kgg

When I am looking for a machine for myself my rule of thumb for a used machine in excellent condition and depending on age is 65 to 75 percent the list price of a new machine. Hope that helps. kgg

To get better help with your problem it would be helpful to know what machine you are using, thread size that you are using for the top and in bobbin, needle size also a couple photo's of the thread path from the spool. kgg

I am using Windows 10 and just upgraded my motherboard / memory / hard drives about a month ago. To add to @Northmount in the Snipping Tool you can choose the file format when you select "Save As" under the "Save as type". It can take awhile to get use too it does have it's quirks just like all CAD programs. If you decide to give it a try in the future start by following along with a few youtube video's. As a side note the default file format that Fusion 360 uses is a .f3d as a default and I don't know of another program that uses this so save your work as a .step format. kgg

I used Fusion 360 which is a CAD program for this sketch. I had that program opened away as I was refining a clicker press design. I then used Windows Snipping Tool and save the Snipping Tool file as a jpg. I'm also old school and do all my designs by pencil / pen and paper first then I move unto the computer. I bet most of the younger generation go right to the computer first. kgg

Sorry about that. I'm not sure how that happened. Damn computers. My first thoughts based on you are sewing the same type of material and thickness of material previously sewn. i) The bonded nylon thread is a touch thicker and stiffer then the polyester. Did you re-adjust the bobbin tension when you changed to the bonded nylon??? ii) Recheck you top thread path. iii) Change the needle. iv) Check to make sure there is no link / thread under the bobbin case v) Insert a properly wound fresh bobbin that is loaded to about 80 percent capacity.

My first thoughts based on you are sewing the same type of material and thickness of material previously sewn. i) The bonded nylon thread is a touch thicker and stiffer then the polyester. Did you re-adjust the bobbin tension when you changed to the bonded nylon??? ii) Recheck you top thread path. iii) Change the needle. iv) Check to make sure there is no link / thread under the bobbin case v) Insert a properly wound fresh bobbin that is loaded to about 80 percent capacity. kgg

As long as it works for you that is the main thing. kgg

I would suggest something along the lines of this basic sketch and get as fancy as you like. The bag is two main pieces and two handles. The gusset piece is sewn across the front/back piece. Just a thought. kgg

I am going to assume you are use to using a CAD program for your 3D designs. I would do your design there and then use a Snipping Tool type program to capture the design and save it as jpg or gif which I think Lightburn will be able to import. That may cut down some time. kgg

You need to be a jailhouse lawyer and follow the letter of the law. Add an extension to one of the sheds. However you may have to build a doghouse as well. kgg

We need our toys. kgg

Try Hoffman Brothers ( https://hoffmanbrothers.com/ ) Illinois. I think they bought all the Ferdinand equipment, etc. kgg

First off I am going to assume you have a concrete floor and the shop was built recently. I think a contributing factor that maybe adding to the humidity in the shop is the concrete floor. Concrete is porous and will absorb moisture from the air and vise versa. If a vapor/water barrier wasn't installed or is damaged under the concrete floor moisture will pass through the concrete which will increase humidity. I would check the humidity at floor level and compare it to the readings at normal height. kgg

To me it looks like a Ferdinand 900B Bull. kgg

My aim is that the plate is made up of three parts, the top part being HDPE sitting on top of 1 1/2 " plywood plate that has inverted "L" guides on two sides to create a channel and a steel base plate that would sit on the main C-channel cross members. The HDPE would be able to slide then from front to back on the plywood between the guides. The plywood wood have a pivot point on one side that would allow movement in a circular movement around that pivot point and the pivot point would also be able to move side to side. My hope is that with my design the leather on the HDPE top i) can be slide straight in or out between the side guides of the plywood ii) the HDPE and the plywood would be able to be swung outwards to me in a circular motion around the pivot point iii) both the HDPE and plywood would be able to also slide side to side over the base plate. With the standard manual clicker presses you swing the presser head around the vertical pivot point and the base is stationary. With the stop press the base has to swing around a pivot point. Only time and a few fancy words of encouragement will tell if it well work. kgg

Thank you. I'm just finishing working out the details for the actual swing away before I start building it.

Thank you.

I decided that I would like a manual swing away clicker press and done the calculations on what size of clicker press would work for me. A 5 ton. Then the next step was to check the pricing for one. What I found was that my budget would need to be somewhere between $2500 CAD ($1850 USD) and $3300 CAD ($2450 USD) depending on the vendor. Not happening. So me being me I figure I would purchase a new 20 ton shop / bearing press (Princess Auto ) and convert it too a swing away clicker press. I estimated that it could be done including the cost of the shop / bearing press for around the $700 CAD ($520 USD). Guess which way I choose to go??? Additionally the shop / bearing press is not a one trick pony as it will be used for other pressing functions besides leather. So I have been mucking around with this project on and off for a couple of months now. Here is what I have come up with so far. I have broken this into two parts, one for what I would consider necessary upgrades to the shop / bearing press and a second part dealing with the additional modifications necessary for a 16" x 12" the swing away clicker press. The first video is a overview of the, dirty dozen plus eight, mods for convenience and too severely reduce problems or minimize risks. Some mods reduce / eliminate the side to side or front to back slop movement of the main C-channel cross members and the base of the bottle jack, another eliminates the dreaded main C-channel cross member support pin creep then there are couple to prevent the presser plate (s) from slipping off the main C-channel cross members and falling on my tootsies. I usually where slippers while in the house and that is where the shop / bearing press will be. Others mods are for convenience like a parts catch / storage bag, lighting, lifting / lowering the C-channel cross members and installation of four retractable wheels for portability. I still for the life me can't see why all the design engineers and manufacturers with their fancy CAD programs hadn't figured out a simple solution to the dreaded pin creep that a lot of people complain about. It took me all of about 5 minutes to see the problem once it started to happen to me and maybe an hour designing a 3D printed solution. In this project the four main tools that I used were: 1. Metal Cutter: Canadian Tire MAXIMUM 7A Heavy-Duty Corded 4 1/2" Angle Grinder 2. Drill Press: King Canada 3. Welder: KICKINGHORSE F130 CSA-Certified Flux Core Gasless MIG with 0.035" wire. 4. 3D Printer: A modified Bambu Lab X1-Carbon with AMS A second video will be the mods needed for the swing away siding 16" x 12" clicker top and presser plate. Please comment and make suggestions as all are appreciated but be nice as I'm not a welder just an old matter hacker geezer. kgg Link:

Nicely done. kgg

First off the Techsew is sort of a Juki LS - 1341 / 1342 clone so the Juki installation / engineering manuals would be a good resource to have. Did you get any manuals from Techsew with the machine???? As far as marking goes the first place I would go is adjusting the height of the feed dog. If it is to high it will mark the underside and cause the top presser feet to be pushed in to the top side of the leather as well as contribute to the needle hole bulging. The bulging looks to me like the size of the hole in the middle presser foot. The manual will explain how to adjust the height of the feed dog. As far as the correct size of needle it will depend on what thread size you are using. The size 20 needle is typically good for V92 in thinner leather while the #24 would good for V207 in thinner or V138 thread in thicker stuff. Here is a good cross reference of needle size to thread size: https://www.tolindsewmach.com/thread-chart.html kgg

As per the advert it is a 2972B which is a cloneof the Singer 29K72. Yes they are a major step up from the "Tinkers Delight". Up here in Canada they range from $740 CAD ($547USD) to $1600 CAD ($1189 USD) with free delivery. They appear to be the same machines supplied by different vendors. I almost bought one but came across a decent Singer 29K72 with a treadle stand for $400 CAD ($300 USD). I don't know how the quality is in comparison to the more costly 29K clones dealer machines but there is a substantial price difference, $2500 CAD plus shipping versus $740 CAD with free shipping. That is about a $2000 difference when you factor in the cost of shipping. That money could be put into other equipment / supplies. Definitely something to consider. kgg

I wouldn't mind doing a course but if I had to invest in that much equipment I would have to think long and hard. All the courses I have done in my previous life whether computer or engineering related all the materials were supplied as part of the course cost. My thought is that if they set up smaller classes and supplied everything at a little higher cost they would entice more people to attend hence more sales of their products. kgg

Those are the good customers that are a pleasure to meet. What I have found since the "China Cough" a lot of people have become really what I call "entitled" and have forgotten the old adage " threat people as you would like to be treated ". kgg

Very nicely done. kgg

You really should read this article, it may help you decide what would be the best machine to look for. I think most of us have at some point have bought the wrong machine and it ended up being sold or is just gathering dust in a corner. Either way it was a waste of money and effort. kgg