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Any one can tell me the diameter of the main column? If you have one, what is the length of that main rod minus the screw on top.

Hello everyone, Can anyone recommend a good subcontractor for manufacturing small leather goods? I'm looking to get about 100-500 leather accessories made. I'm familiar with some web sites that link to manufacturing outfits in India and China, but I wondered if there were any analogues here in the USA? Thanks!!

I have been doing my own beadwork for a while and now want to move on to building my own belts and start tooling. The hang up is I don't know where to start and I've exhausted YouTube as well as any other resource I can find at the library, but it doesn't seem to add up to much. I have the gist as far as the general technique, but I'm lacking in the actual way in which to measure to determine hole placements, beadwork length and such. My general idea so far is this: Take beadwork two rows in all the way around to pig suede leaving a 1/4" border as well as stitching over strings at the ends to ensure they are secure. Cut out belt top with corresponding bead window and tool. Add in holes and turn around (see I don't even know the correct jargon) for buckle. I mainly work with individuals who will be wearing buckles with their belts as in rodeo buckles so I have a 4 inch give or take gap. Glue pig suede to bottom of belt. Glue top piece of belt over beads. Stitch around belt. Finish edges. And that is as far as I've managed. I have an old Chandler Dy-337 and a heavier Janome sewing machine to manage between. I have no leather tools, but I have the space the willingness to attempt and fail as needed to learn. Unfortunately, there just isn't many leather workers up here to help me on this. And I'm trying to cut out an unnecessary purchases and costly mistakes. I'm looking for guidance on what tools I need (I realize the tooling is a wide range depending on the style I will move forward with) but the basics when it comes to tooling and then finishing a project such as this. Also if there are any books that may be helpful I'm all ears. I missed the Rocky Mnt Show and now have to wait until Pendleton to get a good workshop in. Thank you all for your input!

Hi all, Not sure about the rules here but wanted to say hi - have been lurking for a month or so and figured I should actually sign up as a member! My day job is machining and fabrication in South Brooklyn; sewing is very much a side project, but I've always been interested in leather and webbing work, so when a shop around the corner from me closed up and posted "walking foot machines for sale", I went for it. I'll post pictures of the machines and some modifications I did to get a cylinder-bed industrial into a New York apartment in another thread, and I have a couple extra box and bar tack heads that I'll post in the "For Sale" section shortly. All the info here helped greatly in figuring out what to look for in a machine and what to do with one once I got it - I look forward to learning more and maybe showing you all some cool stuff down the road! -Zac