dikman

Sewing machine servos look small because the electronics are in a separate housing, if it was all combined as one unit they would be considerably bulkier (like your Efka). This modular approach would be cheaper to make but also gives flexibility in mounting (makes it possible to mount the motor on top of the table if you want to).

I suppose you could use the pricking irons to punch your holes and then use an awl in conjunction with your needles?

If you know anyone with a lathe it would be easy to make.

Using wood for a leatherwork cutting board can be a bit problematic compared to using it for a kitchen cutting board. In the kitchen grain in the wood doesn't matter but cutting shapes from leather can be tricky if the knife tries to follow the grain. A very dense hardwood should reduce that possibility but dense hardwoods are probably the worst for damaging a blade edge (just ask a woodturner who turns hardwoods!!). Conversely a softer wood will be gentler on the edge but the blade will tend to dig in and try to follow any grain. So you may not like it but synthetic materials generally make the best cutting surfaces, but if you must use wood I guess MDF is probably the best bet (although MDF is made using synthetic resins so can't be called a "natural" material).

Nice! There's some useful looking stamps there.

You're an ideas man, I see, that could work!

Cool, I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Anything you want to know about Juki machines, kgg's the man! He's had a wee bit of experience with them.

I would think unscented is the way to go. Many people like a "leather smell" to their items, not scented, plus not everyone might like the scent you choose so won't buy it. My advice, keep it neutral.

https://sunvalleytrading.com.au/ Damas, these are the folks who sell these parts and can help you out (where I got mine from).

A bit over-the-top.....but it suits the knife! Very nice work.

Very neat!

Errr, maybe make up the tea solution first next time? Sorry, but I can't help laughing, you've got to admit it's funny! And yeah, perhaps go a bit easy on the gin.....

The "newer" models have better foot lift/clearance than the older ones, probably a more useful machine overall.....but the old ones have character! (I have to say that 'cos I have one ).

The perfect walking foot machine? Ahh, you're a funny person....... Anyhow, what you've bought should be a very nice machine to use and be a good "general purpose" machine. And welcome to the forum and the rabbit hole that is leather sewing machines!

Look up ranger-style gunbelts and you'll see what Dwight is talking about regarding the belt overlap. You did a nice job on the carving.

You do realise you have responded to a 10 year old post? As for the 15mm lift, the post is referring to the old casting 335 and I can assure you it doesn't have 15mm lift.

Unfortunately it sounds like one of those unforeseen accidents with a happy outcome, never to be repeated.

A common issue for holster makers when making lined holsters, it caused me a bit of consternation the first time it happened to me! It will happen with anything that is lined when you try to make a sharpish fold. The only way to avoid it is to pre-curve the pieces, as Dwight said. It can be a bit fiddly trying to line up two curved pieces that have contact cement on them but I do as he also said and use stiffish plastic to keep the pieces apart, working it out a bit at a time.

You did well, Zack. The final cost, however, will depend on the country you're in. I'm in Australia and a few years back looked into buying a 441 clone head unit from China. Bear in mind that we're reasonably close to China so you would expect shipping to be reasonable. By the time I took into account various shipping/handling/brokerage/customs/import etc fees there was little to be gained from buying one here so I bought a 4500 locally for about the same price. And since then shipping costs have skyrocketed!!

I would think if the leather has been treated with oils/waxes (as DT suggested) then you're going to have a very hard time trying to get any paint to stick. Oils and waxes are notorious for repelling anything and wax in particular is extremely difficult to remove completely.

Very clean work. Yeah, you're pretty brave working with white leather!

Yup, show us a photo of the desk behind the machine head.

Servos are definitely worth having on a leather sewing machine, you won't feel like you're fighting the machine to control the speed! If you have any mechanical skills at all you should be able to fit a servo yourself. The mounting holes are pretty well standard spacing, you will probably have to source a couple of belts but that shouldn't be too hard.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I tape a piece of dowel along the barrel from the front sight back to stop the sight from snagging.