Art

What weight is the leather? I have found that 6/7 from HO is generally struck all the way through and I have some 6oz WC harness that was struck through. Heavier 11oz WC I have found with undyed center, no problem, I dye or paint the edges anyway, but if I tooled dyes leather it might concern me. I have found heavier HO to be struck all the way through. I would be hard pressed to say which company is better. Did you have any special treatment to the back like gummed back? This can be a little tougher to cut, however my knives generally cut both rather easily, sometimes a hard spot up in the neck/shoulder area on thicker hides. Art

The ls-321 is a medium duty machine similar to the Artisan/Highlead 618 except that it has a cylinder arm. In good condition this is a great little machine and can be had for around $500 or so and is a good deal at that price. For me, it would not do the trick for holsters because I do a lot of heavy work, but it would be ok if I kept the welt thickness down. I do a lot of Doubled and Stitched, and some welted main seams get pretty big. The LS-321 does have a cylinder arm which is a big plus with holsters. This machine might do it for you, and if the price is right then get it and get something bigger if you need it. Any sewing machine is better than no sewing machine. Art

Bill Buchman, Bend Oregon Bill Buchman's number direct is 541-382-8851. Order direct from him (instead of Big Sky) if you want a smaller handle that is better when you "palm" the knife. Art

Hi Kate, I still have a problem with being called a cheater. I snipe and auto bid, I put my maximum price in the auto bid, I win or I lose, I don't cheat. Art

No, it's too much, Art

Probably one of the better needle feed jump foot machines, but for that price you could buy 7 or 8 Ferdinand 900s and just pile them in the corner if they stopped working. I've noticed a few folks asking outrageous prices for classic machines and they may be targeting the naive consumer, you know, it weighs as much as my car, why should it cost any less? Art

Hi Bill, I think a couple of minutes is excessive, but one minute or even 30 seconds would be fair. If two bidders start going at it at the end two minutes might be boring. But your idea sure makes it like a real auction, open till someone wins. Then the only thing you have to address is the folks who put auction closes in the middle of the night. I don't know if closing after the last bid would change much though, I do everything on auto, I put in what I will pay max and let the eBay computers bid for me; you gotta trust eBay on that one, but I've never been screwed. Art

Hi Tiffany, Steve should probably answer this, but I would buy the back if I needed the length. Real English Bridle is quite pricey so I would get in touch with Siegel and tell them what your application is so they can tell you what to buy. There is really no use in overbuying quality if it is not needed. Art

2nd Greatest, let's give John his due. Art

Snowmane? Still cool. Art

Hi Kate, What is sniping? Bidding at the last minute? I just can't see how that is cheating. That is like casinos considering card counting cheating. If God gives you the brains or drive to do something legal, why not? I think the eBay format where the auction is open for 5 or more days causes the sniping. In a real auction, decisions are made and it is all over in a minute at most. In an eBay auction, it is also over in about a minute too, the last minute of a seven day auction. The fact that all the action takes place in the last minute makes it like a real auction, that is how a real auction works. Now if you don't want to play in the auction format, there are the eBay stores or any of a multitude of other Internet and non-Internet channels to move the goods. eBay puts a lot of eyes on the merchandise which makes it a sandbox a lot of folks want to play in; it's eBay's sandbox and we all should play by their rules. There are a lot of things Baaaad about eBay, but playing by the rules ain't one of them. There are however a lot of folks that really cheat the eBay system, and eBay itself does a terrible job of policing them, probably because eBay is not the one being cheated or hurt. Art

Hi Pat, A good mechanic will learn by the three step system. 1. Watch one. 2. Do one. 3. Teach one. If you can't do number one, then the manual becomes helpful, usually takes a little longer without it because you have to get inside the head of the guy who designed it. The current state of our educational system attests to the fact that 80% of our teachers never do 1 or 2. Art

Hi Kevin, The stand is still there and open during the summer and now has a crab truck usually on duty there, got laid at both the Super Chief and the ABC which are gone, houses and a shopping center on the SC for 30 years now and the ABC will be a strip mall, they closed Glen Echo before they closed Marshall Hall, they still have a few things at Glen Echo because it is a Nat Park, the Crystal Pool is in ruin and half filled with sand, no rides. Marshall Hall is back to nature, they burned down the mansion 10 or more years ago. To know that you have to have 60 in the windshield or the rear view mirror. Art

Hi Skip, You're saying those two mailboxes are huddling together to stay warm? Art

Hi Kevin, The Schmetz website is probably the best resource although the website is a bugger to navigate. If you just need to know what needle system to use for what machine, call them or email them and give them the most complete model number you have. Once you know the system you can get a list of the needle points and sizes by application from the website. Art

Hi Skip, They really aren't that complicated, especially the stuff we use, the threads are huge compared to the home sewing and embroidery world and the tolerances are correspondingly large, also they are easier to work on because of the larger sizes and it's easier to see in there. Working on a big stitcher is kind of like working on a Toyota engine. Needle and Awl machines can push the envelope a little, but you just have to think carburetors an no computers, they do everything with mechanical timing, not tension. Most of the threaded needle stuff hasn't changes since the 1900s when they switched from real shuttles to rotary. Like any engine, timing can make it run or not run. All the home stuff is electronic now but they are still sewing machines, just the needle deflection and feeds are computer controlled, boards and solenoids aren't too complicated though. I love the old Elna SUs where they controlled all that with cams and leavers. If you need to take it to a sewing machine repair, just make sure the mechanic is over 50. Art

Hi Ed, It is probably the same thing with needle systems. They mean something to somebody probably long dead. The system variously designated 7x3, 794, DYx3, and Canu 53:20 are the same basic system and should be called a 2.50x60.00 then add some letters for the other stuff like tip type and orientation. Then folks say how about all the 2.00 stuff, well there are few diameter x length duplicates there but when there are you could use a 100th of a mm on either side of the true length to fix that, and it wouldn't affect the operation of any machine I know of if they actually manufactured a needle 100th of a mm too long; for instance: Our old friend the 135x17, DPx17, 2167, SY3355, Canu 37:20 could be called the 2.00x39.00 with a bunch of letter designations for tip and orientation, and, the infamous TVx3, DVx43, 149x3, 149x31, SY3651, Canu 38:00 could be called the 2.00x39.01 with a bunch of letters. The DBx1 would end up with a bunch of different systems because the diameter is different on so many of them, but with any good system there are exceptions. Problem is, there is no agreed upon standards organization and nobody gives a hoot anyway. Art

Hi Skip, The needle system defines the two critical dimensions (the diameter of the shank and the distance from butt to eye) and roughly defines the type of blade, including the eye and point. There are about 5 different "systems" from Singer to Canu with additional letters or numbers to designate point types or orientations of the particular system. A few different systems are 135x17, and its "twin" 135x16, 794, 190, 328, 13435, 7x3, and 332 that are used by popular threaded needle machines. Size is generally the diameter of the needle in any of the above systems. The size is usually specified in Singer or nm or both as in the following: Singer/Metric (Needle Size Reference table) S nm 7 55 8 60 9 65 10 70 11 75 12 80 14 90 16 100 18 110 19 120 20 125 21 130 22 140 23 160 24 180 25 200 27 250 Art

Pat, what machine do you have? Is your machine luggable? Steve from Artisan told me at a show that he would help anyone from leatherworker.net with ANY machine. You may be able to call him and get a quick fix. It sounds like you are not indexing the hook correctly. You just need to lineup the hook to the needle, if you change anything else it can put the feed out of time, not a tragedy but a different can of worms. The fix is simply putting the hook back where you found it. Specs barra gave you are good for most medium duty machines so just line up the hook so it matches those. Art

Hi Regis, Sand the back a little (only if it's raggy) and then Use Gum Tragacanth. You can get it from the tanner that way (HO is called "Moss Back" and W&C is called "Gummed Back") for a little extra. Art

Hi Bill, They're still trying ever so hard to get us (US) to go metric. They've almost done it with size, I still think in Singer and order in metric. Damned foreigners. Artisan has SAE screws in their big machines, but the medium machines (797, 618) are all metric. Course if I had it my way they would be still be using the Whitworth system (remember the MGA and Bugeye Sprite, and the 3000 Healey?). Art

DPx17 and 135x17 are essentially the same system, DPx1 and 135x1 are also about the same. 135x17 is a size often used for fabric/canvas etc and usually needle points are for fabric. 135x16 is available in various leather points. 135x16 interchanges with 135x17 but sometimes timing can be different, usually not enough to make a difference so lets say they interchange. There are many machines out there in 135x17/16 needle systems and they are excellent for the purposes you intended. This system is popular on new as well as older machines. If you see a 190 needle system, this is what Pfaff uses, like I have said before, nothing fits a Pfaff but Pfaff. This is also a medium duty system and would be excellent for your needs. I hope this clears things up. Art

For that kind of money I hope it had a Rigidair system attached! Art

Hi roo, I get vet meds from OZ and it doesn't cost anywhere near that to ship. The cost to ship was comparable to here, $10 for a 12"x6"x1" package. It took about a week. Art

Hi Drac, Here is the same thing from MSC http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNSRIT?PMPXN...PMT4NO=37159543 I use MCS because they are next day for me, kind of depends on where you are. Art