Art

Ideally, the belt should set flush with the outer circumference of the pulley. So the belt size is measured around the outside. Make sure you measure around the outside of the pulleys to get the length. You should be able to roll the belt onto the pulley, but sometimes with new belts you can't. You can lift up the sewing end of the head and slip the belt on, or if the motor is in the standard position on a standard table, you can tilt the head back to install the belt. I know I have never removed a balance wheel to install a belt. Art

The staff at leatherworker.net aims in most endeavours to please, and be helpful to our members. In that vein, I have included Tom's instructions in Mandarin, and in simplified Chinese if that helps. 腰带长度应为2×中心到中心距离的滑轮，加上1/2的2皮带轮的周长。将您的大约一半在调整范围马达，所以你足够的空间来安装和调整。皮带轮尺寸是皮带轮的外径。 Yāodài chángdù yīng wèi 2×zhōngxīn dào zhōngxīn jùlí de huálún, jiā shàng 1/2 de 2 pídàilún de zhōu cháng. Jiāng nín de dàyuē yībàn zài tiáozhěng fànwéi mǎdá, suǒyǐ nǐ zúgòu de kōngjiān lái ānzhuāng hé tiáozhěng. Pídàilún chǐcùn shì pídàilún de wài jìng. Art 腰带长度应为2×中心到中心距离的滑轮，加上1/2的2皮带轮的周长。将您的大约一半在调整范围马达，所以你足够的空间来安装和调整。皮带轮尺寸是皮带轮的外径。 Yāodài chángdù yīng wèi 2×zhōngxīn dào zhōngxīn jùlí de huálún, jiā shàng 1/2 de 2 pídàilún de zhōu cháng. Jiāng nín de dàyuē yībàn zài tiáozhěng fànwéi mǎdá, suǒyǐ nǐ zúgòu de kōngjiān lái ānzhuāng hé tiáozhěng. Pídàilún chǐcùn shì pídàilún de wài jìng. 腰带长度应为2×中心到中心距离的滑轮，加上1/2的2皮带轮的周长。将您的大约一半在调整范围马达，所以你足够的空间来安装和调整。皮带轮尺寸是皮带轮的外径。Yāodài chángdù yīng wèi 2×zhōngxīn dào zhōngxīn jùlí de huálún, jiā shàng 1/2 de 2 pídàilún de zhōu cháng. Jiāng nín de dàyuē yībàn zài tiáozhěng fànwéi mǎdá, suǒyǐ nǐ zúgòu de kōngjiān lái ānzhuāng hé tiáozhěng. Pídàilún chǐcùn shì pídàilún de wài jìng.

A new bell knife pretty much takes up all the space there is in the machine. There should be little or no adjustment with a new knife. As you sharpen the knife and wear it down, you will have to move the knife over to the proper position. Art

I guess you could put it on that way, however the thread comes off the thread stand tree and then goes to the bobbin winder tension assembly, and if backwards like that it might interfere with the balance wheel and belt, then again, it might not. I think I like it the 'normal' way Art

Denster is right, and you also might want to go flesh side out and grain side in. Art

You can buy the whole contraption for $8 or $9 here. Might as well get some bobbins and a bobbin case or two if needed. Art

Ed's Red, no, maybe Ed hijacked the formula, but it is Frankford Arsenal Formula # 17 I believe and is the bore solvent variant (you have to use the ultrasonic and sometimes a brass patch for lead fouling though). Mineral oil is transparent and colorless and is sold in light and heavy grades. The light grades are often used in sewing machine oil. They sell it at most Drug and big food stores, so if you run out of Dritz oil, there you go, nothing magical about it. Mineral oil and a little perfume is Baby Oil. Because of it's long chain, it is pretty safe stuff. Nevertheless, don't use any car motor oil in your sewing machine, tooooooo many additives some of a negative value. BTW we have occasionally used tractor hydraulic oil in the Formula # 17, Should we then call it Formula #71 or maybe Ed's Green? Art

Tinker, We use a combination of 1 gallon ATF and 1 gallon K-1 Kerosene mixed with 1/4 lb lanolin as a gun/fine machine oil. Not only is it superior to other oils, it is way cheaper. For older sewing machines, regular mineral oil works just fine. Note that ATF is pretty much mineral oil and some additives, one of which is color which can be a problem on sewing machines, so there is no little lost when substituting mineral oil for ATF. You can take 2 gallons of the above mix and add one gallon of mineral spirits and one gallon of acetone to make a very good solvent. We need a lot of it to use in our large ultrasonic cleaner (3 or 4 m-16 uppers will fit in it at one time). You need to keep the solvent in a metal can as the acetone will attack some of the plastic bottles (like HDPE), glass is ok too. I have found out that this formula is close to a formula used as a bore cleaner at the Frankford Arsenal in Philadelphia years ago, well, I can attest that it still works. While the above formula is a great penetrating oil, if it won't do the job, try Kroil. For just lubricating a sewing machine, mineral oil will do the job for all but the most extreme situations. Art

Needle breakage can also be from the needle striking the needle plate. Admittedly, this happens a whole bunch when the foot/needle timing is off. If you have a product that is difficult to manipulate in the machine, now add to that the needle in the work before the foot comes down to hold it and bingo. Most big stitchers have a pretty easy to get to adjustment on the back (follow the linkage) to raise or lower the inner foot in relation to the needle. Needless to say the machine can't switch from 4oz to 24oz without a little adjustment. Art

Read this thread http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=36660 Art

Thanks Jackie, When I first started, I had a hard time with shoe suppliers, almost a standoffishness. Must admit, never ever had any problems with OTB. OTB has most everything you need except maybe (I'm never absolutely sure) shoe soling and top leather. It's a good thing I'm not allowed to wander around their warehouse, it would cost me a fortune. Also J.Weiner in PA, in shoe repair's heyday, there were at least three or four suppliers in every major city, but shoe repair is on the decline and many of these suppliers are now serving regions not cities. By the way Jackie, what are some good shoemaking, shoerepair shows to attend? Art

Cobos out of El Paso and Hidecrafter out of Ft.Worth as you used to know them are not in business anymore. O.Baltor in San Fran is still around. Southern is all over the South, I know the Memphis Warehouse. Website ok if you know what you are looking for. Montana Leather is still going. Sheridan Leather Outfitters has a lot of Leather and liner. They have a bunch of Douglas tools. Thorneapple River Boots for tools like awls and some lasts Hide House Napa for good leather selection. For veg tan Wickett & Craig and Herman Oak. Horween for a multitude of excellent product with long wait times. Some dealers sell Horween seconds which are still pretty good Springfield Leather Company for some products Lisa Sorrell Notions and Findings for many hard to find things If you use the new water based contact cements (Aquilim 315 etc) you will need silicone brushes, Rockler has brushes cheaper than the bristle ones some sell. Let me know if there is something you can't find, I maybe can get it or let you know how to source it yourself. Art

After it is leveled or run through a big band splitter the leather will be fairly uniform. This is what you get from W&C or HO. As the hides come off of the drying racks, they are all over the place, often very thick around the neck. Cheap veg tan is cheap for a reason. Art

I'm going to ask a few questions before I set you upon suppliers, some of whom are really assholes. What are you making; Shoes (men's or women's, or sports type), Boots Western or English or athletic (hiking etc.). What type of construction are you looking at doing. Glue, welted, or some amalgamation of the two. For Soles etc, the best leather, or medium decent good stuff. Or just crap for your first pair. What things are you looking for. Seems like I want to know a lot, but understand that most of the suppliers work with the repair trade. They don't know bespoke from smoke. Most of the suppliers out there may have a really crappy website that doesn't tell you much OR they won't have a website at all. Either way, you probably will have to call them (and you would be much better off to do so because tech savvy these guys ain't) especially because they have a whole bunch of stuff back in the warehouse that isn't on their website. Some of the tools for bespoke shoemaking (that you may want to try) are few and far between if even manufactured anymore, so let me know if you want any of that. BTW, you can make shoes with a few knives, a couple rolls of tape, a hammer, a couple of pots of glue, a pencil, sewing stuff, needles, awls, thread (a sewing machine helps when closing uppers though not necessary), lasts and leather. The extra tools just make it easier (and more expensive). For Boots, try Panhandle Leather, but remember there is more stuff in the back room. I;ll give you more when I know where you're headed. You can't learn much from the websites that are available, you have to get on the phone; but half (or more) of the time, they will know less than you do. Sometimes you have to order it to see what it is. Art

I was just going to buy one of those, let me have a PM on the dealer who was not very responsive. Thanks, Art

I like that idea Tinker. If you use larger wire (12 or 14) it could look rather Steampunk. Larger sizes are a bear to work with, even soft, but a cool effect. Art

Take it to the local upholstery/trim shop, give it to them, give it a good home. Art

Oh, and if there is no leatherwork to do, Single Malt helps, and/or any Al Stohlman book or a George Hurst video will send you to LA LA land. Art

Unfortunately for me, and probably a few others, when I hit the groove, or the glue hits me, I am productive. That means when I start, I continue till I finish or just start making mistakes. When I turn the clicker on, I'm going to click everything I need. Anything with a hydraulic pump makes enough noise to keep everyone awake, except the wife who can drown out the clicker. Now, there is nobody to worry about but the wife, so you know. Art

A little different here in the US. The driver pretty much runs the show once the freight is on board. I try to make sure my shipments are the last on the truck. Time coast to coast is sometimes 3 days. How the hell they do that without driving it onto a C-5 is beyond me. Seldom is it more than four days or when deep in the truck, a week. They get paid to move freight, and they certainly do. I won't ship without a lift gate and the shipper doesn't get paid to miss delivery, no matter who is at fault. Keep in mind that he with the gold makes the rules, and the person shipping has the gold. The shipping company wants the gold. That is what has made the US great. Another thing that has made the US great; tip the guy if he helps you get it in the house or at least to the door. In the house $20, to the door $10-$20 depending. Art

The CSO knives of the '80s and '90s are every bit as good as the older ones. I don't see any repair. I have a CSO in that very condition, it happens to them all the time. If I have a split ferrule on a tool, it always seems to be a CSO, must just be a thing with their ferrule design. Fix it yourself. Call CSO and ask for a ferrule for your knife. Put it on and wait till it splits again. Fix it yourself, make your own ferrule. Drive the pin out and take the blade out of the handle. Get a piece of the right size (take the handle to the hardware store) copper tubing (look in the scrap bin, don't buy a 10 foot section) and a cap that fits (maybe you should buy two to be sure), put the cap on the tubing (solder or attach somehow) and cut to the length you need. Sometimes, just the cap will be enough for the ferrule; most of the time that is the case. The ferrule is just there to keep the handle from splitting, so it can be shorter than the factory ferrule. Now squash the completed project in your vise till you get the size you need to fit the handle. Take your Dremel (or whatever) and cut the correct size slot in the top of the cap. Do a little "fitting up" as you go. Fill in the handle (or do like I do and use JB weld to do the fill-in when you put the ferrule on for the LAST time, if you use JB Weld, it WILL be the last time). Put the blade back in and the pin and you are finished (after an hour of so, you can polish the copper). I might open the pin hole up a little and put a special pin in to let everyone know I've been there. Art

First of all, it has to be veg tanned leather to tool it. Eventually, over time, the ability to tool will be less and less; and it sounds like a real PIA job. Sooooooo, I wouldn't do it. Art

I use Hirschkleber, it is kind of a craft glue, but works very well on stiffeners and toe boxes. It is kind of a paste, and you can put it on by using your fingers. I guess a brush would work too. It doesn't like water or damp leather (so you have to let the toe dry before putting it on), but it does dry hard. Lisa Sorrell sells it, makes a little profit on it, but packages it up in 8oz quantities, not the 6 kg cans you get from the suppliers. I also have some stuff that is nitrocellulose dissolved in acetone (I got it on order from a little chemical company in the midwest, they make it to order) which I used to use, the Hirschkleber is so much easier to use and doesn't require ventilation. Art

You could just cut it down and have a shorter boot top. You have to wear it, so you must decide. A complete cutoff and replace and would look like it was a design element. A patch might look ok if you can find identical leather and would really need someone other than a shoe cobbler to do it, more like a leatherworker. Might choice would be to cover over the old boot top (not take it off) and make the old top effectively a liner. I would not contrast it so it wouldn't call attention to itself, rather stay with the color and maybe a different leather. Match the seams and buttonwork, roll the top over the "liner" or bead the top. All that being said, a well done patch may be more period. Back in the day, they did repair everything. Clean-up the ragged edges and sew in a patch. Art

It is the dealer's responsibility to get it to you the way that you want, you may pay him, but he pays for the shipping. I have found that the simple words "If you can't get it to my door, TAKE IT BACK" will usually elicit the correct action. When the driver arrives back at the terminal with it, a smaller truck with all the requisite equipment will magically appear the next day. Have you told your dealer about the delivery problems? Let HIM fix it. Art