RockyAussie

Just curious which machine you stitched up with? The bottom and top look similar size thread and quite equal in angle/tension. I would have guessed a bigger machine than a 335. Just got a Cowboy 441 to try out as I hate changing bobbins so much. I'll let you know how she goes when I get it sorted out a bit more. Small LR needles and threads over here are a big challenge.Regards Brian

That is what is so good about this forum you get to learn something new every day. In the 30 + years I have been manufacturing and using these machines I have never heard before that the correct tool was sandpaper glued to a stick. I have only ever bought the stone in the stick type before as shown above and in the link I referred to. Thanks electrathon.

That is unless the sandpaper gets caught in the bell.

Nice design Gigi and the folded edge came out well and saves a lot of edge coat time I think.

I saw in Campbell Randall Parts available for Fortuna/ FAV skiver. http://www.campbell-randall.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=49_76_114 About $9.00 sounds pretty good. Also take a look at this roller foot as I would recommend it if you don't have already.. http://www.campbell-randall.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=49_76_114&product_id=14495 Regards Brian

I hate facebook badly but I will look forward to seeing any input you have to offer as I believe the info is from a knowledgeable and trustworthy source. Thanks for the pdfs. Your drawings are helpful and clear enough.

I would think that this machine would be great for the heavy weight products but the products you mention without some pictures make it hard to say. The thread size used would have to be considered carefully. I make all of the products you've mentioned and most get done on lot smaller machines which have the advantage of being able to go in tighter curves which is important on bag gussets and even wallets if you stitch all around. A lot of products we make go from 46tkt /60metric through to the 138tkt/20m and these are done on smaller machines. Check my web page for some reference if you like. In the longer run it would be best to have both sized machines but which is better to start with is the question.

Nice looking work and I see you happened to keep the wrinkles out of this one. Just joking They all look amazing.

Interesting idea but I think would be hard/time consuming to make in regards to the flesh side working in. With a strip it can run through a O shape cutter to get the shape. I wonder if you went to the abattoir if you could get the leg skins pulled of whole and that would possibly give you different diameters as well. Next to get a tanner to do uncut as well??? Maybe, I have had crocodile feet done full .

Thanks for compliment. I tried to do a video on the weekend on the skiving machine with some help. End result I showed and talked and pointed for 1/2 hour or more to find later the "HELP" had mistakenly stopped the recording 3 seconds in. Presently making a camera stand, I'll try again when I am a bit more peaceful of mind..

This thickness leather is not a thickness with much market but if you approach a Bovine tannery and ask, it is produced sometimes for leather belt makers as used at times in some older sewing machines. Given that your talking 8mm diameter you may be able to find it or close in a sewing machine suppliers operation. Cow hide is quite thick in the earlier stages of tanning but can be a bit soft as well. Hope this link will help http://www.ebay.com/p/OAK-Leather-Treadle-Belt-Belting-for-Sewing-Machine-Motor-5-16-8mm-One-Flat-Side-10-Feet/1561095984

The 45D does not have that same beautiful top feeding foot though does it? I want one like this so bad.

With regards to using a steel wheel which from memory most of these machines come with standard , the spacing on the one I have here is about 2mm spacing and quite deep. This is good for saddlery leathers but not what I would use for finer leathers that you would use in wallets and watch band type work. It tends to skive a bit wavy like and not good on a feather edge . A stone also can be used a little to remove the inside edge burr if carefully done but a fluted steel feed wheel will certainly make a mess of the blade if you don't adjust with extreme caution.

The way it stitches so nice and if it were not so pretty I'd be tempted to mount it on some box channel and turn it into a cylinder arm machine of sorts.

Have tried the rubber ball but as one of my staff quickly found when adjusting the angle in relation to the blade that the knife can slice in to it quite well. I no longer have a rubber feed wheel that is nice and round. They still suffer the same problem so save your money. There are also fine and course stones also but I found the course works well for most as long as the blade is kept sharp.

I have in the past suffered this same problem. I have looked up the Consew models and I do not see a version with an aspirator. That is a vacuum set up that pulls away the waste and down into a collection box. This still fails if there is any stickiness or glue on the underside of the leather. Very spongy leather can sometimes still like to stick sometimes. I sold the machine that did not have an aspirator as I was lucky enough to pick up one with an aspirator and the difference is hugely improved. I have attached a couple of pics to show one of the skivers with the suction attachment. Let me know if you need any more pics or a video and I will try and get some thing together. I am hoping that some people with machines without aspirators have some more helpful answers Regards Brian

Thanks for the lead Oscarhe. I have been able to get some suitable materials from within Australia but it all ways helps to have other sources in case.Regards Brian

For what it is worth I have moved a couple of these size presses before and found 4 pieces of 1.5" heavy wall pipes and a crow bar with a rubber pad like conveyor belt to protect floor finish works pretty good to move around. A hyab crane truck can normally get to the doorway if strapped right.

This may look a tempting to you price but a needle bar in that condition makes it likely that a few other parts and gears etc may be in a terminal condition. I would only consider this at all after getting it checked by a GOOD sewing machine mechanic and getting all the replacement parts priced ahead first. Buying from a dealer can give you some rights to call on assistance later and when you are starting off you will most likely need help a few times to get through the learning curve. If you can get the work $1360 may be a very good buy.

Lots of ways to do it and most depend on the end costs required. For expensive watch band work I use a dob of glue with a thin bolt ground down like a needle shape and then blunted squarely off giving a flat point about the size of the thickness of the needle used in stitching. I touch the tip into a pva woodglue puddle and then into the hole and press the thread in. Following this sometimes a quick wipe to check there is no visible excess. About 30 seconds in on this video should help some I think.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw43Isosh_s Regards Brian

Looks like Uwe just beat me but here see the link of the instruction manual where it shows the 3 part of threading. I must say that the looseness of thread before the tension disks looks quite bad.https://www.manualslib.com/manual/790496/Juki-Lu-562.html?page=8#manual

Just curious if you are using left twist thread. The picture is not clear enough to make out.

If this is your first machine for bag making I would be thinking of a cylinder arm machine instead. They can easily be used as a flat bed when you want but the advantage of the cylinder arm when you want to get around gussets and up and over the bag lids etc would be a very good advantage to have. What type of cylinder will depend on the heaviness of the type of bags and other products you want to make. Some pics from you would help in getting some more detailed advice. Regards Brian

Not necessarily burnishing but if you are confident with that method maybe. I personally have done folded edges and edge coated edges mostly and now have a preference for edge coated edges. The thin skiving needed on a watch band in time and use can on some skins become weaker. Labor/time wise they are probably much of a muchness. Again though the method I use I am confident with. Many recommend methods of edge coating which sort of entails some burnishing as part of the process and I strongly disagree to that as I find the edging is likely to peel off and in particular around areas where the buckle comes into contact. My method is to sand into shape and lightly heat away any fluffy bits then apply 2 coats normally and iron in until smooth. The rougher surface then holds the paint firmly in place. This is generally followed by 2 more coats and then sometimes ironed in again to make the paint less grippy if it is needed. This is then followed by a wax polish on my finishing machine. The watch bands in the below picture are folded edge and being Ostrich they are highly durable but skiving around the quills can create some headaches. I hope that this can be of some help and just ask if you need to know more.

Sheep leather is not strong and is usually quite soft and more difficult to sand up for edging whichever method you choose. As you are using full grain calf I suspect that you are thinking of finishing the edges and not folding. Therefore I suggest using a veg tan lining until you have more experience. Nubuck lining is sometimes also difficult to emboss and those that go that way generally use laser etching to do so. Below see a picture of a prototype watch where I have used a veg leather and have integrated the embossing and a line pattern together. I have done similar ones with diamond chequered patterns for other customers and so on. The patterning going all over the lining allows good air flow and keeps it comfortable on the wrist.Hope this helps for now. Regards Brian