strathmoredesigns

Never seen one of these before. What does it do?

@Fire88 Cool, lucky you!

@Fire88 what are you getting from Bob? I'm always curious about the used machines.

Ok, so every time someone posts on here about a different sewing machine the topic of thread sizes, materials, etc. comes up. As a relative sewing machine newby, is there a sort of general guideline for what types and sizes of threads you'd want a machine to be able to handle? Also, is there a logic to thread sizing worth keeping in mind (like the larger the number, the thicker the thread or something)?

Thanks, exactly what I was looking for!

Careful if it's under the bed and not otherwise protected, I have a dog that likes the taste of leather.

Question for folks that own Harbor Freight's 1 Ton Arbor Press: What is the distance between the bottom of the ram (not sure if this is the right word) and the top of the slotted steel plate? How tall is the steel plate? I'm interested in trying this with some taller stamps and I'm trying to figure out if there's enough room. Thanks!

@Dwight very cool! Thanks for sharing.

@Dwight any chance you could share a picture of what you built?

@Northmount Thanks Tom!

@Northmount were you using something like this as the foot on your arbor press or just the rod it comes with to punch out the leather?

What sort of force does this thing generate? A ton? Something more?

Has anyone used an arbor press as a clicker press? Or do they not have enough force and you'd need a shop press?

Thanks @fredk, that's kind of what I was guessing.

So I'm not familiar with pantographs. Would they work on leather?

I haven't found the plastic jig to be all that helpful. I think it you really want them done right, you need something more like this: https://www.etsy.com/listing/568739153/20-off-26-english-letter-number-leather?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=leather stamp&ref=sr_gallery_25

Good to know, thanks Alex!

I'm also a diluter and airbrusher. It has worked well in my experience. If you think you might be using Resolene, or even acrylic paint with some regularity, an airbrush might be worth looking into. I have an Iwata that cost about $300 for both the brush and the compressor. A lot of people on this forum also swear by Harbor Freight brushes that probably cost a lot less though. And if either of those aren't in the budget right now, you could also try something like this: https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/preval-power-unit. It's not quite as smooth and controlled as a real airbrush, but it's not as heavy as paint brush or a dauber either. Also, if you want a good overview of finishes, this video is fairly helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyTg_hfpNUM

Thanks Bob. Good to know, I had no idea

What's a ballpark price range for shipping something like a sewing machine within the US?

Ok, so reviving a sightly older topic. Like the original poster, I've also been looking at the Cowboy 227R, though I'm not necessarily expecting that similar machines would cost any less (but I wouldn't object, if they happen to ). Anyway, I'm interested in a machine that would allow me to sew lighter weight bags (generally about 5 oz or so). It seems like the Cowboy 227R would be a good choice for this, but I want to understand the full range of choices. As best I can tell, other good options could include the Techsew 2700/2700 Pro, and possibly the Cobra 26? Are there any other comparable machines I should look into? Also, are there any must have accessories for machines like these? A pedestal stand and flatbed attachment seem like they could be pretty handy, and the Techsew and Cowboy come with Servo motors and speed reducers, which I've seen recommended. What about the laser guide, rolling seam guide, or Smart-Servo NP that the Techsew 2700 Pro comes with? They seem pretty cool, but are they $500 cool?

If you're not so handy with the tools, you could also just buy a press from one of the larger retailers. Black Friday is coming up. There may be some deals. Here are a couple of examples. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/search/?sSearch=press

Interesting to note the Singer seems to have disappeared from Tandy's website. Could be a stocking issue or could be something else....

@fivewayswelshcobs do you have something like this? (Know this is a pretty old post).

Alright, so this is going to be my first Black Friday as a leather worker. I know Tandy's prepping some sales. Which other suppliers usually participate and who tends to have the best deals? Springfield? Weaver? Any of the machine shops?