TwinOaks
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Posts posted by TwinOaks
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If the seller can't give any better information than that.....or even say "I don't know" (which would at least indicate honesty), *I* would pass on it.
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Welcome to the best site on the internet!
I think the shape of the maul will primarily be personal preference, but it may also depend on the type of tooling you need to do. I find that lighter repetitive work like walking a beveler is easier with a round headed maul as I can shift myself around and don't have to worry about the tool face being square. However if there's work that requires more force, like 1" letters, then a flat face might have less chance of deflection from what would be a harder swing. Since you've got a rawhide mallet with a nice hole already started in the center, why not move the handle to there to give you a round tapper? That would give you the option of test driving before buying.
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I've never, NEVER, heard of "water tanned" leather....
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There may be some minor little errors somewhere on it, but nothing that stands out. Excellent work!
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Welcome to the best site on the internet!
I can't help much with the shoe last questions, but for the pics.........Select "choose files" at the bottom left of the reply window. Once you choose the pics to upload, the file will appear in a gray line right above the 'attach files" option and you have to click "attach to post" on the right side of the screen to get them to show up.You can also store your pics on a 3rd party site and insert a link to that pic. The 'button' to do that is the little green square (below and just left of the smiley face) in the option panel for your replies. If you don't see the option panel in the 'quick reply' section, choose "more reply options".
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I thought that might be the case with Fitabull, as she only has 3 posts. I don't know why yours would quit working. I guess it's time to flag down some of the IT folks...
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This topic is over two years old and the OP hasn't been active since 11-20-12, so this one is closed.
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Really top shelf work there, great job!
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I would have thought that it's more of an issue with either the translucence of the thread to begin with - looks dark when wrapped against more thread, but lighter when not backed up by more of the same color.
But, if it doesn't change until after the needle, it sounds like the coloring is in the bonding (presuming you're using bonded nylon) Going through the needle and leather, it's exposed to heat (from friction), and that little bit of heat is causing the color to wash out. If you have the next larger size needle, try sewing the thread with a larger needle. It won't necessarily 'fix' the problem, but it may help narrow down the possibilities.
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New to the forum, and posted in new members and would really like to reply to a few posts but cant seem to. I go to the post to which Id like to quote, hit the quote button...then it just puts me down to my reply window...but doesn't quote anything. Im so frustrated! Its got to be something simple, but I'm just not getting it!! Help?!
The function seems to be working.....
It may be a forum setting for newer users. On some forums I've been on a minimum # of posts is required to 'unlock' certain features. This is done as a precaution against spammers and bots; that may be the case here.
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I've got a Champion (narrow throat) down in Mobile that I never finished restoring. Everything turns freely, but I never invested in the needle/awl sets. It's on what I believe to be the original stand. As you may expect, it is VERY heavy, so a road trip would likely be required as I have no idea what shipping (freight) would be. Feel free to PM me for details if interested.
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That makes Cobra the closest to you.
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With the exception of minor accessories, they are essentially the same base machine. There may be slight differences in the feet, the motors, and the little tweeks made inside the machine, but it'd be very hard to go wrong with any of them. Take a look at after sale support, total cost (including shipping), and customer reviews...then spend the money on the best value.
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The tooling is off.....did you let the leather completely case before stamping? The impressions are very light which could be caused by the leather being too wet. Also, the tooling around the stems looks like it was done with a checkered pear shader, and that is the wrong tool for those places. The cut lines should be chased with a beveler first, then the background can be matted down. The lines themselves are something that I've had trouble with ....they should taper out at the end of each cut instead of being full depth. That's something that can only be learned through time and practice,
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No one is making ruby blades as far as I know.
They were offered as an alternative to steel, but these days, Ceramic blades have that function. There's also been a LOT of development of different types of steels used in blades. The steel used by Leather Wranglers is far superior to the steel used by Tandy in the 70's (and now). Essentially, if you found anyone that could work with the synthetic ruby, then they could make the blade....but no one that I know of is doing it for the leather industry. There's just better options that yield better results.
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Awesome stuff, thanks Jim.
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Welcome to the best site on the internet!
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Contact the dealers in the ads at the top of the page, and ask what they have in used machines. They may be able to help you get a machine (or two) without jumping directly to "new machine". Then, when you have your options laid out, choose the one that is offering the best machine for the money. Keep in mind that to sew leather, there are often slight modifications that should be performed on the machine such as swapping out the feed dogs and feet for smooth (or less aggressive) faced ones; it's commonly called a "leather package".
You've already done the best first step - getting information. The most important thing I advise against is to NOT get a local machine and figure to do all the modifications yourself (unless you're a sewing machine mechanic). While I'm sure it would be an educational experience, leaving the initial set up to the dealers will save you money, time, and aggravation.
************ Best advice on picking a machine: Get more machine than you think you'll need.*******************************
If you'll only be sewing lighter things like wallets on the smaller machine, you might expand your search parameters to include 'needle feed walking foot' machines, and 'roller foot' machines. If you've decided that two machines would be best, don't limit yourself in the 'medium' category. IIRC, the 227 and clones will handle 207 size thread as the max. If the machine isn't going to be used for light weight things (wallets), then go with the 3200 machine as it will handle the thicker threads as well- leave the small thread to the small machine. If you use it for bags, you can still drop down to 138/92 thread for those.
For your lightweight machine...there's a LOT of older Consews, Adlers, Singers, Pfaffs and Jukis that would do the job very well, even if they don't have reverse...ask about those when calling a dealer. Even something like a Singer 111 would be adequate for most wallet work, and while not 'a dime a dozen', they're affordable.
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Welcome to the forums! You've got great start and we're glad to have you with us
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Nice find!
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Unless it's been modified I think the Adler 69 tops out at 138 thread, which might be a bit small for the harness work.
With either machine, you may want to look into changing out the motor and adding a reducer pulley (see this thread).
For most harness work, the Adler 205 is a better choice - I know, not one of the machines you listed, but it's designed for the heavier threads.
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Velcro strapping is one of the odd things I've got in the 'tool box'. It's adjustable in both length and will hold just about any reasonable pressure. Best of all, there are no mechanical parts that leave indentations or stains. Also: plastic folders for patterns, belt sander, drill press, an assortment of wood shapes, speed clamps, stainless steel drafting tools- triangles, compasses, rulers; multiple "corners" - anything from washers to paint can lids to get repeatable radii.
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Chicago screw posts look much better than the t-nuts if you really want to add that finishing touch.
The downside to Chicago screws is that it's harder to hide the socket end between layers and still be able to tighten down on it. A t-nut won't spin because of the pointy little spurs holding it in place.
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You don't need to pre-wet the steel wool at all- you're not after dissolved rust, you're after Ferric Acetate. If the steel wool was very clean to start with, and since you used distilled vinegar.... you may not have any yellowing, so don't let that be the determining factor. What you should look at is how the brew effects leather. If you dip a piece of veg-tan in it and nothing happens or happens very slowly....add more steel wool. The ideal ratio is when the steel has been dissolved and all the acid (vinegar is a 5-8% solution of acetic acid) has been used up. The easiest way to do that without a lot of chemical calculations is to just keep adding steel wool to the solution until it stops dissolving.
The steel wool I used wasn't marketed for wood work, but it DID have a rust inhibitor on it - not soap like an S.O.S. pad - just something to protect the steel wool from ambient humidity. If adding a little more doesn't help, try burning it before adding it to the solution.
I Can't Quote Or Multiquote :(
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Thanks for looking into this Tom!