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RockyAussie

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Everything posted by RockyAussie

  1. You may not have seen this post but if not ...I think it may help. And another -
  2. Yes they can do that very well but they need to be used in a suitable press to hold the letters. The metal is not as hard as brass and would not take any hammering down for very long. The heat that the presses apply to the letters makes for some very nice results on many leathers when done without the use of foils.
  3. The most common one I make is 1" where you show but that is partly because I like to stitch right across at the bottom. Others that stop and start either side will generally be 3/4" and sometimes a bit less. If they are going to be a bit thick then 1" will be better for sure.
  4. I don't think so. Perhaps once the feet are on and the machine in place it will sit better but check and make sure that all bolts are tightened down well before the machine goes in. Could you show a picture of the table (front on) once the feet are installed?
  5. I am sorry to say that a look at Techsew's shipping and billing terms down the bottom says it all. They can not make a insurance claim once you have signed the no damage part. http://www.techsew.com/shipping-policy I would get a new leg rather than try and fix it or you will ever remember it every time it catches your eye. To have a new machine should be a rewarding experience and not be marred by something like this. You may at times want to get parts from them and even some sort of service help and keeping your calm is sometimes for the better latter on.
  6. I agree. That is soooo true. Absolutely FANTASTIC in every way.
  7. No after some glue is applied at the base inside I just curve the stiffener and push it down and in. The top folded edge is left until after the lining is put in and then starting at the front I have stitched across and around over the gusset over onto the lid flap and around and finished back at the front. Your welcome . Brian
  8. OK these pictures should show things a little better....the first pic shows the bag style a more to the side and this one more on to the gusset side. Note that the gusset from 1/2 way up can close up. the gusset stiffener in pink cardboard shown next to its clicking knife would have be done originally with .6mm strawboard but now I would use 1mm heel grip felt as the stiffener. This would give a less defined ridge where it presses into the gusset edge. As I said earlier the bag outside pieces are stitched together first and by using the middle markers to line up with, the gusset stiffener is glued into place correctly. The knives are made with the checked in middle lines as shown in this picture This is a picture showing all of the knives that go into the making of this little bag. The back and lid flap could be done as one but as this is for exotic leathers the smaller pieces are better to get the best feature pieces showing. One of the inside in case that helps.
  9. I don't have any on hand but I will take a few shots of a prototype one I made and some further shots to explain better after I catch up on some of this work today.
  10. Yes that is correct. Note where I said that the stiffener for the gusset area is put in after the stitching and I have to admit that i have to sort of walk the stitching around sideways a bit on 3 or 4 stitches as well. This is not to hard with my machine as it has a variostop motor where it enables me to lift the foot enough to step sideways and not loose my thread tension in the process. Make sure that your thread tension discs don't open when using your foot or knee lift. This is the machine I would have used in the making and it is a Pfaff 331 but a 335 walking foot type could do it as well.
  11. You are right ....they can be tricky to impossible to do on a normal cylinder machine. If the pattern is big enough and the gussets can flare outward enough it is not too bad. If they are like the little one i make rarely (about 6 across) as in the picture below several steps are necessary. Firstly the gussets are only stiffened after the outer sections are sewn. On the second side it can sometimes be easier to start 1/4 way down the bag from the top in order to allow room for the cylinder arm to have room to go into the opening at the finish. It then can be easier to manoeuvre the bag to do the top down start. Notice in your picture that the bag has a separate lining and the stiff look to it can be deceptive, it is probably quite pliable. Some sewing machines like a patching machine would do it easily but they don't do a very nice job normally and some like this side wall stitching machine may be an easier way as well. There is a member @robinindustry that has a variety of these machines for sale out of China. On the second page in this earlier post you can see a video of a sidewall stitcher in action. Follow that back on the you tube and more can be seen as well.
  12. I don't know as I have never tried it . The sewing machine oil I use if it drips on the leather it dries without leaving any signs ...so I just stick with that.
  13. 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.
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. Well done and thank you for sharing with us all.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. This video should be of help here I reckon -
  23. 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.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
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