toxo

A drill bit the same diameter as the rivet shank will have them falling apart in seconds. Don't press too hard else they'll turn.

I'm guessing it wouldn't be hard to t run some pulleys and pillow blocks to make a burnisher or a sander etc.

Nicely done on all pieces. Good attention to detail.

Nowhere near perfect but considering it didn't have any seat at all it should be happy. And I learned loads.

OK! Not the only answer I'm sure but after some trials this is where I am. In this first picture we see two layers of vinyl with 6mm of foam in between. In this next picture we can see how it's bunched up. It was so bunched up that I was forced to sew the final stitch from the bottom instead of the top. This next picture doesn't look too bad but the last picture shows how much the edge is force over so the pipng can't sit on the corner like it's supposed to. Conclusion: the foam and the bottom underpanel, must be cut back to the edge of the piping. I'll post some pics when I do it for real to see if I've learned anything.

Two questions. First, I'm making a seat for my Quad and I want to quilt the top panel (Bear in mind I'm a relative newbie)and add piping. Do I stop the foam before the seam allowance or extend it to cover everything? Is it usual to foam (non quilting) the sides as well in which case the same applies as in where to stop the foam? Next, Is it usual to use the same size piping/welting foot for the whole process bearing in mind you're adding at least two more layers as well as the piping?

I've only tried my 1 ton Arbor press with 2.4mm. Ok I had to walk it around but it was fine. If/when I have a design that flies I'll take my home made dies to my leather supplier and hire their big press for peanuts.

I'm by no means a veteran in this business but my practical head says - The strongest part of the leather is usually the top coat. A stitching groove takes that away. Maybe the repairs you're doing wouldn't have needed doing if a stitch groove hadn't been used. - Then again you could argue that the thread would have been exposed to abrasion over that time. To me this is a moot point as there are plenty of machines that will pull a thread below the surface without actually cutting through the top layer. If hand stitching I daresay the same could be achieved if pulled hrd enough. And yet again, are we talking best practice or are we looking from a purely utilitarian viewpoint? How long do we want it to last with consideration for the job it has to do? As with many leather processes I think it's just down to personal preference and the way we like to work.

Very nice. I like the subtle colour difference. Has that lighter grey come from the punching?

Even among the modern trend for the distressed look this is outstanding work. Well done indeed.

Excellent job. You've more patience than I. If I had to be picky I'd bevel the shoulder straps for comfort.

Good job. The turquoise is my favourite of all the Discus. One day I'll sell all the tools and the fishing gear and the shooting gear and the leather gear and just breed a big tankful of turqoise Discus. They're not easy to breed compared to most and the ritual is well worth watching.

This^ You have to experiment with the type of wax and/or felt pad.

Very nice. Well done.

I would just say that it's not best practice to sew all the way across a watch strap. Someone on here mentioned that they'd found a rather expensive watch that had given way at the stitch line.

Well done. It looks like you've found something that suits your brain. I predict lots of satisfaction and swearing in your future.

All I know dikman is that's the speed. One starts at 5 and the other starts at 16. Both go up to around 45. Folker: On the Durkopp is the 550w Jack from College Sewing. Has a 2 inch pulley and starts at 5. The one on the Adler is labeled "Choice". This one starts at 16 and I replaced the pulley with a 40mm.

I haven't gone into it too much but the servo I put on my Durkopp 239 goes down to five but the one that came with the Adler 69 I just bought starts at sixteen and I can't get it any lower???

I'm not familiar with that machine but I get one stitch at a time by replacing the hand wheel with a 170mm pulley and a smaller pulley on the servo motor.

Well so far so good. I made a die based on the altered pattern. I also left it longer at the bottom so it can accomodate a smaller band size. Eight panels cut. We'll see how we get on tomorrow.

Well age catches up with all of us. I'll let you know how it works out.

I think I've solved it. The pattern comes with different sizes and either a six panel option or an eight panel option. If I leave the widest part of the panel for the "puff" I can redraw the bottom of the curve according to panel option and head size ie, divide the band size by six or eight which will give the distance from center seam to center seam. Does that make sense?

I think I've figured it out. I'll alter the curve on the pattern so the individual panel size at the bottom equals whatever size the sweatband is. Here's what I ended up with.

I suspect there's no answer to this but you never know what lurks in the minds you clever guys and gals on here. I'm trying to make a newsboy hat from a Dieselpunk.ro pattern. This pattern was designed for hand stitching which I'm trying to avoid as much as possible. Ther are 8 panels, all french seams so three rows of stitches per panel. That's a lot of stitches. I managed to machine those ok. The problem comes when you get to joining the panels to the sweatband. Because of the "puff" to the hat there's a lot more hat than band. Tony See (Dieselpunk.ro) does it by clever use of the stitches. By using wider spaced holes on the hat than on the band each stitch pulls on the hat and closes down the circumference. If doing it with fabric you could simply put one or two pleats in but you can't do that with leather. On the prototype I put a cut in each panel and overlapped to close the distance. Maybe the answer is to start with a bigger still cirircumference, and make a bigger cut which can be stiched on the inside. Not struck on the cut idea because you're always ending up with nothing to sew at the end of the cut. So come on you smart people. What's the answer? At the end of the day I've cut out a considerable amount of hand stitching and will do the rest by hand if neccessary but we all love a challenge don't we! I've said a mouthful I know and I hope I've made it clear. Thanks guys.

This kind of question is nigh on impossible to answer because there are so many variables to consider. Apart from the usual, on an older machine the hole in the stitchplate might be too big and if the presser foot doesn't hold it the needle will poke it down the hole on thinner material. I've learned that each machine is different and the only way to find out is trial and error I'm afraid. Find some cheap thread/needles and experiment. A rough check on needle size (because thread is notoriously marked mysteriously or not at all) is the right size needle should slide on the thread when held at 45 degrees. Good luck!