Sonydaze

Pictures and a price would be helpful.

One thing I did to my machine that helped ease of feed as well as consistency was to polish the presser foot where the leather slides on it. Mine is shiny like a mirror! Stretchy leathers can both bunch and thin if there is too much friction. Distance from the presser foot to the edge of the drum is critical, it has to be very close. If you have to move the drum very much closer, a longer sharpening is needed to get the bevel correct. Take a sharpie and coat the cutting edge to see what the grinding is doing.

I have positioners on most of my machines. I wouldn't want to be without them. I wish my even 441 clone had one... that may change.

I turn down my worn out round knives to make more thin spacers. All my spacers are metric but it is no problem to cut imperial sizes by adding smaller spacers together.

Sometimes I sew two layers of glued together 16 oz. sole bend. Is it is very dry and hard, the needle tends to stick. (good needle, right needle thread combination & max pressure foot tension.) My experience is that rubbing beeswax on the needle helps. It doesn't last for long but it seems that after awhile the needle polishes to become slicker and then you don't need the wax as often.

I built a 4' x 8' table and covered it with a sheet of 1/4" HDPE. It cost about $85 around 8 years ago (and is still doing fine after lots of heavy use.) I got it From Sabic Plastics, which has warehouses all over the world. https://www.sabic.com/en/about/locations You will likely have to buy a full sheet, they don't like to sell part sheets, but you can likely get them to cut your sheet to the size you want.

Are you cutting it 50% with water? It goes on with fewer problems if diluted. I prefer to spray it on.

These work quite well. I suggest some Vaseline on the threads of the cap to help keep it easy to screw and unscrew.

Take a good look at Uwe's tables. I replaced the dealer supplied table with Uwe's and am very happy with the change. You will love the magnetically held plate for seeing what you are doing when changing the bobbin. I would be trying to return the one you have... very poorly done or for a different machine.

I have three KM-590BL Sunstar machines. They have proven to be reliable, hard working machines. The KM-590s are made for up to 1/2" thick and will sew it all day long. I think the KM-380 is rated for up to 3/8" thick materials. @Uwe Mason Sewing in Vancouver imported and sold Sunstar for a bunch of years, they also tend to have a good parts inventory. The guy to talk to there is Marc if you are trying to find something. https://www.masonsewingmachine.ca/

I bought it used, it came with a custom foot for sewing labels on...it sewed a rectangle. I use it most of the time for a straight bartack. (example 1" straps use pattern 17 with X:185 & Y:100) You can get software to create programs for it (or you dealer may be able to make them). My understanding is that it can be programmed to sew just about any pattern in a 20mm x 40mm area. You need to make sure the feet on it are compatible with the pattern you want to run. If you don't have a manual, I have a pdf... somewhere. PM me with your email, but please note your machine is newer and may have some differences.

I have had one of these machines for about 10 years. It works great for sewing on buckles and can replace riveting in many applications. One thing I have found is that they like to sew fast rather than slow...dial up the speed! I run #92 nylon thread on top and #69 in the bobbin through a size 20 (125) needle

I use a band saw with a finer blade. It cuts quickly with no burning of the edge.

This is most often caused by too long of posts on the domes and studs or crappy snaps. Get posts the correct length and stick to quality brass snaps. Correct components are inexpensive compared to the time wasted fighting with problems or damaging leather (that you have a lot of work invested in).

My suggestion is to price your materials (including shop supplies) at a reasonable markup, add on your labour at a real wage and view that as your cost. Then add a reasonable amount for a profit. If you do less, you are likely working for a not great wage. My .02.

If you contact any sewing machine dealers that advertise at the top of the forum page, they should be able to offer you feet for making different thicknesses of piping.

I keep a small piece of bee's wax on the machine and rub it on the needle shaft when things start lifting (usually glue not completely cured) This helps and also seems to polish the needle so it slides out easier.

Where are you located?

Yes, we make a lot of straps with a buckle on one end. The buckle end gets skived down so the fold over isn't as thick. With the straight foot on the skiver. it can be set up to quickly and nicely bevel the end of the strap as well.

I have the 2 edged one and think it works great.

You may want to talk to #Mocivnik He is in Slovakia and started this thread: http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/80361-what-are-these-2-machines-called/?tab=comments#comment-541675

PM sent.

On my 441 clone, I use the double by far the most,. Next to that I use the RH foot. On my table type walking foot machines, I use the double as well. However I grind the left side down to the same width as the right side. This allows it to sew closer to obstacles.

The Weaver tool is also handy if you have to drill out a rivet.

The Weaver Leather catalog shows the same tool for $16.95.