jimmy eng

Hi folks, I've started using a couple of machines that I've had for a while and was wondering what type of oil and grease you would use for it. My fabric industrial machines came with a few litres of clear machine oil (no label) which I use for them but I'm not sure if they could be used for these machines. I have a Pfaff 335-17B (Cylinder arm for Light-Medium weight material) and a generic 801 Skive machine (bottom feed, no brand name). The 801 Skive has a grease catchment in the top left corner and I don't think every oiling port is visible or I haven't noticed them, the manual that came with it was in Chinese and I downloaded an English version but it wasn't much help (diagrams were too small). With the Pfaff 335-17B I've found the oiling ports and painted a red ring around them. The other question I had would be when I've oiled each port do I run the machine with some scrap leather to clean off the excess oil or do I just wipe it off? Cheers, Jim

Helps a great deal Dikman, thanks heaps. The M20 you've used, was it cotton/poly or poly? I assume you used a different sized needle. The Shann Group link is an awesome source. Looks like they have a diverse supply of materials which is good since I sew clothes and home wares too. Cheers mate. Do you mean Adelaide Leather and Saddlery Supply? I've bought from these guys before, now that I know the thread size I see that they have a right thread online.

Great reference chart Tom, thanks heaps.

Immensely mate! Cheers

Cheers for your help Floyd. Is v46 thicker/thinner than v69 thread? Is that an American system?

I'm really confused with needle and thread sizing for this machine (the whole system really) so if anyone could explain or point me in the right direction regarding a few questions I have that would be greatly appreciated. I've found a great post on here from 2015 which is awesome and I've found an array of needles at https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/freight-charges-explained/ 1/ Can I use round point needles for this machine? The needle type is 134-35 LR. Does 135 mean it's a thicker needle? 2/ The thread type is synthetic 40/3 according to the manual of a newer model but I've only seen the thread types in Australia as M20/M25/M8 with no other details. I bought a cotton-poly M20 but it's much too thick for the one needle that came with the machine (Organ 20 on the shank) but I don't know what the equivalent of 40/3 is (which I understand is the twist and cord number) and can I use cotton-poly? 3/ I'd love an Australian supplier of both needles and thread! The M type thread I can get from Birdsall (Syd) and Qld Wholesale Canvas (QLD), I got my thread from QWC.

In dressmaking we cut slits (either vertically or diagonally depending on movement) or cut a 'V' shape if the corner is too tight in two methods. First is to cut the slits through both layers in the same place and the other is to alternate the slits one each layer which you could do on this bag. Alternating the cuts will visually look more appealing if you will see the seam from the inside as each cut has a solid layer in front/behind it so the curve doesn't look like it has a cut in it. If you need to reduce the bulk further you can also cut half of one layers seam too. And skiving would help too. When you are turning the bag inside out are you pushing the seam out too much as well? The stitching is showing.

Bruce, those custom half punches are amazing. I have ready made ones and the corners tend to chip because of how thin the punch gets. Great work.

Look at this YouTube video, it shows this style of box stitching and the other 45 degree join one. This style you have to account for the overlap on one side.

Copy the pattern onto cardboard using a stitching wheel, retrace the markings with pencil then pen/markers and use that as the pattern. Check the measurements are correct though and check any parallel and right angled lines are true too. It's how dressmakers do it when using store bought patterns when they want a specific size, those patterns have a range of size laid on top of each other. Your mum would've known what size she wanted so cut through the pattern.

Have you got a photo of your foot in it? Is it the angle of the strap that's causing it to pull when your foot is moving? And the width of the stitches that creates a perforation? I'd skive the end and loop the strap around the strap you've riveted it so it moves when it needs to if you want to keep the design. That way the stitching/rivet isn't on the stress point.

I've used the Birdsall snake skin before, and I glue it to at least 1.4mm vegtan for a wallet outer and treat it like 1.4mm as the thickness of the snake is so marginal. The photo isn't Birdsall snake skin but it's a similar snake skin that I've made into a bag charm with a 2mm vegtan backing and then a 1.4mm chrome tan on the other side. The biggest issue is that on the cut edges the scales can come off (one did which I just painted in) but I'd say that might be an issue with most snake skins.

Cheer Tinker Tailor, appreciate the advise. Yeah I'll try flattening the pieces with glass and see what happens to that and then try the acetate one if that doesn't do the trick.

I'm trying to leave an imprint of shadows onto leather by putting crocheted wire over it and leaving it in the sun. The marks so far look blotchy (it's been a day and a bit) but if anyone has ideas if it would work or a better suggestion that would be helpful. I'm guessing a few things that might be going against me: 1/ My heat source (the sun) moves so the shadow I'm projecting isn't getting a defined shape 2/ The shadow I'm projecting isn't thick enough to produce a strong image 3/ I haven't left it out long enough Is UV light the thing that makes leather darken in the sun? Could I use a UV light bulb?

Cheers wlg190861, I thought as much haha

I have this heavily treated leather that I'm making a bag from and I wanted to make lace from the scraps to braid the handle. It's too soft to run through my strap cutter and I have a feeling I'd have to cut it by hand. Any ideas on this?

I never made a wet formed piece of the skull, had to sell it when I was broke! They are pretty common in alternative market stalls so I might give it a go down the line. I think of Scary Leatherworks skull quite often actually!

From a sewing teachers point of view, I find a lot of people know zero about what they're going to do and doubt themselves on how to go about making something. And a lot of people are learning by themselves, so when someone watches a long video on the simplest thing it's like having someone working with you as you learn.

I sometimes run a stitching wheel over my stitches after I tap it down, it seems to help align the stitches in my mind haha. Is the cast not pulled into the centre of the stitches? Could that be the reason it favours one side?

Sent you a PM mate, cheers

I think what brmax said is the key. Those knives are for pulling towards you when you cut, not pushing away like a round head. Having the tang on one side (the side closest to you as you cut) makes it easier to hold and control.

Brilliant contact Rocky, thanks heaps for the info. I'll get in touch with them for some supplies soon. Jim

Cheers Dikman, I'll check that place out. The places I usually get tools and leather from (Maclace in Brissy and Birdsall in Syd) didn't have any thread but i haven't checked out the Cobbler supply J A Brooks that's near me. Cheers jimi for info. I didn't think to salvage it from another machine, I thought of the most direct route! I'll have to remember to do this if I get another broken/worn part.

I ran into the same issue with my 335 I recently bought and needed the stitch length lever replaced (the machine went through the van window whilst moving it when I turned a corner!). I have an older model 335 and no repairer I contacted had a contact to get the part, the rod bent and snapped in half, so I got an Engineering business to make the part. The thread and rod was in between standard sizes so they had to make it from scratch. Cost me AU$170 including GST. I haven't used this type of machine before so I was wondering where I could source the thread and needles (I bought it on Gumtree). I have one spool of poly thread that happened to suit it (bought from the op shop!).

Where are the photos from?