RockyAussie

Hey Bob I don't know if it is normally done but I drop a few drops of oil on mine every 12 months or so and I would do it from the start myself.

OK the best I could find online from Australia post is a 5 kilo satchel for around $18.00 + - and the weight is an average of .14kilo per strip. By my reckoning that is about 35 strips. That is about 1.4m+ leather split in total. Packing them into boxes is the best but as to what weight and size is best to get them to you I cant say. If you can think of anything better please let me know. Regards Brian

I would be surprised if they were not there. Check the No 13 felts in this pdf pic extracted from a Cowboy manual Tension Post Components.pdf

Well done and thank you for sharing with us all.

What @mikesc said is correct and I cant really give you an easy answer without practically writing a book on the subject. The width of the belly will generally give you an estimate of the length of the crocodile (average around 5'long 38cm across the belly) They don't run them through the normal measuring machines and therefore I would hazard a guess that that may be about 4 sq'. The pricing gets higher as the skin gets wider due to extra length but a second grade skin may be worth 1/2 of the value of a first grade to the farm etc. The big fashion houses that own most of the farms only want 1st grade and where I come in is converting the 2nd and 3rd grade skins into sellable products as well. The lesser grade skins are still 1st grade quality except for scratches and holes in one or 2 of the quarters of the belly. Ist grade is needed for top grade large panel handbags. I do get some 1st grades but the majority is the lesser grade skins but as to what they cost is not something that I usually need to know about that much. Sorry that I cant make it any clearer than that.

If you want to emboss initials with the use of an embossing machine that hold the letters have a look for any Kingsley letter sets first. I do a lot of monogramming on leather work and it happens that you want 2 or 3 of the same letter way too regular. The Kingsley sets come with several letters in all of the commonly used letters and hold up pretty well over years of careful use. Mom Dad etc etc

Try not putting in the cut slots on the french edge method. Takes some practice to not do the first stitch too tight in the corners but where it seems like it is buckling down from the tightness, after the second stitching is done it will normally flatten out fine. Your second method looks good on the straight but I can't say how it will go on the curves.

If you can buy it at all (very rare) It would be around $26 au. a cm which is measured across the belly width taken at the 3rd scoot down from the front legs. A good second grade will be around $1000au ish. I mostly make the products from skins supplied by the $$$$$$ people. Most own the crocodile farms and sell me a little occasionally for goodwill I guess.

Yes they are. The thread runs around them 1 and 1/2 times and the barrel thing in the middle is restrained by a flat felt or leather washers on either side of it. The more the tension spring on it is tightened the harder it is for the barrel to spin. It used to be a common method of applying tension on the older machines before the came up with the more common modern tension discs.

This video should be of help here I reckon -

Yes ...until it hits the stopper every time. I would consider opening up a slot in the middle foot (shown below) as you can see better and it makes the threading a whole lot easier.

I get that a lot with croc. See picture. If you get a table top and hold down firmly with one hand are reef sideways several times working your way along the length it should come good. If needed break the grain some by running through your hands so that the top and bottom are being stretched at the same time.

In your picture above showing the thread check spring the stopper is set to the top and it should be way lower. You have found that out but have a look and make sure the the thread check spring is not rubbing against the cover as that can act to stop the proper and full travel. You may need to get in and make sure its clearing and it may need to be positioned to be tighter as well. There is a nut inside the cover to reposition the tension if I remember correctly. You undo turn the tension shaft stud and do the nut back up.

Well .....Happy birthday If it is unrealistic to get the table and motor from the same place I would consider using a sewing machine table and servo motor. Don't know where you are so can't suggest anywhere

I would be happy to. I will get back to you on Monday after I get a chance to look into the mailing costs etc.

Nice fix @Matt S and the belts look great

Here is a squatters chair if anyone was wondering.. https://www.ebay.com.au/i/283544519004?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&itemid=283544519004&targetid=468509333029&device=c&adtype=pla&googleloc=9069152&poi=&campaignid=1793098973&adgroupid=74958854328&rlsatarget=pla-468509333029&abcId=1139236&merchantid=9840422&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjrvpBRC0ARIsAFrFuV-fbbcrVgWzUo1fb1-U1AgrrYQQI6EvBhryE6gNBGZPaRV8RK_mOGMaAmM9EALw_wcB A better example maybe ...http://www.woodreview.com.au/student-entries-2016/squatters-chair

They would be easily strong enough for that and makes me think of a chair that we over here call a squatters chair. The back and seat are all one and can be reclined back and have a sort of fold out footrest. I like it but again not my market. That sounds like a great idea. I am 5minutes south of the Caves just off the highway. Give me a message when your about to leave and I will pm you an exact location if you need it. Now is that a bit of the Irish in ya ....or just the R next to the T on yoo keyboard..I'm a bit closer to the Caves pub myself......just over 2 k North. A metric tonne of bookmarks at least and more than any library could use I reckon. I don't know about any local groups but I am sure there are some. I will chase that down after Christmas if no members here can make use of them first.

Yea I like the idea but I already have orders going back over a year now and I was thinking that someone wanting to get a cheap start off might be able to make use of it. I could supply maybe 500 a month and I have a few thousand here all ready. They do weave together and look not too bad as well. I have not seen that before but maybe Why smaller strips? They are just over 1 1/2" wide. I could strip them in half but that makes for twice as much weaving I was tempted to make up a wooden rectangle out of some 3x2 and staple the strips across to make a weave then cover the top with a thinner piece of wood strip around the edges, Pop a few 6" legs in the inner corners and you have a flash looking dog bed. For anyone into doin dog collars it could be a good addition to the range. Thanks mate I will check them out. You know Townsville is only a 8 hour drive away.........if you are coming through sometime drop in for a chat and a coffee.

Thanks @chrisash. I'm not sure if there is much around here in Rocky but I might contact the Uni here and see.

I HATE waste but I am running out of ideas on how to use up enough of this left over split leather for belt backing. I use quite a lot up in fillers for my dress belts for which they are most excellent but I have now thousands of these strips and they will have to be dumped if nobody wants them. This last lot of 787 I just finished is 40mm wide by average 2mm thick. It could be used for making up door mats or dog beds if you dabble with wood making as well, but both of these are out of my normal marketing areas. I could re cut to a preferred size if wanted for very little $ Or split thinner as well This is my next lot of dress belt fillers I am working on at the moment (tutorial in progress) Here they are shown attached to the backings This is where some of the last lot are used (Wife's idea)..... I am running out of tractor tyres HELP (THIS IS NOT FUNNY) Brian

I have bought a few things from them including a lot of stuff for building my laser and found them alright. If there is a problem with anything you get make sure you notify them quickly.

Thank you @Tugadude TBH it is people like you that make the sharing so rewarding and easy to do. Nice idea that works well. I can remember doing a similar thing for a hold down on hats.

I think it may help if we knew what country you are in and if possible a picture of the existing bag could motivate a better amount of responses.

Here is another simpler one I just remembered which is more of a friction fit style. As the lid does not get used for lifting the weight the strap only needs to hold itself in place and lock the phone from coming out.