dikman

I see what you mean! Just a thought, do you have a domestic sewing machine? I started off with an old Singer hand-crank and used it without thread to pre-punch the holes in things like notebook covers, then went over them with an awl and handstitched. This gave me nice evenly-spaced straight stitch lines. Just think how good your next one will be.

Adding an extension would be relatively simple but it then puts the shed into the category of needing council approval and I'd rather not go down that path!!! Bert, don't get me wrong I would have loved a CO2 laser (I'm well aware of their advantages) but it just wasn't practical, unfortunately. I'm currently watching youtube vids trying to learn to use Lightburn (another learning curve, sigh).

Yes, a CO2 will be faster and will cut thicker stuff but the diode has a finer laser "point" and should provide more detail in engraving. Plus this one is significantly cheaper than a CO2 unit (excluding the K40-type units which are generally referred to as a "tinker's delight", to coin a phrase). And the CO2 units are bigger and much heavier, and considering I'm already struggling to find a home for this open-frame unit a CO2 unit is out of the question.

I'm assuming you handstitched it and with the stitches being so small I'm not surprised you found it tedious! Hard to tell from the photo but if it is "splotchy" it still doesn't look too bad and it should help it get the used look a bit quicker. What I've found is if the leather is just given a coat of NFO and then left in strong sunlight for a couple of days it turns a lovely light brown that is hard to get using dye, it seems to have a lustre that you don't get with dying. As for it not being the right size, yep, been there done that! Just think how much you've learned doing this, the next one will be much better - but this one still looks good, it has that old hand-crafted look about it.

Well, I am a Brummie (and an Aussie), so maybe......... Just shipped so as long as Australia Post don't lose it should be here in about a week. Wracking my brains (well, what's left of them) trying to work out where to store it. Leatherworking/reloading shed is full, garage has a car one side and a sandblasting cabinet/welder/Pfaff 335 edge binder/Triumph Bonneville clogging up the other side so no room there. No room in the house (not that I would use it inside). Other shed is full - lathes/grinders/assorted other stuff, wife said no more sheds!!!! Might have to mount it on a board and hang it on a wall when not in use.

I have one of those little hobby thingy's, which is good fun to play around with, but after reading a few posts decided I had to have something bigger (still not sure what I'm going to do with it but I just HAD to have one!). It's a 10w diode, comes with air-assist and a roller unit for doing bottles/cans etc. I nearly bought a 40w CO2 but realised the diode will be more versatile for my likely needs. It's a Vevor brand and I noticed their other models were advertised with a discount code but not this model, so I put the code in and it worked! Got 5% off!. I'm still not sure where I'm going to put the bloody thing when it arrives.

I must have missed this post the first time around, you do some very nice work Ornyal.

Excellent setup, simple and effective.

Nothing wrong, mate, I use them myself, but as SUP said you sometimes need something that will align stitching holes in two (or more) pieces of leather. I've used spare stitching needles but they tend to be clumsy and because they're long they snag things!

Thanks Dwight, look forward to the photos. It sounds like the one I'm looking at is the same as yours - 16"x16" work area, bottle roller, air assist, 10w.

Funny how empty space always seems to fill itself. Reminds me of a saying "nature abhors a vacuum".

How's this working for you, Dwight? I've been thinking about getting something more versatile than the little one I bought to mess around with. I initially looked at a 40w CO2 unit, it's fully enclosed but heavy (so not too portable), cutting area is 12"x8" and the head is a fixed height so trickier to do thicker stuff. Then I looked at a 10w diode-type that has an open-frame, 16"x16" work area and the head is height adjustable - I suspect it is similar to your unit? The diode-type can also do shaded engraving, which the CO2 doesn't do as well. I'm thinking of trying to make "makers' stamps" which I'll need the easier height adjustment for. So is it worth it? Still don't know where I'll put it if I buy one.

Very nice job (as always). I've had the same thought of using a shop press in a similar fashion but........have I mentioned before that I've run out of room to put things? I'd have to get rid of the motorbike and that ain't happening in a hurry! Look forward to the next step.

I forgot all about that, it's been a long time since I looked at the book.

Quite a few on here have made their own and I don't think they used plans (I didn't). The basic concept is pretty simple, just look at a few photos and decide what type you want to build. If you want to build one of those old-time types that you sit on then that is a different kettle of fish as they are a bit more complex (but still doable).

No, it wouldn't have the power for anything like that unfortunately. I've toyed with the idea of getting a bigger (proper!) unit but my biggest problem is I've got nowhere to put it!! My sheds are already full to overflowing.

I played around with my el-cheapo little laser engraver today (until it got too hot in the shed!) with an experimental maker's mark. A friend of ours used to have a leather business many years ago and gave me the stuff that he had left over just before he died. There are a lot of these pre-cut key ring things (?) so I experimented with them. They're pre-coloured leather, some stamped some plain, and I don't know what else to use them for (I also have the steel dies to cut more!). Cleaning the burnt leather is an issue, I used methylated spirits which seemed to work ok.

Thanks SUP, not being a wearer of earrings I wasn't sure exactly what you were referring to. Might be worth me getting a few, I think.

$20? What a tightwad, I would have offered at least $40. Seriously though, $20??? People never cease to amaze me.

Personally I wouldn't want to drill holes in those cases unless it was a last resort, but it is probably the only way of making a permanent attachment. Gluing pp-type plastics is a real pain as not much will stick to it, you would normally have to use some sort of solvent-type glue but that doesn't tend to work too well with leather (other than contact cement). Barge cement will work, but the question is how long will it stay attached.

That is very nice. Are the oak leaves freehand or do you have a pattern?

SUP, can you post a couple of photos of exactly what you're using? Sounds like a better idea than using stitching needles at intervals!

The first one is definitely the best, it looks "right". The one with Lucy might look better with some antiquing to bring out the details. The arches do nothing for me, my eyes don't like looking at it and the bottom one just looks too busy. Very impressive detail, though, in the stamps.

Are you sure you need a needle positioner? I fitted mine (came with the motor) tried it and didn't like it, I much prefer a slower speed sewing leather and that means I can stop/start the needle where I want it. If you want to get the maximum torque and slowest controllable speed then fit a servo (brush/brushless won't matter) and a "standard" reducer. Answering your question regarding the difference between the two motors either of them will be more than adequate to handle anything you can fit under the feet. Be careful not to overthink things, if the two motors are nearly the same price then get the bigger one but if not then the 550 watt motor will work fine.

TomE, that's a good idea using a piece of heavy leather and coating the bevelled edges with polishing compound!