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Northmount

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Everything posted by Northmount

  1. Leather Machine Company, Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines and Techsew as advertisers here (see top banner ads). Plus, Gregg at Keystone Sewing and Dan at Campbell-Randall are contributing dealer-members. Techsew is in Montreal. Most dealers also have used machines, depending on recent trades or acquisitions. Edit: Give them a call so you can discuss. Tom
  2. It would probably help if you gave some information about your machine. Make, model. Check the banner ads at the top of the page. One is in Montreal. Not real close, but avoids shipping your machine to USA if you need to ship to a dealer. Tom
  3. You need to clean, remove the waxes and other finishes and use a spirit type dye. EcoFlow is water based and will not likely soak into the leather. For cleaning, use a deglazer. There are other threads here about using deglazers and what they are made of. So do a search for them. Tom
  4. ClayB, a member here does embossing and has a couple tutorials. Look at the open mouth bear and at the buffalo. http://badlandsleatherart.com/BadlandsLeatherArtTutorials.html http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=62 Tom
  5. Read post #127, and other subsequent posts. Always a good idea to read the last few posts in a long thread like this. Tom
  6. See this thread http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=53760&hl=aerostitch Tom
  7. I gather you like thin soles. Thin wears out faster. If you put thicker soles on, they will be stiffer and not have the flexibility that you appear to need. Tom
  8. Take a couple photos, back of the head, top of the head, and post so someone that knows the machine can point to the adjustments. Tom
  9. Buy Methyl Hydrate at your paint/lumber store. Low cost, 1 gallon / 4L size. Works well for thinning alcohol based dyes. Tom
  10. 3x12x18" http://www.busybeetools.com/products/SURFACE-PLATE-12IN.-X-18IN.-X-3IN..html surfacing granite at Busybee. Tom
  11. All great comments. For those that use 2" straps with 2" spacing, now I see why so many butt cracks are visible, and why so many dogs squeeze out of their collars. Tom
  12. I agree LEDs are too expensive yet. Colour is improving, but the ones I've seen are not for me! You need to test them (or any others you are considering) to determine if their colour rendition is suitable for you and the type of work. Especially when trying to determine the colours of dye and how they appear. Tom
  13. You can get various types of lamps to suit your preferences. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) are available in warm, daylight, and one that has a distinctly blue cast which I can't stand. Good old tungsten lamps are yellowish, but we are accustomed to that so think it is relatively normal. I use OTT-Lite. Have a desk and floor lamp with daylight type bulbs in them. I find them to be quite helpful for my work, including doing paperwork. http://www.ottlite.com/ They are available in most big box stores. They have bulbs/lamps that fit regular bases too. Tom
  14. Here are a couple patterns: http://leatherworker...=15#entry205112 http://www.classicbe...letpatterns.pdf Do a search here or a google search for wallet patterns and you will find more. Tom
  15. Note that Coach uses a clamp-on buckle, so no skiving, no fold. If the buckle is put on as soon as the belt is cut to length, then the threads will be clamped as well (assuming the clamp is full belt width). So the threads shouldn't unravel. The keeper just slides on. You could put a rivet in it or a couple stitches by hand. Tom
  16. Was the leather wet when you sewed it? Kind of looks like the leather was quite soft. Is the leather from the belly? Also, are you using a leather point needle? Possible that your top and bottom tensions are too tight. They do appear to be balanced, so if you reduce the bottom tension, you will have to reduce the top as well. Tom
  17. If you saturate it with neatsfoot oil, it will never dry out and will be mushy. Apply sparingly and wait 8 hours or more. Tom
  18. No reason one way or the other. If you are used to running an electric machine slow enough to go around corners, I'd go electric. They both do the same thing. Tom
  19. Yes, do a few test pieces first to see if your tension needs adjustment, then adjust as needed to place the knot in the middle. Tom
  20. When doubling up the leather to make it thicker or for lining on curved objects, don't lay out flat and glue. Use contact cement, start at one edge and "roll" (form the curve) as you are gluing it together. And yes, the inside circumference is less than the outside circumference, so you have to make adjustments to the length. If it is the inside diameter that is critical, then add more length to the outside layer and vice-versa. Check your dimensions by fitting pieces together dry (no glue) with the final curve or shape in mind. The glued together layers will hold the shape and can tolerate some change in the bend radius without forming wrinkles. Tom
  21. Read post #127, and other subsequent posts. Always a good idea to read the last few posts in a long thread like this. Tom
  22. Take a look at how Nigel does the He has more videos as well.Tom
  23. The only reason I suggested leaving the spots off, was so you would have a nice flat surface to lay your ruler on as a cutting guide. If you are making several of this design you could make a cutting guide to fit with them. I would fully assemble the straps, glued, sewen, etc. before I trimmed the edges, then bevel the edge and do your edge treatment. Tom
  24. Hard spots in the leather, or the dye beginning to soak through from the back. Try leaving a sample in the dye longer to see if it all turns darker more evenly, or pull it out sooner before it has soaked through. These are guesses so you'll have to try another experiment! Tom
  25. Do the trimming before you put the rivets in. Then hold a metal ruler down tight or clamp it and cut both the leather and the lining at the same time. Make your pieces a little larger so you have some space to trim off. Tom
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