Art

Hi Tk, It appears to be a kind of clone of the Singer 45k which was a very good drop feed machine, except it seems to have reverse, which the 45k did not. A good machine the 45k, a lot of bootmakers use them, the dogs will mark the reverse side if doing multiple layers, grain out on both sides (D&S or Doubled and Stitched). Art

Hi John, Even the Japanese names we know like Consew and Mitsubishi are built in China. Campbell Bosworth, Union, and Randall are all built/refurbished in the US. The Classic by Luberto is also made in the US. All of them absolutely great machines. I have a Campbell and a No.9 (Daddy of the Classic) both are excellent machines. Juki still makes the 441, and I know a few folks who can modify it for leatherwork. Big Adlers are sill being assembled/made in the Czech Republic and sold by Weaver. Anyone else chime in if you know of any. Art

Hi Tom, As you approach the final needle insertion on which you will pivot the turn, stop, raise the presser feet, and lower the needle into the work (by handwheel) at the desired spot, when the needle is in the work a little, lower the presser feet and continue, you'll have a short or long stitch, but you will hit your mark. If I understood what you were getting at. Art

Everybody get oudda da way. Art

My favorite swivel knife is my Bob Beard, and I think his blades are the best around. However Paul Zalesak makes an excellent knife that I like in the small size (diameter) with the aggressive knurl and the big yolk, they are light nimble little things for intricate, tight turn work. On the head knife it is Bill Buchman all the way for me, I have had others and his just work great for me. Of all my Buchmans, his small angled skiving knife gets the most use. We have covered this extensively on the board, with a lot of pictures also, so do searches on head knife and swivel knife and you should find them. Art

Artisan Dave was last logged on last Monday, and Jerry the Wednesday before, so they are here, why not PM them? Art

Hi Shirley, On the used front, a Pfaff 335 or a refurbished Singer 11. On the new side, one of the 441s would also work, and a post machine could also do. As you know, you can do a lot to minimize the effects of machine type during construction by planned construction, but eventually a cylinder arm machine (and I like the small diameter ones even if you have to wind bobbins more often) will make things a lot easier. For screw-ups and repairs the post machine will save a lot of deconstruction. A patch machine, as cantankerous as those things are, can really save the bacon on some constructions and definitely on repairs. Art

Hi Steve, $300 If you just did the motor (get a 550 watt, low speed servo) it is basically a bolt up and maybe a new belt, get the smallest pulley you can (50mm or less) and see if that meets your needs, the motor/speed reducer will require a little work, you may have to relocate the motor and remount both. Motor should be $150-$160. Art

Hi Steve, If in good shape, that is a ok price. It is a flat bed upholstery machine much like the 618 machines that we all know. It is Chinese made and a reliable machine, just make sure it isn't over-used (read ragged-out). It will do 24oz total without mods and may do 32oz with modification. Needle feed, drop feed (compound feed) walking foot, has a quick presser foot height adjustment on the newer ones. Caveat, some of these machines are setup to sew like a bat out of hell, you might want to replace the drive system with a servo and even a speed reducer. Art

Hi Elsa, Since you are 100% service connected disabled, they are not going to go for vocational rehab, but if you can get a p/t counselor or psych to ok physical or mental rehab, then your schooling may be ok through VA, just a thought. Machines, prefaced with you don't NEED any of this, it can all be done by hand with hand tools. Sewing machine 441 heavy duty machine Skiver Top and bottom feed NP-10 type Sewing machine 618 or 226 or 1245 or 545 medium duty machines Clicker 20 ton Strap cutter 5 in 1 or the modern day Tippmann equivalent Buffer (for honing (buffing) knives) Knife sharpener like Tormek Band Splitter Creaser Rivet Setter Spot Setter Strap Edger Snap Setter Semper P, Art

Hi Lui, He left Artisan at the end of February. Has his own company now. Art

Hi Tom, Have you tried the right foot? That and you need to get a slotted plate and lose the feed dogs. That stuff is all 441 hardware and http://www.neelsaddlery.com/ http://www.ferdco.com/ http://www.leathermachineco.com/ will have it in addition to Artisan. I like the harness foot (all of them call it different things) that has a short toe, real short, it allows you to get up close to things. When the feet are down, the front of the outside and inside foot are even with each other. A grinder and a light touch can make almost anything out of the foot with the big thingie on the front that comes with it, unfortunately, it can't make it a right foot. Art

We have covered this over and over. Those home machines on eBay, "Industrial Strength", and "For Leather" will not work for holsters, they are not and never were "for leather" at all. You will need a 441 or 205 short or long cylinder arm machine to do holsters. Hand stitch till you can save up enough to buy one, it will help you save faster. Read the past posts in the Leather Sewing Machine forum and look at the pictures and drool a little, it will help you save faster. Art

No. No. and No. Art

Hi China, I guess terms are the main thing here. I own a 201-2, best little machine Singer made. The 201 will stick a lot of leather together with thread, if that is the definition of sewing. However, doing it properly is another matter. For 32oz of leather, you should be using 277 or 346 thread, there is no way a 201 will handle that properly. That little rotary hook is not really up to 46, much less a rope like 346. Needle sizes are another problem. The proper needle for 1/2" of work would be a 25 or 26 and that is not available for that machine. But lets let everything stand and you sew with small thread and needle. Motors for small machines were 1/10th or 1/16 hp, and developed that at maximum rpm. Sewing at 50spm or so would not be very far up the power curve for those motors, and subsequently would put a lot of strain on the motor and the carbon foot controls of the era. Handwheeling will help a lot, but with time you are going to fry the motor. Used motors for the 201 run around $90. So, save up and get a used 206, 226, or a Pfaff 545 in good shape. Or you can get something new from a dealer for $1100 or so with a speed reducer which is better yet. Art

I have (had) one that the wife confiscated for quilting duties. It is an exceptionally strong machine and would be ok to sew 4oz pieces together. However, those little motors and old carbon foot controls just aren't up to much more than occasional use. Nice little straight line machine that came box stock with almost any attachment you would want, this was the perfect homestead/home machine of it's day. Most home machines are too fast for leather and at slow speed have little or no torque. Art

Tan Kote leaves a shinier finish. Art

With that Navy paint, it looked a lot bigger, you usually see them in black. Leighton's in Alberta is kind of the "expert" on those things, he will have parts also. He gets a pretty good price for a rebuilt one. Art

More like a longarm 7. Art

Hi Catherine, As I remember, American W 45s were left handed with roller feet. I don't know if the Kilbowie 45 singers were the same or not. Most models usually were. Could you post a picture? The serial # will help too. The manual is here: http://parts.singerco.com/IPinstManuals/45W_49W.pdf and the 45K here: http://www.bootmaker.com/45Kmanual.pdf see it they look the same. Art

Hi Tom, I use a fair amount of it, never had to dilute it, it's thin enough as is, I guess if you were going to airbrush it maybe. I just put it in a trigger pump sprayer. Art

Hi Bob, Good BBQ and good fun. They make a great hamburger too, convenient to the community center. Art

Hi Denise, Try this link: http://www.leathercraftersjournal.com/Wickenburg.html I audited a Bob Beard class and a Boot class, which were great. John Bianchi is ALWAYS great, and full. That was about it for me. Art

Paul (Son) and I went to Wickenburg. Long flight in an Airbus (cattle car). Stayed at the Super 8, which was very good. For Breakfast we found: Denny's Cowboy Cafe McDonald's All acceptable with the Cowboy Cafe more acceptable. Lunch: Denny's Cowboy Cafe McDonalds Anita's Cocina Anita's had the best darned Taco ever, Norm and Belinda were gracious. Don't miss this. Dinner: Charlie's Steakhouse Anita's Cocina Others Charlie's is an ok Steakhouse, they have the best Chicken Noodle Soup on the planet, period. However, (now I'm from Maryland) these folks believe that anything as ugly as an oyster, needs to deep fried to the consistency of a hockey puck, might have been a good idea as they were a little old. Stick to the Eastern Seaboard or the upper Northwest when ordering real seafood. Steaks were good, but after the oysters, what isn't. Nightlife: Anita's Cocina La Cabaña Saloon Anita's Little Bar, La Cabaña Big Bar. La Cabaña suited our taste, big horseshoe bar which would have a street address in our neck of the woods, maybe even a zipcode; Eight or so pool tables, Cold, Cold Beer, Great Jukebox and sound system, Karaoke on Thursday Nights, younger crowd, good bartenders, things pick-up around 9pm. Friendly folks. The show is held at the Wickenburg Community Center, right next to the Library, tucked in one street back from Wickenburg Way (Rt 60) behind Anita's and La Cabaña basically. Bob and Lee Douglas were in their own room with a large display of tools. If you are a tool nut like me, avoid this place like the Plague. Ask Bob about any tool, and he will fill you in, not any tool he has there, but any tool on earth. Paul Zalesak was there with his swivel knives, and in addition to teaching a class, was giving lessons at his booth. You could play with any of his knives till you bought one or not. The small diameter knives are particularly attractive (to me) and Paul makes pretty good blades. The knives are so light they accelerate quicker, and the small diameter knives allow you to make sharp turns. Paul also makes different size yolks, the big ones are like Bob Beard's and for guys with big hands, a necessity. These are quality knives, available whatever way you want, even color and knurling, for a respectable price. If Bob Beard makes the Rolls Royce of swivel knives, Paul makes the Ferrari. Paul's daughter and her boyfriend were there working the Chaylor-Fenneli booth for Keith (who was in OZ). They had it all layed-out (better than Keith does sometimes) and were selling very well, good job! Folks were buying liners and getting exotics from Ron down at Hidecrafters and then sewing them together at the LMC Cobra booth on the Class 17 machine. 69 thread would have made a nicer job, but they only had 138. My son Paul forged on with it anyway and finished a few. Aaaaahhh, the sweet smell of Master's. Steve Tayrien of the Leather Machine Company had a small array of machines at the show. In addition to the Class 3 and Class 4 machines (441 9" and 441 16.5") he had the NP-10 top and bottom feed skiver and a Class 17 machine. I had a lot of time to play with both of those, and believe me, the NP-10 top and bottom feed skiver is the second machine you should have in your shop after a sewing machine, possibly even the first (depending on what you do), with this puppy, what takes a few minutes normally, takes seconds; it is on my list. The Class 17 is a drop feed, walking foot machine sewing anything from 46 to 138 thread. It has some cool features, the presser foot lift, in addition to a knee lift, is on the front of the machine instead of the normal place (near the presser foot). While this bugged me at first, I quickly got used to it, but I mostly use the knee lift. The other feature, I've only seen it on more expensive machines, is an on the fly presser foot adjustment right on the front of the machine (it is a dial), if you are coming to a seam bump or something you want to "step-up" to, you can crank up the lift, and climb up. It works, not just a gadget. The whole thing is under $1200. Luke and Vandy from Sheridan Leather Outfitters were there with a pile of leather. A lot of wool shearling and some knock-out Angora hides, which their little Jack Russell just loved to use for a quick rest. His bad luck, they all went by the end of the show, they had some great prices. They are great people to work with, don't be afraid to call them and ask for anything, they know the business and if they don't have it, they won't be afraid to tell you where to get it. Tandy was there, can't remember if it was the Tempe or one of the Phoenix stores. Get to know your local manager, they are usually pretty good folks and a real resource (after leatherworker.net of course) for information and product. Hidecrafter is back in a big way. I spent a lot of time talking to Eric and Ron both before, during, and after the show; can you say La Cabaña Ron? Their new website will be up soon, and they are focusing on better quality product for serious leatherworkers. If you are looking for higher quality hardware, or good looking exotics, or just good leather, give Ron a call. Hidecrafter is sponsoring a beginning saddlemakers course that Carl Suvaco will teach. This is a basics up course and will put you in shape to take intermediate courses. Additionally, they are making course plans that everyone will like, it is a little ways off, but not that far. They are also making plans on the Video front, some real good videos, modern equipment, energetic instructors, and very interesting topics. Hidecrafter is not letting grass grow under their feet, I expect some really good things in the future. Jim Downey was there with the best roo lace on earth and his beveling tools. As always, he had some fine lace and rawhide work there also. Son was interested and Jim gave him some info. Bob Beard was these with the standard setup, if you get to Bob early at a show (first day, o'light30) you'll get to pick from the tools Bob brought with him, no wait, you take it home with you. If you want something special, and it will be special, it will take a year. You won't get billed till it's in the mail. Bob is a great person and fun to talk with. Barry King attended with a large compliment of stamping tools, and his Mauls & Mallets, Swivel Knives and blades, Stylus' (Styli?), Slickers, and you have to try his edgers, they are exceptional. There isn't anything you don't want in that booth. Gomph-Hackbarth was there with the 1018 tools, if you don't have the basic set for $145, then you are missing an exceptional deal, their other tools are higher cost, but again exceptional quality. Jeremiah Watt was there with all that is Jeremiah Watt, a very costly booth for me to enter. Just a plain ranch saddle goes for about $4900, and his tools are just beautiful. Ron Edmonds was there with everything edging and a few other things like slicking aids. I have about everything he makes except horn and cantle binding edgers (trimmers), and I can't fault any of it. Pricey but worth it. Like most of the quality guys, buy it from him, you won't have to buy it again. Hermann Oak, Wickett and Craig, Thoroughbred Leather and others were there and I talked to all of them. I think I came away with one thing when talking to all of them. It is extremely important to tell them exactly what you need and/or what you are going to use it for. If someone is dissatisfied with their product, it is usually because they didn't get what they wanted, and that was probably because you didn't communicate what you wanted or the person taking the order was on planet Zorbous. Please understand that the leather that is on sale, might not be quite as good as the leather that is full price. Both HO and W&C have samples and freely distribute them, they want to put these in your hands, call them. Chuck Smith was there with the Ole Smoothie and other tools, reasonable tool, but try before you buy. Artisan was there with quite a few machines. They had some remarkable pricing, and I hope someone took advantage of it. David and Dot Reis put on a really great little show. I know I missed a few vendors, but I didn't take notes or pictures so the little gray sells had to hold up their end of the bargain the best they could. I did remember where I spent money though. Art

Hi Wolf, They all pretty much do that, just no way to fix one. Art