Cowboy CB6900

[Hammerheadc4]

I ordered a CB6900 from Neel's Saddelry on the 20th, I picked it up from the trucking terminal on the 31st.
I have to say everything went smoothly, got everything I ordered. No problems at the trucking company.
The machine was really packaged very well, never seen anything protected so much in my 68 years.
Assembly was pretty easy thanks to all the videos on you tube.
I watched evrything I could find on the CB6900, TS4800 and Thor GC1341...Cobra 26 also!!
TechSew has some great videos on the 4800 (They couldn't do a pedestal stand)
Some good videos on the Thor too. (they were NPS or speed reducer..Not both)
Thank you Wild Harry....Your videos were very helpful
I'm retired and working with leather is a hobby for me. (I started about ten months ago.)
It's the first time I used a sewing machine, Looks like I'll be sewing many, many test pieces before I try a project.
 

[bladegrinder]

Congrats Hammerhead. I picked up a Cowboy 4500 from Toledo Industrial last year, my first sewing machine also. it sounds like your off to a good start viewing all the videos you can find and reading up on it.

start by gluing up and stitching lots of test pieces, and always, always, look to see if your in forward or reverse before starting ha ha.

once you get to know your new machine and it decides to play nice with you you'll love it!

 

[Hammerheadc4]

Thanks, It didn't occur to me to glue the test pieces....I will start doing that.

Lots of things to keep an eye on and get used to...little bit of tinkering too.

[bladegrinder]

I just stitched six knife sheaths. before starting I glued up the same thickness of leather as the sheaths and ran it thru to check for the stitch spacing I wanted.

I also measure for back stitching so I know where things are going to start and I can bring the back stitch real close to the throat of the sheath in reverse then switch to forward and stitch up the whole sheath.

I'm still new this also so I run my machine pretty slow right now, almost a crawl but it's working good for me till I get more experience down the road. I admittedly ruined a couple sheaths early on but I've made quite a few since then and a couple holsters and I'm getting better.

Practice...practice...practice, and don't get too frustrated when you screw up!

[DonInReno]

Congratulations on the new sewing machine!

Some people naturally sew nice straight evenly spaced lines, but I never have.   One sewing shop had new sewers practice making square spirals until they were very square and uniform, and this has been a great form of practice for me over the years - much better than simple straight lines since it forces manipulating the stitch length going into corners.   On a new project I’ll use the spiral on the exact material to fine tune the stitch and get back in the swing of things.

 

[Hammerheadc4]

Thanks Bladegrinder and Doninreno, the tips on how to practice are MUCH appreciated.
 

[Handstitched]

9 hours ago, Hammerheadc4 said:

It's the first time I used a sewing machine, Looks like I'll be sewing many, many test pieces before I try a project.

I bet you feel like a kid on Christmas Day by now . Now its time to have some fun 

7 hours ago, DonInReno said:

Some people naturally sew nice straight evenly spaced lines

I bought a guide ( mainly for belts)  with my 441 clone back in 2005,  but to this day I haven't used it . I go  a lil 'off course occasionally , but so what. I call those ' humanity stitches', lets me know I still human 

HS

[Hammerheadc4]

Funny you should say that...When I was going to the garage to assemble it, my wife said "I bet you feel like a kid on Christmas morning."

They sent a drop down guide with it, not sure how I like it yet. Just have to get more comfortable with feathering the pedal and practicing the spiral and square stitch pattern.