TIPPMAN BOSS...

[SCOUTER]

I was just wondering, I've heard so many of the users here have upgraded from the TIPPMAN Boss to the TORO 3000 and others. I was just wondering Does anybody like their TIPPMAN? Is it too slow? What is the reason so many people look elsewhere? and Why do they hold such a high resale value?

Thanks much!

[robert]

i read that a lot of people think they are hard to adjust, etc... I have had one for about 4 years and really like it. It took me a couple of months to fiugre out the quirks and get it adjusted right, but since then, it has been great.

it probably depends on what you want to use it for. I am a hobbyist, and probably sew a couple of projects a month on it. it takes about 45 minutes to stich a belt, which is much faster than hand sewing, but obviously slower than an electric machine. i sew mostly belts, notebooks, bible covers, etc - average of say 8-12 ounces.

the throat is fairly narrow, which can limit what you can sew. i have had to adjust some project designs because of that - again, for a hobbyist, that isnt too bad, but if you are trying to make a living with it, that might be unacceptable.

i use the flat plate attachemnt on most projects - belts, notebooks, etc. i remove the flat plate for things that wont lay perfectly flat like holsters, knife sheaths, etc...

hope this helps.

robert

[steveb]

i have 2 Bosses, and they are set up differently - thread, table, attachments, etc.

They are indispensable for my work (another reason i have 2)

and a great deal of the look of my work is due to the fact that I am using a Boss.

BUT - when i first got one - it wa a royal PITA, Ron Ross - from the ###### was key in getting

me some advice so i could set a baseline for my tensions - once i understood how to do that,

i was good to go and haven't looked back since (4 years or so ago) - i use 277 and 207 threads exclusively in my Boss's

I dont need speed, speed kills and so the stitch by stick nature

of the Boss suits me fine although on a long belt, my right arm gets a bit burnt

steveb

<<LOL - i see the name of our peer group, "the guild " gets blanked..ha!! - johanna - your a joker>>

Edited January 12, 2008 by steveb

[SCOUTER]

Thanks Rob and Steve!

Steve, I went to your website, http://www.steveb.biz/sample.html What awesome work! Nice webpage setup also! Was everything on those pages done with the Boss? Your right arm must be larger then your left! I love looking at compleated projects and that page is a wealth of eye candy! Thanks again!

[Billsotx]

I dont need speed, speed kills and so the stitch by stick nature

of the Boss suits me fine

steveb

<<LOL - i see the name of our peer group, "the guild " gets blanked..ha!! - johanna - your a joker>>

I agree with Steve. Haste makes waste. The Boss ain't for everyone but it work for my small world. There's a learning curve, already mentioned. Takes patience and phone calls. It has limitations, also mentioned. I never use the flatbed because it interferes with what I do. Like hand-stitchin', the more you use it the better you get. I don't just jerk the handle. I work the lever and feel it through, don't just lean on it. It'll stitch 3/4 inch down to 1/4 inch and I never reset it. To do thinner stuff I hand-stitch 'cause it won't do that without readjustment and it ain't worth it, but I don't do much thin stuff. Wish I had another like Steve ... best of all worlds there. All this stuff is Boss stitched. Even the backside (last pix) don't look too shabby in my opinion. Looks like a machine did it. Ain't as pretty as a hand-stitch but it a bit quicker, and nowhere near fast. If fast matters don't get a Boss. Hand stitching let's my mind wonder too much; I don't have time for that on the Boss because I gotta keep wondering where all my gear's at ... still got all my fingers . . . lol ... and NO! I ain't done that yet and I don't wanna ~ knock-on-wood! Look, think, pull. You ain't sure of your target, get your hand off the lever

See y'all down the trail .....

[oldtimer]

I agree with Steve. Haste makes waste. The Boss ain't for everyone but it work for my small world. There's a learning curve, already mentioned. Takes patience and phone calls. It has limitations, also mentioned. I never use the flatbed because it interferes with what I do. Like hand-stitchin', the more you use it the better you get. I don't just jerk the handle. I work the lever and feel it through, don't just lean on it. It'll stitch 3/4 inch down to 1/4 inch and I never reset it. To do thinner stuff I hand-stitch 'cause it won't do that without readjustment and it ain't worth it, but I don't do much thin stuff. Wish I had another like Steve ... best of all worlds there. All this stuff is Boss stitched. Even the backside (last pix) don't look too shabby in my opinion. Looks like a machine did it. Ain't as pretty as a hand-stitch but it a bit quicker, and nowhere near fast. If fast matters don't get a Boss. Hand stitching let's my mind wonder too much; I don't have time for that on the Boss because I gotta keep wondering where all my gear's at ... still got all my fingers . . . lol ... and NO! I ain't done that yet and I don't wanna ~ knock-on-wood! Look, think, pull. You ain't sure of your target, get your hand off the lever

See y'all down the trail .....

I have had problems when sewing on my Boss: When making a sharp turn in a corner it won´t pull up the bottom thread into the material. ? Any suggenstions on what I am doing wrong??

[K-Man]

I was just wondering, I've heard so many of the users here have upgraded from the TIPPMAN Boss to the TORO 3000 and others. What is the reason so many people look elsewhere?

Thanks much!

I'll offer my experience with the BOSS. I had three of them - one of the original castings, and two of the current casting. I broke two of them and sold off the third in frustration. The BOSS is a high maintenance machine, constantly getting out of time, and did not do well with adjusting/changing tension on various weight of thread. I spent quite a few hours on the phone with the folks at Tippmann and they have excellent customer service. IMO, the machine will work very well if you're basically sewing one thread weight and nearly the same thickness each time in leather. I've read reports of many people being very satisfied with the machine. It's just not for me and did not do well for me.

I have two Artisan 3000's and one of their 618's. I have had one of the 3000's for 2 1/2 years and the other for 2 years. I've had the 618 for 1 1/2 years. I've experienced virtually no problems, save one. Most of the other minor glitches I've had have been the result of being user-induced. I make a high volume of product and have found that the 3000 and 618 have met that demand exceptionally well.

[bcurrier]

I have had problems when sewing on my Boss: When making a sharp turn in a corner it won´t pull up the bottom thread into the material. ? Any suggenstions on what I am doing wrong??

I don't know how the hook is set up on a Boss, but on most sewing machines, the hook catches the needle thread (in order to lock the bobbin thread) on the rise of the needle. If you have the needle down all the way and turn the goods, you can twist the top thread away and the hook never catches. Try bringing the needle back up but not out of the leather (so you can still pivot on the needle). You may have to experiment to find the right place. It's also possible your machine is mis-timed a bit.

Bill

[Drac]

I've been using my tippman for about a year and a half and here's my take on it. tension adjustments are a real pain, but once set it seems to work well for a variety of thicknesses (I stitch sheep to 7-8 oz for padded restraints, 2-3 oz suede to 7-8 oz for lined ones, double layed 7-8 oz for paddles and rabbit to 7-8 oz for paddles without changing tension). I use one thread size so I don't have to worry about changing it for that. it will occasionally drop a stitch when turning a tight corner, but when it does I just realign the hole with the needle and do the stitch again with no problem. I recommend getting the roller guide for it though. if you're going to be sewing lightweight leather like garment leather though, just get a really good "home" sewing maching. that's what I use when sewing rabbit to garment leather and mine will do a double layer of garment and rabbit or a triple layer of garment with no problem.

[oldtimer]

I don't know how the hook is set up on a Boss, but on most sewing machines, the hook catches the needle thread (in order to lock the bobbin thread) on the rise of the needle. If you have the needle down all the way and turn the goods, you can twist the top thread away and the hook never catches. Try bringing the needle back up but not out of the leather (so you can still pivot on the needle). You may have to experiment to find the right place. It's also possible your machine is mis-timed a bit.

Bill

The problem is not a skipped stitch, the problem is that the bottom thread won´t be pulled into the leather , so the top thread is visible on the bottom side when taing a sharp turn.

[AKRob]

Slow down/stop on the turns and tighten the top a bit (this works on one of my machines and tightening di nothing on the other) But go slow, complete each stichstroke before moving.

I was happy to get my Tippman Boss, but it was so prone to breakage I was compelle to by another for back up. They were breaking down in turn all this last summer- I finally baught a Artisan and pleased. I wish I had known about Artisan 4 years ago.

Rob

[Duke]

I got a boss 1 1/2 months ago from my work.it was the store demo, and sold as damaged. it still needs timed, and I havent had the time to sit down and play with it. got it for a heck of a deal tho, so I cant complain. 500 bucks seems decent to me. I figure im gonna spend bout 50 bucks in long distance phone calls with tippmann techs before its all over.I like it tho, cuz I built a replica of the stohlman workbench an have the boss mounted to a 2x6 so it can mount to the bench or be removed when tooling. the same slot that the boss slides into, also can hold my splitter, also mounted to a 2x6

[wolvenstien]

I got a boss 1 1/2 months ago from my work.it was the store demo, and sold as damaged. it still needs timed, and I havent had the time to sit down and play with it. got it for a heck of a deal tho, so I cant complain. 500 bucks seems decent to me. I figure im gonna spend bout 50 bucks in long distance phone calls with tippmann techs before its all over.I like it tho, cuz I built a replica of the stohlman workbench an have the boss mounted to a 2x6 so it can mount to the bench or be removed when tooling. the same slot that the boss slides into, also can hold my splitter, also mounted to a 2x6

You built a replica of the stohlman workbench? I want pix....

[Duke]

the general construction of the bench is finished, but the finish work on it still has to be done. basically, I have the cabinet doors left to do. my co-worker is an artist/ leather worker/graphic design artist/blacksmith and he said he would come over and draw out the pictoral scenes on the door fronts once I have them finished. gonna take a while, since I got slammed with a bunch of orders and all.if you still want pics, no prob. I use the bench as is,without the doorfronts, but its not very pretty,yet.at this time, I am looking for someone who has a past issue of the leather workers & saddlers journal, so I can get the diagram out of one of those isues for the small tooling desk that al stohlman built also. want to build it too.if anyone reading this has such diagram, please email me an let me know. it would be greatly appreciated.

[Duke]

ok well I posted pics of my bench on another thread.if youre interested in seeing it, here ya go:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...pic=826&hl=