J Hayes

heavy plastic drinking straw from wifes cup :-) it "clips" onto the fs.

Nice rig, care to share how you did that sight channel?

Hehehe yeah +1 there!

Try posting this in leather sewing machines. I'm not real familiar with either machine but I see posts about the 206 frequently and seems to be a sought after machine. The 226 might have a smaller bobbin than the 206, but again I'm not real familiar with either.

I started with Nylex and the went to linen and thr to Barbour's 7 cord linen, the Barbour's I liked the best, personally I wouldn't use Nylex again. JMO. I did buy a machine though so I haven't hand stitched in some time. I waxed the Barbour's with beeswax pine rosin mix, bought from Bingham's Projects and I believe they called it stringmakers wax. Jeremy

Is it possible that the"finger" that spreads the top discs is not actually spreading them? If I remember correctly that finger can be out of place if the end cover is removed and the other end of that finger isn't placed properly when thr cover is replaced. Just a thought. Also I can pull thread with the material with no need to reach up to the tske up lever, step the lifter all the way down no problem.

Depending on how thick of leather and the tannage (is that a word?) You will be able the get a servo motor to run really slow and controllable. Most servo motors can limit the top end, sometimes at the sacrafice of low end torque ( someone else will chime in that knows). I have a Consew CS1000 on a Singer 153w101 with a 50mm motor pulley. With a sharp needle I can easily sew 2 layers of 5/6 oz oil tanned pull up, even 3 layers but at a real slow speed it strains just a bit. 138 thread and 22 needle if memory serves. So it all depends on what goes under the foot. You may be able to add resistance to your clutch motor by adding bungie cords to the pedal or a Nerf ball under it to make it more difficult to push the pedal down to far to fast. Hope it helps. I do like my servos though. ....and you can go one stitch at a time with or without the speed reducer, the reducers big advantage on a servo it the torque multiplication it gives. On more thing, if you are handy you can build a reducer fairly easy, farm suppy stores will have pulleys and shafts and pillow blocks. It could be built with bronze bearings pressed into hardwood for that matter, keep it wet and it'll run a very long time, old machine tools were built with "plain" bearings and many are still in service today.

15 years as a goldsmith, repairs, custom work basically whatever comes across my bench. Many other things prior to that, cabinet factory, roofer, cable guy, whatever. Leather work for about 2 years, mainly conceal carry holsters. I would like to learn carving. I've done a few bags as well. I help out at a local gun shop/indoor range a few times a week and have some of my product in there and am getting more exposure and requests for the odd ball guns. Works out pretty good. Got into it by not finding a rig I liked and read tons of information here, thanks to all that post and share here!

Where are you getting your drum dyed HO? What cut, shoulder, back? I've gotten sample of some drum dyed( not HO) back but the flesh side was treated with something and the contact cement wouldn't stick. Drum dyed black struck through would be a real timesaver. Thanks Jeremy

Thank you for sharing!

Bob is Toledo Industrial Sewing machine. Wiz posted the contact info earlier. Welcome aboard.

I think the industrial machines are different in the serial numbers than the domestic machines. I don't think they kept track of the industrial machines.

Just a guess here but the holsters I've seen with all the super detailed boning seem much thinner than 8 oz, like maybe 5. Again just a guess.

Properly bushed units can run for decades as well. Even ball bearings are subject to being faulty and not turn properly. Luck of the draw sometimes on import stuff. If there's junk in where it doesn't belong it causes all kinds of trouble. Just because it had a ball bearing doesn't necessarily mean that it is better.

Press n Snap. Awesome. I goofed around with an arbor press and setting tools, the press n snap is way better, perfect crimps every time. Got mine from Rochford supply I believe for $116 with dies. You can file a flat on thr socket die and do both pull the spot type and regular type. Its an investment but a big time saver, just wish I'd have gotten mine sooner and not wasted all the time with the arbor press.

Just wondering if you ever ran across thr ad yet.

Barbour's linen in nice to use, wax it yourself, but its really nice. I haven't tried thr Tiger thread so I cannot compare.

Thank you.

Get the DOT brand snaps or YKK. You can buy direct at dot fasteners.com I think. $50 min but that's easy to get too. Once you have good snaps you will LOVE the press n snap. Perfectly rolled crimps and zero dented heads. Cheap snaps are cheap snaps period.

Looking for a service or adjusters manual for the Singer 31-15 for an acquaintance. I believe they have the instruction manual. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks all. Jeremy

Hmm wonder if this would work for storing and applying the liquid saddle soap? Works great on envelops. On my metal lathe I use a "no spill" cutting fluid container, bassically a plastic cup with a lid, the lid has a tube down the center half the depth of the container, works good, got it from McMaster Carr. I'll try to get a picture of it later. Jeremy

Hopefully this looks ok. I have a paper template to mark the slots for the weave, I use 1 1/2" straps on mine. Jeremy

Well it looks awesome! I might have to get some bison to try myself. Great bag.

I like it. The flat bottom is nice. How did you do the sidez then.

Nicely done. How did you go about sewing the bottom? It looks "boxed" or flat.