Trevor

Let me know how you get on Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

You're welcome. when I found these (which was by accident) I was so excited. They are just what the leatherworker needs. Perfect for thicker leather and multiple layers of any material I guess. http://www.eyelets.com.au/index.php They don't show on the website that they make the long eyelets but Im pretty sure that's where these ones came from. Let me know if you cant get any sense from them and I will contact the guy I got them off. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

And here is the other two pictures

OK Ive read all the posts and this may be of some help. There is a crowd in Australia that I have just ordered and received some SP1 eyelets (Grommets) in nickel plate and these are the long shaft version. Ive have bought 500 myself and will find out the name of the company if you wish. I bought these from a supplier in Auckland who got them sent from the factory. Not sure of the name. Here are some pics of the eyelets so you can compare. Let me know if you want the name. Hope this helps Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Doug. I have both. The ones that are welded are well used and will never break. These are "Crew" punches welded to a steel shaft. The others are 1 piece forged and will also last a lifetime. These are better. The CS Osbourne ones are forged. Cheers Trevor

Hey there Doug. C.S.Osborne are one of the better quality punch makers in the world. There are some cheaper ones around but if you buy these they will last a lifetime. All of there tools and punches etc are very good http://www.csosborne.com/ Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Hi there Ray. Is this the kind of thing that you are after??? I put together this machine and its a jewellers rolling mill with a embossing roller instead of the normal flat top roller. Fully interchangeable by undoing the top bolts and dismantling the machine a little to get the roller out. Makes a very beautiful basket weave pattern. Cheers Trevor Way Down Under

Some knife steel is hardened. You will find it difficult to sharpen. Be very careful that altering the edge may cause more problems than you started with. The knife doesn't need to be razor sharp. The force of the press will push the knife through most leather. If you really need to sharpen use a diamond grit file. Will remove enough steel to make the edge better but don't take too much off. Remember that a knife is engineered to be very flat and should remain flat after you've finished with it. good luck Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Nadine Of course the leather will be marked by the foot it is a boot patcher which relies on the ribbed foot to grip and pull the leather through so the next stitch can take place. Smooth bottom plate and no feed dog present. The lines that are showing I suspect are from a faulty or broken foot or a foot that has too much downward pressure applied. Take the foot off and have a good look at it underneath to see if its damaged. I suggest that you invest in a (Flat bed leather machine) with walking foot capability and that will sew very nicely anything that you need. A boot patcher is for fixing boots hence the very narrow arm. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Cheers '77. Appreciate the feedback.

Nice work. Have you tried the curved posture style collars with the same finish ?? would like to see how you have done the back padding. Made a few of these myself with soft leather inside. Keep up the great work Trevor "Way Down Under"

I have a couple here if you cant get them anywhere else. PM me for cost style etc. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Hi there. I use the same thing for ID Wallets and things. Go down to your local stationery supply shop and find the section that sells the protective cover sheets for binding systems. Get the thickest one you can. Its the clear plastic sheets that go into a binding folder, when they then use a circular plastic wrapper to bind the whole lot together. I just looked at mine. they are Clear presentation binding covers made by IBICIO in China. they are 250 micron (.25mm) thick. size A4 and there are 25 sheets. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Here's what I do. Carving ...only wet the surface and carv away keeping it damp. wet the whole piece once to keep the colour the same. (if using Natural russet). Moulding... wet the leather in warm water for 10-20 minutes or until the bubbles stop. dry off the then roll up the leather both ways to soften the hide up. This works with both factory dyed and natural leather. Rolling... in a machine (belt pattern) run the belt under the hot and cold taps (Top surface only) for 1 minute. Then dry off and roll into the machine. Factory dyed and Natural. I have made hundreds of moulded pouches of all shapes and sizes. mostly out of factory dyed veg tanned and chrome leather. Once the mould is in place in the press I leave it for a couple of hours then staple the wet item to a board and put overnight on a hot cupboard. (hot water cupboard that is) and it will be perfect to cut and sand in the morning. When dry it will keep its shape forever. cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

thanks Wishful

Hi there. Just finished this black basket-weave phone pouch for a Galaxy S4. Its a sideways pouch with Velcro closure. Thanks for looking. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under" here are the other pics

I have a Juki LU 563. Fantastic machine. I would say one of the best walking foot machines around. Don't get the LU562 because of the small bobbin. Find a 563 and buy it. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Hey. Yes Ideally the top thread is the one that should "be hidden into the stitch." If the bottom thread shows on the top you have too much pull on the take up tension so back that off a little. And if the bottom thread is a bit loose and doesn't "slightly disappear" then tighten the tension and it will pull the thread up more. With different size threads this will vary somewhat. Make sure your needle eye is smooth and free of snags. Buy yourself a loupe and examine it closely. Make also sure that when you put the needle in the machine it is sitting dead right so the flat part is facing to your right quarter. ie 3 on a clock. You may need a lubricator bottle for your thread which may help. Using a smaller thread on the bottom is always good as well but not strictly required. If you cant do it get someone to check the timing and it should sew like a dream.. Good luck Trevor "Way Down Under"

Hey Dude. This is going to sound stupid but its good if you could sew top and bottom stitches with different coloured thread, say black and white then we can see if it is pulling up too much or not enough. Very hard to see your pictures and which thread is which. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under" Cheers

Hey there Colt. Read your post and thought Id show you a santa belt that I made a couple of years back. I hand made the buckle so that I got what I wanted. I believe they are very hard to find. I have looked on the internet and not seen a buckle like this at all. Its three and a half inches wide. I did two buckles. One was nickel plated and the other gold plated. Cost me about $100 each to make. Enjoy the pics Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Theres an Artisan Toro 4000 for sale in the posts below. I have the 3000 Toro. Fantastic machine. Very very good. Trevor Way Down Under

hi there odd Here is the flag holder that I make. Both the same just different colours. Cheers Trevor Way Down Under

I owned a Puritan Golf bag stitcher for a very short time some years ago. It was a monster and took up heaps of room.I had to tie it up to the rafters so It wouldn't fall over. Huge great thing it was. The stitch on it was sadly chain so as Wiz has said be aware of this kind of stitch. The guy whom I bought it off wanted it back so I was happy when he offered me something else. The machine ended up in Fiji I think. Not everyones cup of tea so to speak. In my opinion stick with the tried and true ordinary saddle machine ie Cowboy, Artisan or the well know brands. I have a Toro 300 and its the best machine Ive ever owned (along with the Juki 563). It can sew very thick and does it beautifully. Cheers Trevor Way Down Under

Hi there. I have an Instruction manual for the TH-8B which I assume is pretty much the same machine. Cheers Trevor "Way Down Under"

Thanks Bob. To me the whole idea of making a molded pouch means to stretch the leather over a shape to get the desired result. These pouches are simple and can be made easily with some wood and a few bits and pieces. I used to use a large vice to squash it all together but I now have a proper press. But the vice is still ok. Using anything soft or semi soft would not allow the leather to stretch properly Cheers Trevor