Can anyone help me choose the right machine?

[$$hobby]

Some great advice here, thanks

Part of the problem is I don't know if there's a store in Sydney where I can walk in and look at different machines and talk to someone in the know. Birdsalls only sell the Tipman Boss. The guy I've been in contact with is in Queensland, which is making it really hard for me to make my mind up. He's being very patient and helpful!

I can get the more expensive one if you all reckon it's the right one for the job. Trying it out first would be a BIG plus though.

im not sure how much air/train fair is from your local to Queensland, but it could be worth it to make the trip. You can also do some research to find other shops/machines in the Queensland area to see/try what they have.

also, look for any leather/tack trade shows in your area. even if you have to wait for a year for the next one, you could be saving $$$ for the machine.

[RMB Custom Leather]

I have a Cobra Class 3 and it has been great. I knew absolutely nothing about sewing machines before I got the first one sold. Needless to say with Steve’s customer service and patience with a beginner I am glad to say I feel pretty confident with using it now. Here is the link if you want to check the Cobra’s out http://www.leathermachineco.com/ .

[neelsaddlery]

We have an agent in Australia that sells our Cowboy Brand machines. He sells them under the brand name of Master. The man's name is Jim Beaton. He also posts on this forum quite a bit. He has over 45 years experience in the leather industry. His customer service is the best in Australia. If you would like his contact information, please let me know and I can send it to you. Or, you can look him up on the forum by searching under Cowboy Sewing Machines.

Hope this is of some help to you.

[ruthless]

That's who I've been dealing with. He's great, really helpful, just not in Sydney!

[Kanga]

Ruth, hi, have you thought about going into a saddlery or a boot maker to see if they have machines? If you tell them you're thinking about buying one hopefully someone will be helpful enough to let you see and maybe even try one out.