Mike516

I will take this lot. Send me the payment info again please. Thank you.

Yea, I didn't want to have to make anything. If I could, I wouldn't want to, but I can't and still don't want to. There was one machine I could have had about an hour from here I could have gotten for I think it was $1100 no dies or blades and if anything was wrong with it I would have had to figure something out. So I bought new and I'm still having issues with oil everywhere unless I want to drain it and missing spacers I'm waiting months for. I understand problems with suppliers but I don't call a client and tell them my supplier doesn't have the stain they want and I ran out. I make sure I have enough of it on hand. With my business, me being the seller, I have to be nice and provide customer service. I dare say I kiss my clients butts, even when they're difficult. Why then, as a buyer don't I receive the same courtesy? I feel like I still have to kiss butt as the buyer. And I don't feel it's so unreasonable to expect what a seller promised me. It's getting so I want to switch to something where I provide a service with no need of machinery or supplies. My customer service is on point, that should be enough to carry me. I know I would pay more for exceptional customer service. I came from a time when you shook hands and delivered on a promise because your word was your bond. Nowadays if it doesn't make economic sense you won't even get what you paid for.

Thanks Art but this isn't going to happen. They were supposed to come with the machine so why should I be making them? I understand if I want something done right and all that, but first off I'm not real good making stuff like that and second they should be providing them for me. It was part of the package and the reason I bought the thing new and not used from someone else. And why I didn't buy the cutters that only came with metric spacers. I spoke to them and they assured me I could get standard size spacers in any size I needed. I was texting with a guy that works there and he told me the oil was overfilled at their shop by them and I could siphon some out and let it run down and stop by itself. He said the red dot isn't a low oil warning and he reminded me I have a lifetime warranty and not to worry, but really how the heck am I supposed to get this thing out my door if I have to send it back to them? The delivery guy won't do anything inside the house due to insurance. I'm not a kid anymore and work in my shop alone. I don't know, I'm getting frustrated with this whole thing. This was supposed to save me time but it feels like it's costing me more time than it's saving. It all started when the machine came set up for 1 inch straps but all the extras were metric spacers. I told 2 different people over there that all my hardware is in inches and the sizes I needed. Why would they send metric spacers? I don't know, they seem really really nice but it's hurting my business at this point and I still have to cut all my 3/8 inch straps by hand.

I'm still having issues with this machine. I'm starting to think it was a big mistake buying one, especially from across the country. And The Leather Machine Company isn't a whole lot of help. I've been trying to get 3/8 inch spacers for months, I spent $2000 on this machine and I'm still cutting 3/8 straps by hand. Does that sound right, or am I being unreasonable? From the day it arrived it has been leaking oil. They told me it was probably overfilled before it was shipped. Art, can you tell me where the oil level in the little window on the right side of the machine is? Mine is well below the red dot. The manual it came with is useless, but I figured the red dot was the low oil warning dot or something. They say it's not like a sewing machine and it doesn't use oil, but mine is puddling under the gears.

Awesome thanks so much. I'll be calling my guy tomorrow and ordering a new one. Why would this part bend? Are we doing something that would put pressure on it? Thanks again.

Thank you Mike. Is that what it's called, the thread guide ring?

I have a Juki 1541S and the part where the needle screws in and the thread goes through just before the needle looks like it's very loose and seems to be bent and possibly breaking the thread. I have added a couple of pictures to try and illustrate the part and where it looks to be breaking the thread. I apologize for the poor picture quality and the 1st grade picture alterations. Should this part be that loose? In the picture with the arrows, are those cracks and would that be causing my thread breakage? My wife needs to keep using it and she's thinking of bypassing that thing for now since it's sunday and there's nowhere open to get a replacement. Is it ok if she goes slowly? I would have looked to see if this has been asked and answered but I can't figure out what that part is called. Thanks.

Yes, I too would be curious to know what you think as I'm looking for a new supplier.

I was on the phone with them last week and I was going to buy one bottle of stain I needed. The girl reminded me if I spent over $75 I would get free shipping. I said I would wait until this week and order more stuff when I got my list together and I could probably hold off on the stain until then. She said that was a good idea and said nothing about the shipping change.

Wow that's too bad. Their stuff is ok and their customer service is spot on, but to be honest the free shipping is what kept me coming back. Seems like I'll be forced to look at other options.

Right, but now I always bend the leather at the buckle or chain or whatever when it's still wet from the original casing no matter what. Nothing worse than finishing a belt and cracking it putting on the hardware. But the better leather is much more supple and a pleasure to work with for sure.

I had a problem with cracking. I was using cheap leather. I upgraded my leather and wallah! problem solved.

Thanks JMW. I just looked at their site and don't see any of the colors I use. And their prices seem kind of high, no?

Is there a reliable vendor where I can get 32 oz. bottle's of feibing's Hi Liter, All In One and Gel Antique stains. Why do people prefer dyes over stains so much. It looks as if everyone carries large bottles of dyes but not of stains. So what do people who use stains do, buy 8 bottles at a time of the 4 oz?

Excellent use of space. I don't have nearly the production of this, but I do find collars laying everywhere to dry, and I'm constantly moving them still tacky from one spot to another when I need room. It's quite the comedy act. This gives me some great ideas on getting more organized and better situated in my small shop, thank you so much.

Rocky, I like the drying rack. Is that a bakers cookie rack or something you made? I was thinking about making or buying something similar. Do you find it takes them longer to dry stacked like that?

Thanks for the advice RA. It was crap leather and I have since switched to Herman Oak. I still wet form, but the leather is so much nicer, I'll never go back.

Yes, this is good info. Must remember this.

Ok, Thanks for letting me know Ray!

If it doesn't pan out with Troy, I'll take it.

I sell mainly cat and dog collars online and it has been suggested I get insurance to cover myself for liability purposes. I've been calling around and either the company isn't licensed in NY or they don't cover leather businesses. Does anyone here have or sell business insurance and can give links to their companies website? The more the merrier since it seems they're pretty choosy. Thanks!

Mail order from Springfield Leather is good and over I think it's $75 it's free shipping.

So yea, when I spoke to him about having a hard time getting my straps centered he told me that some folks like to use those set screws to move the guides rather than move the guides themselves. The problem I was having was the guides shifting after I tightened them because the bar they are set on is smaller in diameter than the holes in the guides. I guess everyone figures out what works best for them. I don't like the guides so I ditched them. It might take me a few seconds longer to run my straps through, but I'm not in a rush. But thanks for the advice.

I hadn't seen this post when it was originally posted last year, but I'm glad I ran across it this morning. I too felt a steep learning curve with this embosser. I've only had it a short while and read another thread where someone else posted that once you get the guides set, you won't want to move them as it's extremely difficult to get them even again when you change rolls. True this to the point I got so flustered and frustrated, I discovered something quite by accident. I removed the guides and sit eye level with the throat of the machine and guide the leather by eye. It takes a bit of practice, but it's much easier than messing with the crazy guides that don't quite tighten down evenly. It's like the hole where they slide onto the bar is bigger than the bar so even tightened down they still wobble. But this isn't a precision type machine. For the price it's a great value and you can't beat it once you figure out your own method of using it. I always wondered if anyone else operates this without the guides?

They will. But if you keep at it you'll get better. I have the press but I never use it because it's a pain in the butt. It sets the rivets but it seemed every time I needed it to set a rivet there was a snap die in it. And every time I wanted to set a snap, there was a rivet die. I don't know who kept changing them but I end up not using. Edit: My mistake, I thought you said brass rivets. There's no die for the hand setter for copper rivets and burrs. Maybe for the foot press ones, but I'm not sure. But yea. there's a lot of videos on how to set them by hand. As with most things, it takes practice.