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Good work Fred but as you've found out Chrome Tan doesn't stamp very well. Hot foiling sometimes works and you don't need a machine for one offs, If you have some scraps just lay some foil down and stamp it after heat up the letters with a blowtorch or even the gas ring. It doesn't have to get too hot either.

Excellent job! Well done.

Nice job Chuck, practical, non sheridan/western/floral etc, what's not to love?

Bit late now but maybe a makers mark type lozenge to cover it. I think that blue/grey is a cool colour. Well done.

I remember that picc line. Didn't like it at the time but blessed it many times over afterward. There was two Macmillan nurses feeding the tube into my right arm and I decided that it wasn't something I needed to watch and so turned my head to the left. They said sorry, you have to look this way else instead of going across to your heart it'll make it's way up to your ear. As said, it was an absolute boon because it meant that the second type of chemo came in a tube that plugged into the picc line and I could go home every day.

I did call em and asked if they had anything smaller. When they said no I thought maybe the needle bar is aftermarket. The bar on the Durkopp 239 is all one piece unlike the "69". Maybe I'll just drill it through and tap it to the size of the new screws.

college sewing is a big stockist for many brands and they sent the listed screws for the "69" which are too big.

I've struggled with the needle clamp screw forever. Bought two replacements from College Sewing and they were too big and college doesn't do anything smaller. On closer inspection, the needle bar seems to be wrong. The bar on my Durkopp 239 is just one piece down to the needle but the "69" has a bit on the end. Is this an aftermarket needle bar? Do I need to change it? Does the bit on the end come off? I don't mind changing the needle bar but how difficult is it? You know how much I appreciate any help I can get. Thanks.

I guess I was lucky when I had throat cancer in 2000 because I was able to roll with the punches. Because they didn't find the source (they diagnosed from a lymph node biopsy) they gave me the harshest treatment to ensure they caught it A whole week of chemo followed by a break of 3 weeks and repeat. I had 3 rounds of this followed by radio therapy, every day for seven and a half weeks. I found the anti sickness was worse so stopped taking it. I have to say the oncology at Maidstone hospital was wonderful and the worst of it was when the radio machine broke down when I was locked down tight on the bed (They had to make a clear mask because they couldn't indelibly mark my face and neck as a target) and I couldn't move whilst hoisted up to within 3 ft of a very high ceiling for an hour which, I found later traumatised me to the point where I couldn't watch people being handcuffed on the TV. The worst of it was losing all my saliva and severely compromised taste buds. Some saliva is back but gravy is my God. Try eating a potato chip after wiping your mouth out with a man sized tissue. I count myself lucky, could've been a lot worse. That's enough about me. I only tell the story to show that it's doable if you can not make a big deal of it. It's a shitty thing to happen to anyone but you being there for your wife is immensely important. I didn't have that support. I don't know how far cancer treatment has come, I was lucky with my treatment, my hair didn't fall out. People that were likely to lose their hair were given thick "cold caps" which were kept in a fridge while getting their treatment and it seemed to work. They forgot to give it to one woman one time and her hair fell out so you can ask about that. I wish you both best wishes for the future and I know this will all be a bad memory in the months to come. Good luck.

Don't have a post bed. You would've thought that In this day and age someone could come up with a machine that could have a drop down cylinder arm to make way for a raised up rounded needle plate. That would sew these damn corners.

Been trying this without success. Here's what I'm talking about but hand stitched on a much smoother curve. Hand stitching lends itself very well when going around tight corners because every stitch pulls the two sides together bit by bit but when you try to do it on the machine you can't see the underlying piece so you must use a guide line or glue it but a tight corner forces the leather to rise up under the presser foot. You want to turn the gusset but can't because it's underneath. And yes, I did try cutting notches. Has anyone conquered this seam around a corner without resorting to a different machine?

Not knowing where you are doesn't make helping you any easier. As I said before, I changed my handwheel, pulley and belt for less than £40. For the big wheel look for "taperlock" whatever the size of the big wheel, The taperlock bush is the same. I've never had a pulley wobble. The speeds we are talking about means that if the bore of the pulley is slightly bigger than the shaft pad it out with a piece of baked been tin or whatever.

Have you been watching Don Gonzales?

And @PastorBob Thanks guys. It's appreciated. I'm just happy that all my ducks albeit kicking and screaming appear to be getting themselves in a row.

I'm made up me. After the mistakes i made on the first one which didn't have enough pockets and was a tad on the tight side I was determined to do better. I spent £30 on the dies for the butterfly panels (well that's what I call em) which are finicky and was money well spent. I didn't have a pattern, just wanted it bigger than the 1st one. Ended up with 11 pockets and it's not as fat as the 1st one. The outer cover was something that's been around for awhile and with a single coat of medium brown dye and a single coat of 50/50 Resolene I love it.

Sorry dikman. here's another pic. As you can see, I did a quick test. Those straps are soft and you would struggle with a regular strap cutter. Of course I had to walk it through the press, same as I would've done on the arbor press and if you're careful with sliding it along you can cut any length because it's open ended. Took no time at all.

We all know that strap cutters are great on veg tan but on soft Chrome tan - not so much. Whilst I was making some bag dies today I had an idea for an open ended strap die that can be used for any length strap. You just use your strap end punches for the length you want. I made this one at 20mm. Good for over the shoulder type bags and also D ring tabs etc. It's gonna be a lot easier now I've got the swing arm press but I would've walked it along the arbor press.

No liner Frodo. This was an experiment trying to use a skin that had some mould marks on it but it was too soft. I made some mistakes and the front pocket gusset ended up being too narrow so when I got to the sharpish corners I had to pull it about too much which stretched it. After that I fell out of love with the thing and finished it just to get it done and I'll probably give it away. Many lessons learned. I can see the masking tape working on straight runs but I think I'll try Brians method method of mating marks all the way round but on this occasion I think veg tan gussets would've made a difference.

Of course you're right. My bad. I guess I'd seen the name Lucris too often.

That's ok. I'm in the UK. Lucris is in Scotland. The shipping would've killed the deal. I paid £1520 inc taxes and shipping. I candle the poor customer service, although it wasn't poor really, just their right hand doesn't know what their left hand is doing. The quality seems fine. I've played with it briefly and I love it. Gonna make things a lot better.

Here here! Pointed leaves and European style. Who'd a thought it?

Very very nice, well done. I can see where the work went.

Excellent advice Don! For some reason I thought if the needle was down the thread take up would be at the top. I actually looked today and realised that it's not. I'll have a go at your suggestion. Thanks.

I heard there was a question of build quality and customer relations. The build quality seems fine but as for the public relations, not so much. After taking my money I heard nothing until I emailed them. was told I would be updated with the info when she had it. Couple of days later I got a call from the driver telling me he was outside my house with a pallet. Later that day I got an email from a different party telling me my press would be delivered tomorrow lol.