of the belt that transmit the driving force to/from the pulleys. At the mid point between pulleys, you should be able to depress the belt about an inch with firm thumb pressure. Should not be hard to do. It is not like vee belts driving fans, ac compressor and alternator on a car. They need to be much tighter due to the amount of power they have to transmit. Tom

Strange about receiving emails even though you have configured your profile to not send email. I have the opposite, configured to send me emails for certain cases, never receive any. Login to your profile and give it a fake email address. That should stop them, and you shouldn't be bothered with any more. Worth a try. Tom

Fantastic work! Very well done. Tom

Wood can be quite adequate. A fireplace wood carrier uses 3/4" wood dowel. Carries a very heavy load. 3/8" might do well for a hand bag. Have also seen brass rod used. Tom

Ashley book of knots pdf and other formats at https://archive.org/details/TheAshleyBookOfKnots Tom

Several at: https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/encyclopedia-of-knots-and-fancy-rope-work/ Tom

@Wizcrafts, in case you missed this. Debbie, Are your tension disks clean? Tom

Moved to sewing machines forum. You'll get more information there than under help wanted. Help wanted is like the classifieds help wanted in a newspaper. Tom

Here is another thread / needle chart with some additional information. Includes thread diameter and strength. http://www.tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html Tom

Thanks, moved. Tom

This design is rather large for a coaster. Shrinking it would make some of the detail very fine, which of course would increase the level of difficulty substantially. I would suggest a less complicated design for a coaster. You might look on the web for line drawings, coloring books, and such. Tom