Art

Making alcohol is passed down from father to son, and has been probably since the pharaohs. Farmers tend to produce much more than the local community can consume. In farming communities the grain sold for a pittance because of oversupply. In times when transportation was inefficient, shipping grain was prohibitive. So the farmer turned grain, corn, and sugar into alcohol. It lasts forever and if in wood seems to get better. Also a gallon of alcohol has less volume than the corresponding volume of grain. Remember that back in those days, alcohol eased the pain of hard manual labor. In the dense agrarian culture of Europe, the need to store grain wasn't as prevalent as the need for pure water, so beer/mead/ale was the primary product. With efficient transportation, commodity exchanges, and water and sanitary systems, the physical need to store value may have went away, but the taste had already been developed. Art

You have to age it a little (well a lot) to mellow that out. You can't just go and lay down under the still spout! Bruichladdich (I hope I'm spelling this correctly) is something you might want to try, especially some of the unpeated versions. They casked some before they closed, and then reopened, but it is 25 years old and might cost an arm and leg. Some of the newer stuff is lightly peated also. Never was much of a drinker (except in my 20s when I was pretty good at it), but the Dr. told me to start a one or two a day program. I appreciate his advice. I also sleep better too. Whiskey is kind of a hobby now. Never more than two a day, well ALMOST never. Art

Kerryanne, The best thing I can do with Drambuie is put it in my coffee after dinner. It is a little too sweet to drink straight. Have you tried Southern Comfort, absolutely horrid stuff, might be a USA thing. The 100 proof will sneak-up on you and knock you on your keister. Art

I can't complain. They were a little expensive (not horrendously) but the work well and will outlast me. Adjustments are very easy to get to and make when changing dies. Art

More than likely, Bob Kovar at Toledo Industrial. Art

We don't quite look at it that way. For the newcomer, and the oldtimer, it is advantageous to click on the "view new content" button at the top of the page. Then for the first time through click on the "mark community read" button and select "mark all as read" to reset the read messages. Then you will be able to see all messages from all forums and read them all if you want or not and when you have seen enough you can "mark all as read" again. A forum for newcomers would probably only be inhabited by newcomers, moderators, and ambassadors.We stink at searches, this is not just us as not many forums can have the search capabilities of google. Google has more indexing on a site than the site itself has, they have buildings full of servers to run and index the multitude of information generated by a plethora of web crawlers to build those indexes. We can't do that, and if we could it would cost too much, ain't gonna happen. Soooooooooooooooo................USE GOOGLE!!!! if you want to see posts about wallets on leatherworker.net, type the following into the google search line: site:leatherworker.net wallet for wallets and other related stuff try: site:leatherworker.net ~wallet Leatherworker.net has been around a while and you are not interested in old posts try: site:leatherworker.net wallet 2014..2015 this will give you only the last two years of wallet posts Lets say that is great but you really hate alligator and don't want to see anything about that, then try" site:leatherworker.net wallet -alligator 2014..2015 There are other more powerful criteria and search parameters which you can research. We of course hope you have fun with the site. Art

A #22 is the correct needle for V-138 thread. Sometimes you have to skive a little to reduce bulk, there are also things like presser foot pressure and lift height that can be tried. Not all sewing machines can sew at their limits without some adjustment. Remember that these are industrial machines and are setup to do one thing and do it well, so a little adjustment is necessary when you move the goalposts. Art

I've seen the real Randall ones (USA) they are top and bottom feed and have a clutch, they are green like every other Randall but were missing a safety cover here and there. The ones I have seen at Campbell Randall are Black and White but sure look like the old Randall 81. I am suspecting that a shoe factory closed or went to newer production lines and that they bought up the surplus and refurbed them. Call Dan Naegle and ask him. Art

Larger diameter thread will cause a slight increase in tension, generally all around. The bottom tension is set to generally just prevent top looping on your smallest thread and be ok or just a smidgen tight on your largest. I've found you can usually run 69, 92, and 138 without a lot of fuss. If you can't do that, just get another bobbin case and set it up for 138. Don't feel bad, I have had machines that complain when you change colors in the same size. Art

Have one. Good splitter, and the knife is around 14". This is as far as you want to go. I know a few saddlemakers that had the Artisan 21" (or so) and they had a boatload of blade alignment problems with it. This puppy looks a lot like the Landis, who made fine shoe machines. However it is much wider and a lot more useful. If you buy one, get the motorized one on the stand, it comes pretty well setup and ready to go. Andrew is correct about not getting much thinner than 3 oz and I'll up that bid to 4 oz. That is 1/16 inch and is plenty good enough for me. You can't just lop off a hunk of leather like going from 11 oz to 4 oz though, you have to take it in steps, like 4 oz at a time, you can push it a little if you want a little thicker piece of split, but if you have problems stick with the less is more concept. I recommend moving the area of the splitter that you run the leather through around constantly. This may insure a more even wear to the blade. Blade wear is hard to judge at this point, unlike some owners, I haven't run everything in the shop through it. Don't know where and don't know when it will need sharpening, but it will. Since I was pretty heavily into knifemaking, I have the tools and the skillset to accomplish this, but I don't think many leatherworkers do. Try and find a local mill or cabinet/woodworking shop and see who they recommend to sharpen your blade. I have sharpened more planer blades than I ever want to remember, and sharpening these blades is a technical skill with a whole lot of don't do this and that, so getting setup and doing it right is very important. Mechanical job, working with power tools and by power tools I mean machinery, electricity, water, and wicked sharp edges. Have it done by a pro. Final verdict. If you can afford the cost and the space, get the band knife splitter. They are easy to adjust and use, most sharpen the blade right on the machine, blades are easy to change, a moving blade cuts better and finer than a stationary one, can be had in 20" or so width if you need that capacity, and lastly can cut darned near anything, not just leather. Cons are big, heavy, and expensive. Used might make them tolerable cost wise. The Cobra is remarkably small, light, has reasonable capacity, and is the right price, well at leas righter than the bank knife splitter. Art

Three phase alternative one phase would be indeed be weird. Because of the way single phase motors work you need to have starting and often run capacitors for them to actually go in the proper direction on startup and then to stay running with a load on them. Three phase motors don't require any of that except in uber technical situations. Being as you don't have an electrical clue, going through the necessity for the current to lead or lag just wouldn't make sense and would glaze your eyes over. HP is HP no matter the voltage. You can't run a 120 volt motor on 220V, at least not for very long. Northmount's explanation was correct (to us) but was not a course in AC electricity. What he said is that you have a 1/2 horse motor that runs on 120V single phase. Occasionally there is a switch or wiring ability for 220V, but yours is not so equipped. Art N3CAF

I look at it from a modern manufacturing standpoint which (even in the orient) seeks to reduce manual labor. The products are probably not leather in the animal hide sense of the word. More than likely the parts are manufactured leather or whatever produced from maybe some percentage of leather etcetera. The sandwich parts are bought in rolls with dried adhesive applied if necessary. It is most often activated by heat and set with pressure. A assembler/sewing machine can do one side at a time or both sides at once, just depends on the machine capabilities. Many of these machines are adjustable, some are computer controlled. All have the ability to mount cutters, heating stations, have multiple needles with adjustable gauges, and most importantly, mount folding and pressure stations and pullers. It is very easy to accomplish this operation in two passes, a more sophisticated machine could be setup to do it in one pass (folding and sewing both sides at the same time). This operation would be similar to a binding operation. That may seem like a lot of trouble for a leatherworker doing one or even a dozen of these, and it would be. But when Wally World orders 10 as an intiial order for each of it's 4500 stores, you find an engineer quick. Art

Kerryanne, Yes, I have tried Drambuie and it was ok, however I really don't like anything in my whisky but, only if necessary, a few drops of water. ++ on the Laphroaig or Ardbeg if you like the smoke (ok by me). I'm from an era when alcohol was medicinal, and as a baby I had my share (at least I'm told); it gave me a most welcome appreciation for C2H6O. Of course my own kids were not deprived of the wondrous nectar. I recounted some of these experiences at a gathering of progressive types one night and was thereafter treated as if I had Genghis Kahn and about 250 of his most trusted compatriots locked in the shop (garage) waiting to be unleashed onto the unsuspecting neighborhood. Good thing the kids were grown-up or they would never have gotten babysitting jobs after that. Of course there were the liberal progressives (tree hugging, Prius driving, spotted owl saving, upstanding people that they are) who were thoroughly convinced that I was some kind child molester. I guess I should have known after the wife smacked son on the ass in church for screwing around (and generally being the wise-ass everyone knew he was, being the product of my evolutionary skills), and promptly receiving more than eight but fortunately less than a full dozen smoking letters extolling our various virtues and how to not apply them to our children. But I digress; after that I need a whiskey. Art

Well, the way it is presented in your neck of the woods is, shall we say, sometimes quite graphic, especially in the application of the custard sauce. If it became popular over here, I could imagine the creativity of the line cooks becoming a little riskey. Art Oh darling, I hope you brought back some of that excellent single malt. Little known over here, but one of the best Speysides. Art

No Sir, I am not going to lock a thread for something as silly as your last post, and am certainly not going to let you have the last word. Having forums where folks can haggle over price serves a purpose of any low-ball bids being seen by all and others having the ability to make a higher offer. All this without the eBay fees. I still do recommend Paypal as a payment method because there is recourse if the seller doesn't follow through. While we do require prices in this forum (and if not provided the potential buyer should request them), we don't require shipping. If the buyer asks for it, a firm shipping quote should be provided, or who the hell will want to buy from you? Furthermore, the tenor of any haggling should be pleasant, and easy going. Leatherworkers are a pleasant bunch, you seldom see a counteroffer if the deal is anywhere near reasonable. Simple offer/counteroffer types of haggling can be effective and civil. Like I said before, everyone is watching, so the seller will seldom get screwed, an exceptional deal is hard to pass-up. From the buyer's side, there are sharks that occasionally roam these waters, and I (in particular, but not exclusively) will go shark hunting if I see a fin starting to rise. I understand that the seller is trying to get as much for his item as he can, but I also know that the buyer is trying to get what he wants for as cheap as possible. Capitalism is always a case of supply vs. demand, but outright head-butting will put a buyer off faster than most would imagine. Remember please that the buyer has the gold, and the seller dances to the buyers tune; or the seller doesn't dance at all. Art Moderator

I guess we really need to know what froze-up before, and what caused it. Is it reasonable to expect more of the same later (probably in a different spot)? I don't think many of the reciprocating parts like over the needle will be much of a problem as those tolerances (face it, it ain't a Pfaff) are pretty loose, and can easily be checked by sight. The problem is the shafts. If they locked-up before, then it might happen again if something is blocking oil flow or they have gotten hot and lacquered, or even galled. Like I said, I would rely on the mechanic who has been in there. This is not the greatest deal, and there are many more like them. Do not be afraid to walk away. Check with one of our dealers like Bob or Gregg who will have something or send you in the right direction. Art

I think Colt's question is very important. If it is the stuff you use in woodworking, then the machine could be toast. Maybe, because of the low hours, it can be saved. Linseed oil is way too thick for the application, it just won't get where it needs to go. Mineral oil is proper sewing machine oil, if you need to be creative or technical, add a little hydraulic fluid to it for additives. Or lets face it guys, just use the Dritz stainless oil you get at JoAnn's, it is the right viscosity, comes in a good useable applicator, it's cheap (50 or 60 percent off), and works. I would try and contact the mechanic who worked on it and ask his opinion. As long as the shafts and hook are good, I think it will be ok, but then again, you will need to get it at a good price, and it will always worry the hell out of you. Art

All of the more expensive threads (that is why you should only buy stuff that is marked) have a UV protectant as part of the coating or bonding. It is pretty good. Canvaswork I did in the '80s with nylon and polyester is still holding-up. I have a suite of North Sails from the '70s that are also in good shape, no sign of thread deterioration. Often I have seen the Right or Left designation (S or Z) used in place of the V. Art

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what was for sale, and how much it would cost to put it on my doorstep. There is no reason to demean me for determining that it was not a good deal. Lose the attitude and the pressure and maybe someone else will buy your stuff. I never agreed to the deal, I was only really interested in the straps, which I had tried on many instances to buy from you, but you couldn't come up with a price with shipping. I certainly have not wasted your time anymore than you have wasted mine. Art

I am sorry, that is just too much for what it is. Please sell it to someone else. I don't want it. Art

How much is the shipping? I want to know what everything shown costs on my doorstep...zip 20640. Art

Meow!

Check the Giardini website for the free samples. Matt at Lekoza did a video you might find interesting. Art

It depends on where you are, and the community your leatherwork serves. Can you live selling at shows, or do you need some other conduit for your work? Here in the East, real estate is quite dear. Location, Location, Location, equals Dollars, Dollars, Dollars. Sure, you can charge more, but will that cover it? You have to determine how many turns you need per year to stay in business and then exceed that by a growing amount. You have to make it or buy it to sell it. Can you produce that much? Will the clientele support mass produced goods? Do you have the skills to do the absolutely necessary eCommerce function. Successful businesses have a person or more dedicated to that alone. Repair is important, but that business is developed differently in different markets. You could develop a business on repair work alone. Keep in mind that there is way different liability in a purse strap repair versus a stirrup leather repair or replacement (I have never repaired a stirrup leather). You need to know which ones to walk away from. But repair can provide much needed cash flow and little or no material outlay. Besides learning how to do repairs (including refinishing, you can make a fortune on that) you have to market it to be successful. Hanging out a shingle saying "Leather Repair" usually doesn't hack it, even in well traveled areas. Of course, you can be too successful and outstrip your own capabilities. At that point you have to hire a leatherworker. Good luck, that's when the real problems commence. It is hard to replace a 9 to 6 income. Starting a new career can be difficult, even if, in the case of a couple, one keeps their day job. Art

I'm going to pass on this. Shipping will just kill it. Art