RockyAussie

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

Having been through a similar exercise a few years back I feel I must warn you of my own findings. The smaller roller puts down the pressure into a smaller contact area and seemed to make manoeuvring no more easy. It was particularly more of a problem when having to go up onto thicker pieces. I found that I had to run with a fair bit less presser bar(foot) pressure which in turn makes other problems like tension jumps and looping stitches etc.This exercise was done on a Singer post bed. I have an Adler 268 VG-3S post with a 30mm approx roller which is a feeding roller as well and a Pfaff 463-6/01 with a small lazy roller foot approx 23mm which is a flat bed machine. Personally I found the smaller dia wheel to be a mistake previously and with the 2 machines I mentioned above the most detail work is done on the post with the bigger wheel. Not knowing exactly what work you want to do I can not say for sure but I suspect you may be disappointed. Perhaps a pic of the type of job you are wanting to improve on may come up with some more helpful answers. Regards Brian

Just googled tutorials for pig skin lining and there at the top here is this link. (about 40 min I would start) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZKxHdNIiP4

If you are using the inside lining thickness the same as the outside thickness then I would do the inside forming first then overlay the outside to it and trim. Least ways that's the way I do a formed knife pouch when I cover in croc.

Whatever the leather thickness is and I want to be sure, I cut 2 strips normally about 3/4 to 1" wide and wrap one over whatever and cut or mark its length. With the other i now put it over the first and mark its corresponding length. Whatever the difference is should work well enough.

In this case if you are using the suede as a liner it would not be much of an issue. Cut your suede length about a 1/4" shorter and stretch it evenly over the length to reach when you glue attach it. Presto.

Neat project Windrider30. When gluing in the liner on something that has to come all the way over when finished, it is best to attach with at least a 90 degree or more bend. Attach half then push it down over an edge of a bench or table then flip it over and press out the other half. Normally easiest to have the liner a bit oversize and trim up all the excess after. Note a softer liner would of helped as well. Regards Brian

Thanks for that Shoepatcher.

Yes I agree my 69 machine has the same looking unit as Constabulary has shown in the top picture. I wonder if some mechanic has installed this unit with the intention of increasing the top tension further without tightening the spring all the way in, as happens at times when using a large bobbin thread through thick material??? At any rate I would take off the tension discs of both and check if they have any roughness or grooves. Periodically I take mine off and polish them with a rag wheel and tripoli polish on a bench grinder. This may help with the top thread fraying problem mentioned. Another problem on some threads is when going very fast, stopping and going fast again. When I stitch full belt lengths at times the heat generated on the needle starts to melt the thread and I have found it best to slow down the machine the last 3 or 4 inches before stopping. Sorry I can't help with the steel bobbins as I am in Australia. Regards Brian

Keep up the good work and you'll lose your "Hermit" status. They will come and find you.

How bout if we cross breed a patcher with a blake and make the horn swivel 60% as well........or would we just end up cross eyeddddd

Congratulations Jess Jones Your gear looks great. Don't forget to attach any links or such to how to find you.... Unless your already overloaded. Best Regards Brian

Amen