Northmount

Sketch out a rough draft of what you want to see, then take a look at different font and alphabet patterns to see which comes close to what you have in mind. If you are good with a computer graphics program, you can try overlaying images captured from various sources to see what it looks like instead of doing a lot of hand sketching. I have scanned a few alphabet patterns so I can copy single letters at a time, size them, rotate them and overlay on top of the main object. Tom

Dwight's comment about shaping the fold around a small dowel makes a lot of difference. It's the real secret of the process. If bent back tight with nothing inside the fold, the outside fibers are really being stretched. Had the same thing happen on a wallet a while back. It's important to avoid folding and pressing as if it was a piece of paper. Tom

The site is just going through a complete upgrade, so have patience with its behavior for a bit. Lots of great information and people here. Thanks for adding your location to your profile. Tom

Still lots of glitches being worked on. These ones have been reported. Tom

Last time the OP was on the site was 8 Dec 2013. Not too likely that this is available or that you will get a response. Tom

You might like to let people know where you are located. China, Australia, Europe .... including state and city/town would be very helpful. Tom

These photos were taken in a saddle sales shop and show the difference between stamping before and after wet molding. They back up Bob's comments. If you don't want to loose definition, stamping has to be done after molding. Of course you can prove it to yourself by trying both ways. Look at the swells versus the skirts in both saddles. Tom

Let's keep in mind that there are under 18 year old members of the forum. Keep it family rated unless you want to move it to the adult section. There is nothing wrong with having some light hearted fun. Tom

Take a look at Jim Milan's Bucket List Jazz Band on YouTube. These guys are all over 75. Jim is my father's cousin and if I remember right, over 90. Also on Facebook Not exactly Big Bands, but great music you don't see very often today. Tom

The thread needs to be between the tension disks, else you have no control of the tension. Tom

Patterns and Templates Forum You can do searches here, see upper right of your screen, or do google searches for leather purse or wallet patterns. Some fabric patterns are good too depending on what you want. Tom

Try here Tom

Welcome to the forum. If you post your sewing machine questions in the sewing machine forum, you'll get the experts' attention much sooner. I thought about moving this thread, but then decided after all that it is your introduction, and I should keep it here. Tom

Should post in sewing machines. I'll move it for you. Help wanted is like the newspaper, people hiring or wanting to be hired. Tom

Picture?

Fantastic work. Keep it up. We love to see it. Tom

Interesting, set into a workmate bench. Folds up out of the way for storage. Tom

Nice job Tom

Yes, if you want the impressions to be deep enough and to stay. The right amount of moisture also helps to get the nice darkening or burnishing that you usually want. Tom

Nice job. Tom

I am very familiar with this style of button. Have it on a purse, used to hold a flap closed, and no problem un-rolling in 5 years. Check out "Plate 108 Roll Button" page 273 in the Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding by Bruce Grant. You just go through the slits in the mounting location just before you pull it through the roll to secure it. Only trouble I have had with it is someone decided they had to unroll the button to open the flap instead of simply pulling the retaining loop over the button to release it. Some things are just too hard for others to comprehend. Tom

Cut 2 slits in the leather where you want to attach the button, then pull your strap through the slits before you pull it through the slit or hole in the roll, so goes between your step 3 and 4. Tom Edit You could rivet the strap where it passes through the 2 slits, would make it more secure and less likely to come apart.

Handles made of pressed metal always failed for me. Finally bought a rotary punch with solid steel handles. They don't squash! You'll either pay for one incrementally in replacements, or just go get the right one first off and ultimately save more. Just keep the web between your thumb and finger out of the hinge area anytime you release your grip! It pinches and ... Tom

The capacitor with its winding shifts the phase angle of the magnetic field, so that 2 rotating magnetic fields are produced in the stator and pulls the rotor around, causing it to rotate. If this cap and winding are not energized, the motor can start in either direction, or sometimes just sit there and hum. The cap and winding are commonly referred to as the starting winding. If the capacitor is faulty, or the circuit is broken anywhere between its terminals, it won't start reliably. If you have an ohm meter, you can test the continuity of the winding and its connections. Power must be off for this test, or you'll let the smoke out of your meter. The resistance should be relatively low, probably less than 50 ohms. You may be able to test the capacitor with the ohm meter too if it is an analog type, moving needle, not digital display. With the ohm meter set on the highest resistance range, you may see the needle kick upscale and then settle back to infinite resistance. What you see is the charging current. If you reverse your ohm meter connections, you may see the needle kick to a higher value, then settle back again. You just discharged and charged the capacitor in the opposite direction. If the meter behaves like this, you can be reasonably sure the capacitor is working. If not, the test may be inconclusive, but tends to indicate the capacitor is faulty. Capacitors may have some leakage current, which is normal, so the ohm meter may not settle at infinity, but should settle at a high value of resistance. Or instead of trying to test the capacitor, just go buy a new one, assuming you have tested the start winding and found it to be okay. During your tests, for each component, no other components should be connected to the one you are trying to test. Tom Edit I see Art has posted as I was typing this up. I agree with him. Up to you as to whether you can do any testing, safely.

Brushes on a clutch motor? Take it back. You've been lied to and conned, either by the seller or her service technician! Tom