Buying A Cowboy 4500, Is It A Mistake?

[RusticLeatherShop]

Hi,

I bought the Cowboy 4500 as well. If you want to save you some Money there is an machine availlable from HighTex with the same capacity but an shorter arm. If you dont Need an Long arm machine but the same Features, then go for the short arm CB4500. I really never Need that Long arm since I never do saddlery, but if you do blanquets that may Change.

Make sure you buy the CB4500 from the USA and not from Europa since in Europa the same/similar machines are about 50% more expensive (thats about 1300 USD more expensive) in Germany. The europeans Claim their machine is higher Quality (due to "European Guidelines") but most likely they jacked up the Price only. So even for an european it's way cheaper to order directly from the USA than pick one up at a local dealer in Germany (shipping cost will be even a few 100 USD lower than the final MSRP Price in Germany).

I myself ordered just the Machine + reducer + Motor and mounted it on of my old PC tables. If you have a sturdy table for spare Kind of any Computer tables, then easily the machine can be mounted on it. That saves you the 400 USD for the table. But in that case you have to buy pedals, LED light and thread stand (although it could work as well without thread stand very well).

I do use the machine just occasionally since lots of leather items I have in mind are just not made and thus I make them for myself. As well it enables you to fix leather items whose thread has broken due to chinese work, etc.

[RusticLeatherShop]

The backstitching Looks is indeed an issue to look good. It is hard to make the backstitching look good since with thread #277 it is a thick layer of thread which catches de eye of customers. As well sometimes the needle does not enter the same holes when backstitching and so yeah more pronounced the backstitch part is.

At least I did not manage to make look nice the backstitching yet but I have lowered the foot pressure a bit as well as there might be a Little shift in the material which I realise just now while writing this as a potential possibility.

However I never had an unraveling Problem yet to my 2 to 3 backstitches start-Ends.

I never touched an sewing machine before, and at the first attempt with this CB4500 I got it right (not professionally but if works).

IMO the backstitching is what it is with this machine System and will allways catch the eye of the customer. This machine is for utilitarian pieces.

But reducing the thread thickness from #277 to #138 thread (and correspondingly needles from #25 to #23) will help I believe since the sewing will look more clean and holes are smaller. Thread size and needle size may do the trick.

An example of backstitching with #277 thread and #25 needles on These pieces (Smartphone case).

Edited August 5, 2018 by RusticLeatherShop

[RusticLeatherShop]

Backstitch example with thread #277 and needle #25 (Smartphone case from full grain pig leather).

Edited August 5, 2018 by RusticLeatherShop

[robbied]

Not that I like to drag up old threads, but after doing the sums and chatting with the supplier, you folk here have put my mind at rest with the decision for me to go ahead and get the 4500, over the smaller versions.

[Handstitched]

I've had mine since 2005, I  have nothing but nice things to say about these machines. Look after it, it will look after you    

But like with anything to do with leather, tools,  machines etc. it all takes time and practice. 

HS