dikman

The 31-47 looks like a nice machine to start with. Best thing to do is get the manual and become familiar with how it works and the adjustments needed to keep it running properly.

Sonydaze is right, there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to sewing machines. Edges of holsters can be pretty thick, depending on style, and need a bit of grunt to get through, as well as suitable clearance under the feet. A machine that can do that is going have trouble with light material. Looking at what you want to do, I would think a heavy duty flat bed and a lighter cylinder arm might do, but I'm sure other, more experienced users should be able to be more specific.

31K57? I couldn't find that model, have you got the right number? The 335 is a nice machine, I'm finding out, and a cylinder arm is potentially more versatile, but we all have to start somewhere and if you can pick up a good flatbed walking foot it's a good place to start. While a post bed is a nifty bit of gear, it's a bit specialized and limited if you're going to be doing a lot of "general" leatherwork.

A word of warning, then - (old) industrial sewing machines can be strangely addictive..........

Keep them good tricks and ideas coming, RC . Actually, that is essentially what I've just done (it's drying next to me as I type). I wet it, folded it, dried and stitched it, then got the pouch part pretty wet and worked the revolver into it. Much better idea than wet molding it around the revolver, drying and then stitching. In total this is holster #8 that I've made (all Western-style), and I think I'm slowly starting to come up with a method that works, although I'm still not sure with staining whether it's better to stain first and then mold or stain after all the molding is done. Even with spirit-based dyes the water still tends to bring out traces of colour during wet-molding.

The table itself works fine, but for now I've given up on the post-bed and put it to one side. The presser wheel is great, as it lets me get in real close to the edge, but it has a nasty tendency to break needles! If I try to use anything too thick it can cause a very slight deflection of the needle which then hits the needle plate with inevitable results! I'll come back to it at some point in the future, but for now I don't need it as the two flat beds and the cylinder arm (all walking foot) are more than adequate for my needs.

Yep, big pulley indeed! You will need to know the shaft diameter and also look at how the pulley fits the shaft - it will either have a slot in the shaft with a key or locking screws, usually recessed into the pulley somewhere. These days most sewing machine pulleys are pretty standard for a 3/4" shaft with a keyway, but that is an OLD motor, so anything is possible. Fitting a smaller pulley will certainly make it more manageable, if you can find one that will fit, but may still be a handful for a newbie (it was for me, it was inevitable that I would replace mine with servos). By the way, on that last photo it looks like the thread isn't going between the discs on the top tension/guide?

It's certainly different (first blue one I've seen). Nice work. As for the price, very few people would appreciate the work that goes into something like this. Anything hand-made is the same, if you try to charge what it actually cost (particularly the labour cost) most wouldn't pay it.

When I saw that blade shape I thought "hmmm". I agree with chiefjason, without a snap/retaining strap the only way I can see is to make a pouch-type sheath that extends part-way up the handle (at least to the "bump", if not a bit further). You would certainly have to wet mold it, but that way you might be able to introduce a bit of a restriction at the thick part of the handle to provide a bit of holding pressure.

Not snagging the bottom of the holster. One thing I noticed is that on the Remington 1875 the part of the ejector (the bit you push) at the front sticks out quite a bit and my molding around it is a bit too snug. On this next one I've taped a dowel along the barrel behind the front sight and also one from the front of the ejector to the front of the receiver. Along with padding out the frame/cylinder a bit this should provide smoother contours to mold the leather around, thus giving a bit more "wiggle room". I'm also trying a slightly different method - last time I molded the pouch around the gun, let it dry and then stitched the pouch edge (I stitched most of it first, leaving the pouch edge until molded). This time, after stitching all the edge except the pouch, I thoroughly wet it and folded it over, lined up the pouch edges, lightly clamped it and left it to dry. Tomorrow I'll stitch the pouch edge - I may run two rows of stitching down, still thinking about that one - and then wet it and work the gun into it to shape it. I figure by the time I do #3 I should just about have figured out the best way to make them. And this time I remembered to fit the Chicago screws before gluing the leather halves!

I whipped this one up when I first got the machine, a bit basic but I wanted to see if the idea would work.

I've got a small bottle of thinned brown so I'm thinking of putting a bit in a small container and adding a couple of drops of black just to see what happens. Sounds like it might be worth experimenting a bit. Front sight - I had intended removing it, as for such close range shooting I don't see that it's necessary, but a member from another club said that occasionally they will shoot at a target that has a small centre so greater accuracy will be required. I'm still undecided about it, but it's only a matter of developing a technique with very slight pressure pushing the muzzle to the rear. Doesn't need much, I'll see how I go.

Nice. I might have ago at something similar, just for the ruckus it's likely to create here . The fact it's been approved by the governing body would be my "ace-in-the-hole"! I tried my holster at the range yesterday, and I like it. I just have to develop a technique for clearing the front sight (so that it doesn't catch on withdrawal) but that's no big deal. The next one will be in natural leather, but I suspect I'll end up making two like that plus a matching belt. I like your two-tone effect, but I think I'll try that later .

(Insert bright flash of light!). Now that makes perfect sense! I've always been concerned at adding too much dye because the stuff I've read always indicated that I should get coverage just using a couple of coats. I see now that I wasn't going far enough. Many thanks for explaining your method. I've just been asked to make a couple of shotgun cartridge belts, and looking at your design it's rather intriguing. Is it a belt with another piece stitched on the inside, extended up and folded over? It looks like it will have the effect of angling the cartridges away from the body a little. It's certainly different to every other one that I've seen.

Thanks for the info, Glenn. I'll have a play with it later.

Red Cent, I meant to ask how you get such uniform colouring? By dipping? Longtooth, your info was invaluable in understanding the design. Many thanks. (I must admit the colour is a fluke on my part ).

Yup. I see you're going down the same path. Air rifles here are classed the same as .22 rifles, paint ball guns and single/double barrel shotguns - must be registered and you need a licence to own one. I note that air pistols appear to be lumped in with air rifles over there, but here an air pistol is considered the same as any other handgun (with the same restrictions on ownership). As has been said many times, once government and bureaucracy get involved logic and common-sense fly out the window!

Not a mod I'm likely to be considering!

That brown is nice, it actually looks brown! One of the problems with these dyes is that it depends on what base colour is used to create it initially, wihout knowing this mixing colours can have all sorts of interesting effects. That last photo is sort of what I originally envisaged (but not in two-tone, very striking). I've decided to make the next holster "natural", just using neatsfoot oil and waxing it. Depending which one I like best I'll then make another one in that colour to give me a pair. Fortunately, the actual cost of making a holster is pretty low material-wise, the cost, as we know, is mostly in the time involved so not using one of them is no big deal. You guys are possibly quite unique in the world in having your Second Amendment. DO NOT let them modify it, change it or take it away or you'll end up like us!!! We (Australia) tend to be held up as a shining example of gun control and how it prevents "bad things" happening. Don't you believe it. The only people affected by these strict laws are what we refer to as LAFO's - Law Abiding Firearm Owners - the bad guys, strangely enough, ignore these laws and don't seem to have any trouble getting (illegal) firearms.

Coeta, although I have one of these machines I can't really offer any useful advice as mine is working. I would, however, like to say well done for resurrecting this machine, I reckon you've done a great job so far! (A garden ornament! What a waste ).

Thanks for the nice comments, guys, particularly as I would only consider this an "adequate effort" compared to the excellent work I see on here. Stu, I have to make another one, as I need the pair, so it will have to be the same colour, but I'm tempted to make another one as well and just use the neatsfoot oil just to see what it will look like ( ). Red Bear, I used lacquer thinner to cut it. I'm not sure if it's the right stuff to be using (spirit dye, not oil-based) but it seems to work. My first effort was with White Spirit, but it wouldn't mix and the colour made a bubble that floated in the Spirit (looked pretty cool!). I finished off the holster with two coats of hot neatsfoot oil, one after the other, and rubbed in with a cloth. Let it dry for a few hours then applied a mix of beeswax/mutton tallow/neatsfoot oil, rubbed it in and buffed it with a lambswool pad. The colour isn't uniform but slightly patchy, which suits me fine as it should give it a slightly aged/used/worn look (I hope). Holster accreditation. In this country anything to do with firearms is controlled by strict regulations. The only way you can own handguns is by joining an approved pistol club, and they can only be used at club ranges. Holsters are a no-no, unless you pass testing for the particular purpose - IPSC, ISSF, Single Action etc. While the relevant club will run the course/testing, all of this is controlled by the Firearms Branch of the police. If you get caught using a holster and aren't accredited you can lose the lot - guns and licence! Because of this control, clubs are extremely safety conscious as any incident can have dire ramifications for the club. The 30 degree rule, and the resultant possibility of "sweeping" with the barrel, is one that is a potential issue so is carefully watched. (We had to get another Single Action club in to do the testing, as we don't have anyone approved to do it). Sorry for waffling on, but it can be hard for you Yanks to comprehend how Draconian our laws are!

As usual, a well done video, Uwe. (But such clean hands ).

Some time ago I asked about McQueen's holster (from The Magnificent Seven). Lots of useful responses, thanks guys, so I eventually had a go at making one. An interesting exercise, to say the least. My paper pattern could have been a bit wider, although I just managed to squeeze the gun in while molding it. Biggest mistake - I was so fired up to make it that I forgot to put the Chicago screws between the leather before gluing!!!! So I had to recess the screws afterwards. Minor problem, but it should work ok. I was going to just use neatsfoot oil on the leather, to keep it natural, but then decided to use some Feibings Mid Brown that I have. My first use of this, on a belt, came out as what I would call a dark brown, so I cut this 50% to try and lighten it. It now has a reddish tinge to it! (Reminds me of Red Cent's search for a true brown). I should have stuck to the neatsfoot oil, I think. While it's not as neat as many on here, as long as it's functional is the main thing as I've just received my holster certification and the testing showed that my other cross-draw had too great an angle (although it was 30 degrees, if the belt angle changed it could become a problem). This one is 20 degrees, so will function as both strong side and cross-draw.

Don't know if this will help. I opened mine up and traced the connections. Looking at the front of the plug, notch at top. I'm guessing D and U (labels on the PC board) refer to Down and UP. (Excuse the slightly blurry photo, camera didn't want to focus where I wanted it to!!). If the plug on yours matches the socket on the servo, I would suggest checking the connections. As long as the +ve and -ve line up then plugging it in shouldn't do any damage.

Quite possibly. Mine also has a 4-pin connection (Skyrit servo from China) but I have no idea if there's a wiring "standard" for these things. Unfortunately no-one seems to provide wiring diagrams for these things.