Colinml

Thanks DieselTech and tsunkasapa. I'm in Lacey.

Hi. New here, and pretty new to leatherwork. I completed a couple small projects years ago with hand stitching, but I'm very excited at the possibility I will be getting a leatherwork capable machine this weekend or next week. I've been researching quietly on this site for a while, but decided it was time to sign up. Lots of great info here. -Colin

Thanks, DieselTech. I wrote to them. I think I could figure out adjusting the timing, once I'm back in my shop, but it's the unknown that worries me. I don't know anything about these machines, so I wouldn't know if something else could be wrong/broken and it just looks like all it needs is adjusting.

Hi. I've found a Cobra Class 18 for sale by owner at what I think is a very attractive price. In the ad, the seller says it's pretty new (pictures look pretty new), but that the "timing went out after using it for a couple projects" and he "hasn't been able to get it back in." I wrote to him and he explained that he had tried to reset it, but couldn't, so he got an estimate to have someone else do it (which was $400), so that's why the price is so low. Also says he doesn't use it anymore. I have set the timing on a few home sewing machines (old Singers, a 15-91, a couple featherweights, and a 66), but have not worked on (or even used) a triple feed machine. I briefly looked at the manual on line, and it looks like it's more complicated because you have to consider more than just the needle in relation to the hook, but I think I could figure it out if I bought the machine and got it set up in my own space and could go slowly and maybe ask questions here if I ran into trouble. My question, though, is whether there could be something unfixable wrong and the symptom is bad timing. If it's just a matter of trying harder...trial and error to get the timing back in, I think this could be a very good buy, but if there could be something broken I could be buying someone else's expensive problem. Thoughts? Thanks! -Colin