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I missed this response. Thank you. Perfect timing to get a reminder, gonna do one of these next week. Last time I had 128 oz dinosaur leather I had to run it through a log planer. Diesel, of course. That unique, pungent smell of freshly cut dino skin usually clears the room out, but it doesn't bother me. It just me hungry.

I finally got around to cleaning this thing. Stripped it down as far as I could, scrubbed it with brake parts cleaner, soap and water. I couldn't believe how much filth I took off of this thing. Used Dremel accessories, scrub brushes, tooth brushes, Q-tips, tooth picks, dental floss. Buffed and polished anything that looked like it needed it, smoothed out and leveled any contact surfaces. Even polished the bobbins and bobbin assembly, shuttle, rotary hook, all the way down to that tiny screw and micro leaf-spring clip on the side of the bobbin case or hook or whatever it's called. Gave it some black paint, gold trim, and mounted it on a heavy piece of 4x4 wrapped in black leather. Greased it, oiled it (oil seems to work better than grease), and what do you know, it still sews. Made quite a difference. Using it used to require patience and a steady flow of foul language, but now I can easily crank with one hand, turn my project with the other, all whilst I merrily tra-la-la. Took me longer than I thought it would, but it was worth it. Watch me drop it now. Here's a before (cleaned once): and after: I think I'm gonna lose the 4x4 post and mount it so I'm not killing access to the arm. It holds it solid and still, but one day it's gonna get in the way.

Had the same problem with mine. I took a file to the teeth to mitigate the teeth marks. It worked well on most leather but lost traction a couple of times on some particular types of pieces. I don't know the specifics on the leather types but they were slippery and less expensive. Eventually I glued a piece of "sticky" rubber over the teeth and haven't had any problems since. The rubber came from a 4"x4" square used for cutting out custom washers, gaskets and such for plumbing applications.

For what it's worth. Cost around $50. Amazon. I posted about my mini, hand held airbrush that actually works. Bottom of page.

Looks like you're moving right along... I love the looks of this thing. It's got the cool factor. Plus anything with re-purposed (upcycled-whatever) parts makes it even more cool.

Just noticed something... Bare with my sloppy posting. I'm still trying to figure out how to put text and pics where I want and not drag other posts with it, or whatever the hell I'm doing.

Looks like the wheel from a Penny Farthing bike. I'm guessing you had this thing stripped before the Styrofoam peanuts ever hit the floor. I can't wait to see this leather pounding Frankenstein come together. You're going for three pieces of nine ounce? I'm starting to think that the only obstacle is gonna be the clearance between the needle and the shuttle bed. If you accidentally sew an Ulna to a piece of leather, try not to yank and flinch. Stay focused, and carefully back the needle out from the bone before cussing and cursing. Not sure where I heard this but I think the info is good.

Ahh. Thanks. I love those time/sanity saving tips. If your shoe patcher is like mine was when I got then it has a lot of sharp edges. I've spent some time with the hand-held files and the Dremel in an effort to avoid slicing myself open and for smoother operation. I've heard these things always need some going over when they arrive. Mine wasn't sewing when i first got it. I've had it for just a couple of months and it's working pretty good now, except for a sticking point that happens while passing the 11 and 2 o'clock position. I mess with it as time permits. These things went up in price a few months ago to nearly double what they are now. The prices now are back to "Normal." That's an interesting fluctuation in price. It's not like it's a commodity or something.

That's a handsome little machine. Nice restoration. Looks a little older and definitely a lot nicer than my Singer ($50, Craig's List) Nice job on that base, too. Mine currently sits on four warped, re-purposed, bare pieces of 2x4. I'm going for that natural look. It really classes up the joint. You have that nice big wheel. I've heard larger, and thus heavier, wheels help to maintain momentum when sewing which I guess is good when sewing leather. Outstanding job by whoever did those newer painted flowers.

Mine is a 66-16, 1955 model. It will sew 3 oz, 5 oz if I carefully turn the wheel by hand. Straight stitch only, but what a great machine. I'm looking to upgrade the motor for some torque. Would you know anything about stronger motors for these? I know Colt did one of these, but I don't know what he used. 2 needles... Yeah, okay, i get it. Thank you. I'm a little slow sometimes. Too much Neil Young back in the day. Triple entendre! Harvest Moon was a frik'n masterpiece... and still is.

UPS and USPS are actually pretty good if you think about it. They hardly lose things, which amazes me to no end given all they handle. But yeah, when you're that one in a million they totally suck! I've had two things show up months later, and once not at all. So I killed them. Just kidding. At the bottom of your posts it says singer 66, two needles. I'm not sure what that means and it's bugging me. Is it something you can talk about?

I clicked, and I saw. Thanks. I'd love to have a little power assist on my rig. Hope you'll be sharing your progress. Good luck with your project. Looking forward to hearing about your success.

Hey Frodo, Is this the Chinese shoe patcher you're talking about?

Hey Bill, Has anyone ever told you that you look like Santa Clause? It's been two weeks since I logged on here; just now seeing your reply. I like to make sure I thank people who offer their input so, thanks! I was hoping this was the case. I guess I'll wait and see if I get any lumpy dye before I start straining it. Below is what prompted my question. It's a cordless, hand held air brush I recently got so I can create gradients, color blends and edges. It gets its power via USB and has a solid run time of 1.5 hours. I've never owned an airbrush before so I have nothing to compare to, but so far I'm happy with the results I've been getting.

Does anybody know if it's worth the time to run dye through cheese cloth or panty hose in order to remove anything that may cause a clog? Or is that just done with paint?

Thanks for the replies. I read and contemplated the above solution, accepting the formula as correct, and my brain shit itself. I think I'll just glue and sew, as suggested by Hildebrand, and see what happens. I do, however, appreciate the effort. Good question by Hardrada, too.

Whoa! (although I think my neighbor just heard me say 'Holy s--t!' Pretty sure that I'm looking at some mad skills here, and the work of a real craftsman (a title I hope to achieve through outstanding results and not just my outstanding efforts). Thanks for sharing.

Hi Folks, I'm perplexed. This is not unusual, but can anyone help me get un-perplexed re: below? Using the pictures, here is the best way I can explain it: I'd like to marry two pieces of belt leather to create one very thick belt (and maybe even a dog collar). When I take two pieces of belt leather, and put them together in a curved fashion, as shown below in picture A (using no glue, no sewing, no tape, etc.) it looks good, however; if I firmly hold the two pieces together, and pull them out straight, I get that gap in picture B. If I pull these two pieces out flat and straight, glue them down, and sew them together, will I have trouble getting the project to bend when I put it on? Hope this makes sense: I've got dyslexia and I often unwittingly make things more confusing than they need to be. Sorry for whenever I do this. Thanks in advance for any insight.

That's a damn handsome maul, mister. Thanks for posting it. I just went through the whole website and their prices are good on everything. If the quality is there I'll be giving them some business. I plan to sample some of their products just as soon as I run out of what I'm using now.

I like Weaver Leathercraft. I just wish they'd get a little more detailed in their instruction. He mentions the Bissonette at 4:25 and by 4:40 (literally 15 seconds) he's moved on and mentions nothing about sharpening it. It was worth a shot, though.

I forgot to respond about what you said regarding the Chinese Amazon Maul. Yes. Though I use it, I expected more from it. It's okay, but it certainly isn't impressive. Now I'll be looking to try out a quality maul as soon as I can test drive one so I can experience the difference. I appreciate you mentioning it because, as you probably gleaned, I'm a little clueless about these things and knowing about them sooner than later is better. So, great suggestion.

Hi Folks, I've been searching hard to find something about sharpening these Bissonette edge bevelers that I found on line. I found something by Bruce Johnson which is okay, but I'm hoping to find more. Can anyone advise me on sharpening these Bissonette edgers? If by chance you haven't seen Bruce Johnson's website, there's a good chance you'd like it. He deals in vintage leather tools of every kind. Lots of info, too. check out https://brucejohnsonleather.com/

I'll never get back all the time I spent on doing what my new centering ruler effortlessly does for me, but at least now I have one. Thanks for the great suggestion. I love this thing. Thick, clear, one beveled edge, one metal edge. I get so much help from this site that I try to contribute whenever I can. Below are some pics in case someone finds them helpful. Pics often make all the difference. (Amazon, $7)

Lol... BEAR MAULS! I like it. That's the work of an artisan, right there, boy. From what material are the heads made? They're gorgeous!

RINGING GRAVE MARKER: an FYI I recently came upon a gravestone into which the engraver had chiseled a beautiful but incorrect date (I imagine he expressed himself with an audible, "oops"). It is made of granite (quartz), it's 12 by 24 by 4 inches thick, and weighs around 150 pounds. I was psyched - until I tried to tool on it. It turns out the thing rings when it's struck, even with rubber underneath, rubber on top, and using a rubber mallet. I would try getting used to it, but I live in a condo and I try to always respect my respectful neighbors. Just a little FYI in case it's applicable to your situation. Anybody know how I might mitigate this freakin' ring? And - I was wondering if epoxy over cement would produce a usable worksurface. Anybody know?