Iron Pounder

Bob, you are right on the money with what I found to be the case using the 16-188. I didn't care for the design of the machine altogether but all I would hear is a walking foot machine is what I needed. I passed up a nice 111w cheap (100.00) not long ago and I've been kicking myself since. The 31 we used uses feed dogs with teeth to move the material along but we didn't have a bit of trouble with it marking the leather or feeding problems. We only had three layers when we used the 31 so maybe more would be a problem but I won't be going more than that anyway. Do you stock parts for the 31? It seems to still be a popular machine.

I looked up Kevin and his stuff is hot. It doesn't look like he is doing leather anymore though. His site is mostly blank and no forum activity in a long time from what I could find. Something I found said he lives in Joplin,MO. Anyone know that for sure? If so I'm not far. The walking foot we tried was an old Singer 16-188. I would call it heavy duty/commercial but the design doesn't look as well made as say a Singer 111w155 that I tried (should have bought that one). I don't know if I could buy a Juki or not. I don't think I could if I had the choice of a US company as well. I'm sure they make great machines I just support the US whenever possible.

What do some many of these shops use the 31-15 for? Every shop I've been in has one it seems. I didn't know if the walking foot machine could make super tight turns like following the edge of flames. Do the shops I see that have the 31-15 just use the machine in a different way and if so how do they use it differently? We have had a heck of a time getting the walking foot machine to not track the leather up. I thought about filling the grooves up on the foot and then putting a nice cross hatch on it., will that help? The 31 just took off and worked with anything 138 and smaller thread.

I need a machine that can handle wallets and guitar straps. I have been using a hand crank Singer 66 that worked ok for that but it was on loan and is going back to it's owner. The guitar straps are 4-5oz with a 2oz decorative layer stitched on top (tribal pattern, flames, band name...) then the top assembly stitched onto a liner. Wallets 4-5oz and I have been using goat to make the inside with a cloth liner. I can get a Singer 16-188 (old walking foot) machine as well but seems that a lot of boot makers like using the 31-15. I think this machine will end up with 69 thread most of the time but may go as high as 138 at times. I really would like as much input as I can get. I might be purchasing this weekend.

\\Barry. Thanks for your input. Where is the best place on the net to learn and grow my tooking skills? Do most guys just cut half way with the swivel? I did get a few books from tandy but frankly the pictures are so poor it's hard to get much out of them. I do believe in any art form having a hard and fast set of rules that are to be followed can limit creativity.

As soon as we find the dang charger for the camera I will post some up. What I really need is someone in the Kansas City area (MO side is where I live to give me some decent direction in person). You could say I found leather working due to limitations from injuries that made it tough to do other mediums I was working with so this is new for me. I did leatherwork as a scout like I'm sre many of you did and enjoyed doing it I just moved onto other art forms. I've spent my whole life swiming upstream so by nature when left to figure things out on my own I do tend to do things the hard way . I will agree a cut does make it much easier to get the depth I want. I just thought it would weaken the leather, I don't see how it doesn't. Maybe I was cutting too deep (a bit less than half way). I do thank you guys for your insite, I do want to grow m skills in this area. Does anyone have any ideas on the inset for the rocker?

Does anyone just use different size and shape bevelers instead of cutting the outline with a swivel knife? I've made a few bevelers but haven't hit on anything I really like as well as the backgrounders I made. My work looks smoother with just bevelers than if I cut in the outline and my thought has been the cuts would weaken the leather and provide water traps. I don't know as I'm self taught, coming for blacksmithing and woodworking. Most of the work I have done to data has been for the motorcycle industry (outdoor). I'm getting ready to do an inlay for a rocking chair so it will remain indoors. Anyone have an idea of how to cut the inlay(6oz leather) to fit and not have it shrink? Only thing I can think of is cut it oversize to start off and trim to final size when dry but then I couldn't really the edge. Haven't tried an inlay before so this will be a challenge.

Any thoughts on which machine and why? I think the 31 with a roller foot my be cool as far as doing some designs with thread. That is one thing about the 66 that is hard for me is to see right where I'm going. The 16 is a walking foot though and most folks say it is best to stay wtih a walking foot to do leather. Anyone use a 16-188?

Do you have a price list?

I am looking at a 31-15 and a 16-188 to replace a Singer 66. We have tried to run 207 in both machines but doesn't stitch 100% all the time. I think we need bigger needles on both and it may work. As well as they both ran 207 it seems both will run 138 just fine. The 66 works fine but can't use anything bigger than 69 thread. I'm wanting the machine for belts (2 layer 8oz), wallets (2 layers of 3oz plus cloth liner), and anything else that I don't hand stitch. The 31 comes with a roller foot as well as the standard foot. The 16 is of course a walking foot but both machines seem to feed just fine. If anything the 16 marked the leather some but i think I could adjust most of that out. If I don't know any better it feels like the bottom feed starts moving just a bit before the top does. Sure seems like a lot of folks use a 31 so I'm kind of leaning that way. Anything I should be looking for in either machine? We have a 2" pulley on but man the machines will really run. I would prob put a servo on it. Downside to both is I can only get roughly 8 feet of 207 in the bobbin and I know that neither machine is made to ran that so maybe I will just give up and go with the 138. What size thread do most of you use for belts?

Thanks guys. It just seemed to me that the stuff Tandy sold me was the wrong stuff. Maybe I can get somewhere now .

Yep using the tandy stuff. Pre waxed and the harness needles just don't want to go through. I only do 1 hole at a time but that is a nightmare. I just wanted to know if everyone else is using the same size needles or something smaller.

On an unrelated note. How's the racing down in Clarksville? I really like that track. raced there a few times years back. Pulled a big channel cat out of the river that runs along downtown but can't think of the name of it. Might retie down that way. Tn folks are real salt of the Earth people. I'm having the same problem. I just need to get with someone that has some experience hand sewing. I bought the book they all talk about but it doesn't go into much detail. Nothing I Google search doesn't turn up,(with much better illustration)

I bought the book "The art of Hand Sewing Leather" It doesn't cover much about what size of needles to use. Trying to sew 2 layers of 7 oz bull hide together. We are using 000 harness needles and they seem too large to go through the hole we make with the awl.

Dang I knew I should have just went ahead and bought one. They say it causes the sticking to be all over the place and easier for the leather to split with the cuts it makes. Is my needle the right size? Do most of you find the tools you buy to be lacking and end up making your own? I spent a few hundred and have very few tools that I won't end up making replacements for. That's what i get for taking my daughter with me and being in a hurry. I guess I should have looked at them a bit closer.

Hello, Great forum here. I have been doing lots of reading and bought the hand sewing book most recommend. I'm interested in mainly gun belts and holsters. I went to Tandy and bought a few things to get started. I bought a few belts blanks to practice with and am having a problem. I think the needle they gave me is too large (000 saddle). My awl is razor sharp (dressed in lathe,ha) but hard to get it through far enough to let the needle make it through the hole. Here is what I'm trying to use... size 000 harness needle round awl from Tandy (best one they had) handmade awl from high carbon steel (extremely sharp) plain belt blanks at Tandy I think .250 thick Part # 1220-02 waxed thread (tandy again) Is the needle too large? Just seems that I have to make such a large hole to get thing to work with this size needle that I don't like that look. I told them I wanted a diamond awl but they said they aren't what I want for this I guess. If I need a diamond awl I can make one nicer than I can buy from the way it looks. Go easy on the new guy:whatdoyouthink: