Mark842

Asking this question is like saying I like colors, which color should be my favorite. There are hundreds of leather conditioners and we all have our favorites and I'm sure most of them are fantastic. I use Obenauf's LP, buy it by the gallon bucket.

Yep, what Chrisash said. Don't know if Granite counter tops are popular in Japan. If have a place near me that gave me a couple of sink cut outs. They throw them out.

I'm another that knows nothing about saddles but that sure looks good to me. The thought of sending that out into mud and rain puts tears in my eyes...

I would replace the piping. Not sure if that is something you would want to take on buy yourself. From the pictures it looks like about a 3/16" welt cord was used..well they used plastic. I would use polyester or foam welt cord and glue it in place when you make your piping. You just need to find yourself some black 2 oz leather, a strip about 1-1/2" wide and they length you need to make the span around the lid. I lay my leather strip flesh side up, cover it with original dap glue from Home depot. Run your welt cord down the center and then fold the leather over it. I then use a modeling spoon and run it along the side of the cord to get a nice even look. Let dry and your ready to go. Then cut the stitches out holding the old piping and hand saddle stitch the new one on through the same holes. You can pick up black waxed thread, needles and a stitching awl fairly cheap. For the rim where the metal wire is exposed. I would use about a 8-9 ounce black latigo. Cut a strap about 4" long for each side. fold it over the top where the wire is showing so you have roughly 2" down the inside of the bag and 2" down the outside. Use Barge glue to glue to the bag and then run three tubular rivets from the outside in. This should take the stress off the leather where it is tearing and spread it out a little.

They are called Mauls in the trade. Orientation is personal preference. You will likely not get good tooling impressions using the hammer you are using. You want either a nylon head maul or a Rawhide mallet.

I use it on motorcycle bags so they hold their shape. Backing plates for windshield bags on Harley FLH model bikes and other stuff. probably abot 10-12 different products. Works great cause you can heat it up with a heat gun after stitching it in and shape it however you need.

I'm just curious about your title, "Timing got off with reducer pulley!" Please explain. This is like suggesting that putting a different size wheel on your car is making your pistons fire out of order. A different size wheel make make them move faster or slower but will not change their timing. If your machine timing is wrong with the reducer, it was wrong without it.

Not the best pic's but here is a piece of scrap leather sewn to kydex. No cracking or splitting. Only issues you have to watch for is having to feed by hand as the feed dogs get no traction on the kydex. If your sewing a long run you have to sew slow or the heat building up on the needle will start to melt the kydex and raise the needle holes into little nubs or bumbs if that makes sense. I sew a ton of leather to kydex. I've never cracked kydex, or broke a needle or frayed thread or anything. Goes right threw like butter.

KS blades makes some. http://ksbladepunch.com/product/brogue-punch-2

I tried the Tippman boss many years ago when first starting out. This was the old style that supposedly works better than the newer models. It was a boat anchor. It required constant adjustment and fiddling and still never gave me a decent stitch. Every time I used it I would spend 30 minutes adjusting for 2 minutes sewing. I finally went back to hand sewing and saved up for a Cobra 4 (juki 441 clone). I have two now. They extremely simple to operate with a very small learning carve which is more about learning to hold you project level than it is about using the machine. The support available for these machines is awesome. Save up once, buy a good motorized machine and then your set. I'll put money on it if you buy a hand stitcher you will be hunting for another machine in 6 months. You can find juki 441 clones for sale regularly in classifieds. I just found one that a friend bought for $1250 and there is another for sale in Colorado right now for $1800 https://rockies.craigslist.org/art/d/leather-sewing-machine/6628948535.html

https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/oval-rope-edge-buckle-blanks-1-3-4-4-4-cm

Leather preservative = LP. Probably wouldn't darken the aniline because it wouldn't be soaking in at all.

Join this forum and post your questions. The admins on that forum are the guru's for this machine and if they don't know the answer they have direct contact with the people that do. https://www.facebook.com/groups/101589880193668/?ref=bookmarks

An aniline leather is usually has a protective coating that is applied as part of the tanning. You can apply a LP to it but you will basically just be polishing the sealed surface if it was sealed correctly and nothing will be getting absorbed into the leather until the leather ages enough for the sealed surface to start breaking down. My preservative of choice is Obenauf's but asking which one is best and why will get a million different answers and reasons. I do a lot of motorcycle seats out of veg tanned so I buy my Obenauf;s by the gallon bucket. Keep in mind that putting something like this on new aniline leather will probably make the leather pretty slippery. Not so sure I would do it on that seat.

I also think this was done with a sponge and dye. If it was done by the concrete method, which I have done and it works great, it would also be over the rag doll I would think.

I've heard this question asked hundreds of times. Even asked it myself a gazillion years ago. Here is an interesting article on the topic: https://diecuttingengineer.blogspot.com/2010/02/calculating-die-cutting-tonnage.html?m=1 The funny thing is every formula supplied on this article comes up with a different answer for required tonnage. Of note also is that the formulas tell me that I would need a 60 ton press for my most involved die even though I cut with it daily using either a 25 ton press or a 15 ton. Both presses cut it exactly the same, very easily. My most involved die is about 27 inches long and has about 350" of linear blade (Its a 12 strand fringe cutter). For the dies you are describing a 15 ton would probably still be over kill.

You would have to replace the strap. The fibers on the surface of the leather are torn and any filler or other garbage you would try to fill it with would be just that...garbage. Filson's "iconic Bridle leather" is Wicket & Craig Bridle leather. That means there are hordes of leather craftsman, probably quite a few in these forums, that could make you a replacement strap the same of the same quality

I sew through leather and Kydex all the time with a Cobra 4.

No.

Can't speak for the reliable 6000 but I have the superior 3-6-9 on three different machines. I can move the needle slower than you would possibly need to. Keep in mind you will need to pick up a belt and reposition your servo motor a little bit so you can line everything up

Actually the one you linked is the exact model for sale in the classifieds that got me looking. I've messaged back and forth with the seller and it is the MG-3D. They said all they used it for was patches...here ya go if interested https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/52691203

I was just looked it up out of curiosity. It's for sale for $2500. Found a boat load of them for sale online for about $1000. I personally have no need for one. I do collect machines and have added to my product line after getting a machine I didn't need. I could see myself making some nice biker patches with a machine like this but maybe at $4-500 for a used one...not $2500.

I actually just saw a local classified ad selling a Merrow 15C. Had never heard of it so I looked it up and found this video. Whether or not it can sew the edge on Cordura without getting tangled in the fluff...? But the company is still in business so they may be able to tell you.

I'm betting I could find that on a shelf in any Home Depot, Ace, or Lowes. Looks like a pretty standard piece of hardware. If I couldn't I'd just buy a piece of bar stock from lowes and make it.

Post some pictures and give some prices. I'm up and Salt Lake area and I'm always interested in buying out equipment and stock but I'm not driving a 600 mile round trip without seeing what is available and knowing the asking price. I too won't click on a random link.