Colt W Knight

How oily is the skin? If you get the contact cement on uniformly, it doesn't discolor the hide, but you have to be super careful because you can't rub off drips from snake skin like veg tan.

You are going to love the accessibility to fishing year round.

the Consew 206-rb is a very nice machine, and built like a tank. I use mine all the time. Consew also makes the 227-r which is the same machine but with a cylinder arm for sewing purses and such. I don't have experience with other machines.Parts and accessories are readily available.

You don't see those 72s very often. Very cool.

I remember it snowing in Fort Meade when I lived in Florida in 2009.

I am in Tucson

You can get it at Wal Mart, and I have even seen it at Lowes. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sno-Seal-Wax-8-oz/22229564

Anyone know the leather capabilities of this machine? I personally don't need this machine, but an ad for it came up on Facebook and I was just checking it out. Seems like a good deal for someone on a budget depending on what its capabilities are. Especially since it has free shipping. http://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/consew-CP206R.php?gdftrk=gdfV210602_a_7c3285_a_7c13434_a_7cPID3080

Number 1 - The swivel knife needs to be sharp, which generally means you need to sharpen new stuff before using, and strop it regular to keep it sharp. If it isn't really, really sharp you will always struggle with your cuts. 2. You should cut half way through the leather. 3.Beveling should go all the way to the bottom of the cut and make the "cut" look go away.

ultimately, I think lining the strap so you don't have any flesh side exposed is best. If lining isn't practical, Ive found that using a slicker on the flesh side makes it a lot nicer and less prone to fuzzing up in the long run.

I thin my acrylic paints and apply about 4 coats. The trick is applying several thin coats. Thick coats are way more prone to flaking.

I would buy a machine based on its suitability for the size/weight material you want to sew, not on the style of lubrication.

There ya go, Steve knows what is going on!

I sew whatever I can fit between the presser foot. MOstly guitar straps, belts, pad folios and gps tracking collars for cattle As has been said before, the 206 really isn't a holster machine. It doesn't have enough capacity or take big enough thread. However, you do what you got to do. When I make holsters, I sew the linings on, and when I sew the two halves together, I hand stitch that part. Use to take me 4-6 hours to hand stitch a guitar strap or padfolio. Sewing machine takes less than 10 minutes. And my hands don't hurt afterwards. One of these days ill get a 441 clone for big stuff like nice double lined holsters and saddles.

My 206RB-1 tops out at #22 needle and 138 thread. I can't get it to work right with 207. Its hell on wheels with 138 though, and I can sew up to 3/8" without any problems. It is a really great machine. I got my servo for my 206, needles, and thread from bob kovar at toledo.

How noisy are those Aerostitches?

Depending on your local used machine market, there might not be any used machines available. Here in Southern Arizona, I bet I watched the classifieds for 9-10 months before a reasonably priced used machine became available.

On projects where I don't want to risk screwing up my back stich, I lave the thread really long and hand back stitch a few stitches and burn the ends. Seams to keep them in place nicely.

I like your tooling. I think the pads would looks even better with tooled initials instead of the stamped letters, and my some color.

I really need one with a hair blade

You can let it sit however long you want as long I buy mine from Lowes and Ace hardware, but I have also seen it at Wal Mart and Home Depot

I had so much trouble brushing on finishes, I decided to go to spraying on my finishes. Much better results. Ive always found that thinning the finishes, and applying in even thin coats yields better results, ymmv.

Lov the dye

That was my first suspicion. Every leather finish I have used to date has worked better if I thin it, apply it lightly, and recoat as necessary. Some finishes, you need an airbrush or something to get thin even coverage without screwing up the dye job.

I wish I had a hair tool for mine