esantoro

I was at home depot the other day looking to replace the thumb screw on the front base swing door on my 441/2000/4000 , as it obstructs the installation of the flatbed attachment when I need it. I couldn't find the right sized flat head screw. Might any of you know the size. My guess is a metric 3 mm. Ed

Thanks, guys. I don't think I ever stitch at 800 spm, much, much slower. I won't stress it and will spend the money on other more necessary things like leather and bag hardware.

can anyone recommend a good pair of snippers that would do a good job of trimming back the suede lining between gusset seams? thanks

If any of you have empty spool cones for thick thread -- 207 and thicker -- and you are going to throw them out, could you send six of them to me? I'll pay postage and any handling fee you think fair. I just devised a way to wind thread from one spool onto another for bobbin winding. Thanks, Ed

I'd be using the dremel for slightly rounding edges of leather, for which I had been using sandpaper. Also for burnishing in tight spots, modifying sewing machine presser feet, who knows what else. Thanks for your help. I think the 400 is the way to go.

Since I don't have a benchtop sander/grinder and don't really have the space for one, I think it's time to buy a Dremel. Would the 300 model be sufficient, or is this an old model? ed

I just tried two. It seemed to work marvelously. I cut a 12 mm post down to either 11 or 10 with my edge cutters and didn't have to use a leather washer, and I didn't get a resulting crooked set. Thanks, guys. Now I can use my 12mm posts for more applications and don't have to go out and buy the 10mm ones. do these posts actually flare out into the cap head , or do they simply expand inside of the cap post, but not the head?

Can you also snip the ends of the thicker (not Tandy) Jiffy rivets made in Belgium and sold by OTB, among others?

HAve any of you ever bought leather from Leather Unlimited in Wisconsin? Price seems to be right and they have a good price on gallon containers of Fiebing's tanners bond, which right now, I prefer over anything.

Ok. I've called around to see if I can buy two 8oz spools of coats 207 black bonded poly. The thread exchange is the only place that can give me two spools, but they have eddington at a fair price, not Coats. Ferdco can sell me one large spool, which I could try to wind onto a second spool if I want. Dan Bussey at Shoe Factory Supply stocks only nylon. I like Coats, but should I just go ahead and get the two spools of Eddington from The Thread Exchange, or should I buy from Ferdco and do my spool winding experiment? Ed

Bill, What king of setup do you have for the drill. I was thinking about going to the store and getting a bolt and some nuts and washers the right size for the bobbins, and then chucking up the screw with the bobbin on it. for the spool I was thinking also of getting a large bolt, nuts and washers.

Is there a solid method for winding thread from one spool to another. I need to buy a 16 oz spool or larger and transfer half to another spool for bobbin winding? I was thinking I can somehow manage to fit an empty spool onto a handheld drill and wind the thread that way. I'm just wondering if by doing this I may create other problems in the future. ed

Would there be any benefit to my replacing the Chinese shuttle hook in my 441 clone with a japanese shuttle hook? Would I see better stitches, or is it simply that the Japanese shuttle hook would last longer in a production environment where the machine is being operated for 10 hours or more a day seven days a week? Ed

Many months ago, I had heard something about a new machine weaver came out with. Does anyone have a picture of that machine or a link to it? Ed

For those of you who have the narrow double toed presser foot for the 2000/4000/441 cylinder arm machine, does that center foot have a notch ground out on the underside to serve as some kind of guide as the machine lays down stitches. I'm still trying to troubleshoot a problem I had been having with the narrow center foot on thinner leathers, messy stitches. This problem doesn't happen with the large standard blanket foot, which I noticed has a notch ground out on the underside of the center foot. ed

I'm excited that I'm running out of 207 black poly thread. It means I'm being productive. Though, When I think about it and it comes time to order, I usually order one large spool, which doesn't give me a spool for winding bobbins. Is it possible to ask whoever I buy from if they can put 8 oz on one spool and 8 on another? is there a good method for doing this yourself? Ed

I think a splitter is indispensable. Go 8" if you can, 6" if you can't. Siegel's has the osborne 86 for 225 or so.

I've got twenty sides of Crazy Horse chrome tanned leather that I'm going to start cutting into and I would love to be able to use the scraps to make leather bound journals. If anyone knows the basic technique (illustrated) for stitching in the pages, could you offer some tips? Thanks

Bruce, I reread your post for the 50th time. Very helpful. Thanks. I wouldn't mind getting a roller foot, but have never seen anyone offering a roller guide for the 2000/juki 441. Do you know of a supplier? ed

Bruce, How is it to use the stirrup plate on straight sections where I also use the assistance of a roller guide to get straight stitches? Does the stirrup plate sort of act as a guide? It's good to know that there was a valid reason to my going crazy on these gussets. Thanks, Ed

I'm switching from contact cement to Fiebing's tanners bond white glue. I've had it with contact cement. I've been using Duals 88, as it doesn't have the fumes I imagine Barges to have, but it doesn't do a great job of holding suede lining to the flesh side of leather. I already use it to secure gussets before stitching. The Fiebings Tanners Bond holds everything. Now I'm on the hunt for a good source.

Bruce, I'm so glad you wrote about the bad words. I don't just think them, and my neighbors hear me too. I'll have to get both of these plates. ed

Do any of you use a raised needle holster or stirrup needle plate for a Juki 441 cylinder arm clone? I'm wondering if such a plate would make it tremendously easier to stitch gusset corners, especially on thick veg tan, and even more especially on the middle gusset, where you have two gussets coming together with the center divider, which results in three layers of leather each 5 to 7 oz (maybe the gussets are skived in this rounded area). Also which raised needle plate would be better, the raised rounded plate or the raised plateau plate? Thanks, Ed

Dave, Have you ever had problems with the neoprene from Foam and More breaking down and no longer providing cushioning? A customer of mine has been asking for nylon foam material (looks like white packing wrap) instead of neoprene, as he feels the neoprene breaks down and turns to dust over a short period of time. Ed

Do any of you new yorkers, transplants and all, know of a good place in the city to get rivets, buckles, and dees? what about a good place to get 6" skiving blades sharpened? Thanks, Ed