catskin

I had much the same problem with some $75.00 Tandy thread. Heres what I did, first I sprayed silicone on the spool and let dry, that helped until the part that got silicone was used up, so had to respray. Now the best solution is just run that thread on the bottom, mine never gives trouble on the bottom.

The sarcastic was, Get to town often. I have spent my life working cattle with horses so no I am not in town often. I am not a hoses trader!!! I have only bougt a few in my life maybe 5 I raised and trained many. Clearly your life and mine are and have been very different lets just leave it at that. My comment about the halter should have read that it would in my opinion be better refered to as a ornamental halter as compared to a using one.

I answer your sarcastic question with an honest one of my own. How many horses have you taken from never having been touched by a man and trained them to the point that almost every person that knows how to ride wanted to buy them? And how many days have you spent 14 hours in the saddle? . But then I am talking about WORKING ranch type horses not some walk down a trail for an hour type. As for your rope halter it might be fit for a pet horse that never pulls. But I have seen to many self declared know it alls do very serious harm to a green horse by tying them with these knoted ropes. Now I know why those are called BLOOD knots. You are right on one thing they do cut in deeply in very sensitive areas on the horse and do draw BLOOD.. But I am convinced you have never seen a real bronc halter. So how would you know the difference.

What on earth are rhythm beads? I've worked with horses for near 60 years and never heard of them. I think what you are calling a BRONCO halter is just a light knoted rope halter with some leather hung on the nose band it sure doesn't look like it would stand snubbing a bronco with.

OR, it could possibly be some cheap offshore import tanned with some unknown chemical. Also leather tanned with alum ( aluminum sulphate ) will be blue grey inside and stiff as well as resisting water. If it is alum tanned it will have very little stretrch and will be tough ( meaning will not wear out quickly ) Reading on here a person could easily get the idea that veg and chrome are the only ways leather is tanned , NOT SO there are a lot of different things used in tanning. That is why for example latigo from one tannery may differ from that from another tannery. While one may add some alum to the chrome process another might add some veg tan and both still be considered LATIGO. Leather from some countries is tanned using only URINE.

One option not yet mentioned is a used refurbished machine from one the these dealers. I do believe they all sell GOOD used machines. Maybe no more than a new mahine that is to light.

As for different tools most cutting tools for leather are not suited to Bio. Bio. is mostly cut with heat and also bonded (often refered to as welding ) with heat and special machines. If you were to check out Aaron Martin harness website you would get some idea of the machines used to work with Bio. Bio. can be sewn but in my opinion the stitches do not set well, it is hard and the stitches sit on top rather then pulling down flush with the surface like they do on leather or non coated nylon. I have 3 machines including a Cowboy sew 4500 , they will all sew Bio. but I don't lke the look of the job they do. This why I said you are either working with a plastic or a leather. Clearly Bio has it place it is a strong man made material. I am sure you know that you can not stamp, carve, split, skive or mold Bio. So from my limited experiance with Bio. your sewing machine might be near the only thing that works with both, even so you will likely have to make adjustments when changing from one to the other. These are just MY opinions others may differ.

My point being what works on one may not work on the other. Different tools and machines may be needed. The statement was getting into leather primarily BIOTHANE thus my point they ARE different.

Biothane is NOT leather. It is plastic coated nylon webbing, there is NO similaritys . I tried it and my experiance is hard to sew even on a new machine, the stitches sit on top of the material and will wear off easily. So either you are getting into plastics or leather they are NOT one and the same.

Try this put items in a large bag with some charcoal briquets like you would use to barbique. We had a musky smell in our basement after flooding and putting a open bag ( small bag ) down there in about 2 days NO smell. After all they use activated charcoal to get rid of oders even in drinking water at water treatment plants.

ATTN. Canadians If you haven't found buffing compounds yet check Princess Auto they have several grits listed in the catalog. I haven't been to the city since I found it in the catalog but will be buying some next time I get to Princess Auto.

I quess I won't be owning that ULS at least not today. Looked at it and while I have no doubt I could make it sew we didn't agree on price. I told him what I would pay, he knows where to reach me if he changes his mind. It does have the tools, 4 bobbins , edge guide,some extra parts and the book. But looks dirty inside and out. He whats $300.00 more then he paid for it and has done nothing to improve it.

Got mine for a bit less so guess I did okay.

Thanks Bruce. The one I just bought is exactly the same as the one just sold with picturers on the braiding froum. I haven't learned yet how to post pictures so if you would look at that one and tell me what model it is I would be greatful. The one I've had longer has knobs the you can set separately on the roller so I guess it could skive to.

What is the difference between a pull through skyver and a pull through splitter? I have one that has the roller above the knife and as best as I can explain a piece of springy sheet metal in front of the knife to hold the leather up to feed under the roller and into the knife. The roller swings away from the knife to let you start the leather under. Yesterday I bought a machine that has the roller below the knife and the knife at the top on this one the roller is spring loaded. I have always thought of the first one as a splitter and the woman I bought the one from yesterday called that one a skyver. Am I right? They both appear able to do the same job. Neither has any maker mark, both are old but well made.

I am NOT asking you to spend time or money trying to modify your machine in order to get answers for my questions. I only expected you to look at your machine to see if you thought there was room for the modifications to be done. But thank you for all the advice you have given me.

The problem I have with the machines I have is getting the last few stitches near rings where the leather is doubled back. The traces I sew are 2 ply that amounts to about 1/2 inch but when I turn the ends back so there is 2 ply through the rings after skiving a slope I can still end up with near an inch for the last few stitchs. This is where I wondered if the ULS could be made to do that thick for a short distance. Maybe I am thinking something that can't be done. I would also slow the machine down to a crawl to make control easier and near eliminate heat buildup.

I surely would not want you to try to modify your machine just to see if it could be done. What I was wondering is if you thought the awl and needle would be long enough for that thick of leather in the event someone like me was to try making a foot a looper and guide that would let that much leather pass under and still make the stitch. For example would the barb on the needle clear the leather so as to allow it to hook the thread.

I am sure no expert but if it was me I would contact the place you got the leather . They should know what is in it. Maybe even send them a scrap of it so they can see if it is the leather or something it came in contact with.

Thanks Wiz If I read this right this is with the STANDARD parts. Or is this test done with your customized parts? Does it look to you like the awl and needle could handle another 1/8 or 3/16 inch if a person was able to customize the other parts to clear and still work?

Tree reaper, Yes there is a definite advantage to having the table. While I haven't used mine much I would be looking at making one if I didn't have it. My wife used it when she sewed my elk hide vest. You will find it very handy if you sew pieces more than 4 inchs wide or soft things, it keeps them from hanging of the end and tending to pull the work so you get crooked stitch lines. Phone Bob he will surely send you the other bolt.

One of the people on here mentioned sewing 1 inch stuff on his ULS. So my question is with the right customized parts how thick can they been made to sew? An inch, 1 1/4 or ? Am I nuttyer than a tree full of squirrels to even think of buying a ULS since I already have a CB 4500?

You MIGHT have to make a small notch on the bottom of the table to go around the thumb screw that holds a cover on the lower front of the machine. I had to, but maybe the person doing the router work just sneezed when they were doing mine. It would not go on otherwise.

I am wondering who besides Tandy sell a hand operated press and dies to set hollow rivets, spots, and punches holes? Or anybody got a used one they will sell. They don't weigh so much, so shipping might not break my bank. Tandy is 300 miles and they may not have them in stock anyway.

Thanks Trox. This one tough old machine I replaced the leather belt drive with a chain by doing a little machineing to mount sprockets and made a speed reducer now it wil start off through 7/8 inch hard leather like its not there. No belt slipping like there was.