RockyAussie

Depending on the level of finishing you are after it can be very time consuming. Several coats with sanding or ironing in between are normal and thin coats dry faster and don't drip and dry pretty quick. Some thin jobs can be done with one layer and a quick iron and polish. Sanding yes but not burnishing as this can stop the paint from adhering to the job well and can just peel off in a long strip. Been there done that.

I can not say for sure how she has done the full job but I would think that what you may want to consider is using a thin foam to lend a flexible support to the shape of your bag. We do this very commonly on many of the bags we make here. I don't have any ideal pictures to show but this one here showing some patchwork tote bags being made should help. Note this picture shows the bag before the lining is installed and is able to stand up firmly with the foam support glued in. We usually just spray glue the foam to the outer skin.

Well ...at least one of them. Great build, but I guess you you may be right handed or leggered?

For what is worth.... I have never had to use tape or glue or any other medium to get a good adhesion on a print. I have always used either glass or mirror and the only problem I have had at times is getting the print to come off without taking a chip of glass with it. This is rare thankfully. I always give my bed a spray with isopropyl alcohol and wipe it in. What I use when I wipe it in does have an effect on the adhesion. Some toilet paper must have more of a starch or something in it and if I use it, it stick like s..t to a blanket and may make it very difficult to get the print off. If I use a chuck cloth instead then the adhesion is way less. @jimi I would try playing with my z height on the first layer until you can get a better connection between your lines. If it looks thin and a bit transparent you are way too close and stand the risk of blocking the nozzle, if it looks like it is full and high then you are asking for adhesion problems for sure along with a rough finish at the end. A little while back in the paint section at our local hardware store I found this very thin and cheap springy scraper tool . I sharpened the front edge and rounded off one corner and I have found it to be the best by far for prying in under a print job to get it off without any damage.

I forgot to mention ...If you chase down a shoe repair supplier down there called J.A.Brooks there could be someone there could help.

AH HA I never knew that. I still have several of the Esto machines myself including the master finishing machines that I use every day nearly. I think the trimmer in the above picture is called a rough rounder from memory. I have one of those as well and thankfully in a bit better condition. Thanks for sharing.

Very sorry to hear this and I wish his family and friends the highest of condolences.

This video by @Uwe is one of the best assets to have if you have one of these machines.

True perhaps if only one adjustment were done. I did 2 as shown in the attached pdf file. This file should help I think. I will do a video on it to show the process better. Cowboy CB 105 Forward and reverse stitch length adjustments.pdfCowboy CB 105 Forward and reverse stitch length adjustments.pdf

Its alright I worked it out. I had 4 stitches to the inch going forward and 6 going back before. I now have 3 stitches to the inch forward and 3 going back. The seller had been told by a dealer that it was not possible to adjust and I was bluffed for a bit I guess. Turns out it was a pretty simple adjustment in the end so if you need to know ......let me know and I will put up some pics and instructions.

Is it possible to adjust the difference in stitch length to get more equal between forward and reverse on a CB 105? The reverse is a lot shorter than the forward and I doubt spacing out/wedging the front plate would be enough and would come at the cost of a lot of reduction in the forward stitch length by going that way if even possible. Thanks for any help you can give.

The machine in the link you show is likely an excellent machine but if you check a little more you can get one from Cowboy or Techsew that also has the option of a feed wheel on the other side that can be used for quite a few other things like strap folding, piping making and strap combining etc. This is a link to a recent video on the Cowboy version - If you scroll down to the bottom of this page you can see the machine and I would guess if you contacted your nearest dealer they could help you more. https://www.cowboysew.com/leather-belt-manufacturing-machine.htm If you are in Australia anybody is welcome to come and try one out at my place. I will have some more video's of this machine showing off some more uses that this machine can be useful for like fringe making etc.

I think the previous owner has angle grind cut away that front section and if I am not wrong they have cut away the back section as well probably in order to get a deep bag to fit further in or something like that. Long and short that machine is not likely to hold up to much downward pressure without bending or breaking the hole cylinder arm apart. Spare parts is all I think it could be good for.

Hi @jimi, sorry for my late reply, I've been way too busy. The command you need to get the hang of is the loft command. Basically it is a fancy extrude. In simple explanation ...do a circle or any closed polygon shape on the plan base level. I always take a line out from the middle and go wide past the edge and make it another colour so it is easy to see. Go to front view then draw a line up to the height of your next level and again if you have 3 tiers in mind, do this out on the far side. Back to the plan view and do a smaller or larger oval or square as long as it is a closed polygon then Move the shape up to the level you want and repeat the process if you want 3 levels. If you are wanting this to say have 2mm walls then offset 2 mm on these shapes. Hit the loft command and select the base shape then the next level and then the next level then hit enter twice. Magic. You can also go to the top level first and down to the mid level and get a totally different solid shape. Have fun and check this video out -

Just my 2 cents...Some binding tapes are very bad on corners and some are wonderful even though they measure the same and the same applies with some leathers as well.

Great minds think alike?? I have been working on something very similar to that for the Cowboy machine and I think you have inspired me to get it up and going a bit quicker now. Are you happy with the feed in? I was thinking of a wider mouth at the start myself and sort of funnelling in as it goes a bit like the strap folder ones. I do have a new range of product on the go at the moment that calls for a LOT of custom made piping. Interesting idea and I might give that a go. Opening out for the tab ends should be as simple as not gluing up the first and last 2 inches I think. The pointed end should be easy to fit into and through the guide as well.

That is what I have been using as it allows for different thicknesses of leather as well as different size bottles and cans. 2mm and I get it 100 metre rolls.

Thanks @chrisash,Sounds interesting, I may give that a go. Thanks @Constabulary. I know you don't mean the video itself That is Soooob true and I should of known better really.

Looks pretty good to me. Why you not made friends with the class 4 yet?? should be perfect for that sort of job.

This is my latest video showing a quick and effective method for cutting and folding leather straps for handbags, purses and shoes etc. Please note this is showing my first trial tests of my folding guides checking them for size and performance. They worked well but as for me with a camera in one hand filming ........a bit clumsy I know. If this interests you think about subscribing as I will be doing a few more other videos over the next few weeks along these lines. The link -

I am thinking that the construction method may not help here. If the zip looks alright until you stitch the sides then it is the method. In case it helps here's a link to one of my video's showing something that may help.-

I presume you would have seen this before but in case not here is a link. (They do have a very good assortment of watch band gear) https://www.esslinger.com/bergeon-31227-watch-strap-cutting-plier/

I don't generally run any fabric full length but do so around the pins and buckle areas. This is a link to one of how I do them sometimes -

A patching machine is about the only type of machine that can do this sort of operation but.......some feed better than others. They only feed from the top and stitching through the shoe where you have you will come across a stiff heel counter in there which may be very difficult to get through in a tidy way. Getting even looking stitches with these type of machines takes a lot a practice and concentration and I recommend that you get a heap of various leather scraps and do a LOT of practice before you start on any shoes. Nice work there and I hope that you can master the technique required.

That is true if you wanted to do a fold it over in 1/2 again. It is quite easy to run them through and get an allowance to do that by having the strap cut less wide but in this case I have concentrated on bringing them together to meet as tight as possible in order to use as a strap as is if wanted and also I prefer to use 2 separate straps put together if I want more thickness. I think they look better that way and in many cases I am putting a top over skin as shown in the crocodile bag handles above. The main aim here is to do the job quickly, neatly and easily as possible. These straps take me a few minutes to make and I can show you many a video of makers/teachers? showing had to make these straps in time frames I could never recommend. I give credit to the person in this video for a lot of things that he shows and shares in his video's but the methods shown in this one just can't work for me.