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toxo

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Everything posted by toxo

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. Yes if you like people looking at you sideways all day.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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
  10. I too never pierce the thread, on a long stitch line when the thread gets frayed I just move the thread along. absolutely no need to pierce the thread. On the subject of piercing the thread whilst sewing, if you get both needles crossing in the hole you will never pierce the thread but if things are a bit tight, before I resort to one needle at a time I'll try to use the front portion of the needle where it tapers down a bit.
  11. You most certainly are not. Just last week I bought a THIRD rotary hole punch, a clicker handle and 7 blades, a better strap cutter, a whole bunch of short stemmed double cap rivets got thousands of the damn things but fed up with the stems folding over cos they're too long. Trouble is I can only get small heads with small stems. Who does short stemmed big head rivets? A bunch of extra small buckles for luggage tags, some large chrome plated rings for a couple of bags and a shed load of leather but when the prices are good you gotta do it.
  12. You say you haven't touched the bobbin tension? That could've been the problem all along. If the bobbin tension is too tight then you'll have to tighten the top tension to make up for it. In practice the job of a balanced tension is to get the "knot" in between the two layers. Too much top tension can actually bend the needle so the hook can't get to the loop. Loosen the bobbin tension and then ease off the top tension until that knot is in the middle. If the knot can be seen on the underside then slacken off the bobbin tension some more. We're talking maybe half a turn on the bobbin tension at a time,
  13. I just wish I had a fraction of you work ethic - and your equipment of course.
  14. I visited one of my leather shops on Thursday and among a lot of other stuff he showed me this piece of leather. I think it's a calf side and it has the temper and feel of English Bridle and it had a lot of a white mould over it. He wanted £10 and I said I'd risk it for a fiver. I tried all sorts of cleaners on it to no avail. Then I tried ordinary spray furniture polish and it came off like a charm. Happy days. He threw in this hair on Goatskin gratis but I don't know what to do with it. Any ideas?
  15. Stunning! The attention to detail was well worth it. Well done. I really have to try making a wallet one day.
  16. Not sure how much you already know but it does get easier. Skipping stitches should be fairly easy to put right. Start with the hook. Is it meeting the scarf in the needle roughly in the middle? If not it needs timing. Is the hook as close to the needle as possible without touching it? Is there a loop of thread that the hook can go through? This would be my bet. The tension must be completely off the thread when the hook gets to it. If not there will be no loop. Reasons could be too much top tension or a badly adjusted check spring. Get that lot sorted before looking to the bobbin tension to "balance" the thread. Good luck.
  17. I love ya Brian but you make me sick!
  18. Excellent job. Almost makes me wish I did tooling.
  19. Great job. Wish I had a place to do that but it wouldn't work in the spare bedroom.
  20. Thanks Brian. To be honest I don't know what size thread it is. It's one I use a lot but I don't get hung up on thread sizes. Obviously the thread has to be of a size to suit the job but I go primarily for colour and then I'll choose a needle. If it slides down the thread we're good to go. I think 138 is the biggest I've used also. Your eagle eye spotted the NP. I did this video after installing the handwheel but it is on now. I wouldn't be without it.
  21. I think you just like playing with Sketch Up.
  22. The stuff I use is like a light beige colour. Couldn't tell you what it is cos my leather shop sells it in jam jars with no label but I love it. Slightly more runny than new contact adhesive and is forgiving when you forget to put the lid on. I don't use enough to use a glue pot so I'm gonna look for a decent size squeezy tube with a pointy nozzle which I find much more convenient than jars/tins. One thing I wouldn't be without is Toluene. cleans brushes/spatulas etc and thins glue easily.
  23. Take no notice of the sewing but check the speed.
  24. That would of course depend on the speed of the machine in the first place but I'll leave the numbers to you. Not my forte but I've done this on two machines now and I know what works for me.
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