msdeluca

Love my Cowboy CB3200... I've been successful sewing with 92 thread in two layers of sunbrella up to 277 thread in 9/16" of Herman Oak so far. Ryan at Neel's Saddlery set mine up and its been a perfect experience.

Very nice job!

Make sure the thread is running through that last hole in the needle bar just before the needle. I missed it and couldn't believe how much the needle pulled to the left... even burred the needle as it rubbed up against something.

I looked at sewline before deciding to go with a CB3200 from Ryan at Neel's Saddlery. Don't forget that all of the presser feet on the Cowboy are stainless steel, not to mention that Ryan set up the forward and reverse so that the needle enters the same holes... critical in sewing leather. These two facts alone justify the extra $300. My machine came sewing perfectly from stitch one and hasn't missed a beat since. There is no way I'd buy a machine that I had to set up and sew off myself.

Love my CB3200. I've been successful using down to 92 thread in two layers of sunbrella and up to 277 thread in 9/16" of Herman Oak. Haven't adjusted the bobbin case tension once, just the presser foot pressure and thread tension. It can be dialed in pretty quick. With its standard servo motor, I can sew one stitch at a time as slow and controllable as I'd ever need and t will also sew right down a belt plenty fast enough for leather. Ryan, at Neel's Saddlery, set it up for me and I couldn't be happier with his communication and customer service. I don't think the guy ever sleeps. I bought a dedicated bobbin winder which I modified and am currently working on switching the gas and presser foot pedals so the gas is on the right and the presser foot lift on the left (why retrain 45 years of muscle memory) . I'll be doing a blog post on that at some point... I've got a design going that incorporates a mini block and tackle which will make the presser foot lift effortless.... if it works.

Red, thanks for that. I didn't know. I guess I'm on a mission... Its kydex, not kevlar that will be used... got that wrong as well.

Thanks... ballpeen hammer.

Just got my Holster Makers' Special Cocobolo burnisher... beautiful! It took about two weeks from order.

Did a small prototype from scrap on the curved form. Used a web clamp to hold in place. Did not use the kydex center ply on this piece. The belt definitely holds the curve shape... flattens while working wet, but then returns to curved shape. I wouldn't say that this took much longer to glue up than doing flat. Color: Feibings Pro Oil Saddle Tan (full strength) Finish: Resolene 1:1 with filtered water Edge: 50/50 beeswax/parafin on cocobolo burnisher I'm getting a little edge cracking... is there a remedy for this? Also, I see some folks oil the leather prior to dying. What is the purpose for this and what type of oil? I'm going to do a full size belt this week... showed it around at work today and sold one... !!!

Nice work... thanks for sharing.

Great pattern Chief... excellent execution. Is your buckle stainless and, if so, where did you source it?

Genius...!!! What is the part in the machine with the hole?

Nice job... bag looks great.

I just had a very good first experience with Roger Folmar at http://www.rjfleather.com Reasonable prices on first quality leather (has lesser grades if you want), great communication, fast and properly packaged shipping. I'll do business with him again. No prices on his site, just email him with what you are looking for. I asked him for a few grade options with pricing and he got right back to me.

Can't believe someone else on this forum is in Hickory. We should talk...

Thank you Monica, Mike

More round that straight though...

Dwight, My wife would agree with you. I did have fun with the dog. I respect your experience... but now that I've made the darned thing, I've got to give it whirl. Thanks for your insight. Mike

I want to make three ply, kevlar reinforced, curved gun belts. There is about an inch difference in length between the inner and outer plies on a 40" belt. Can't find any info on doing it so I designed a jig that I think will work. I know a lot of folks don't think that curving is necessary, but I'd like to give it a try and see for myself. I've glued up wood panels over the years and it just makes sense to me. Here is the jig: I've got a write up on the process at: www.conceptleather@blogspot.com if anyone is interested in building one. This week I'm going to test it and post the results. If anyone has any input, I'd sure be interested. Worst case; I spent some time making sawdust in the shop and hanging out with the dog...

Paul... thanks for that!

Thanks for taking the time to do this...

I've been putting together a leather shop and finally bought several double shoulders and a box of scrap to practice on. Haven't made anything in leather since junior high school... back in the late '60s. I'm looking to get into making belts, holsters, sheaths, and handbags. Having been frustrated by the crappy sheaths that came with my Corona pruning shears and saw, I decided it would be a good first project. First was the sheath for the shears; saved the molded piece and made the rest. Second was the pruning saw sheath... my first molded piece ever. DIdn't have a piece of scrap large enough to mold over the saw so I decided to see if I could create a design feature out of the seam. I've figured out how to have the stitches run down the spine to the backing, but not until it was too late for this project. Tried to save it with the black whip stitches. Sewn with CB3200. 50/50 parafin/beeswax burnished on lambs wool disks. Lexol finish. I enjoyed it and learned something in the process... Anyway... here are my humble first attempts.

Your work is perfect. Really like the combination of textures and colors. The dye job is flawless... I just purchased several colors in Fiebings Pro Oil dye and am thinking maybe I should have gone with the Angelus. What is your opinion between the two... pros and cons for each, if you don't mind.

Gorgeous! Where did you source your stainless hardware?

Hey Chief, I think I'll incorporate that idea as well. Some spools sit for awhile. Thanks.... and thanks for all of your posts, I've learned a lot from them. Michael