dikman

Let's not forget the ego element, I find it very satisfying knowing that I know how to saddle-stitch something.

That line made me laugh! Good idea, some of those putty knives/scrapers are thinner than I could make a blade, I'll have to look into it.

Well, my efforts were not exactly a success. First leather I tried cracked at the fold for the pin. I then tried kangaroo leather as it is thin and tough, unfortunately it is still too thick, next I tried some chrome-tan as it's thinner but two different types proved to be too soft at the fold. I finally got a piece to stay in place around the pin but it has too much stretch to use as a watchband, I don't think buckle holes will last long. The problem, I finally realised, is the watch, it has recessed parts in the body where the pin/strap fits which severely limits the thickness of the band material. Probably why they use synthetics for all the bands for these I guess. Ah well, it was an interesting experiment. As I have a strap hanging off one side of the watch I'll use it as a fob/pocket watch instead. Me hats off to you, Jim of Calgary.

https://dn790008.ca.archive.org/0/items/TheAshleyBookOfKnots/the ashley book of knots.pdf Over 600 pages! That's a lot of knots.

That's some very nice work you do. I recently bought a sort-of-smart watch real cheap and needed a watchband for it so naturally it was going to be leather, after all, how hard could it be? Turns out it's easier making holsters!! These are fiddly little beggars to make.

Thanks Al, this has obviously been gnawing away at you for a while. I reckon ease of handwheeling with a speed reducer depends on the size of the handwheel. The smaller handwheel on many of the older machines might require more effort but my 4500 has a large handwheel and it can overcome the speed reducer pulleys without much trouble. I've replaced the small handwheel on older machines with a large pulley and found it much easier to handwheel.

My thoughts, find the fittings you want to use, preferably a brand that has lots of different choices to allow for future needs, then either make adapters or ream/sleeve the tool so they fit. I was given, amongst other things, three Carr Fasteners presses along with an assortment of dies, anvils etc for them, some of which didn't fit (I still don't know what they're for). I had to make up adapters for some of the fittings which is no big deal for someone with a lathe.

When you talk about making them do you mean making them from scratch or simply modifying existing scissors? It would be a lot of work to make scissors by hand and I doubt it would be cost-effective to sell them.

That's certainly different, very nicely done - and a lot of hand stitching there!

Very nice carving, it looks good.

This is mine, it's more of a rectangular body so the top doesn't appear to unscrew. I think I'll leave well enough alone.

Yep, that's not a "modern" clutch motor, which Wiz is likely referring to, it's what Singer fitted to their older industrial machines. It's a separate motor connected by a belt to a pulley stack with a clutch in it.

Err, this is attached directly to the pump assembly/battery/electronics, I don't think getting it hot enough to soften the thread locker is a good idea.

Definitely pull it apart, we're all interested now to see what the problem is!

Thanks mate, it's fitted pretty tight, I'm not sure anything could penetrate and I don't want to force it. If I really want to bother I'll just buy another one as they're even cheaper than when I bought this!

Yep, if that's what the customer wants then that's what they get (regardless of having poor taste ).

Be interesting to see what you come up with in the way of adapters as you'll need some way to push in the air release valve. I tried to remove the adapter on my rechargeable unit with the idea of fitting a different airbrush but can't get it off, they must have used some super loctite on it!!!

Regarding the control box if it's the same brand and the menus/settings are the same then there's a pretty good chance they will be interchangeable. The motor, being cast alloy, may have a broken bit of the housing inside?

Yep, they had to develop a magnetic stainless steel so saucepans could work on induction cooktops. Regarding the cheap tool if you file off the corner a little if it's chrome you'll go through it to plain steel, but I suspect it's probably ss.

Something was nagging at me, finally figured it out - the geometric designs mixed with leaves don't seem right to me? Having said that, it really is very nice work and if given the chance that colour should age well. My first effort was boringly plain in comparison.

Now that is COOL! Pretty clever, you taking the pics while your "willing" helper does the work. Incidentally, I like the anvil stand, that's also .

For a first holster effort that's pretty bloody good. Your ammo, however, isn't .45 Colt, it looks like it's 9mm.

I did that once - a snail was fast in comparison! An interesting experiment but not very practical. Bottom line here is the Kinedyne (Hightex) motor is doubtless a good motor but if I had one, which isn't likely given the cost, I would still fit a speed reducer. And I don't need all the other gimmicks fitted to it.

Yep, pass on it. Old machines like that are a) good for restorers, b) good for collectors or c) could be a useful machine for someone who knows what they're doing - IF the price is right. Which it isn't.

http://hightex-solution.com/blog/technology/2024/0425/315.html?1714026959 This is the Hightex site with info on the 750SH model, which I assume is what we're discussing here. There is a video at the end showing it in operation. It does appear to have reasonable torque at slow speed, but no better than running a cheap servo and speed reducer. For a factory maybe it's an advantage not to have to fit a speed reducer so paying a higher price for a servo may make sense? I said earlier though that for the hobbyist is it cost effective? Not for me, particularly with more than one servo, if a cheapy servo dies I'll simply replace it with another cheapy servo (and save $300+). Interestingly, the link shows a 9-coil motor. Gerry does raise a point about heat generation when running a motor very slow.