TwinOaks

Fantastic job as usual

CT is pretty much ready to go, as it sits.

If you haven't read this yet, please do, it will help you make some decisions about which type of machine will serve you best: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=25239 And to answer your last question: Yes, it is typical of the GA5 machines. They use a toothed feed dog to move the leather. Save up some more money and get a compound/unison feed machine (walking foot) for your FIRST machine. If production speed is NOT an issue, you should also consider getting a Tippmann Boss. It has plenty of capacity, and operates by needle feed with a jump foot. No marks on the bottom (if you have things set right). The upside is that it is within the upper limits of your budget for a machine....downside is that it's a manual machine and sewing long stitch lines will wear out your arm. But that does mean that you get to control where every stitch goes. If you lower your expected capacity, you could also look at a Consew 206 (or clone) which should handle up to 3/8ths inch. This one is currently pretty high on my list http://www.tolindsewmach.com/chandler-406rb.html You should also consider what many of us have discovered: You'll need more than one machine. I have a Boss, which is for all the heavy work....I also need a flat bed for lighter work like straps, belts, and wallets. Yes, the Boss will do it, but it requires changing thread, needle, and resetting the tensions...which is a time eater. The reason you'll want multiple machines is so that you can sit down at whichever is most appropriate and get the work done without needing to do too much adjustment on it.

Lots of correct practice is the key. There's just no way around it. Be sure that all your stitch holes go straight through the leather, and that will help with the 'bunched up' look. Also, using the correct stitches per inch (spi) for the thread size will determine whether the stitch is crammed together or stretched too far. For example: size 277 thread looks a little jammed up at 6 spi, but okay at 5 spi, and a tad bit too far apart at 4 spi. 207 looks just fine at 6 spi, 138 looks good at 7-8.....you can kinda see the pattern - smaller thread looks better at closer stitching, where larger thread needs more space. Also, like Ken said, use the correct awl for the thread. You will want an awl that makes a hole big enough for the thread, but not much else.

okay, it's your sewing machine, but why do you have a pic of Steve with it?

Welcome to the site, we look forward to the discussions.

very nice work!

#4 for saying it's worth getting. You won't want to do a lot of belts or long stitch lines, but if you can take your time on projects it'll do pretty much anything you want. The only real drawback is the lack of space under the arm, but most projects can be planned to accomodate that.

The issue is probably the sharpness of the blade, or how the leather is being fed into it. I've found it most helpful to have a vice (or another person) holding the leather as I pull my strap cutter through it. That 'tension' on the leather keeps it mostly flat, and feeding true.

It could be that you have BOTH tensions set too high...which would keep the knot in the middle, but could be too much for the bobbin thread.

You might consider using a leather friendly oil to coat them with...one of the common conditioners should do alright at keeping surface rust down. As for the chrome plating.....I think it's Peter Main that advises to use a torch and burn off all your chrome so you get better tool impressions. The tool will work either way, but if you have a place where there's partial chroming/partial flaking it could make a distorted impression.

and then strop the cutting portion of the groover. It should be peeling the leather out of the groove in a pretty continuous string.

After re-reading the OP I see that now! oops. Nice catch, and I agree with the above.

The rounded edge is a result of a process. When you first cut the leather, it should be at around 90 degrees. Then, an edger is used to 'shave' the corner off of the edge. Once that is done, the edge is further dressed by dampening and 'slicking'. A tool with a concave face is used to reshape the leather to the rounded edge. But wait, there's more! Once the initial slicking is done, the edge is then burnished (friction and pressure) to make the edge keep that rounded shape. After that it is dyed, and sealed. A very detailed description of this is available here: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=18101

Oil tanned is just retreated chrome tanned leather (sometimes tawed leather).,..that's why it doesn't absorb water

Actually BOILING the leather will result in small unusable scrap pieces. "Boiled" comes from cuir boulli....basically, the leather is wet enough that little air bubbles are coming out of it. There's a couple of tutorials on here ('How do I do that' section) that describe wet forming. Air drying overnight and heat drying have the same end result, but heat drying gets it done quicker...and I think holds up a little better over the long term.<-----just my opinion on that last part

Use a putty knife, table knife, or similar thin but blunt tool and separate the layers. It's work, but can be done. Then use a popsicle stick to reapply cement to the are and reseat the liner.

I think I'm going to apply for a patent on: "Any process of obtaining generalized patents for things already inexistence and/or use, for the purpose of claiming legal patent status and trying to scam or extort monies from people that don't know any better, or, are afraid of legal action, or, are intimidated by the tone of the conversation, or, that don't have access to the internet and the collective knowledge base therein which could serve to reveal the scam and stop the process of extortion." Then once it's obtained...grant licenses to all my friends here (after we make bullet concho collars so we can get letters) and go after him for illegally using my patented process. Actually....would it be possible to patent the process of getting a patent and then sue the Patent Office for unlicensed use?

scale down a pattern with a home printer? Place the pattern on a 1" grid then adjust the print size so that the 1" squares are scaled down to a percentage of that....like .75". I think that would be easier, since you already have adult patterns.

It isn't exactly like what you posted, but ZW has some...http://www.zackwhite.com/2-Prong-Mechanics-belt-buckle-insert_p_4864.html

The part that goes through the buckle is single layered. If you wanted to, you could skive both belt and liner so it looks good, but really, once it's folded, it's hard to notice that there's no liner...just slick it down and seal it. Trying to bend the doubled belt through the buckle results in having 3 thickness of the belt right in front....and if you're working with 1/4" layers.....ouch.

Remember to NOT bevel the edges of the flesh side where the two halves will meet. Cut the liner a shade larger than the front, then trim it to match the front. Glue all the way to the edge. Get your edges straight before marking a stitch line. Do everything to the front that you'll be doing before assembly...except punching holes. Don't sew while wet- if you're too close to the edge it can cause little bumps on the edge where the leather has deformed around the needle.

To my many friends, I'm in what looks to be a bad place right now, so until sometime in the future I will not be available. Have fun with your leather and continue to push yourselves to improve.

If you're not going to come back to the starting point, then you need to lock in the start of the stitch line. If you are going to come back to it, like sewing all the way around something, then you can just hold the first stitches and run back over them when you get back to it. And yes, once you trim the threads, you can melt the ends. i've done it enough ( and I work with my hands so I have callouses anyway) thwt I don't feel any burn....I melt the ends until they get almost back to the hole and mash them down. As they're still mloten, they just press down into the other thread.