BigMatt

LoveToLearn, This video is the most important video I watched when I was trying to learn to thread my 111 Singer. I could not get any bobbin tension no matter how much I tightened the spring on the bobbin case. I tried and tried and it would never work. All the videos I watched all said the same thing, "drop the bobbin in, slide the thread under the triangle part, take up the bobbin thread and you are ready to sew." The problem was, I never could get any bobbin tension. This video changed everything. After you pick up the bobbin thread with the needle, put your finger on the bobbin to keep it from spinning and pull the thread through the hole until the thread pops under the bobbin tension spring. You will hear it and feel it. It should have tension after that. If it won't pop under the tension spring, you may have adjusted the tension spring too tight. Loosen it up until you can get the thread under the little black spring. I hope this helps...

You need to make those handles and sell them. I would buy some.

Thanks for the info. I adjusted the feed dog and it helped, but just barely. After looking at the action a little closer, I believe I have all the stitch length I can get. I will be sure to be careful when adjusting it down. I will be sure to check out the Seiko equivalent models.

I might agree, but if I adjust the stitch length down about half way, the material doesn't move at all. I think I am going to start simple and adjust the feed dog height - that might help things without getting too far into the guts and screwing something up.

Here is a video that shows what I believe is the jump type foot and also the maximum stitch spacing. http://s276.photobucket.com/user/23wynton/media/20151230_181119_zpsvhpu2vhc.mp4.html?sort=3&o=0

Here are some pictures. ..

...and I would like a little more information on it. There seem to be a blue million versions of the 17 machine and this seems to be rare as there is not any of information on the web about the -25 machine. I have a 17 manual, but it excludes the 17-25 from the covered models. It is a cylinder arm machine with drop feed and alternating presser feet. It is not a true walking foot machine as I know it, but it is what I have seen referred to on here as a "jump foot". The machine is in good working order and seems to be very lightly used. (I will take a few pictures tonight). I got it with about $100 worth of leather and I paid $200 for the whole package (head, makeshift table, needles, extra bobbins/bobbin cases, and almost 2 full sides of leather 7-8oz latigo). I have temporarily mounted it on the stand for my big machine and it seems to sew like a dream. Any more information would be greatly appreciated. The main thing is that I would like to adjust the stitch length longer. It stitches about 7-8 SPI at the longest and when adjusted down, it will stitch in the same hole. I think this is wrong and should at least move the leather on the shortest stitch length. Thanks.

Great guy to deal with. I bought a machine from him. It was crated very well and worked as described!

My neck hurts...

Great guys to deal with.

Great tutorial.

Looks really nice. What interior features did you include? Trying to get ideas for my next case.

Good price...

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying my bags aren't good. I am not trying to fish for compliments. I am however, saying the violin bags are a product that has enough of a unique quality that they are being copied. You do a great job with them and I think they will be a huge hit.

I have noticed that when I pull a knot tight with linen thread it will break. Tiger Thread would cut my hand before it breaks.

I just saw this post. There is nothing about those items that are threatening to your products. In other words, I don't think you are going to lose sales to them. Someone saw your bags and thought they were nice enough to have clicker dies and stamps made to mass produce them. There are people all over the world copying Hermes bags. I have never made anything nice/distinctive enough for someone to copy...and I probably never will. Be flattered.

Monica, jump in with both feet and get a bell knife skiver. You won't be sorry.

Thanks, I got the latch from Ohio Travel Bag. The liner is just some random upholstery leather I found at my local supplier.

I have spent the last few weeks making a handbag for my wife. I used some techniques I had never tried, and I think it came out pretty well. Here is the finished product: https://tiekenleather.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/navy-blue-and-taupe-handbag/ Here are the progress photo sets: http://imgur.com/a/qgXLJ http://imgur.com/a/YLTLo http://imgur.com/a/MsQm8 http://imgur.com/a/IuHyf Let me know what you think.

Coincidentally, I just saw this video yesterday. It is a good one - especially since the Consew instructions are so poor.

Great! Let us know how it goes!

I got the F2 and it seems to be the right distance from the edge. I tend to mark my stitch line at 1/8" and I might end up getting the F1.5. I will also need to get the paint spatula. I have been using the side of the edge creaser, and while it works great, it makes the tool look pretty bad. I recommend this method to anyone who is slightly adventurous, mechanically inclined, and wants to use the real fileteuse tips on their leather work.

I own a Singer 531-8BL (Made by Seiko) and I like it. The bobbin is a little hard to change, but it is a large bobbin and when you get used to it, it is fine. The Pfaff 1245 looks to be the same bobbin setup as the Singer 111 series. It is easier to change the bobbin, but I think it is the smaller bobbin setup (I may be wrong). I like the Singer (Seiko), but I am sure they are both great machines.

OK, it has been a wild ride. I got the tip from Rocky Mountain Leather Works and it was beautiful. It went together like a dream. The only problem is, my little train transformer wasn't getting hot enough for my liking. I thought about how to get more power to the tip, and I bought a light dimmer switch. That was a mistake since it immediately overpowered my little (expensive) fileteuse tip and melted the heating element. I ordered some Ni-Chrome wire and got some super high temp electrical tape from an electrical motor repair shop and fixed it. It isn't as pretty as it was when I first got it, but it still works great. Since the little transformer was too cool and the dimmer was way too hot, I looked around town and found a big train transformer that puts out a peak voltage of 25V (versus 18V). That is more than enough to get the tip hot and will allow me to control the heat. This setup works, so now I am going to order the wax spatula, and 1.5mm tip. Finally, I think I will make a leather cover for the handles so they don't look so cheap. All in, I currently have about $250 in everything right now. I will have about $135 in each tip from here on out. It isn't exactly cheap, but it is a lot cheaper than buying the whole machine for around $8-900 with tip. It also feels a lot sturdier than a soldering iron I was using. There is the album... http://imgur.com/a/JU4oI

I have been looking into this tool off and on for about 6 months. I have been using a digital soldering iron for edge glazing with some success. I thought I would look one more time when I found a pyrography tool from Janik that (I believe) takes the same tips as the Mando unit. They were so cheap I couldn't keep myself from ordering a couple of them along with the tips used for pyrography. I thought that if the Mando tips fit in the handles, I would splurge for the real tips, use these cheapie handles and hook them up to a 1-18V model train transformer. Here is the link to the handles: http://www.turners-retreat.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/4355/s/spare-holder-for-s2-or-s3-pyrography-machine/category/460/ Today I got close enough to being sure this will work that I ordered the 2mm creasing tip. We will see how it works when it comes it, but between the two handles, the yard sale model train transformer and the actual Mando tip, I should be in at under $200. Here are some pictures of the handle setup and the transformer. I also creased a scrap of caiman with a straight edge and I think I have verified that it will get hot enough.