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Thank you, Mikesmith.

Sorry to reply so late to this topic, but I'm a new member and just now read it. I have a Tandy hand press and I decided the rivet setters to fit the press are entirely too expensive, so I cut off the hand setters and they work perfectly in the press. I have set more than 5,000 rivets with it and it keeps on tickin'. I also use Tandy snap setters in the press, but the hand setters are a different diameter than the press, so I had to buy the snap setters Tandy sells for the press. Ouch, that hurt.

What is the best glue to use for holding leather prior to machine sewing? Are there any special things I need to know about using it? How long does it need to dry before sewing?

Thanks, Wiz. That's what I am doing, but I sure would like to be able to add one of those swing-away roller guides like you showde us a picture of on one of your posts. You have been a lot of help to me (and all others on this forum) an I greatly appreciate it.

I have a Singer 153W102 that I purchased about a week ago and it seems to be a real work horse with a SewPro 500GR servo motor that I bought from Toledo at the Wiz's recommendation. The only thing missing is a reverse. Is there any way to add a reverse feature to the machine?

Boy, that was fast service!!! This is exactly the manual I was looking for. Thank you, Sylvia.

I just bought a Singer 153 and I have seen a manual for it on this forum, but I can't remember where I saw it. Can anyone recall what post it was in? Thanks for your help

Ronnie, thanks for that input. I am just about to come to the same conclusion. I realized my original "wish list" was a gross overkill when I wrote it, but I didn't realize that leather machines are that much different from household machines. Tell me, would it be a huge mistake to buy a Singer 153 from a local established industrial machine dealer here in Fort Worth for $300 complete that he has cleaned and tuned up with a 30 day guarantee. My thinking is that it should get me one step up from what I now have and give me much more experience before I decide what I eventually want. It seems like it would also be a "keeper" for light weight stuff if I decide to get a really heavy machine in the future. Also, would the Singer be too complicated for a beginner like me to use?

Reading Wizcraft comments (I have been reading your many posts about various machine parts, etc., and I have a great deal of respect in what you have to say) it looks like I am even more confused about what I need than I thought, if that's possible. The thinnest leather I have been sewing so far is i thickness of 4 to 5 ounce oil rubbed leather to put a seam around a strap for decorative and the heaviest so far is 1 thickness of 4 to 5 ounce cowhide plus 4 thicknesses of split pig skin liner material. My little Janome doesn't really get the job done. It is a little light weight for the 5 thicknesses of cowhide and pig skin and it really leave bad scuff marks on the oil rubbed strap. I am using the add-on walking foot, which I have learned is slightly better than useless. I fell victim to the e-bay heavy duty leather ads and put out $400 for the Janome and I have learned that I could have bought a REAL walking foot machine for little more than that and could at least have used it ling enough to know what I really want in a machine. I have sewn 1,000 credit card holders and a couple hundred wallets with it, but I would be a lot prouder of the quality on a machine more suited to my needs. Looking at the Cowboy site, it looks like the Cobra class 4 might do all I really want and a lot more if it will handle the light weight stuff and not leave scuff marks. I will phone him tomorrow and have a phone conversation and might get rid of some of the cobwebs in my brain. Heck, he might even have something in the used market that will handle me and not tear up my pocketbook too bad. I really appreciate all the good comments and help and I will definitely lean on you guys before I leap into these thing in the future.

Than you for the prompt help. I think from what I'm reading so far that I will have to re-think what I actually need. The reason I am getting more and more into leather is because we are now setting up our sales booth at Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo, Fort Worth Stock Show, San Antonio Stock Show and Houston Stock Show. We have 10' x 10' booths and not a lot of room to add heavy things like chaps and saddle bags. From a lot of what I am reading on the forum, the Consew 206RB sounds more in line with what I plan to be doing. I think this forum is going to be a lifesaver for me and save me a lot of mistakes and thrown away dollars.

I have never posted in a forum, so let's see if this works. I have been in business 20 years, manufacturing and selling gift items at trade show. I have recently begun making items of leather and am in need of a more powerful sewing machine than I now own. (Janme HD 3000) I will sew leather from light weight to medium-heavy weight. (up to approximately 1/2" thick) I only need a straight stitch with forward and reverse. The simpler to use, the better for me. It would be nice to have an automatic thread cutter to cut the thread even with the material at the end of a seam, speed very easily adjustable from slow to medium speed, a very powerful motor, a large bobbin with the ability to fill the bobbin without removing the needle from the item being sewn. It would also be nice to be able to operate with 115 volt electricity, but I can provide 230 volt if necessary. Please understand that my "wish list" is not all necessary, but the more items available, the better. I mainly need to sew heavy men's wallets without leaving any scuff marks and have a very pretty seam around the wallet. Please advise me what you might recommend. I have located an overseas source for a clone of a Juki TSC-441 for $1150 plus freight from Hong Kong, but it looks like it might be too much machine for my needs. There is also the issue of buying a piece of equipment without knowing what I am doing and then finding out I have to buy a bunch of accessories that cost an arm and a leg. Any advice for a new guy to the leather business will be greatly appreciated.