toxo

Very nice and imaginative.

2nd go at this. Was almost ready to pull the trigger and it switched to another page and it all went away. My mistake Wiz. It's the hand thread thats waxed. I've got lots of thread but no labels on most of em. I always try to buy Tkt20 polyester. I f I can't get the colour i'll go with bonded nylon. They're all happy with needles fro 110 to 140. I always do the slidey down the 45 degrees thing but this stuff seems much thicker, probably because it's flat and braided. Definitely won't slide on a 140. As soon as you cut it, even at an angle it frays. Some wax on the end tames it down. I'll get some bigger needles to try but I don't want to damage the machine. Here's the stuff I bought. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tkt20s-Polyester-Braid-3000m-Confil-A-L-Paul-Heavy-Thick-Strong-Braided-Thread/261546882618?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=560421492047&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Thanks Tom.

Hi Bob, This is Alan next door. I’m sorry buddy, but I have a confession to make to you. I've been riddled with guilt these past few months and have been trying to pluck up the courage to tell you to your face, but I am at least now telling in text as I can’t live with myself a moment longer without your knowing. The truth is I have been sharing your wife, day and night when you're not around. In fact, probably more than you. I haven’t been getting it at home recently, but that's no excuse, I know. The temptation was just too much.... I can no longer live with the guilt and I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies and forgive me. I promise that it won't happen again. Please come up with a fee for usage, and I'll pay you. Regards, Alan. THE ACTIONS Bob, feeling insulted and betrayed, grabbed his gun, and shot his neighbour dead. He returned home where he poured himself a stiff drink and sat down on the sofa. He took out his phone where he saw he has a subsequent message from his neighbour: THE SECOND MESSAGE Hi Bob, This is Alan next door again. Sorry about the slight typo on my last text. I expect you worked it out anyway, but as I’m sure you noticed that my Auto correct changed ‘Wi-Fi’ To ‘Wife’. Technology hey?!? Hope you saw the funny side of that. Regards, Alan.

I hate to say it but it's the human model. We, as a race are severely flawed and when the choice is between me and them the choice for most people is me. There are even worse flaws. Why would someone destroy a bus shelter and then stand in the rain waiting for a bus? I went to the chemist the other day and as I approached the pharmacy counter, a young woman with a child in a buggy coughed onto her sleeve from around six inches. She was in a queue of what was potentially a line of vulnerable people. The other day I over ordered on dog mince from the butcher and didn't have room in the freezer. They were frozen and had to go in the fridge overnight. Next morning I wrapped up 4 kilos and put it out the front along with 2 kilos of a brand dog food that make my dogs stink with a sign saying what it was and please take me. I advertised it on face book and had people message me to ask where to pick it up. When I looked out it was already gone so I put a sold sign on FB. When I went to the door for the postman about 3 hours later I noticed some arsehole had tucked it out of sight, no doubt to collect later depriving someone else from getting it. People suck mate.

Thanks Mike. I was toying with the idea of using the laser to cut deep enough lines to insert the rule steel to make clicker dies but I don't think it's powerful enough and even if it is it would take many passes and be time consuming compared to cutting it out with my electric fretsaw plus there's no size limitation with the fretsaw.

Is it possibe to get my small laser to follow an ouline rather than the backward and forward thing that it does now? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/7000mW-Offline-USB-Laser-DIY-Logo-Engraver-155x175mm-Cutter-Mark-Machine-/133260210802?hash=item1f06ed7272

Usually it's quite happy with Tkt20 waxed polyester but I bought a cone of Tkt 20s (?) braided polyester that isn't waxed and I'm struggling badly. I first found that I had to wax the end just to thread a needle because it frays so readily when cut. Being non waxed also means it's very limp. It feels very nice and soft and I'm sure it's very strong but it's quite flat and the first sign of trouble was when it was reluctant to go through the gap under the needle plate. It was essential to hold on tight to start and when I got it going the top stitch looked very good but underneath was a birds nest and a couple of times the machine jammed up.I ended up loosening the bobbin thread and tightening the top thread almost to complete lockdown and it did get better but the machine clearly doesn't like it. Can anything be done or do I just save it for the next machine?

It would seem the wooden block type are fairly easy to do, especially if you can cut the slots with the laser. I haven't tried my small laser on wood yet but i'm not holding my breath that it can cut deep enough. Even if not it seems simple enough to cut the shape with a fret/jigsaw all the way through and then glue/screw another board on the back. I have plenty of foam to push the leather out or simply bore a hole through the board. I'm not about to go overboard here. I'm only talking small bags/ wallet type stuff here that I can do with the arbor press. Not trying to get rich, just keeping the wolf away from the door and enjoy it at the same time. And of course we do love an experiment don't we. Check out those automatic machines. Laser cuts the channels then continous feed the steel through the machine, bends and cuts all in one go and it fits the slots perfectly.

For anyone else wanting die making stuff: https://www.partwell.com/die-makers-steel-rules Prices aren't bad either: Uni 23.80 2pt CF lengths - £0.94 per metre (100m box) Uni 23.80 3pt CF lengths - £1.36 per metre (60m box) Uni - refers to Universal cutting rule 23.80 - the height of the rule 2pt / 3pt - the thickness of the rule 2pt = 0.71mm, 3pt = 1.05mm CF - standard centre bevel rule

Welcome Wicky. If you need any advice this is the place to come.

Looks good to me Frodo. Well done

Getting to grips with any drawing software isn't easy so kudos for that.This has reminded me of something that's been sitting on my workbench for ages. It's a simple key fob that you can stand your phone on when watching something in the pub. This one didn't work but I think the concept is good. needs a press stud or something to hold it folded. Excuse the pic quality.

Thanks Chris. If you watch on youtube he gives the links to the suppliers.

There's a printers not two mins walk from me. Don't think "she" (6ft 5inches, built like a brick s**thouse, shoulders 5ft wide decided to "trans". We have to call her Zoe now) does any of that. She doesn't do a lot of what she used to but she might surprise me. If not she might be able to point me somewhere.

I know there's Rule 1 over the pond but anyone know of anything over here?

More news. Apparently the Tysew I've been looking at is a copy of the Juki DSC 245. It's the same as the Wimsew 245 and the Japsew DSC 245. He has a Japsew in the shop at the moment. I'll take a trip to JT Batchelor early next week and call in to take a look at these machines. Matt. if you want that cuppa why not meet up there?

Another twist. Just spoke to Maury in London. He has a Durkopp 269 and a Adler 069. After a quick search I found this Adler 069 on ebay which is probably the same one. Waiting for pics of both. Pros and cons please over the tysew? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/durkopp-adler-069-Walking-Foot/223580347023

Absolutely Chris. And I don't want to lose the ability to put a bigger pulley on the hand wheel. Harry has speed reduction pulleys on that machine in the video.

I had to have another look Folker. I never noticed it before but I can see where it would annoy. I wonder if they're all the same? Is it definitely the motor and not the machine? If it's the motor there may be a £130 discount for a machine sans motor and a call to College machines!

That's a nice looking bag.

I may take you up on that cuppa Matt. PM me your number. I did notice a Bethnal Green number among my searching and I meant to give them a call but when I tried to find them again I couldn't.

Where to start? I know enough to take what a dealer says with a pinch of salt and I will be on the phone tomorrow. I made him check the needle to edge and he said 7mm. I also asked him the sewing thickness of veg tan and he said 12mm. The foot lift is 15mm. Harry Rogers uses a Tysew on youtube and it looks ok but frustratingly it doesn't show the model number. Check the end of the cylinder at 9:10 mins in. The Monte Carlo bag is 2mm Bridle and 2.4mm veg tan. Not that it matters, it's all hand stitched but your point is taken Brian and I'm glad you guys are keeping me on point. I can't afford to buy a lemon. After what you guys said I had another look at Harrys machine and it does look like a binder plate on top doesn't it?

You're so mean. Not a bone in sight.

Is why I would never buy a printer/scanner/copier etc. So..... You stingy lot, if no one is going to throw a "But" into me, can someone tell me it' looks like a good machine and i'm doing the right thing?

Not my thing but extremely well done.