RunningRoan

I'm on the verge of needing to upgrade from my semi-automatic foot press and looking into getting a fully automatic spot setter. Can anyone tell me anything about them or point me toward some manufacturers/sellers? Ballpark cost? My Google searches haven't yielded much so far Thank you!

I like the look of the SK3, but clueless on what size barrel/yoke I should get. I do notice that my hands cramp up a little if I hold my cheapie Tandy swivel knife for long periods of time. Would the larger barrel/yoke be more comfortable to hold? I'm a taller gal with long fingers, so my hands aren't teeny tiny.

I'm ready to upgrade from my cheapie swivel knife to a nicer one. I have checked out (online) Leather Wranglers and Barry King ones. Any other suggestions for swivel knives that I should consider?

Sure can! I've attached a picture of the press before modifications and two pictures of it after modifications. There is a piece of steel under that dark red cutting board. What I wish I would have done is used a larger piece of steel under the bottle jack. It should have been as wide as the span of the press. Oh well though, not a huge deal. I just have to do a little bit of hand cutting every once in a while on the ends of my long dies (like for breast collars) because they stick out underneath that top plate. This is a 20T press and I wouldn't go any smaller. As you can see, it took some work to turn this press into a clicker but you can't beat the price. If memory serves, the press was around $175 at Harbor Freight on sale, I spent about $30 or $40 or so on the steel plates and I can't recall just what the cutting board cost....but the whole set up was pretty cheap and has been a real time saver. I kicked myself to not setting it up sooner...I originally balked at the cost of buying the press, dies, etc...but its been worth every penny!

Here's before and after pictures of mine. A 20T press from Harbor Freight, cut off the ram, welded on two steel plates and got a cutting board to protect my dies.

Here's a thread about it: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=35165 I've got a set up like you're describing and its been working good for me! The bottle jack isn't welded on though, it just sits on the frame.

I modified a shop press (Harbor Freight special) into a clicker press with the help of my dad the super-welder. We cut off the ram. Added a large steel plate to the bottom that I set my cutting board on. Also added a steel plate where the ram was. I think it's 3/8" or 1/2" cold rolled steel. I got these suggestions from Heather at TX Custom Dies To solve the problem of the eye bolts, we welded nuts to the top of the beam that the cylinder sits on. Instead of the eye bolts going through that beam, they just screw into the nuts. Been working great!

Yep, that is the set up on page 297. I agree, they need to come up with a better setter. The wire spring is pretty small, but it needs to be flexible. The spring holds back the next spot to be set, then the driver comes down, catches the dot, bends the spring out of the way and forces the dot down the shaft toward the anvil. Without the spring, the dots just fall right out of the raceway, through the shaft and on to the ground. I tried just one dot at a time and they still bend over. Each spot setter works great when they're brand new, but it seems when the spring starts to get tired/worn out it doesn't hold the dot in the proper position anymore and the driver catches each dot off-center and sends them down the shaft cock-eyed...one prong hits the leather first, takes all the force and bends under without going through the leather. No good. And I can't repair the spring myself...it's tucked up inside the setter and you can't get to it. After thinking about it overnight, I think I need to buy an extra setter for now. That will solve my immediate problem of loosing a week with this machine every month... Anyone know of any other foot press type machines I might consider? I can't do the smaller ones you work with your arm...it needs to be a foot press.

I guess more information would have been helpful, sorry! I use this machine for spot setting only and use the fancy spot setter attachment with the raceway. My problem: the first two spot setter attachments I had both broke. Both had the same problem. There's a little wire "spring" that holds the next spot-to-be-set in place and it snapped. The current spot setter attachment I have right now (my 3rd) started bending spots today. I had to pull out and replace about 50% of all the spots I tried to set today. Seriously, setting them by hand is faster and less damaging (everytime I pull a bad spot off, it damages the leather a little bit). My last spot setters started bending spots right before the springs broke. Weaver knows there is a problem with these spot setter attachments and they have replaced them no-questions-asked every time, but I'm 5 business days away from Weaver leather for shipping, so when a part breaks, I'm down for a week. I use this machine every day...I can't have it down for a week. I've only owned this machine since mid-April of this year and I'm already on my 3rd spot setter attachment which now needs to be replaced with a 4th. This machine has been down A LOT...too much. Is anyone else having this issue? Weaver tells me that they're working on developing a new/better part. I'm waiting patiently I never thought I'd be going through spot setters like this. I keep thinking I should spend an extra $200 to buy an extra one to have on hand, but then I think "this is the last one that will break, surely this won't keep happening"...but it does! I'd like to get the riveting attachment for it, but I'm half temped to sell this machine and buy something else that won't keep breaking down!

Anyone have a Weaver Heritage footpress that they use to set spots (not rivets, the decorative spots with the two prongs)? Have you ever had a problem with it? I think mine is possessed...

Thanks everybody! I think I'm gonna give something new a try!

I'm currently using Tandy's Eco-Flo paint and have been happy with it so far to paint stamped letters (small areas). Have noticed it doesn't hold up as well on larger painted areas. It's not really chipping, but it is cracking some. I'm thinking I'd like to try a different kind of paint. Any suggestions? I've found Angelus paint, haven't bought any to try, but it's on my list of options. Any feedback on Angelus or any other suggestions?

I will miss Donna She did choose to be self-employed...she had dream and decided to pursue it.. I wish her all the luck in the world. She always treated me well and I appreciated that very much!