AlZilla

I use Blackrock's Leather n Rich for most things. Hats, Holsters, sheaths, suspenders, all things that get rained on and they just shed water. I'm going to move this over to the leather finishes sub forum. It should get more attention.

Congratulations. Advice from long, long ago - when looking for your "calling", find what makes time disappear for you. As in, you look up and realize 3 hours had passed in the blink of an eye. That could be your path. Sounds like you figured it out. Saddle making wouldn't be a bad way to pass the day.

I moved this over to the Gun Holsters forum. Probably get the proper attention over here. I suspect the creative minds here week have a better solution but my gut instinct was could the sight channel be lined with something non-snagging like PTFE?

There are some Bernina nuts out there, so who knows what someone would pay? It looks like a domestic sized base. I'll point out that your 111W is a walking foot and this one isn't, so the capabilities are quite different. You could throw it in the classifieds for some crazy price and threaten to oil it and start using it if someone doesn't pony up. Me? It's such a unique and interesting machine, I'd already be using it. It's a single needle but completely ready to run 2 top threads. I wouldn't give it up.

That second one was interesting. I liked the sort of open frame stands they had to assemble the machines. Around 11:30.

That is very cool. As a wood worker anyway, I've always been fascinated with how stringed instruments are made. I met a guy about 20 years ago who had crafted a ukulele in his shop.

@Yoshi888 don't stress about hook timing. In fact, you should learn and practice it. I remember how intimidating it seemed a few years ago when I had to set it as part of replacing the top gear in an old Singer home sewing machine. Now, it's routine and I don't think about it. If you can set the gap on a spark plug, you can set the hook timing. The biggest thing usually is to take the needle plate and maybe feed dog out so you have a clear line of sight.

Have you considered that the binding may not be in the shuttle area? I don't know if that machine uses a belt or gears to transmit power to the bottom half, but it might be worth disconnecting it. At least you could isolate it to the top or bottom of the machine.

Very nice, creative and excellent stitch work.

@DanielR, isn't that what's in the 3 posts right above yours? Maybe I'm missing something.

You know a triple feed will handle the job and give room for thicker/heavier products in the future. Maybe a chrome tan leather of some kind will endure washing? I don't know. But Id be inclined to look for a synthetic that would stand up to the expected number of wash cycles that the rest of the garment should. Most people just won't care if it's Naugahyde or leather.

Hi @ThirdBranch! It wouldn't hurt to post pics here, or at least some. That way when whatever you've linked to on instagram disappears, we won't have a pothole here on the forum. Plus, many people don't like 3rd party links. Maybe a few here and then a link? Not really a requirement, just a better practice and kind of future proofs the forum.

Well, for me, I've been paying attention for a couple of years and I haven't seen any real pattern. Once in a while there's a promo but it's infrequent.

Do parts 2, 3 and 4 all go together to hold the feed dog? If so, would loosening 2 screws #25 allow a little lateral movement? Could if be that simple? Or maybe screw #21 is some kind of set screw?

I think you're going to end up having to move that needle, too, in any event. At least get it centered in the foot. The feed dog placement does seem odd, though. Don't get discouraged. Most of us have been down a similar road. Get through this and it'll be easy the next time. You'll be in here coaching the next guy.

Most of us have been there. So, at this point, is the feed dog still located all the way right in the needle plate? If so, have you decided it won't move to the center? I think I'd be scouring the net for pictures of that same machine that show the feed dog. It just seems like it should ride closer to center. Well, @CowboyBob should be able to tell us if the feed dog riding all the way right in the needle plate is normal. The picture in this post;

Good looking stuff, I think. My card pockets always end up too tight ...

Removed the Share Google link since it leads directly back to this site. Linked direct instead.

I split this out into a new topic instead of tagging onto a zombie thread.

Let's try this over here in Leather Machinery, @Jacqui. It seems to be the place for skivers.

You can get a socket with that Allen key end on it. As long as you have the correct one (metric or SAE) and everything is in good condition, there's little chance you'll strip that head out. You'll break the Allen key first. Judicious use of something like this ...

At a wild guess, 3 is needle stopping up or down and 4 is up or down for the presser foot. Maybe you're supposed to reach down and flip that #4 switch instead of reaching for the lever?

That's about an 18 year old zombie thread, @girlscout4 Doesn't hurt. Sometimes it stirs up a little conversation.

Saying "nonprofit" implies actual tax exempt status, which most charitable grant makers require in order to receive funding. A quick search shows lots of Guilds and clubs but no actual tax exempt organizations. What I was wondering about was how a person would structure a pubic benefit corporation to "preserve and promote the leathermaking craft" and also qualify for tax exempt status. I don't dispute that many large non profits are bloated monstrosities more interested in self preservation and expanding their own bureaucracy than in doing any real public good.

Preserving leather crafting knowledge in a systematic and accessible way would be a worthwhile project. Since the user mentioned an "emerging non-profit", it makes me wonder what that means. Looking at the source code of the post, the link appears to actually go where it claims, even if I didn't actually click it.