esantoro

Once every two years I need to leave New York City for America. That time had arrived. Harbor Freight came out with a sale on its 55lbs and 15 lbs anvils, and there were a bunch of other things I had been dying to get. I couldn't just get these mail order, but had to visit an actual location. A year after moving to New York City, I gave my car away, so I had to figure out public transportation to Harbor Freight in New Jersey. I'm originally from Southern California,where all of this would have been a twenty-minute car trip to the nearest big hardware store (thirty minutes, if you count the fast-food drive-up). But in NYC, this was much more of an adventure. Once I figured which Jersey bus would allow my escape from the City, an ordeal in itself, I pulled a Springsteen and an CCR. I got out past the "Bergen County line" and got "Stuck in Lodi". Now I know where Lodi is and why one would not want to be stuck there. I bought some oilers and spring clamps, in addition to 70 lbs of cast iron anvils, lugged it on my hand cart through the streets of Saddle Brook, New Jersey, and made my way back to "The City". I felt like an 18th century trapper making a day's trek to trade his skins for much needed supplies and then returning home. Very satisfying in a way a 20-minute car trip could never be, though I did take subway trains and buses. The whole journey took about seven hours. It gave me time to ponder what is so special about an anvil. It is this. The computer, the automobile, the space shuttle, the space station, the Internet, and the tallest building in the world can all be reduced to basic components and processes. The Anvil is among the most basic of these. Without the Anvil, as without the wheel, technological progress does not advance. Without the ability to pound steel upon steel, we would still be fearing the sound of thunder and the flash of lighting. Yes...That's it.

Hi Okiwen, What problems have you had with the feet from Neel's? Ed

I use the anvil for setting rivets. the rivets set much better when the anvil is of the right size, especially when peening or rolling or setting caps on semi-tubular steel rivets.

I'm always on the lookout for good prices on mini and 1" clamps. From time to to time, Harbor Freight has the 1" clamps of seemingly good quality for 39 cents (1.49 regular: item no. 39569). But this price is usually with a coupon and only in the physical store. Harbor Freight also has the mini clamps (item no. 43970-0VGA; though no picture for illustration), 10 for $2, about half of what Home Depot, where hitherto I've been getting my clamps, sells them for. This is the best price I've seen, and I've ordered some in my current order,and will report later. The 10 pc quantity will be good for whoever wants to buy however many. If these mini-clamps do not work out, another source is: http://www.hobbytool.com/index.asp?PageAct...&ProdID=696 Ed

i finally pulled the trigger on a Harbor Freight order. When I saw the add for the 15 lbs anvil, I couldn't resist. I also got the 55 pounder as well as a bunch of other cool toys/tools I had been putting off for a complete order. It's good to keep old Harbor Freight flyers, because you can punch in the item numbers and pull up products that don't seem to come up online any other way. ed

I like having three of the granite slabs from Tandy. I can move them easily to different locations. If you have the space, then one larger slab might be better. Also a good anvil. Knowing what I know now, nothing smaller than a 15 lbs anvil. Though, who knows, maybe it's good to have the Tandy 2 pounder on hand. Harbor Freight now has a 15 pounder for $15. ed

I'm so close to getting this 15 lbs anvil http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...Itemnumber=3999 as well as HF's 55 lbs anvil. ed

I think the Tandy spacer is the same as what I'm calling a stitching wheel. Ed

We had an excellent thread on this prior to Black Thursday (or whatever black day that was). I think wing dividers, a stitching wheel, calipers (maybe even two; I like having both digital and analog) are a must. Ed

I'm dying to talk myself into getting this machine. I think it may work well for up to 6 oz leather where I need to pare two to three inches in certain areas down to about 1.5 mm. Anyone know what the largest amount of clearance is underneath the blade? I do know that the machine comes with three different rollers -- 4mm, 8mm, 12mm -- for varying the width of the pare. Talas in Manhattan just raised the price $25 to $350. Ed

I think that's a vital development. It adds important structure to the bag as the leather gets softer over the years. ed

Thanks for the feedback. Luke: What top reinforcements are you talking about? Ed

I should be getting my shipment of four gallons of the LCI Edge Ink any day now. Unbeknown to me, It is being shipped COD. Is cash on hand the only way to pay for this, or may I pay by check or credit card. I'll call LCI today and ask. I'm also getting black and brown samples of LCI's burnishing wax ink. ed

If finances are good come September, I may go for it. There are several light-duty applications I can see this tool handing. Resale value seems to be 100 percent. I just love quality tools that are also portable. You know, Valerie Michaels has a similar machine illustrated in her book, and it's pictured being used with at least 6 oz veg tan. But, as always, Bruce's advice to the contrary cannot be ignored. ed

Thanks, LAdyk. Do you think it will work well on 4 oz to 12 oz chrome tan and veg tan? Ed

It seems like it should be easy enough to devise something that attaches to the machine table, rises, turns 90 degrees above the machine head, and extends past the the machine's face plate. Maybe threaded metal pipe with an elbow where necessary. For now, though, a chair and pillows will have to suffice. It's not too bad. A wife's a good idea, too. I'll have to look into getting one of those, but first the anvil. ed

I was thinking about something along these lines. Thanks. Luke: I'd still need to be able to run the project through my heavy stitcher. Ed

Here's a recently finished latigo Maverick. ed

Does anyone know of something that could function as a project hoist that would free up both of my hands to hold large items I'm stitching. Currently I'm using a small table or a chair with books or pillows to position large objects. Perhaps there's something designed specifically for this task. Ed

I love the smell of beeswax. All you have to do to make a beeswax candle is pour melted wax into some shape with a wick down the middle and then let it harden right, or is there anything you must add to it. Working with leather leads to all sorts of cool obsessions: leather, anvils, alcohol lamps...now beeswax. I never knew there were so many cool uses. http://www.honeyflowfarm.com/articles/beeswax.htm ed

That was my precise problem as well. Sometimes I need to stitch on only one layer of 5/6 oz leather, chrome tan or otherwize. ed

I have recently gone back to the 1.5 wrap, but I now make sure there is not much drag on the bobbin thread, that it pulls out of the bobbin case very easily. I noticed that with such a setup I can predictably adjust the top tensioner for micro adjustments. I'll have to try 415/207 or 346/207. Otherwise I would have tried going only one size lower for the bobbin, but i suppose it depends on whether the bottom stitching will be seen. Ed

If anyone is interested in a 2 lb block of very nice beeswax, I can send it to you for $27 plus actual USPS costs. Ed

but a very, very nice thought. Any worries about some of the rubber coming off and getting ground up in the machinery beneath the needle plate? Probably not a concern. ed

I've gotten some contradictory information elsewhere: All business activity is done up on the schedule C, itemized business deductions included. For the rest of my 1040 I can take either the personal deduction or itemize the personal deductions, whichever is higher. Does this make any sense, relative to what has already been posted in this thread? Ed