Buckles

You needn't do that... I won't come back. Thanks

Yup, AFTER I made those posts. Please delete all of my content and remove my membership... it will save us all a lot of wasted time.

Just delete it all and remove my membership, thanks.

Yes sir, I just did... you could remove/delete this post as well please. Thanks

Hi folks, with the price of fuel/shipping costs the most interest I'll gather is closer to home. I have a Kwikprint Model 100 (with the foil frame) and probably enough stamps for what most people would need... I am uncertain of the font size ATM. Can provide pictures to interested parties, $500.00 takes the lot... is mounted on a small table that is easily moved about and has a drawer for the stamps, etc. I have not tried the machine myself, but I was assured that it works... I would confirm this before anyone spends time and gas money to come take a look. Thanks

Hi Folks, with the shipping costs/fuel being what it is I have a few machines available. I have no idea what it would take to get one over the 49th, so I won't even entertain that idea. Here is the list: Pfaff 545-H3 (apparently in "not working" order, probably best for parts but has a solid maple top on the table if my memory is correct) Adler 105-25MO specifically set up for sewing the bottoms (sole) on moccasins Singer 211 (was placed in storage in working order (for a long time) and now has a tendency to break the top thread at the needle) I believe the second set of numbers are 566, but don't take that for certain. Juki LU-562 in working order And what I believe to be a Pfaff 546 (double big-bobbin, dual needle machine)- this is the machine I'd have to double check and it might take a few days because some of the machines are not at hand right now. I don't have really good pictures at the moment, and there is no need to take up server space if there is no interest... however, I can get clear high quality pictures along with serial numbers should someone be interested. Thanks.

One last thing that you might consider... can you adapt a laser or lasers (light-s) for positioning your workpiece OR the jig, since it sounds as though you might have to change from one product line to another on a regular basis? They are often times "standard equipment" on the cheap wood working machinery (chop saws etc.) so they can't be expensive. BTW, I have been using a 2 ton press for clicker dies (but they aren't large) and it cuts the leather without a problem... 12 tons could certainly be over-kill.

After reading your description of the dresses and materials, I'm wondering if the machines you are looking at will be able to pass through the machine without bunching and causing huge problems for clearance. In my self-assessment of skills and knowledge, I'd say that I am hardly beyond novice (if that), but I'm wondering if the dresses aren't going to require something like a Mitsubishi CU-865 (I only mention this model because I have one that I use, there are others)... there are many people here that could comment on this and be much more certain than I am, perhaps they will chime in...

Wow, that's a cool looking machine! ... I bet a three-legged-man could really make that baby hum...

"My only "need" right now is to speed up the stamping process. I currently use a 12 ton Harbor Freight hydraulic press (see photo). My stamps are brass (see photo) and are made by LeatherStampMaker here in SoCal. Everything works fine, except the alignment (very tedious) and pressure (sometimes the image is too light, sometimes too deep, sometimes deeper on one side than the other, ......). If I stamp 100 pieces, I will get 8-10 that are unsaleable (not horribe). BUT, it might take me 3+ hours to stamp those 100 pieces." Now that I paid more attention to what Workinman said, I do have a few thoughts. "IF", unlikely, but if you had access to a milling machine cross slide that has x, y, and z axis that would help with alignment. And if you fitted your press with a electric power pack (hydraulics) (Google "Enerpac") and (push) cylinder (fitted with a gauge) that would get the speed up and you "might" be able to have a more consistent press pressure. BUT you would still have to deal with the uneven stamping which makes me think that putting stops at the outside of the press bed to limit the downward movement would cause the press to have to be consistent from side to side, but not front to back. (then use the z axis on the cross slide to regulate the press's (downward) limits. I wonder if you put a heavy chunk of steel at the outside edges of the press bed would regulate the "front to back pressure" as well as the side to side pressure? Personally, I would still try getting the stamping right first, then align the clicker die to the lettering for the final stamp... but that's just me. However, all that said, this is likely a problem that can only be fixed by throwing cash at it and I don't think it would be cheap... if there was ever a chance that you might want to employ the foil, I'd have to assume the machine made for this task would be the way to go. I apologize if this reply shows up as a double post... I may have messed that up...

I just completed a rough count of "a few buckles' that have recently come into my possession. Not counting the "one offs" and anything under 5/8" it totalled over 3200 pieces. (In case your curious the entire lot is packed into 4 of the old school plastic milk crates) Along with the buckles, came 2 really tightly packed plastic milk crates with eyelets, snaps, etc., and one box of various zippers, and I don't think any one of them were marked as being made in any other country than China... and I'm quite certain that a lot of the hardware was purchased in the 70s and onward. A quick calculation tells me that I can put a buckle on an item for the next 8.75 years (without a day off) before I have to buy new stock, after all, how many variations can there be in buckle design that makes a newly minted one more desirable than one from even 30 years ago? The weight should tell the tale IMHO. EDIT: I suppose if I started to make BDSM rigs (if that's what you'd call them), I could shorted that 8.75 years to what, a little under 8 months?

Take this from the "hack that I am" because I might not have your problem clear in my mind... But, I would try reverse engineering your process, whereby I'd do the stamping, then (assuming you use a clicker die), align the clicker die to the stamping and cut the key fob afterward. Another trick that I have employed on situations like this is, "if I can't get it straight with a reasonable effort, I intentionally make it crooked by design..." Before you respond, remember; "the hack that I am"... ha ha!

I am from South East Saskatchewan and have recently become the owner of a number of leather working machines. There are machines that I will not be able to use and a couple are really only useful (from my research) for their intended purposes. This is not a complete list, and I will have to verify the model number(s) for at least one of the machines... if you think you might be interested give me a shout, but with shipping costs you'd have to be reasonably close by to make a purchase worthwhile. Here is the list: Pfaff 545-H3 (apparently in "not working" order, probably best for parts but has a solid maple top on the table if my memory is correct) Adler 105-25MO specifically set up for sewing the bottoms (sole) on moccasins Singer 211 (was placed in storage in working order (for a long time) and now has a tendency to break the top thread at the needle) Juki 562 in working order And what I believe to be a Pfaff 546 (double big bobbin, dual needle machine)- this is the machine I'd have to double check and it might take a few days because some of the machines are not at hand right now. Also a Kwikprint model 100 press with the hot foil bracket to unroll the foil (has some letter and a few numbers) Perhaps I should include this in a separate post, but I also have an Industrial strap cutting machine that can do up to 12" and anything in between... would anyone in Saskatchewan have a need for some custom strap cutting services?... I am uncertain at this point how deep I want to get into leatherwork for other than my own purposes, so I dont want to part with it before I make a firm decision; but I could do custom work.