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Thanks Jimi. That's reasonable, they should last a while cos I won't be doing any production runs. Good link Sheila. I also looked at Harry Rogers on YT. They seem to do what they're supposed to do.

Can I assume the TY801/CB801/JS801 etc are all the same machine? There's a decent looking used one in my area for sale but I know nothing about them. Being a skeptical sort of chap whose only luck seems to be bad I'm imagining the knife being wore out and all sorts. How much would a new knife cost? I seem to vaguely remember that they're not cheap. Thanks guys

You can of course buy leather that's finished on both sides. Don't know what it's called and I only have scraps but here's a pic of each side. (apologies for the pics). This is thin - around 1mm and of medium temper.

Batchelors came through. The snaps are a smaller size and to get a cap in the bottom is very tight. I'll have to use a copper rivet type punch with the hole in it over the post to get it in. If it goes I don't think I'll be needing glue.

Thank you Fred for the offer but I have some on way from Batchelors in London. It's people like you that keeps me monitoring this forum.

I did think of something like that Fred , How did they hold up? I'll see what the smaller snaps look like when they arrive. Don't like Sam Browns much but my clicker die punches out the hole with the slit.

Thanks guys but my bases are not as nice as those Mike and I've just realised that I don't have the caps for the nickel ones. Just ordered some smaller ones and the missing caps. Was just trying to avoid using Sam Brown studs but for this project the studs will be the way to go.

Does anyone make snaps with a domed bottom for when the underside is seen?

The thread that started this is over a year old but here's my twopenn'orth. My 1 ton arbor press has a hole drilled in the bottom of the ram with a locking screw in the side. The hole is big enough to take most punches and stamps (It doesn't matter if the thinner ones are offset slightly). I also use it as a clicker press with a 10mm plate on top of the dies. It also has an aluminium block with three heaters in it that can be attached to the bottom of the ram for embossing/ hot embossing or hot foiling. I have a few sets of the cutting shapes that I use by just putting a flat magnet under the bottom of the ram with whatever shape I'm using just stuck on the magnet. I don't usually use thicker that 2.4mm leather so I don't have to use much pressure and I haven't seen any wear on the magnet. Sometimes the shape doesn't come up with the magnet but that's ok with me. I don't have a crew punch so pulling the shape out of the leather occasionally still beats punching two holes and cutting in between.

Spot on zulu.

The first time I used mine the threaded bit pulled out of the wood. Don't use it often but a "G" clamp holds it when I do. I still prefer it over the metal one that I bought later and just sits on the shelf.

I also don't fix the thread. When you fix the thread eventually the thread wears thin in places. Not fixing the thread means the "wear point" moves and the thread doesn't get frazzled.

Didn't realise it was an old post. I went from that post to the Japanese technology (See my last) how far we've come.

Some of this can be used for leather but these couple of vids of Japanese sewing technology made me feel sad about our place in the modern world, made me marvel at the technology and made me smile at the scale of it from such a small country. The vid after this one is even better and is two years old. A bit long but I enjoyed every minute.

Well done Matt. Being a Virgo and a bit of a heathen when It comes to restoration I find myself strangely joining in with your enthusiasm. I'm sure I'll understand what all the fuss is about when you show it doing what it undoubtedly did very well in it's heyday.

So not organised and always reaching for the loupe to find needles so...

He certainly is Folker. I can watch him all day long.

Whilst we are talking "the right bobbin tension", Take a look at the maestro Cechaflo deliberately putting the tensions out of whack to create a stunning effect. If you don't want to be mesmerised by his precision go to around 8 mins.

HaHa! You're preaching to the converted Mike. I'm always in a hurry to find out if the concept works. Even whilst writing this I'm thinking (A) I'll have to make a bigger clicker die for the squares for the bigger seam allowance. (B) Maybe I'll de-construct this one and French seam it to save the patches. It'll mean smaller squares but it'll be worth having. (C) How the hell can you French seam on both axis? Don't think you can. Will defo be looking at quilting vids.

I'll have a look but I'm thinking it will have to be French seams next time. Means more work and more leather but the result will be chalk and cheese. (Is that even a saying over there?).

Now I feel even more ashamed. I've already got a fairly straight line with the patches but I lose focus on a long run or I try to speed up at the wrong time. I'm thinking of a leather strap that I can tape to the leather (with tape that doesn't mark of course). For those who can work to a straight line, a builders chalk line (or any thin string that's been rubbed with chalk) will give you the straightest line ever. Just hold it taut at both ends and ping the middle. Here's a pic of what I'm talking about. It isn't pretty and It's nowhere near the worst bits.

I'm doing a first practice patchwork tote. I glued the patches onto some pigskin lining raw edge to raw edge thinking that would look ok. Boy was I wrong! Turns out I can't sew a straight line to save my life without a guide. I also don't think the edge to edge thing is the way to go so won't be doing that again. So how do you guys do it when you have to be tidy in the middle of the work where you can't use a guide and you have nothing to "lean" on?

I'm no expert but I know this much - you must have all your ducks in a row. If just one component is off it can be very frustrating. So - Are you using the right needle system for your machine? Is the point of your needle good for the material you're sewing? Is the size of your needle correct for the thread that you're using? Sometimes the material that you're sewing can clog up the needle or the eye of the needle especially if sewing fast so the needle gets hot. Is the thread coming off the spool in an unhindered way? Have you got it passing through enough holes before it gets to the tension discs. This can be pure trial and error. We'll assume you're threading the machine correctly. Then we come to an often overlooked item, the tension spring. If your machine is timed properly the job of the tension spring is to keep the thread reasonably taut until the needle passes through the material at which time the thread needs to relax in order to form a loop for the hook to catch on it's way round. If all this is good and you're still having problems then come back and an expert will take it up from there. Good luck.

Thanks Folker. All was going well for a change but can't get a new belt 'til Monday. Me being the impetuous fool that I am will make a leather one. Can't fine tune the needle positioner 'til it's runnning properly. I will work it out but does anyone know what the third stop plate is for on the needle positioner? The limited Chinese destructions only allude to two (Upper stop and lower stop). The servo pulley on the 239 is 55mm and I had a spare 45mm but the bore is too big so I made a shim/bush out of a baked bean tin. Not perfect but it's working. I'll replace it when I find a better one. My project room now looks like a bombs gone off in there. Can't wait to get some semblance of order so I can do something constructive.

Yes! Got it sewing reasonably well. . Decided to celebrate by putting on the new 250mm pulley I got the other day. Almost got it done, new belt too small by a smidgen. Never mind. Have to take a small piece out of the table and move the bobbin wiinder anyway. Still, two pieces of 0.9mm. I'll take that after all this time.