Bree Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Hi! I'm Bree. I found the forum by chance and loved what I saw so I registered. I do a little bit of leatherwork in my spare time. I have a small business named Bree's Patch and Leather Repair here in Buffalo, NY. I sew patches on for bikers and repair leather goods for members of my club and other bikers. I haven't been as involved in making things as much as fixing things. I would like to do more in the making things end of the business particularly gunleather... holsters, mag holders, belts etc. I work full time as a webmaster for IBM but my job will be gone by the end of the year so I may get out of IT and do more of the things I enjoy such as leatherwork and gun stuff. In that respect I am thinking about adding a new machine which is how I chanced upon the forum. I was doing some research and hit a forum post. Today I have a Juki 1541-S flatbed, longarm 29K60, short arm 29K58, an old but nice 29-4 and a 29-4 parts machine... the cylinder arm main drive is broken and it isn't worth fixing so I keep it for spare parts. I also have some old home machines... a VS2, a 19-51 100th Anniversary, and two White Rotaries... one portable and one in an oak cabinet. We have a home serger and home Singer as well but I seldom use them for anything. Indeed, I don't really use anything but my Juki and the 29K's for my work. I just like old sewing machines. I probably should get rid of them and get some industrial machines that I can use in business. I have my eye on a 441 clone from Raphael's in Montreal... the GB6-180-2. I also like their Bonis clone... the 402 Fur machine. That would be very useful for sewing sheepskin covers for motorcycles and other nice things with sheepskin and pelts. I am always a little suspect about equipment with very low prices. The GB6 has such a low price that I could literally get the 402 for free compared to what it would cost to get some of the other makers' long arm cylinder heavy stitchers. So I was looking for negative (or positive) reports before I purchase. So that's what I do and that's how I got here. I doubt that I will ever produce goods of as fine a quality as some of you folks here but I will keep trying to get better and better a little bit at a time. Thanks for your time and attention! Bree Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Hi, and welcome to LeatherWorker.net. You're gonna find a lot of information here, and make some great new friends. Sorry I can't offer some words of advice, but I don't speak sewing machine. However, we have a complete section just for that!!! We're glad you found us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jammon Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Welcome! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don101 Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Hi Bree welcome to the forum we are glad you found us, dont hesitate to ask questions as there are lots of people here that are willing to help out, and pics are always welcome so pour yourself a coffee and enjoy the fun, Don Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bree Report post Posted August 4, 2008 Thanks guys! I haven't done a lot of site exploration yet but what I have seen is so very impressive. You guys do such good work. Some of the project PIX I looked at are just terrific. LOL!! I have spent more time today on Leathernet then I have on my gun forum XDTalk where I spend a lot of my free time. I'm sure that I will learn a lot here. Thanks again for the kind welcome. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ArtS Report post Posted August 4, 2008 We're glad you're here Bree. You'll be surprised how much you end up teaching us too! There are a bunch of great craft people and just plain good people here. If you have a question just ask. SOmeone always has an answer or an opinion - or both. WELCOME! ArtS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bree Report post Posted August 5, 2008 We're glad you're here Bree. You'll be surprised how much you end up teaching us too!There are a bunch of great craft people and just plain good people here. If you have a question just ask. SOmeone always has an answer or an opinion - or both. WELCOME! ArtS Are you sure that you want to learn stuff from me?? The sign over my desk says "Old Age And Treachery Will Overcome Youth And Skill!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
K-Man Report post Posted August 5, 2008 Welcome, Bree. Don't know if you've had the opportunity or inclination, but have you knocked on Lou Alessi's door yet? He's often been willing to share aspects of holster-making. He's right in your backyard.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ArtS Report post Posted August 5, 2008 Are you sure that you want to learn stuff from me?? The sign over my desk says "Old Age And Treachery Will Overcome Youth And Skill!" I love it! ArtS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Noah Report post Posted August 5, 2008 Welcome Bree. This is a great group of people here. I'm sure you'll love it! I've learned a few things since I joined. This is an amazing place to be sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bree Report post Posted August 5, 2008 Welcome, Bree. Don't know if you've had the opportunity or inclination, but have you knocked on Lou Alessi's door yet? He's often been willing to share aspects of holster-making. He's right in your backyard.... I have passed by his place many times. Often I just zoom by there without thinking that one of the top gunleather men is in there. I love his CQC/S holster for semi-automatics. What a great design and fine craftsmanship. They are pricey but quality costs $$$. Maybe I will drop in one day. I guess I'm a little shy. Maybe I could make up a holster for my XD-45 Compact and get a critique from the Master to break the ice. I bought a Blue gun for molding purposes and I just need to summon up the time, craft a decent design, and then start cutting. I got me a nice new Gemsy electric rotary cutter which cuts through 8oz leather like a hot knife through butter. It cuts as good a line as my round knife and... I think... with more safety. I have plenty of tooling leather and tools. I also have a lot of Kydex if I decide to make some combo leather/Kydex holsters. It just takes the will. I'm working on that... slowly but surely. And I think it probably calls for a new heavy stitcher as my Juki 1541-S really can't handle the kind of thread necessary for good gunleather. I think I need to be at 277 or higher for this type of product. I am not like Ann Stohlman with her awl, two needles, and stitching pony. So I am working on getting a new 441 clone which I think will be good for gunleather and good for my patch business (the 16" throat is very valuable to me) as well as a lot of other projects I might get involved with. I like making lined half chaps and cuffs with Berber fleece. I think a 441 would be great for this kind of sewing. With the right tools, some practice, and some hard work, maybe I can come up with something that I wouldn't be ashamed to show to Lou. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beaverslayer Report post Posted August 5, 2008 Welcome to the forum Bree, I'm sure your going to enjoy this place quite a bit. There is a whole slew of great people here that are more than willing to help out where and when they can. Good luck with your leatherwork, and hope to see some of it shortly. Ken Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bree Report post Posted August 6, 2008 Welcome to the forum Bree, I'm sure your going to enjoy this place quite a bit. There is a whole slew of great people here that are more than willing to help out where and when they can.Good luck with your leatherwork, and hope to see some of it shortly. Ken Thanks! I looked to see if I had some PIX of some items I made and I found a few so I will post them... biker stuff. Some Berber fleece lined cuffs for an engineer friend who works the Union Pacific run between Tucson and El Paso. He wanted one concho... and one concho only... per cuff so he got what he wanted. A fleece lined heat guard for a guy that rides a Harley Ultra and was getting his thigh burned from summer heat rising from the rear V-Twin cylinder. Webbing clips to his belt to hold it up. Worked great!! First one ever! And some detail from a set of heavy Berber fleece lined half chaps... first set of these that I made. If I find any more I will show. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trastu Report post Posted August 6, 2008 to the forum Bree. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
