Art

HI Ed, I use a 230 (26) all the time for 346/277, I do lube. I've run 300-400 spm like that without a problem, Rice nylon or Coats Poly DABond. Art

Hi Miles, You will need thread and needles, I use Schmetz and you won't go wrong with them, Linhanyl thread is on sale at Artisan for about $12, size 277 or so, depends on the look you want. You might make use of a edge guide and a holster plate and maybe a double narrow foot (you can grind one of the feet off if needed). Burn up a lot of scrap practicing. Art

Ed, New needle and even a size larger. Check the whole thread path for burrs and rough spots, also pull the shuttle out and check for a burr or rough spot on it. Is it fraying the top thread or the bobbin? Art

Hi Johnny, For holsters I use 346/277 in poly or 4 cord/ 4 cord linen, 5/4cord also works. You do have to make sure you lay down a substantial stitch groove with the big threads, 277/207 buries easier. For purses and wallets 138 works very well and my small machine is always loaded with that. For canvas and small formal or fashion items 92 or 69 may give a better look. You get a lot better color selection in the smaller sizes. But ultimately, it is the look you want; they will all pretty much hold leather together, especially when glued. Decoration on a belt can be 46 or 69 with a corresponding high stitch count and look great. And while 69 or 92 on a western saddle might look a little weak, it makes English work look good. However a word of warning, never actually count the number of spools of thread you may acquire, the dollar total can be quite depressing. Art

Hi DJc, You need to go down to Michaels, Moores, or one of them places and pickup a 2 oz jar of Liquitex Titanium White acrylic paint, it should say "Soft Body" on the jar (that means it isn't as goopy as the stuff that comes in a tube). Use a brush and paint it on. Get a small bottle of Medium in gloss or matte and mix that in if the acrylic is a little stiff. Fiebing's White dye isn't and doesn't. Only product of theirs that underperforms. Call before you go to make sure they have it in stock. Art

Thanks Steve...er...a...Joe. Art

Hi Nick, Do a search (click on Search on the bar at top of page) on Artisan 3000 and you will find 4 or so pages of posts on that machine, overwhelmingly favorable. Art

Hi Roger, He is right, you can run 207 through most of the medium scale machines if they are adjusted for it and the needle bar will hold a large enough needle. Watch it though, some of those things are set-up to run like a scalded cat, which isn't necessarily what you want a leather machine to do. First Machine, new machine is best. Art

Hi Bill, There is plenty of profit in those machines, for any purchase, you need to warm-up the old Monte Hall "Let's Make a Deal" machine. For the uninitiated, you do it right before you write the check. It goes something like this. You decide what machine you want, and what accessories you will need. You then say, "Ok, we can do this deal right now if you throw-in this, this, this, and this." They may counter with, "Well we can give you this, this, and this, but that thing will cost xxx.xx extra." You can of course counter with something else. You don't have to be William Shatner to negotiate. Remember, you laid the groundwork with the first sentence, we can do this deal IF. If you stick to your guns, you mean you won't do this deal if they don't give you something. This is all negotiating 101 and is something you just have to learn on big ticket items. The sewing machine dealers know how the game goes, it's just a dance you have to learn. Art

And no reverse (if that is important to you, not totally necessary unless you do canvaswork). Art

Hi Roger, If you are even thinking of doing bags boxes or purses, get a cylinder arm. There are so many times you have to tilt something to sew it and with a flat bed you just can't do that. Art

Hi DJc, Trim-Lok works pretty good. It's is a PCV product for just that purpose. Trimmer's supply places will have it or something similar. Sorry, Trimmers are automotive upholsterers. Art

You can find them here. http://www.ranch2arena.com/videoeng.html Art

Hi Roger, I would use a 135x16TRI needle for leather, however there are reverse twist needles if you want that look. For 138 thread I use Linhanyl Nylon but Coats Poly would also work. I have used as small as a size 19 (120) and this gives a very tight stitch, an occasional needle break is also normal especially if you are not careful in areas where the thickness transitions. A 22 (140) is always safe and looks good but shows a lot of hole for me. A 22 (140) or 23 (160) would be my bet for 207, I'd use a 22 and if I had problems move it up. Most of the tables you see for needles show what I consider very large sizes for a particular thread size, but keep in mind most users are running machines close to the speed of light compared to what we do. Stitch length and needle thread size are aesthetic parameters in the kind of work we do in addition to holding the work together. Art

Ray, If you plan to do holsters, especially the Cowboy/Western style then a bigger machine is necessary. I just measured one of mine, classic Cheyenne for a Peacemaker (.45 Colt). The welt at the largest point was just a little under 5/8 inch; and this is by no means the largest I have done, but kind of average for a double and stitched holster. The minimum machine for that is an Artisan 3000. A Pfaff 245 or 1245 or Ferdco 1245 might do it, but you are right at the edge. I like to use 277 thread or at a minimum 207 and that is the limit for those machines also. The Artisan 3000 or the Ferdco 1010 will do the job with room to spare. So will any of the bigger and more expensive machines. A used Singer 153 class will also do the job, but like I have said with used machines you have to know what you are doing, in other words, first machine should be a new machine. Any other questions, please ask here in the forum for everyones benefit. Art Ray, I'll answer this on the forum. Art

Hey Guys and Gals, Please direct your questions to the forum, not to me in PMs. When you mail me personally and I answer, you miss the knowledge of all the other forum members with machines; collectively decades of experience. Also it makes the question and answer unavailable to others who will be helped by both the question and the answer. We have folks like Dave who have over 30 years of sewing machine experience, and Bruce and K-Man who sew every day, and Greg and a host of others I am forgetting who can also answer your questions and give you a unique perspective. Don't pass that opportunity by. There ain't no stupid questions here. Art

Siegel carries horse butts which are the leftovers from cordovan shoe tops. I think I have gotten a hide from them also, I wouldn't say they stock it regularly, but ask anyway. I have used it primarily to line holsters. It takes dye pretty well. Even when jacked pretty hard I don't find it that stiff, however it is abrasion resistant. If you want a really stiff belt, put sole bend in it. The horse butts from Siegel will be ok for straight belts but you won't be able to do anything but the slightest contour with it; you'll be scratching your fanny trying to get a western holster out of one, but even the largest cc holster shouldn't be a problem. Art

I guess it all depends on how fast you want to move it. It probably has a clutch motor? Anything special, saddlers attachment package? Hate to say this but I saw a Ferdco Juki 2000 Pro (real JUKI), with much more mileage go for $1000. Where is it located? To answer your question, somewhere between $2500 and $3500....depending. If you are not in a hurry, go high and put it in Marketplace and see if you get any nibbles. Art

Hi Beeze, I kind of agree with Bruce, however I have one question. What are you going to be sewing Most (like 80%) of the time. If you think most of the work will be 18oz, then a 3000 is way better than a 797, or even a 618. If you are going to be doing 2 pieces of 6 oz and a 4 or 6 oz total welt, than a 618 with welt feet is going to be the ticket. The 618 has feet like the Singer 111 and there are just loads of feet available for them, so determining your primary application is very important. It is also important to tell the person you buy from what to set the machine up to do. If you are going to be doing 18oz then you will need a little more foot clearance than they are usually set up for. If you want the machine to sew 207 out of the box then you will need to let them know. I have been researching the Chinese sewing machine market for a book/video I hope to write after I retire. Machinery is a wild market over there probably much like our east in the early 20th century. However they have little if any regard for patents or copyrights. I have found at least 4 manufacturers of 618 machines out there with quality ranging from fair (maybe even poor) to excellent, but even the fair machines are usable, they just might not last as long, require more maintenance, or be a bear getting parts for. You see this mainly in the Smaller class of machines not so much in the big stitchers. I can recommend Artisan and I think Bruce can vouch for Ferdco. I can't vouch for anyone's used machine especially if it is someone's first machine, buy new the first time unless you have someone experienced to help. After you get some experience, keep an eye open for a good deal, but don't chase anything just to own a name, a machine in good to great condition at a fabulous price is what you want (it also helps to need it, but that hasn't stopped me a couple of times, especially when the machine is local). Art

Hi Zilla, This is probably it. If you buy them, a pair will run about $40. Art

Starrett, Brown & Sharp, Mitutoyo, SPI, Fowler, in about that order. Get most of those from MSC Supply http://www.mscdirect.com McMaster-Carr I'm sure has them also. Art

USMC® does Toys-for Tots here and you would be amazed at the response, most folks here put a couple of things in the boxes (new unwrapped). It has been rough on the reservists with all the Iraq deployments but the ones left just seem to work harder, I think they get a lot of help from active also. Can't say "Semper Fidelis" because I'm not a Marine, so Semper Peratus. Art

Under Marketplace --> Finished Leather Goods, members can put items they have made, we really want this to be a handmade category and if it gets too commercial (as in mass made) we will categorize it out. When traffic gets to heavy, we will break out into different handmade categories e.g. Motorcycle gear, holsters, etc, etc. Just follow the rules in the announcements section of the Marketplace forum. Art

Please post picture. Art

Hi Kate, I use Pecard's, have since I ran across a tub of it 8 years ago (been through a few tubs). However for true period work I use Dubbin, I don't use a lot, a 4.4 oz shoe polish tin lasts forever for me. Manufacturer is Kelly's (a division of Fiebing). There is a formula you can mix up, but I would have to search for it (it's in a notebook SOMEWHERE), and given the trouble in getting period ingredients, $2 for a 4.4 oz tin seems easier and if not doing boots and saddles for a whole cavalry unit somewhat cheaper. Art.