Cumberland Highpower

found a set

Well, I think that's a bit of a stretch...LOL. I think the relative should just give it from love and affection and all that

Of course you should buy it! That's a great heavy machine. It's a needle feed true jump foot. Really about the best setup for leather. That machine probably sold for 7k new back in it's day 30 years ago. Parts wise it's 95% a Seiko CH series machine. Seiko still makes these models and parts are available. I highly doubt this machine was used enough to wear out anything. The handful of parts that Ferdinand made for it in the conversion are not available, but any machine shop can make them. Those parts are just simple metal shapes you could even make with a vise, hacksaw and a file. Shuttle hooks, bobbins, feed dogs, needles, needle plate, etc are all available. Presser feet are probably same as Seiko CH7. Being a true jump foot/needle feed machine, you only really need ONE presser foot. a narrow open toe. You can do the same work with that as with all the feet combined on a "modern" unison feed machine. I'd buy it for $800 myself. Want to sell it? Don't waste your time calling dealers...Hoffman Bros won't know anything. Everyone you talk to will try to sell you a Chinese clone of a Juki like it's made from gold and your machine is made from...poop. You'll just have to learn your machine and learn how to source your own parts on Ebay, Alibaba, Yahoo Auctions Japan, Cambell-Randall, College Sewing machine, etc. Study the Seiko CH series. Like I said before, I don't think you'll need anything other than feet/needle plates/dogs. Seiko builds quality machines. It seems like allot of folks get into the hobby and when they buy something they don't know what they have, how to work on it, how to tune it, etc and expect a dealer or someone else to hold hands and walk them through it. The one thing I would try (I've never tried it on a 900b) if I were you, would be to use a 328 needle and lower the needle bar. A shorter needle will have less flex and give you less issues with breakage. you don't need a 794 needle for most work.

All the places I would have recommended closed. Allot of those old machines just used sandpaper sheets. The horsehair wheels are pretty pricey though.

Anyone know of a good inexpensive supplier of U cut table tops? Looking for one or 2 for a standard set of K legs. Plywood w/formica top. I'm lazy to make my own.

Hey Gerry I actually saw those units on ebay as well. I've not owned one, but did some research a little. Seems like most commenters said they didn't have good low speed control? If you have 2, how do they suit you on the slow? Most of my shop is wired with Nema 6-20 outlets, but might want to take this machine other places from time to time because of it's smaller size.

I'm looking for a cheap (yet decent) servo for a machine I'm setting up. It's a wimpy machine that I want to run at a pretty low SPM. as low as 30 maybe. Thinking to order in an ISM CB-55D in 110v, although I looked a bit at some of the Reliable Sew Quiets as an option. I don't know much about the Reliables, how low can they go? I've got a couple ISM SV-71s in 210V. While I REALLY like these I do have some problems with my supply voltage. At times in summer my line voltage goes above 246v and when it crosses that threshold the ISM's will error out. That's not really a "problem" in a big way. I just plug in a small idler motor in the circuit that gets it down a bit and problem solved. Anyone have any experience with the CB-55D? How about the "Reliable" 6000 and 6050?

When I was a boy my mother went through allot of home sewing machines. One day my dad bought a Necchi BU in a cabinet from a hoarder for $20. She still has the Necchi and I think it was the best home use machine ever made.

I guess I'm the only risk taker on this forum? LOL

Looking for a set of roller wheels for a Randall NSB Beveler. I need them for 3/4" straps. Can be steel or aluminum as long as the contact surfaces are in good shape. Let me know what you have

I think they're mostly sealed bearing units? There is a sleeve that moves in the housing that could use a little oil, it slides back and forth when you engage it. try lubing that. CM's are tough and can last just about forever. I have one on a Randall that was made in 1984 and I use it every day nearly. I've adjusted the Cluch/Brake a couple times since I've owned it over the last 20 years. You can buy the friction plates and bearings for some of the better ones, but buying a used CM is often cheaper. They're not obsolete at all and are still made. There are just better and worse uses for them these days. Servos are great when you want a positioner and on leather stitchers for beginners (and non beginners) I find CM's on heavy sewing machines that are run full throttle for long durations is best. I highly doubt you'll get any Chinese Servo to last 40 years though, more like 5 if you use it allot. Maybe an Efka or Mitsubishi can make it to 50yrs? I can tell you one thing that's a negative about Servos, you can't tell from the sound if they're on. I recently put a needle through the tip of my finger when inserting a bobbin on a Seiko. Lucky for myself the needle didn't shatter....If it had been a CM I'd have known it was on.

So I came across this old post and am looking for some similar input here in 2025. I've contracted a run of belts with these types of tips, but find them to be a bit of a pain. I've got 1" tips to attach. Is there a die or punch specifically made for these types of tips? After looking online at some photos of production belts, it seems I see a mix of some sort of custom fitting and belts simply fitted to a leather tip with an English point. The later appears to have some taper visible before entering the tip? I'd like to cut this particular run of belts on my Galli. If there is a pattern or readily available "punch" of some sort I could install or modify to cut it, would be great. Any thoughts or advice? This is the first batch of belts with tips I'll have made.

I've been working on some small leather goods and would like to machine stitch them with linen. I've never sewn with small gauge linen, and have been looking at the Meisi sz40 superfine linen. Mainly because I like the feel of linen in general and I like the colors they offer. Cost wise it's pretty expensive.... I believe this thread is "Waxed" although I don't know to what degree as I haven't ordered any just yet. I'd like to run this in a machine, either LSC-8b-1 or a Te-5b. Ideally in the Te-5b, I feel like the shuttle/long hook may allow for slightly better stich quality. Does anyone have any experience w/this thread by machine?

Here, Facebook Marketplace. Auctions.....

Ok, so I am doing something I should have experimented 20 years ago when I got in the business.... I've bought a Seiko TE5 that is essentially a modern version of the Singer 17. I want to run some really thin soft leathers through it, and I have seen online that it's a common trick to superglue a thin strip of rubber over the feed dogs. Now I've never done that before, it's a new concept for me. Are there any commercially available ready made rubber bonded feed dogs for it? What about teflon presser feet? I see some around for textile machines of other makes? I've probably lost my mind buying this TE5, but I was seriously intrigued by it for some odd reason and I don't want to mess with any of my other machines, they're all set up for other things.

I used to work miles of Biothane, what are you using? I ran mostly Beta When you say hot stamping, you mean an embosser or foil type machine, right? About any will work. If you're talking about a hot cutting machine, if you're running beta it depends how thick. SH Beta is hard to run through a hot cutter, you have to set the machine to run as slow as possible. I often resorted to a lube pad made from foam to lube the top surface, that aided surprisingly allot in the cleanness of the cut.

Just make sure you ask how much! I had Weaver resurface a stack of clicker boards once...I got a little sticker shock. Be sure to ask about shipping also. I once ordered a 2 oz plastic ball (foot lift) for an Adler 205 and they charged me $17 fedex after charging me 10x what the ball was worth. FWIW my son found that ball and lost it, so I ordered one on ebay for $5, free shipping Just saying to be careful with assumptions, I still deal allot with Weaver and like the outfit, I but know before hand what I'm paying-lol I sharpen all of my punches on a 2x72 belt sander. Very carefully to avoid making them larger. Yours needs trued up a bit then the bevel shaped a little.

I almost bought a Damasko once. One of the more "basic" tool watches. Decided against it though, it just didn't seem to offer anything a Seiko that looked about the same did. So I took the Damasko money and bought a spare ATOM SE25 with it. I usually can't keep a watch more than 1-2 years. 1 is about the average. I tend to kill them. Impact. Knocking off the counter, putting in the washing machine, etc. Broke one once hitting my arm on scaffolding. Not surprisingly, lost one to the concrete from a failed strap/pin as you point out. Watches are rarely an investment in honesty. Maybe 10% are and those are top brands/materials kept in pristine shape. If I had bought the Damasko, worn it for 2 years and put it up for sale it would probably bring $400 at best. The Atom I bought with my Damasko money is worth at least 2k.

That type of machine usually brings top dollar, might be out of his price range? 3x the cost of his PFAFF?

That's mostly the nature of unison feed machines unfortunately. You're turning your work while the outer presser foot is down, and your center is anywhere other than under the needle. Unison feed machine basically suck for leather work, but they've become the standard as they can do about everything. Leather, nylon, plastic, etc. You could try to train yourself to turn your work on sharp curves while the outer presser is still up, and the needle down, that might help some. You may also want to check and see if your inner and outer foot lift is balanced. Maybe your feet don't sit square against the needleplate? You may need to hone on the feet to fit better, more squarely. Also try an open toe inner foot if you haven't. Roller feed are good for tight curves and give great visibility, but really are only good on leathers that don't mar up. They'll leave knurled tracks on top or a bit of a trough, and pretty heavy feed dog marks on the underside. That's why they're mostly used for shoe/boot uppers. I have a couple machines set up with large rollers that have rubber covered wheels, for visibility mostly.

Does anyone know if Nippy presser and roller feet will fit the FAV Skiver? They're both fortuna-ish clones.

I admire this member's dedication to the craft. All that hand stitching just to showcase a sample. Only in Japan! lol

That's a serious watch. I like it. I appreciate your thoughts and advice. I think for me, personally, would be pretty easy to market straps. I have 2 "machine shops" full of machines already and have been making everything from competitive shooting gear, holsters, belts, slings, tools and other goods on exclusive contract runs for over 20 years. I think I could target a market in the $35 range w/good quality materials and lined with French Calf. Basically the "average" buyer. I personally don't like those QR pins, but I think an "average" buyer with an average watch wants those. I know an Amishman that made a living for 10 years making straps for Nick Gabarro. I'd say I learned a thing or 2 from him along the line. some were from shell cordovan, some nylon, some common chrome leathers. What's motivated me to a degree are the "Trump Tariffs" Some things that were not profitable last week are more likely to be actually profitable in a year. Strap Code's prices are going to go up, maybe 10-60% in the near future? Let's not comment further on my ambitions though, I don't want to hijack the OP's post. I think his work looks pretty sharp and I'd certainly wear it.

I'm curious, when did Seiko switch paint colors on it's machines from Grey to White? An even tougher question, when did they switch from black, to grey, then grey to white? Did the grey to white color have anything to do with the end of the sales relationship with Consew?

I've been tooling up myself to make leather watch straps. Only by machine. I guess I'll just include "Not for $5000 watches" stamped under size and maker stamping. LOL