Handstitched

No , no magnets. The client requested a few small holes on the parts that goes under the instrument panel, (closest to the front) to secure it. And I guess that its a firm enough fit under the instrument panel, and the seat, to hold it in place. The pic doesn't do it justice , as its nice an shiny, the client is really happy with it HS

G'Day , This is a simple ' tank bib' for a Harley.(Not sure of the model) . Its not too wild, flash or fancy just neat , subtle as per clients request. . The client wanted a diamond theme in the pattern . It has 3mm lace on both sides*. Its skived slightly just where the bib goes under the instrument panel, and where it goes under the seat. I used 3 coats of ' seal 'n' shine' to weather proof it , and also went over the lacing ( once finished) with the same . * I usually lace left to right, but I also laced from right to left on the opposite side , so the lacing on both sides is 'pointing' the same direction. HS

@Klara Two words, ....'it works' . @jcuk We all love you !!!!! Nearly peed my undies !! The simplicity in the design is outstanding . Are you going to copyright the design? @Frodo A ' before and after' ?? I do make and sell fly swats using leather, but I'll be keeping my simple affordable design a tad quiet ...sorry . @billybopp that chart missed out the ' reddies' , red back spiders. The female makes you sick when bitten, but the male just makes you sting ....and curse .... like billy'o !!!!!! @fredk What do you call a fly with no wings? A walk . I've had flies on a leash. True . Funniest thing I've ever seen I'll explain how its done later HS

G'Day, My recent purchase from a 'vintage tool preservation' club' at a recent event, love these guys In amongst all the other countless vintage tools , some just for display, and many for sale , was this interesting piece. Its a ' saddlers palm' , or a 'saddlers collar palm', or as I call it, a 'saddlers thimble' . Its 'dimpled' on the inside , and at the end , theres a small 'hollowed' out bit for the needle to sit in. It sits comfortably in the palm of my hand , hence the name. Theres an ' 87' on the back ?? Not sure what that means ? a year, size ? Theres no makers mark, or anything else. I only paid $12 au . I could have spent a small fortune and browsed for yonks at their stall, but I had my own stall to tend. Any further info is appreciated . HS

G'Day @Oceanstreetleatherco I use sheep skin offcuts, cut into 2-3" square pieces . While I have no problem applying dyes, I sometimes have occasional fibres appear when I'm applying sealer, one of which is a bit ' stickier' than the dyes I use. When I trim the square pieces , I trim the excess wool off and cut down to around 1/2" and give them a good ' brush off' with my hand to remove as many loose fibres as I can , but I still get a few appear . Just wondering if off-cuts of shearling would be better? HS

Yep, thats what we're given. I've been trying to find an image of a pneumatic clicker press, not much luck. Mostly out of curiosity. The air compressor would have to be massive? HS

G'Day, I have an old Seiko STW 28, it has never let me down ( touchwood) . Just gave it its ' gazillion stitch service' today If another one came up, I'd buy it, or even its variants, like a consew, or Singer 111 etc. HS

G'Day mate, They're hard to find. Try ' Steves Industrial Sewing Machines' in Qld. I think theres a No.6 on ' Aussie Traders.com.au' HS

@Matt S & @mrwatch Thanks for that. I feel like I've just hijacked the thread/ OP....so my apologies to @stsears The voltage here in Oz is 240 volts, house hold power, and 3 phase is 400-415v My workshop, which is only a short distance away, the power is coming out of our house( my Mothers sewing room to be precise) with a loooong modified 30mtr H/D extension power cord , which is 240v 10 amp, the converters are 15amp. All of the power coming into the house from the street is single phase, 10 amp*. HS (*I'm in the regional area of Western Australia, a bit ' ye olde ' in places, and while technology is 21st century, phone, internet etc. ....the power infrastructure is not. It hasn't changed in the nearly 40 years we've had the property. )

@stsears I also have a USM press, a 20 ton hytronic press. They weigh no more than two ton . Mine is sitting on a wood pallet, as this made it easier to move into place using a pallet trolley, I managed with 1 ton pallet trolley....with help . No room in my workshop for a forklift. I'd be curious to know a bit more about these running on air, as you would need power to operate the cutting depth adjustment ? I'd be guessing that a pneumatic conversion would be extensive...and expensive. Mine is a 3phase, haven't used it since I bought it many years ago as theres no 3ph power anywhere ,not even in my street, and single to 3ph. conversion isn't an option either. It was cheap. Original new price was $8500 au, but I bought it for $500 au. The only option left is to buy a whopping great 3ph generator. I have the cutting dies, but no power. HS

Oxalic acid was once made from rhubarb , quite toxic, not so much when cooked , a bit of useless info. ( hate rhubarb & custard ) In the extreme, perhaps a re-colour of the saddle that matches the stain? Its otherwise a nice saddle. HS

Sell it to me, I love curries What size pappadums would you need for eating a lounge suite? Sorry. @Tc1388 I think @battlemunky is right, may not just be the leather. Is it possible to at least remove the leather covers from the foam cushions and give them an airing? Any zips or press studs ? Or even perhaps take the whole thing outside and give it an airing, on a fine day of course ? Fresh air does wonders for clothing,linen etc. just wondering if the same principal would work on leather lounge suites? Obviously the previous owner loved curries, either that , it was once in the waiting area of a curry takeaway. HS

I have learnt over the years that ' what goes into leather , stays in leather ' , literally . Its like trying to put the 'Jeanie' back into the bottle. Its more costly and time consuming trying to correct the ' slight deviation from the original plans' than it is by simply re-making them . I have also tried cursing and swearing and throwing it across the workshop .........but it doesn't work and doesn't make it any cheaper HS

@Retswerb Going off topic here, but that reminds me of TV comedy' spoof' of a cooking show with Richard Grant in the UK. I heard the term ' Air Dried Water ' . That had me in stitches But keeping on topic, I only use ' (dehydrated) water' and the moisture in dyes , and some 'elbow grease' to burnish my edges. HS

Yep, same here, must be a ' standard thing' to supply that bit, can't say I've ever used it ever since I've had the machine, its also in the drawer. My machine sews 99.9% leather, and .1% other materials like heavy webbing, heavy bits 'n' bobs on horse rugs etc. My Seiko STW & Pfaff 60 quite happily sews the rest. HS

G'Day , Heres an example of what the 441 clones can do. I just wanted to know if it could do what the ad in the magazine said it could do, and sure as eggs, it did . However, I did go slowly .I have never had a job that required that thickness, but its nice to know I got what I paid for There was a ' chunk' of leather of that thickness under the foot when I unpacked the machine. The leather is x5 layers of 4mm veg tan, the thread is 277 M10 , needle 180/24. Heavy duty tool belts & dog collars etc. about 5mm in thickness are some of the items I sew . The thickest I've sewn on my machine is around 10mm. As for the thinner stuff, I have a Seiko STW ,mostly used for horse rug repairs, but will quite easily go through 2-3mm leather . Having more than one machine does help. HS

I look like that ( 3rd pic) after paying $$$$$ for a shoulder of harness leather , and I was told by my supplier that it would have gone up again by the time I buy my next one. Not too many tanneries left in Oz , sadly, so some has to come from O/S, Italy in fact. But it is good leather. HS

Can't say I've seen too many pneumatic sewing machines. It would get pretty noisy I'm guessing ? HS

The same thing has happened to me using ' old leather ' thats been hanging around a bit too long in my workshop, using up scraps, odds & ends of leather etc. that may have dried out a bit. A good dose of oil does help. @Windrider welcome to the forum btw , we're all pretty normal around here HS

If someone had specs, can one be made with a 3D printer? Just a thought HS

Not sure if this will help or not, but have a look at the pic. HS

@Oldiesfan I think it sews boots, and other 'awkward' stitches. I'm kinda envious now HS

G'Day, @DirtyDusty I use classic roo lacing all the time, both 3mm & 4.7mm . I know its the other side of the universe for you, , but I get mine from ' Birdsall Leather' NSW Australia . If I need a bit of extra shine, I sometimes just add a little seal 'n' shine ' to the finished project, but I find its shiny enough , but glazed is nice too https://www.birdsall-leather.com.au/Kangaroo-Lacing/Classic/3mm/pl.php?resetbrand=1 (NSW is in lockdown atm, so shipping may take longer than usual, for us anyway ) HS

That is just....beeeeautiful ...*sobsniff*. So what sort of leather/ production would this machine have sewn in its day? They had no idea what they were selling. HS

Just glad I didn't continue pursuing piping feet for my machine. The leather, for the cushions, originally made in 1984, , is no longer available anyway, found out this arvo. O'h well ...moving on... HS