dikman

There are a couple of posts on Leatherworker about this machine, it can handle up to #207 thread and 3/8" under the foot. If it's working then I would think $300 is a pretty good deal.You need to try it first, if it's not working unless you know something about these machines there's no way of knowing what you could be up for repair-wise. A couple of points, I'm assuming it has a clutch motor and if you've never used one you may find the machine difficult to control ( a servo motor is highly recommended for leatherwork) and holsters - what type of holster? How thick? I make single-action holsters, and when I fold them I have four layers and there's no way my machines can handle that (mine have 3/8" clearance). Also, handstitching allows you to use thicker thread and you need a heavy-duty machine to even come close to that..

Probably a good idea . There have been times when I've been determined to remove/fix something that I should have left alone and I end up creating more work for myself! There are two basic styles of reducers available (have a look at the sponsors' sites here) - the box type, where the box frame mounts in place of the motor, which then mounts to the bottom of the box, and the reducer shaft and pulleys are mounted in the box, or the single-mounting type which has a heavy duty casting that screws to the bottom of the table and the pulley stack "hangs" off the side. Go for the one with the biggest pulley.

That's why I do loop-through style, much easier!

Always nice when it turns out to be an easy fix.

Well, there's no keyway, but I'm not sure why it has what appears to be a sleeve between the shaft and the pulley, that's usually only done when the pulley is too big for the shaft. Have you tried removing the grub screw completely and twisting the pulley to see if it's screwed on? If you can't get the pulley off I wouldn't worry too much as from what you've said about using it if you buy one of the commercially available speed reducers (one with a BIG pulley and a small one) I'm sure that will solve your problem.

Most servos are made in China and it's highly likely that they will have metric shafts so you should check the diameter as tt said. Pulleys can be picked up on ebay pretty cheap, but most that I have seen use a keyway and a nut on the end of the shaft to retain them, just make sure that's what your shaft uses. I still don't understand why you can't get it to go slower, as the model you quote should be adjustable down to 0rpm according to the specs I saw.

It has given me something to strive for - but I see an awful lot of practice ahead!

Looks good! See, that wasn't so hard after all, was it? Seems like an awful lot of (small) rivets, though.

Sounds like you might have a hard time deciding what to keep.

A decent speed reducer is probably the way to go if you already have a servo fitted. Couple that with the smallest pulley you can fit on the motor and you should get it to go much slower and have increased torque. You can make your own, but it's a fair bit of messing around. I'm surprised that, being a servo, you can't get a slower speed out of it.

Ken, like the other machine you bought this one appears to be in excellent condition! Not even any sign of the usual paint wear on the bed. I like the big hand wheel.

G'day mate, I paid $150 for mine (that's probably what you really want to know), bought it somewhere out Elizabeth way from memory). It was on a homemade table and powered by an ordinary 1/4 hp motor with a separate clutch/pulley arrangement, same idea as yours but a different design. I scrapped the table, used the motor to mount a burnisher on and pulled the pulley arrangement apart to re-use the pulleys (drove it with a servo motor). The timing belt on mine looks to be in better condition than yours. For $150 I figure it's a pretty good machine, although I don't use it now as I've just swapped it out for my 51W59 and modified the table to get this one working - I have three working tables and figured one flat bed was enough (the Seiko) and as the Pfaff 335 is also working I thought it made sense to have the post bed available if needed. I should sell the SV77, but I can't quite bring myself to do it! The SV77 appears to be almost identical to the 111W153 so parts should be interchangeable. I've compared parts in mine to the parts list for the 153 and other than different part numbers they look the same as far as I can tell. Like most old Singers these things are built like tanks! The additional label on yours is interesting, as mine has one with 55-1-329 on it, which indicates they were most likely owned by the same company which put their own tracking info on when they bought them. My gut feeling is they came from GMH, as in it's day their Elizabeth car manufacturing plant was huge and they did everything themselves, including upholstery. They would have been large enough to warrant individual identification on their machines. An educated guess would be 55=year of purchase, 1=month and 329 = the number of the machine? Probably never really know for sure now. If you intend using that clutch motor then you might be able to utilise that clutch/pulley you've got to reduce the speed. Check that it spins ok (might need greasing inside) and see if you can lock (bolt?) the pulley with the clutch facing to the pulley stack so it acts as a speed reducer, coupled with a small (45mm) pulley on the motor it should slow it down a little. I guess if yours needed a lot of work, plus a new timing belt, you could factor that into a suitable price.

Really?

" I am very familiar with saddle stitching buy not machine. I want the best looking stitch I can get, a slanted stitch if possible. I think I can get that with a machine if I use the correct needle???? " Be aware that the results you get with a machine won't look as good as hand stitching, particularly on the reverse side. It's a characteristic of the needle punching through the leather.

Umm, no, we call it aluminium, you yanks call it aluminum. Nothing to do with bronze.

Looks like a nice setup. I know if it was me I wouldn't be able to let it go!

I had a chance at picking up one of those for $100, only thing wrong was a broken needle (looper, I think they're called?). When I bought one of my Singers and the Pfaff from him he was trying to talk me into it and because I was there he would let it go cheap. Due to inexperience on my part I said no . By the time I realised what it was it was too late and had been sold. He also had a 132K6 for $800 but my mind was set on the 211G166. Another missed opportunity. Sometimes I do some pretty dumb things. Yours looks pretty good, DrmCa..

Thanks for posting that, Gregg, always good to see how others do things. It's a very well made video (and an Aussie too, by the sound of it).

While this may not be a step x step tutorial it's providing an excellent insight into some of the processes involved.Looking forward to the end results.

I shape a piece of dowel to sit behind the sight and along the top of the barrel and tape it in place. This ensures that when the holster is folded around the revolver adequate clearance is left for the sight. Mind you, I'm making traditional-style holsters for traditional-style revolvers with traditional sights, i.e. a blade.

fredk, I was thinking more about the saddlers located in the western towns, not the cities "back East".

Thanks Bobby, that's exactly what I wanted to know. Not having access to old original holsters is why I asked, as the photos obviously can't show how the leather actually performs. By the way, would these saddlers have had any type of stitching machines, or was it all done by hand? And what size thread would they have used relative to our sizing system? In the photos some of them look like they've been sewn with fairly fine thread (#138 ?).

My understanding is that Alibaba is primarily a source of items for business, and thus bulk sales, and they generally do not sell individual items. Aliexpress is the Chinese equivalent of ebay and they sell individual items there. Of course, they may be a bit dearer as a result. I've bought a few things (including three servos) via Aliexpress with no problems. As Matt said, though, you will basically be on your own with regards to adjusting, setting up and getting it working. If I decide I need a 441-type machine I probably would get one that way (due to the high cost of them here in Oz - not the sellers fault) BUT I'm prepared to accept that I'd likely have to do a bit of work on it. I recently bought a Chinese mini-metal lathe (here in Oz, fortunately) and virtually had to rebuild it as everything was loose!! Unfortunately the main controller board has died and, of course, they don't keep spares so I'm about to demand a complete refund. The basic machine is very good, it's just the lack of attention to detail that is the issue, but I tend to think that a sewing machine will probably be built a bit better. Back to main topic, the usual suspects (Singer 111/211 class, Seiko 8BD-type, Consew etc) should be more than adequate for your needs.

Thanks fredk, so the major difference between the old skirting and what I get is it's pre-dyed. That would account for the fact that most of the old leatherwork is all the same colour as I guess it would make life simpler for the saddlers. Is skirting a particular cut of the hide, or is it simply a term to denote how the hide is treated (which is what it sounds like to me)?

Pity we're not nearer, Brian, I'd be only too happy to help out. Sounds like some long days ahead for you.