toxo

Great work Suzelle! I'm guessing you're really familiar With Cechaflo on the Tube?

Sorry mate. I didn't realise it was riveted. My very first build was a Dieselpunkro satchel and the handle was just stitched. even when I was doing it I knew it could be better and it's haunted me ever since.

I could've written this myself. Finding someone to part with £300 plus isn't easy. Is why I don't do bags that take that amount of time anymore and those that I do make I make as easy as possible by using templates and dies. Excellent job on the bag. That closer takes me back to boating days, it's similar to a Pelican Hook which is sort of upside down and uses a ring that slides over it to stop it opening. If I were to nitpick - I'd like to see bullet loops for the handles coming up from holes in the top from a single piece of leather that's sandwiched between the top flap and the reinforcing bar. I always think that if the first row of stitches fail the rest will follow.

Another little tip for the Arbor Press. I take the collar off from the left hand side. It's been off since I've had the press. When I want to raise or lower the ram I just hold the ram where I want it with my hand, slide out the bit that has the handle in it and slide it back in after repositioning the handle. Never once has it even looked like coming out without the collar.

You don't have to spend lotsa money to do this stuff on the scale that most of us are putting out. Here's a couple of tips for us cheapskates. This is in progress. I've made several like this using home made clicker dies like this. I used a cheap 1 ton Arbor press by putting a steel plate on top and walking it around the press. And another thing that no one mentions is this type of die is the most economical on leather. With those that are inset into wood you can't see to get as close to the edge as possible so more wastage. This next bit is about your initial question along with a short video to show the sort of thing you can do with rule steel shapes. I don't do video and I've just knocked this up because it shows what can be done much better than words can.

What size limit (if any) or do I have to go elsewhere and post a link?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/233745544654?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item366c51f5ce:g:eokAAOSwnfpfhsa~&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAA4DvDhcB3dKuemZ8TsxJzq11V3rXhQJK87eGDcS1hJ%2FqmSog4AUn1EvStpWEmCSE%2Fdi1I8PF9HgqiUoK7IRrKbo1yQz%2BBpmKdEEqM6clxtO%2Bhrr5KBWagfX9D5JbU9pspyNS%2B4IBC%2BYXArwJoqbjp2FfRw942tg0VZnGL48%2FY9WUnwYe%2FQkGhm%2BiS3xeuZhdlUM1aIi6G%2F8WO2nn8d2u4QvNm2W1opbAyYH52Ywvit85bQWYMSUtY7SVu1KlUFbC0wOgoyC8WsAx9yO0DSwioTqQcKbwLEfOKeVcZusw66JTO|tkp%3ABFBM6NKtpoNg

Well I know my workshop isn't exactly selling but the first one went really well and all 4 clients have booked for the next one because they didn't finish their projects. Plus I might have some spin off business involving Larping and cosplay. ( I'd love to leave you all hanging cos I didn't know either but I'm much too nice. Live action role playing) which apparently involves actual acting in the woods or somewhere versus cosplay which is dressing up but not acting. Plus I'm beginning to be noticed in my drinking club. The stewardess wants me to make her a bag (no doubt for mates rates but they run a looped video advertising local business ) and she's sucked me into making a bag for next weeks charity raffle which I'm happy to do as long as there's an acknowledgement that it came from me.

Let me walk before I start running Brian. You are right though, with two doing Apple watch straps , one doing a corset type handbag and one doing cosplay type shoulder armour there might be a short video in there.

I don't know if you saw them Klara but there was someone on here showing really stunning tooled Borzoi type dog collars. Think they were Russian or similar. (Wasn't you was it?) Can anyone put a finger on it?

Thanks Brian. It's appreciated. (And I've just signed up #4 ) - 2nd time around. I did this once at 5am this morning. Couldn't have submitted it.

I think the reason we try to sell our items is a combination of all of the above. A big one that no one has mentioned yet is we like the idea of other people liking and appreciating what we do. Of course friends and family always "like what we do" but someone liking it enough to buy it is a whole different thing. In one way I'm fortunate enough to be retired but that's made me lazy and I haven't sold much at all thus far but lately I've had a kick up the arse via a sewing/craft shop local to me. She offered to put a few of my bits in the shop and some bags on the wall for very little rent but that's not the best bit. She runs a few small classes teaching sewing/crochet, that kind of thing and I mentioned that I wouldn't be averse to doing a basic leather craft workshop, this Saturday will be my first one. It's only 4 hrs and it's not been up long but I have 3 clients thus far which pays the rent for the day and puts about £80 in my pocket which is not a lot but it can only get better and I get to do something I like, teaching and it's giving me some enthusiasm back.

With just one layer of foam I should be able to do it on the flatbed and if there's a pronounced bump Just make the bump to be the underside so softer on the fingers. The two sides are identical apart from any bump. And it is just a tote and I'm still working things out.

First of all I'll make the strap wider, if that doesn't work then I'll take out one layer of foam and try to get a good backstitch so I can turn it over so the foam is across the fingers.

What is that blue stiffener you're using? Do you always cover it with the snake/croc etc? And I do believe my eyes are deceiving me . Surely Wild Harry would've made a double ring to avoid the two straps chafing?

Bear with me Brian, I'm still learning a lot of this. I tried to be smart and when designing a handle and a strap for this huge beach bag/tote I had the idea that it would be more comfortable if it wasn't flat underneath so I tried to sandwich two layers of 6mm foam between two layers of turned and stitched leather. Front Back As you can see I was having trouble from the get go (A lot of it down to thread) but a big part of the trouble was because I didn't make it wide enough so the first run of stitches pushed the foam (Or rather the out foot did) slightly over to the other side and so the second run had even less room. Maybe I'll try something on the flatbed next time.

Yes Wiz, I've learned my lesson. I have all those feet that @RockyAussie mentions for my flatbed D/Adler 239 inc all the piping and welting feet but buying the same set for the 69 would require a mortgage.

Thanks Brian. I think Folker has convinced me that I'd be no better off. The small bobbin hasn't bothered me thus far, I guess the biggest problem is one I'll have with any machine in that I can't set it up for one purpose and leave it. I'm always trying different things and changing thread/needles. Strangely enough the last thing that pissed me off was trying to do a strap/handle just like yours in that pic. Two layers of turned leather with foam in between but I hadn't made them as wide as yours and the damned presser foot was riding on the edge of the foam and it didn't like it. We live and learn, I just wish I'd lived and learned on a handle instead of a crossbody strap

When I bought my 69 I wasn't aware that they were designed primarily for binding and so have a forward and back feed dog instead of the oscillating feed dogs on most walking foot machines. This isn't usually a problem but occasionally the stitch length varies when riding over different thicknesses. I'm completely lost on what is a clone of what and all you hear on here is Cowboy and Cobra but I'm in the UK so I'm asking the hive for European recommends. Preferably with presser feet that don't cost an arm and a leg. I don't do heavyweight leather, maybe 1/2inch at most but I'd also like it to be comfortable with V69. Maybe Brian@RockyAussies new needle plate is the answer here. TIA

Yes if you like people looking at you sideways all day.

Use a compass that holds a leather pen. Mark a center line. Open the compass from the center line to the edge. Use a piece of scrap leather with a dab of double sided tape on the bottom. Place point of compass on scrap leather and move scrap leather along the center line for the length of the flap.

I agree Folker but they do what it says on the tin. I'd love to find an "unknown" maker who would make some for the "69". Here's a thought. Would a 111 type presser foot bar fit in the 69? How easy is it to take out the 69 bar to modify it? I'm seriously thinking about trading in the 69.

I have one of those but couldn't get on with it as you can tell by the dust. For a long time I've been using the second one and it quickly started to go wrong from the get go. The clamp thread pulled out very easily which is why the G clamp. I stuck with it because I rarely use a strap cutter. Both this one and the metal one are dangerous and the wooden one has bit me more times than I care to recall. I bought the second wooden one recently when I visited my leather supplier and although more expensive is a far better product. it's more positive and accurate and even cut a 3/8 strip of 6mm foam with impunity and it will never bite me because the blade is enclosed.

What a brilliant hack! I'm clumping myself upside the head for not coming up with this myself. The difference in price for these feet is nothing short of colossal. I have a full set of spring edge guides for my Durkopp 239 (same as Singer 111) at these kind of prices, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272615402952?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3f7924edc8:g:X7sAAOSws5Fd6wyH&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAA8OXjs%2BI1MGoQ7%2FATpDVSnMmwny3eCaXi00TVQ8nbKWs%2FFa%2FdUYS2Ghc3ZDu6%2B%2F3qk1rH%2FNEesLTlPwgVYgsyN5j557YLmYUpE4JKVBv3mC%2FKl39eNhoSu01GgOPpXe5Q2EIP%2BJd7EWnoTklVzH4oai2D9o5ufMbPaCDUd8kLWgbiRO5o4e5zZ0TahA7RfVtaVeJqX9dBrfOUwulW1ZEvCNQemrI1k%2FJm9qfitywPX%2BaKhHr0megxA488rFpZ2NnJ%2F%2FsbyEyPU55V7EavRjtwFbLZt1jVaju6vdiMU8U0rh7pstdxiAV3a0unyxUolxH4yQ%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBM5v6Rivhf Versus the same thing for my Adler 69, and this is for one set of left and right of only one size. To buy the equivalent of the above would cost hundreds of pounds. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274602014562?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3fef8e3762:g:7gIAAOSw0FRfy1Qz&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAAA8HoBzgn4MVYBxeC18IScxgvjoddY%2B6m4aTIQKygVVqUTqCWw7f%2F1L5UKhFJnz%2FVSBvpr5m5NsP9XXPtZYJLU5kqpjOd99e5jfb9cv44R7f41pKYKFkah0adAM%2FJGOu8bMkf0ULRoZvQf388iLbaOFD%2B4v1Y4YlDV5wUWVcNJlD0261nzS0wv6jv59p%2FlUgCd90CvHXXnDI8%2BhUch%2FV3i8i5I9DxBu3XeoU3Sl%2BpusJwdLF7X8L3EGGRMAPrdchGs%2Blru3gIK1aFxj9Fe4lvHE%2FAXxIMgy3c3g9OkukBxn82tRJoj%2BDOvM4woozMwyGOscA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMlun7ifhf