Art

You definately have the concept of bringing the subject to the foreground. Western carving is a little different, but not much. As far as books go, all the Stohlman stuff will be valid forever, also the other classic artists. Tandy doodle pages are also helpful and available from Tandy, but not free anymore. It is obvious that you have some art background, the piece looks good. I might have used a different background for the eyes and nose, but that is just me. Art

That is a really, I mean really old Finisher. I have never seen one with all the leather drive belts so it is earlier than you would see now. Because of the size and the fact that it uses cut sheets instead of grinding belts, I would think $200-$300 would be the most you might get. I have seen newer models sell for around $500, but that sale had a spare parts machine included. I can't help with the clicker as I am not familiar with the USMC clickers. Art

use the advanced search, there is plenty of info. Art

Tape your seam togeather (inside out), tuck the outer around the welt cord and mark the stitch line. Use the left toe presser (the right toe can be used, just depends on how you sew it) and sewthe line. If you can't get close enough to the weltcord, you will have to take a grinder and relieve the center foot to do it. This is why uhpolstery guys use a medium machine that uses 111 feet, you can get any size welting foot for them easily. Art

Hi (would love to put name here), These forums are not instantaenous. As moderators, we look at everything, and because of the volume of that task, we don't reply a lot. The ambassadors take care of nurturing the masses. Nevertheless, here we go. It is a little hard to understand what you want to know, but I'll try. I use primarily drum dyed leather for things that I want black or dark brown. I pay to have my leather struck through. That way, if I go some carving, it won't show undyed center. So, if I want color (or is it colour), I use acrylic paint. I use the Liquitex brand and I brush or airbrush. The nice thing about acrylic is that it covers up what is there now, something dye can't do. The colors can be very bright (even metallic) and really pop on dark backgrounds. This is one of many solutions, and another tool to add to your bag. It is also difficult for me to carve black leather, it requires a lot of concentration as the perspective is quite different for me, I am more of a left side, or analytical artist, watch one, do one, teach one. When I am carving on something non contrasting it is easy to lose the perspective or relationships of some of the beveling. Colors don't have these problems and can correct areas of the carving that may have run amuck. Art

Steve, When back tacking, stop the machine with needle down (bottom dead center) continuing with the handwheel in the forward direction (top of handwheel towards you) bring the needle up 1/4 inch and stop. Switch direction and continue to finish the back tack. Do not under any circumstances move the handwheel in the opposite direction (top of wheel away from you) EVER, go around if you miss something. When you want to remove the piece, again rotate the handwheel in the forward direction (top towards you) until the takeup lever is at near the top position, there is a point where the thread will release from the shuttle, mine is just a tad before the takeup lever reaches the top. This is because the system uses a shuttle, which does not by definition go all the way around. Art

My experience with Efka motors is that they cost an arm and a leg, and they run forever. I've seen them with an inch or dirt, grease, oil, thread scraps, and lord knows what else accumulated over 20 years, running like new. Of course, there is the option of a Chinese motor, they do make good ones, and run well with speed reducers which you will want. Not as good as Efka but a bit cheaper. Put a Chinese one on and run it till it drops, I've seen them run more than a few years. If you are dead set on Efka, they sell dirt cheap on used industrial machines, usually an Adler or a Pfaff. Wouldn't be the first time someone bought a ragged out or oddball industrial to get the motor. If you need all the functions and programability of a new Efka, then that's what you should buy, they do it the best of anyone. If you are just looking for needle position and variable speed, then a Chinese motor may be the ticket. Art

Hi Bob, If you are using Bob's figure bevelers, you notice that they have a steep back edge. I use his MB series Matter Bevelers to tamp down the aura the steep back produces and bevel it down to the background. I have a big MB 5 or 6 which I use for most of it and I think a 3 where things get a little tight. Art

Steve, I thought you knew this stuff....Oh the OTHER Steve. The easiest way to check the hook timing is to take the needle plate off, and set the stitch length to zero. Take the thread out of the upper and crank the machine through a couple of times (top of handwheel toward you). Now in the forward direction (always forward) take the needle to bottom dead center and continue go forward until the needle rises 3/16 of an inch and stop. The tip of the shuttle hook should about intersect the needle at the needle scarf. It can be a little off, but just a little. If the hook is there, it is properly timed to the needle. If not call Steve (the other Steve). If you have the proper tools, you can loosen the screw that holds the hookshaft and reposition the hook and re-tighten. Symptoms are generally missed stitches, but could be anything if it is way out of time. Art

The 153 series has needle feed, whereas the 47 does not. The 153w101 is a little more heavy duty than the 153w103. That being said, they are medium duty machines used primarily in heavy garment manufacture and in the shoe industry (both long moved offshore). The 153 is quite similar to the famed 111 except for, of course, the cylinder arm. Singer 111 feet (and there are many many different ones for myriad applications) fit this machine. Art

By favorite, I kind of take it as Used the most. Favorites: Barry King 96oz maul. What is hit stays hit. U.S. Gov't 60" all steel desk from the'50s with ruberized top. Rock solid with a 4" surface plate on top. Doesn't move, ever. Bob Beard Skiving Knives, right and left handed. There none better. Ditto his swivel knives. Same for his figure carving tools and his geometrics are really grand. Anything the BearMan makes, love the mauls and awl hafts. Not too favorites: Any newer Tandy tool, after 1998 or so. Manufacturing quality is abyssimal even when design is good. Gomph-Hackbarth tools are of good quality, but my hands are too big to use them, they are too short. Art

With a thickness approaching 1/2 inch, a big stitcher like a 441 or clone is what you will be looking for. Contact Steve at Leather Machine Company or Bob at toledo to see what they have used. If you buy a used machine from them, it will come in very good condition and adjustment. You would only need the 9" arm machine, but the 16.5" arm is nice for large items. Art

Put your laundry list on Marketplace, the leather related stuff should sell. In your post, are you saying that a Consew or Ferdco shaft will stand up to a file and that a Juki won't? Given that the average mill file is in the 58-62HRc range, that would be one hard shaft. The Ferdco machines were manufactured on the Consew, Juki, and TA-King base machines, and I can guarantee you none of their shafts were hardened anywhere near 56. You don't harden any shaft that high as any impact would be rather dramatic. Hardness is employed for wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and sometimes for compressive load along the axis, but not ever in shear capacity as in a shaft. Hardness is used in special circumstances, not for every part in the machine. Ferdco left the business I suppose because sales lagged. There was too much profit taken, and the other dealers ate their lunch. When they went from the Juki to the TA-King, they saved a considerable amount and didn't pass it on. They could have went to China (mainland) and procured machines at a cost that would make them competitive, they did not. Art

Darren from down under went on some in a post some time ago about what he had to do to these machines to make them serviceable. There was a pretty big laundry list. The price is right for a sewing machine mechanic or hobbiest, but for a person new to this, spend your money on a real 29. If you can get a set-up one from Darren (and he is the only one I have heard of to take these on) then I am sure it will run well for you. It helps to have knowledge of the 29, the Landis 1, and maybe a No.9 or Pearson. If you are not in that league, don't buy it on eBay. Art

It is called a "cylinder arm" machine. You also have the option of a used Singer 111W155 or a Singer 153W101, same basic machine, 111 is flatbed 153 is cylinder arm, they don't have reverse. Cobra and Cowboy also "make" this style machine. Art

Hi Darren, Well, not quite built like tanks, the German tanks used the Maybach motors and an 88mm cannon, otherwise quite similar. I think you are forgetting the Swiss, they made excellent machines with many firsts. Bernina and Elna all made excellent machines totally unlike the crud everyone is building for the home market today, although they still are innovators. Singer's forte as marketing, manufacturing to back it up, and globalization. For price, useability, and availability, Singer was No.1, at least here in the U.S. Art

Hi Kate, I am thinking you really want a big stitcher which can also sew heavy veg tanned leather projects like saddle bags and biker gear like bags and tool rolls. Since you will be sewing 8 layers of 4oz at the max, a big stitcher would be more of what you want. I would recommend that you call Steve at Leather Machine Company and go look at a premium packaged Cobra 4. Steve also has used machines in the shop most of the time, and when he gets through with them, they purr like kittens. Steve is fairly close to you, he is right over the mountains in Ontario CA. Take a pile of leather with you and have them set the machine up to sew what you do every day. The premium package will have the bag and stirrup plates to make it sew bag closings easier. Steve is one of the few dealers in the country that sells leather stitching machines and sets them up correctly. Take a little holiday and pay him a visit. Art

It Depends a lot on what your desired production capability and capacity will be. I have a harbor freight type (might be a northern or Enco) bottle jack press that was my first clicker arrangement, also good for pressing holsters. The problem with it is that it is so darned slow. There is no way to do serious production with it. I installed an air drive jack but still, not near what I desired. The manual type presses by Weaver etc. are ok for small stuff, less than 12 inches across, but the first thing you will build is an extension pole for the handle. Serious grunt power required. I ultimately ended up with the Cobra 10-Ton Clicker and it works just fine. Art

Hi Kenneth, You could just sew the outsole onto the insole by hand. There are various videos of this on YouTube. You could also peg the outsole to the insole using lemon wood pegs. If you have an Auto-Soler, you can just nail (wire) them on. Ultimately though, if you are going to make shoes out of plastic, use glue. You can get plastic midsoles and outsoles at any of the finders, and you could cut a welt out of one. As far as I know, stitching that stuff is going to be a little tricky. Art

Get in touch with Steve Tayrien at Leather Machine Company, 1-866-962-9880, and see if he can help you. Steve ships internationally and knows the game. Art

Honestly, any of twelve or so folks on here have clickers and can do a small run for you. Anything from their leather to your leather. Some like me would even entertain you coming over and doing it yourself (after a bit of training). Where are you located? Art

The die for the Pull the Dot snaps is not included in the press kit, however, you can (if you have any machinist capability) take the provided die and put a flat on one side (use a mill or just put it in a vice and file it off. File enough off so that the stud fits all the way over the die. This modified die can also be used for standard ligne 24 snaps, the filed off portion just accommodates the internal locking part of the snap. The Press n Snap kit contains dies for ligne 24 snaps and #1 plain washer grommets, which are the primary snaps and grommets used in the boating canvas industry. Art

The complete kit is $116 at Rochford Supply. When I bought it (again from Rochford) it was $75. When Sailrite started selling them for $130 everyone raised their prices. Art

Age and Condition mean a lot in any piece of used equipment. Voltage can also be a serious factor. If you clean it up and demo it on YouTube, and you guarantee it, you will get the best price. I also believe you will get a better price breaking the dies from the clicker and selling the dies separately and not as a lot. You will probably get up to $25 for some of the dies, but a lot less for others, and as it always is, you won't be able to give some away for shipping. Art

Six oz chrome tanned with a leather point needle size 12 or 14 using 69, 46, or 33 thread, as you go to smaller thread, use a smaller needle. These are not the greatest heavy duty machines and you will ultimately cook the motor. A 31-15 or 31-20 or higher will be a better machine that will do limited service on veg tan with more substantial (138) thread. Sticking with 138, a 111-15? or a 153-101 will do somewhat better. These can all be had in excellent condition for less than $500. usually substantially less. Holster work will require a larger machine like the Juki 441 or clone line. There is no such thing as an "Industrial Strength" machine, there are consumer (aka Commercial) and Industrial; stay away from anyone describing a machine as "Industrial Strength". Art