esantoro

thanks for the help in persuedung me to get a dremel. It's a great little tool. Does anyone happen to know if there is an attachment that would let me use the Dremel to trim my 1/8" thick aluminum templates, or maybe some other tool that would allow me to saw sheet aluminum precisely? ed

my original post had a different sort of board in mind, something more like a computer chip board, but made of a wood substance. It's maybe about 1/16" thick................. I just measured its thickness...........it's 1.2 mm thick. It may even be a thick, rigid type of cardboard. This is what I thought was meant by the term "fiberboard." Hardboard seems to be much thicker and not intended for the use I originally had in mind. Ed

steve, I've been looking at the dead blow hammers at Sears online. I'm looking to get a two pound hammer. Which one did you get? I noticed Sears has several. thanks, Ed

I had been using Duals 88. I'm switching because I get a better bonding of the suede lining to the flesh side of chrome tanned and veg tanned leathers. And I only have to apply the white glue to the flesh side of the leather and then place the suede lining on top of it. I probably could get a better bond with the Duals if I applied it to the suede as well as the flesh side, though that would also use up the Duals rather quickly. I've heard that Barges has quite strong fumes, which wouldn't work well for my situation. I'm using the Feibings white glue because of the better bond I get with it and the lack of toxic fumes, and I think it might be more economical. Another reason for my thinking of using wood glue is because some of it is about $12 per gallon than the Feibings. Ed

I've switched to Feibings tanners bond white glue for most of my leatherworking needs. I was wondering if there is a good wood glue out there that could also be used. The glue has to dry clear and have a setting time of 10 to 15 minutes. I'm not sure if the traditional yellow carpenters glue does this. I've been reading about these vinyl wood glues and noticed that they have a shelf life of about one year from the date of opening the container. Is this also about the same shelf life for Feibings Tanners bond? Thanks, Ed

I agree, getting comfortable with adjusting tension, to me, seems to be one of the most important tasks to learn on these heavy stitchers. I was told when I got my machine that I would rarely if ever have to adjust the bobbin tension. But then I always end up doing something that doesn't fit that general rule and feel that I've got to adjust the bobbin tension. Then I wasn't sure if I had adjusted it too much or not enough. At one time I was even looking for a tension gauge that could be used to tell me how much force is required to pull out the bobbin thread. It seems that these are made primarily for home machines. I had gotten to the point where I think the bobbin tension was just too tight, a tad bit painful on the skin to pull the bobbin thread out. Then I backed off. Now I'm of the understanding that the bobbin tension screw should never be so tight that pulling the bobbin thread out is too difficult. It should always pull out smoothly, but not loosely. Following this rule, I never get knots on the top of the leather. In fact, I would venture to say that the knots are closer to the bottom than they are to the top. This whole tension business seems to be just one of those things you learn to read. At one point I had wanted to ask the group, how everyone would describe their bobbin thread tension,and how often they feel they have to deviate from that setting. One plan I also had at one time is that once I felt I had the ultimate tension set, I'd then go around the house looking for a household items of varied weights that could be tied to the bobbin thread with the thread barely being pulled out further, some sort of scale: can of peas, can of tomato paste, etc. I never have tried this. Now I just stick to the rule that the bobbin thread should always be pulled out relatively easily. I still would like to know how everyone describes his bobbin thread tension. Ed

Will a magnet also attract zinc, which I think is also known as white metal? I have solid brass dees, and with a magnet there is a very, very slight attraction. Also with these snaps, there is a very, very, slight attraction. I finally took a bolt cutter and started cutting the snaps in sections, both the purported solid brass, and the brass plated, everything looks like it's solid brass, yellow through the middle. They both are cut with the same resistance.

Is there a foolproof way to check if some trigger snaps are solid brass? I bought a bunch that were supposed to be solid brass, but I don't think they are. I've scratched the surface of both these and ones that are supposed to be brass plated. They both survive the scratch test, no other colored metal shows beneath the surface. My brass plated snaps even look better than these supposedly solid brass snaps. Ed

glad to hear everything arrived in good condition. Did you also get the belts I put in the mail? You'll notice that the one I had on the machine is the one that is a bit glazed.

The Poor Man's Stirrup plate: Since I back stitch by hand about 15 or so holes on the tight gusset corners. I found a work around for until I can affort a stirrup plate. I use the standard wide center foot without any outside foot and make the 15 or so holes around the gusset corner. I straight stitch up to the corner and leave enough thread for the handstitching.

Thanks, Bruce. I'll check out the forum. Do you know if it's possible to get a roller foot for the 441/2000? I think that would work better than getting a different machine. Ed

Bruce, Do the folks on the boot and shoe forums get their leather from the same sources talked about here at Leatherworker.net? I'd love to get some sides of leather that are used for work boots. Ed

Hilly, What an awesome idea, absolutely awesome. I hate running out of bobbin thread midseam. I knew there had to be a reason why I bought a bunch of bobbins in the first place. Thanks

I don't even need this patcher to be motor-driven. Hand-powered is ideal for the kind of work i need it to do. Musts: rotating presser foot (as small a presser foot as possible), 3/4" minimum presser foot lift (i have yet to see this) http://cgi.ebay.com/ECONOSEW-29E71-PATCH-A...VQQcmdZViewItem

I think I'm addicted to stitchers. I can sit for days and admire the subtle differences among them. I was looking at post bed machines. Most of them seem to sew about 1/8" thick, not enough. I think a patcher with a 360 degree rotating presser foot is EXACTLY what I need..................... When will the madness stop?!

Just thinking out lout. I'd like to cut down on some of the handstitching on my briefcases, if possible, but without losing quality. Some things on the bag just don't come out right if I use my 441: strap retainers, handle assembly. Though this will be some time in the future, I was thinking maybe a post bed stitcher (if that is what it is called) might be a good investment for sewing those things that are sewn best if you can get right on top of them, without a presser foot getting in the way. Again, just thinking out loud, as I'm not even quite sure what a post bed stitcher is used for. Ed

Whinewine: Could you show us some pictures of that burnisher? By the way how loud is the Dremel 400? I stopped using my handheld drill for burnishing because the noise was just too much. Now I use, at the recommendation of others, a drill press....very good move.

I'd like to get that edge dyer to apply gum trag to edges: Bottom Right - Some company from Austrailia, Edge dyer

Thanks for the heads up on the manual. The manual says the screw is 9/64-40 L6.8. So the width is 9/64 and the length of the screw is probably 6.8mm, but does the 40 represent, threads per inch or threads per inch? Thanks, Ed

I've taken Ferdco's advise and spray spools that haven't been used for a while with Fiebing's liquid saddle soap with glycerin. I need to keep my eyes open for a throwaway bel-driven bobbin winder to getthat pin you're talking about. Right now I'm using a bolt and nut. Works nicely chucked in a drill, which also winds better than the winder on the machine. Good to hear about the thread you've had wound on bobbins for a year. I'll see about transferring the thread from my baby bull bobbins to my 441 bobbins.

It seems like I would need to get a special engraving bit and template so might as well just get this Dremel engraver, which comes with both: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Sealed-Dremel-1-5-...1QQcmdZViewItem Are there other engraving templates out there that would work well? I think the one that comes with the Dremel engraver is probably more for identifying possessions rather than anything aesthetic. ed

It seems difficult to buy a spool less than 16 oz, and I'm worried if I buy too much thread it will sit around for too long and dry out. Two 8 oz spools would be perfect, but the only distributor I know that sells 8 oz spools is The Thread Exchange, which sells Eddington. If I didn't know anything about Coats thread, I'd go with the thread exchange in a heartbeat. I pre-wound a bunch of bobbins once before, didn't organize them properly. Then when i needed them couldn't find them and ended up winding fresh bobbins anyway. Noiw that machine is sold and I still have the prewound bobbins, which I tell myself I will use for handstitching. I was also thinking that perhaps freshly wound bobbins will perform better than bobbins that have sat around for two weeks or more. Another consideration is that I don't like the idea of running my machine only to wind bobbins. While I'm stitching is great, but for that I need two spools. i certainly do have enough bobbins to prewind them using a handheld drill. I'll give that a try again, though my little invention to wind spool to spool is ingenious. ed

Is it possible to get a guide attachment that allows you to use the Dremel as an engraver. I've had some requests for engraved initials on brass plates on my briefcases.

Just to let you know: I called SFS. They said they had only nylondthread. I went ahead and ordered again from Ferdco. I'm going to try winding from a 16 oz spool to and empty cone. I'll make sure the thread is wound so that it comes off clockwise, but is there anything else I should consider. I'll be using this manually wound spool only for winding bobbins

Siegel's end of year sale has absurdly low prices on Jiffy rivets, dees, snaps, and rings, many of which are solid brass.