Andrew Chee

Not sure if its a thread problem cause several cones of thread have this same problem. Maybe he needle tip splitting the thread? If so, any remedy for that? Also, this is generally not an issue of needle size/ Esther thickness? Andrew

Hello all. I have an intermittent problem with my thread unraveling in the middle of a line of stitches. Doesn't always happen. Just once in a while. It happens on all my machines. I usually use eithe 69 thread on a size 18 needle or a size 138 thread in a 22 needle. Usually when this happens, is it a problem of the needle being too small for the thread? I don't know how to diagnose this problem since it only happens sometimes. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks. Andrew

Nice. Do you have a pic of the back? Andrew

Hello all. Just finished this messenger bag for a friend of mine. 6oz honey colored latigo with a grey wool lining. Some mistakes but turned out ok I think. Andrew

Over the last week or two I've noticed a lot of times when the site is unreachable? Just wanted to know if there are some technical problems going on here. Thanks. Andrew

Just out of curiosity, what size thread do you have in there? Looks pretty heavy. A heavy thread in something as thin as two layers of 2-3 oz is a little more difficult to get the knot in the middle simply cause the knot is so big. If you're sewing something this light, try a lighter thread as well. Andrew

It could be a consew 206rb but it's not a -3. Probably a -1 because it doesn't have the two bolt on plates that the -3 and -5 have on the back of the body. As for sewing through 14oz of canvas, that's not a problem for this machine. The motor on it looks like a standard aftermarket servo with a small pulley. The 206RB machines usual come with a fast clutch motor for upholstery. The servos give you better energy efficiency and easier control. The smaller pulley slows down the motor which is also good for control. Looking at the bags, the leather is probably around 5oz thick. Any thicker than that and you have a very heavy bag. As for what type of leather, you're gonna have to ask them Horween makes all sorts of different leathers. Andrew

Well, one of the 206s I got for free. I wasn't planning on having two. I have the Artisan set up for 138 thread and the 335 set up for 69 thread. I have one of the 206s set up for 69 and the other set up for 138. I really could get away with not having either of the flat beds but just the two cylinder beds (if I made a flat bed attachment for the 335). Flat bed machines are just nice to use for sewing larger flat pieces though. I originally wasn't planning on buying the 335 but I got a really good deal from a local factory that was closing down so I couldn't pass it up. Honestly, if you were to have one machine, get a cylinder bed for the flexibility. Just make sure it has a flat bed attachment. If you want to cover all the bases in terms of materials and thicknesses you would expect to work on then get something like a 227 (A Pfaff 335 is even better but they're expensive) and a Toro 3000/CB3500/Cobra Class 3 size of machine. The Consew 206RB machines are pretty good machines and will sew the same weight of material as a 227 or a 335 but they are flat beds and don't have the flexibility of a cylinder bed machine. On the other hand, they are cheaper. Andrew

If this is your first machine, definitely buy it from a reputable dealer. They may not be cheaper than Craigslist but you will get a machine that is set up correctly. A local shop is not necessary since the dealers like Bob at Toledo or Steve at Cobra will ship you machines and offer great service. Only thing you can't do is bring the machine back to them if you have a problem. I had a problem with a machine I bought from Steve and he paid for a local machine tech to come take a look at it so service was great. Bob might be better for you simply because he's closer to you and shipping costs might be cheaper. I have bought several machines from Steve because of the service and because he's close to me and shipping is less because of that. Since buying my first machine (an Artisan Toro 3000 which is basically the same as the Cowboy 3500) I have acquired six machines and sold two of them. What I've found is that no one machine will do everything. The Cowboy CB4500 class machines will be great for doing things like holsters or saddlery. The smallest thread you can practically use is a 138. If you're doing finer stuff like wallet liners or thinner leather purses (total thickness of less than say 6-8oz) then the machine won't work very well. I use a 69 thread for wallet liners and a 138 for top stitching edges. The feet and feed dogs are really too big for finer work. In addition to the Artisan, I now have a Pfaff 335 and two Consew 206RBs (one I got for free). I didn't purchase those from a dealer so I had to set a lot of things up myself. I've gotten to know sewing machines a bit better so swapping out motors and doing small modifications like grinding down feed dogs is not a big deal for me. If this is your first machine, I'd advise against going this route. These machines are good for light to middle weight materials. They will sew the wallets and purses well. They max out at I think at a 207 thread I believe (I've never had a need to go that heavy on those machines so I'm not sure on that). 207 will sew holsters although people seem to like a 277 thread for holsters and I don't think that these machines will do that. Looking back now, if I was to have only one machine as a first machine, especially since I don't do any holsters or super heavy stuff like that, I would have gone with something like a Pfaff 335 type of machine. A cylinder bed machine that maxes out at 138 or 207 thread and has about a 1/2" foot lift would have been the most versatile for me. A cylinder arm machine is also very useful for purses and difficult, tight edges. Just make sure you get a flat bed attachment with the machine so you can sew flat stuff easily as well. Also, whatever machine you get, get a speed reducer and a servo motor. The speed reducer gives you good torque to punch through hard leather at slow speeds. I have needle positioner servos on all my machines except the Artisan. They cost about $50-75 more than a regular servo but I really like the great control they give. Some people here like the Sewpro 500GR gear reduction motor. I've tried them but I still like the speed reducers better because they give you more torque at the super low speeds. On the flip side, a speed reducer + servo is a more expensive solution than a gear reduction servo. Similar to the Pfaff 335 is something like a Cowboy CB227R which are clones of the Consew 227R. Check those out. Andrew

I have to say Wiz. You the man! Tried out your suggestion and the stitches are lining up now. I actually called Consew and asked them for a manual for the -3 as well as how to adjust it. They basically told me that the -3 was basically the same as the -1 except for the reverse mechanism and the manuals were the same except for a one page insert detailing the difference and they don't have that sheet anymore. Then their technician tells me that since I am not a sewing machine mechanic that the adjustment is basically too difficult for me to do so I shouldn't even try. Good thing we have this message board. Andrew

Depends on what you mean by "soft". Veg tan leather will never be as soft as what you see on say a Coach leather duffle simply cause they use chrome tan leather. You can ask W&C to run your split leather through the staking machine once and that will soften it up some. Use a 3-4oz for something like a tote or rucksack. It will be softer but it will never be as soft what most people think in terms of fashion bags. Andrew

Hi. I just came into possession of a consew 206rb-3. The reverse stitches are a little shorter than the forward stitch length. I'd like to fix that. I've seen manuals for the 206rb-5 but the machines are different enough that the instructions don't work for the -3. Does anyone know how to do this or have a manual for a -3 I can get a copy of? Thanks. Andrew

Also, I found that you don't really need to go above heat setting 3. 10 is way too hot. Andrew

The price has been dropped to $300. PM me if interested. Thanks.

The machine is now sold.

Then there are the combination tanned leathers. Partially chrome and partially veg (like Latigo). Except for very obvious leathers like tooling leathers and such it can be sometimes difficult to tell how a piece of leather is tanned and finished. A lot of times the leather dealer won't even know. Very confusing business. Andrew

Pretty much anything. The thickest I've done is probably 8-10oz veg tan. It works like a sharp pizza cutter which is nice cause it pushes down on the leather and cuts instead of dragging across the leather like an exactly knife would. The thing is that you really can't use these for curves. Andrew

If you're primarily cutting straight lines nothing beats a rotary knife. I use a 60mm Olfa rotary cutter and it's great for straight lines. Andrew

I have mostly Weaver brand strap end punches and one Jeremiah Watt's Horse Shoe Brand punches. I find the Watt punches to be slightly nicer in terms of finish and fanciness but in terms of function I find them both equal. Both are very good quality. The Weaver punches are less expensive but you need to have an account with them to buy the punches. I bought a few of the Belgium Diecraft english point punches cause they were cheap but they were pretty much crap. The sizes were all wrong and the quality was not good at all. I use a rubber mallet and a rubber poundo for my punching and have never had any problems. The poundo board has so many marks on it now that it looks like some piece of abstract modern art. I only use it for hole punching or strap end punching so I don't have a problem with it leaving marks in my leather. I'm not sure what you mean by imprinting on the leather. Hope that helps. Andrew

I just received bearman's handle today and I must say it's very nice work. I also ordered two of Douglas tool's awl blades. One regular and one slim. Does anyone have the dimensions of these blades? I think they sent me two of the same blades because they are only a few thousandths of an inch different in width. I had to use my digital calipers to tell the difference cause visually they looked exactly the same. Andrew

NOr sure but check out www.kwokhing.com for inexpensive feet and parts for that machine. Andrew

For first time tooling, that's really good. Keep practicing!

What type of leather did you use? The case looks molded but the leather looks like chrome tan leather. Very nice work though! Andrew

207. You can buy threads from most of the dealers on this board. And there aren't really pre-wound bobbins. Just wind them yourself. Andrew

It's because the butt is what's Left over from making she'll cordovan. It's basically a byproduct. If you sees the two curves on the butt, that's where they cut the shells from. The rest of the horse hide (the front of the horse) is usually chrome tanned for other purposes. Andrew