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Bugger, I had this mostly done, got distracted and now it's gone. Oh well. Not a business for me either. Don't think I've sold half a dozen bags in 4 years. It's the challenge of trying to achieve something different. I think I might have a latent inferiority complex. My brain is constantly looking for better/easier ways to do stuff and then I try to pass it on. I guess I should learn to mind my own business. The leather was part of a job lot I bought some time ago. Most of it I'll never use but always looking for something. This next pic is typical. I wanted to make a bigger bag that would take a laptop, books etc. I had some leather that would do but it was a horrible colour. A kind of dirty yellow but nothing like a tan. I decided to see what it would turn out like. Because it was bigger I had measure for each panel and cut out by hand. Still didn't like the colour so sprayed a light coat of Fiebings red over it. Turned out OK so I carried on. Original thought was a magnetic closer but by the time I got to the end I realised that if I wanted to put rolled up waterproofs under the flap the magnet wouldn't hold it so added a buckle. Do the pic in a min.

I suppose I have the knowledge to "fix" stuff after years of different jobs around engineering so when it comes to making things easier, I'm equipped. Let me walk you through a way to make things easy. Don't know how you're fixed budgetwise but for me this procedure more than makes up for the cost in terms of speed and ease of use. I'll give you the basics and if it appeals I can go into more detail including where to get stuff. When I find a design I like and am likely to make more than one this is what I do. 1st I download a pattern or draw my own design on paper. I then transfer on to the right thickness of wood, usually plywood. I then cut out the shape in wood so I end up with the pieces, usually just the main panels that would have been leather. I then take a piece of rule steel and bend it to the shape of the wood pieces and screw it to the sides of the wood shapes. Now I have a clicker die that I can use over and over again. Once you have the means to do this, over time, as well as having the main parts of all the different designs, you've made dies for those little pieces that you can use for many designs like the small straps for "D" rings or buckle straps maybe. You get the idea. Some people think you need a clicker press to use your new toys but not so. Lay it flat on the table, lay your leather on top and tap around the outside with a small resin or plastic hammer. I progressed to using a cheap arbor press for a while before I eventually upgraded to my Lucris Mk3 which I love. So now I can make something like this for which I have cheap die for every single part.

I'm not very artsy so I look at sites like these for inspiration. I've looked at design software but it's not for me. I mainly use a machine so putting dots on a pattern is a bit pointless. I do envy proper designers though when it comes to curves which the machines can't handle.

I seem to remember Instructables from a long time back. I'll have another look. You might want to look at "Pinterest" I seem to remember lots of patterns on there and for someone like yourself I think you could get a lot from it. Let us know if it's of any use. Pinterest Click on "Explore" & "Leather patterns" in the search.

Thanks Keith. I've just discovered swing away binders. Will probably still have to do some fettling but they seem to be a good idea. You could mount one far enough back so that when not using it you can just swing it away and leave it there instead of demounting it. Still some more learning to do, the binders that I have are not mounted on anything and are meant to be mounted to any system according to what width you want to use. know nothing about these swing away binders but it looks like the whole thing (system & binder are fixed so you'd need a different set up if you want to change the tape width, I might be wrong on this, more learning to do.

I'm sure I'm not the first to ask this question but this binding business seems to be more complex that it needs to be so I must ask this most knowledgeable hive how to do it. I can get a needle plate and feed dog from China for a very reasonable price and I can fashion a presser foot out of an existing one.but I'm still waiting for an answer as to how to attach a tape folder to the sliding bobbin cover which has no holes in it. I've come up with an idea but I have to ask you guys if you think it will work. Instead of mounting a folder on the bobbin cover, I'm thinking of mounting it on a steel plate and then fixing the steel plateto the flatbed attachment which is rigid enough to work. Here's an idea of how it would look with a piece of white card where the steel plate would go. What's the verdict?

If you haven't already, you might check out Leather Patterns by Dieselpunk.ro or Tony See. All his patterns usually come with a detailed video. He also has a world wide group that's usually lively.

Rayna pretty much did the same thing. Couldn't do enough. In fact I've just asked her if they do a pre-drilled bobbin slide plate thingie to take a binding attachment. (Does anyone know?) Re; the code, you might get some English out of it around page 70.

Definitely out of sync. Maybe you jammed it up at one time and threw it out. You need to do two things. 1st, find out what's making that noise and 2nd, go through each stage of the sewing procecess and make sure everything is as it should be. It's easier with a manual of course but many things are common sense such as the feed dog having clearance all the way round in foreward and backward positions. Is the needle clear of the hook and does the hook point reach roughly just above the needle eye at the right time? Usually when the needle is on the rise. Needle and presser foot bar adjustments for each machine are above my pay grade I'm afraid but the big guns will be along shortly I'm sure. Good luck.

I feel like we're brothers-in-arms having bought a Jiang Long 341 directly a little while back. Was it Rayna that you dealt with? Might be worth scanning that barcode thing on the side for a manual or at least a parts list. Good luck with it.

Go here. There are two main types. One comes out white straight away and the other takes a second to appear, then turns white and disappears when you put a hair dryer on it. Temu | Search leather white markers

Welcome back Bob and I agree, teaching is great.

Nice job! Did you make it from a pattern? Good job either way but I know how difficult complex bags can be without a pattern and how much forward planning goes into it. Also how difficult it can be to line things up with no straight lines. Lining up that bottom strap with the side straps to allow for the piping for example. These big makers that have a different machine set up for each part of the process have it easy. It's a bit different when you have to set your one machine up differently for different parts of the processes. Well done.

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I don't think my brain can process this properly but I do know that the distance between two points on a curve is different compared with the same two points on a straight line if you are manipulating the leather by hand. The best machine I've seen for curves is a wheel foot machine rather than a walking foot.