Hi Bob,
Thanks very much for reply and the welcome.
There's a pinned topic within the fabrication/Leather Sewing Machine section of the forum titled " The type of Sewing Machine You Need To sew Leather" by Wizcrafts
This makes an excellent read and is highly informative.
I'm not new to industrial sewing machines as I have two,(Straight stitch & Zig Zag) these are designed for light to medium weight fabrics.
These machines have been an excellent platform to learn and understand the relationship between needled size, thread size, fabric thickness, upper and lower tension adjustments as well as carrying out basic machine care. As I have discovered on a steep learning curve :-) that understanding your machine is key in order to achieve that perfect stitch.
As for walking foot cylinder sewing machines, I have no experience at all. These look to be significantly more expensive, so getting the right machine first time being essential.
Right, I'm off to continue my research.