Strap Cutter Machines

[cjmt]

1 hour ago, Mike516 said:

I contacted this company in Germany. The machines are really nice and shipping is surprisingly reasonable. I was looking at this one http://www.sieck.de/en/machines/strap-strip-belt-cutting/details/5494/ If my math is right, I figured 1020,00 euros would be roughly $1150 to my door.

The downside is, the spacers for their machines only come in metric sizes. They said they could send some 1mm spacers for me to get close to the inches measurements. All my hardware is in inches - 1/2", 3/4", 1", 1.5", etc.

If I'm not mistaken, and someone please tell me I'm wrong, I won't be able to convert those sizes using metric spacers no matter how many I use, and is it even worth the trouble? Is there a solution I'm not thinking of?

Have some made locally? They aren't complicated. The blades are precisely 1mm though, so to cut a 35mm strap for eg you'd use a 34mm spacer, you'd need to factor that in when you work out what spacers to use.

[Mike516]

That's a good idea. I wonder what a precision machine shop would charge for something like that. I remember the blade width thing from the Weaver video I watched recently. Took me like 20 minutes to figure out what the heck they were talking about with the 1/16 inch blade thing lol.

I'm thinking about getting a Cobra AK20 also. I was looking at used but I quickly realized people don't tell you the truth when they're trying to sell stuff. It's powered by a motor but it's 2 grand new.

I can get the weaver but that's the same price and not powered. But I heard it's made better. This is such a hard decision. Everyone likes something different.

And the TechSew one I was looking at is like a grand plus $270 shpping because it's in Canada, but now people are telling me TechSew stuff doesn't get good reviews.

[Thor]

9 hours ago, Mike516 said:

I contacted this company in Germany. The machines are really nice and shipping is surprisingly reasonable. I was looking at this one http://www.sieck.de/en/machines/strap-strip-belt-cutting/details/5494/ If my math is right, I figured 1020,00 euros would be roughly $1150 to my door.

The downside is, the spacers for their machines only come in metric sizes. They said they could send some 1mm spacers for me to get close to the inches measurements. All my hardware is in inches - 1/2", 3/4", 1", 1.5", etc.

If I'm not mistaken, and someone please tell me I'm wrong, I won't be able to convert those sizes using metric spacers no matter how many I use, and is it even worth the trouble? Is there a solution I'm not thinking of?

Even though it's metric it usually works out that we still use inches in one way or the other. Over here it's called "Zoll" instead of inches and people still wonder why shanks, plumbing etc goes by those measurements. 1/2" is about 13 mm. With burnishing etc you'll come down to 1/2" and so on. Nobody will be able to tell (without measuring it) whether a strap is 40 mm or 1.5".

According to the cutting knives they are using for this individual machine I would agree with cjmt and have the spacers made locally if it has to be precisely in inches. Besides that, I would assume that any shop should be able to use the delivered spacers and re-size them for you, or you ask him if he would able to cut them for you to the metric conversion of the inch.

Here's a chart that makes conversions easier 

[cjmt]

Good chart! Personally I'd get spacers made but stay in metric for ease. I would use a 30.5mm spacer for a 1 1/4" strap for eg which will give a tiny bit of space in the buckle but not too much.

If having them made locally is expensive get a few narrow widths like 10.5mm, you can then use 5 and 10mm spacers in combination with the .5 ones to get the size you want, like 30.5

[Mike516]

Thanks guys. Love the chart! I'm going to have to look this all over. Metrics conversions literally gave me a headache yesterday to be honest with you. It might be worth the extra grand to get the cobra which is in inches and avoid all this trouble. We should either all go with Metrics or convert to inches and feet. These two different measurements is kind of ridiculous in my opinion.

[Northmount]

Only the USA and two other very small country have not gone metric.  http://gizmodo.com/5786004/these-are-the-three-countries-who-dont-use-the-metric-system  There used to be the complaint that mechanics would have to buy new sets of tools, and on and on.  Now when you work on a car (and many other mechanical devices), you need both sets of tools anyhow.  There are certain items that will never change even under a metric system.  Look at house construction.  All materials are for 16" or 24" centers.  Plywood will continue to be 48" by 96" other than what is available for cabinetry and such work.  Pipe will always be measured in inches.  Three are standards for both metric and English units pipe dimensions, but most usage defaults to English units.

For conversions of inches to or from metric units, your only need to remember one number.  1" = 25.4 mm.  The rest is grade 3 math.

Tom

[Matt S]

2 hours ago, northmount said:

Only the USA and two other very small country have not gone metric.  http://gizmodo.com/5786004/these-are-the-three-countries-who-dont-use-the-metric-system  There used to be the complaint that mechanics would have to buy new sets of tools, and on and on.  Now when you work on a car (and many other mechanical devices), you need both sets of tools anyhow.  There are certain items that will never change even under a metric system.  Look at house construction.  All materials are for 16" or 24" centers.  Plywood will continue to be 48" by 96" other than what is available for cabinetry and such work.  Pipe will always be measured in inches.  Three are standards for both metric and English units pipe dimensions, but most usage defaults to English units.

For conversions of inches to or from metric units, your only need to remember one number.  1" = 25.4 mm.  The rest is grade 3 math.

Tom

Despite official claims that the UK converted to metric in the 70s we still have a mixed system. Beer is sold in pints. Road distances in miles, speeds are miles per hour, land for real estate purposes in acres. I'm under 30 and when I was at school Imperial hadn't been taught for a decade but I still picked it up, it's' just too handy to not be able to use both as the situation requires.

[Art]

3 hours ago, Mike516 said:

Thanks guys. Love the chart! I'm going to have to look this all over. Metrics conversions literally gave me a headache yesterday to be honest with you. It might be worth the extra grand to get the cobra which is in inches and avoid all this trouble. We should either all go with Metrics or convert to inches and feet. These two different measurements is kind of ridiculous in my opinion.

i have quite a few Cobra Machines, and except for some bolts, they are, in a very large part metric.  As to the problem of the spacers not being right or having enough of them; I have seldom, almost never, seen a strap that was cut EXACTLY to the dimension as it was described.  Same goes for most other things in leatherwork.

As far as attaining extra or special size parts for the strap cutter; develop some friendships with folks that have lathes.  Even the most rudimentary lathe can handle cutting down a collar, and once you find the right sized ID pipe to fit your machine (the rod the cutters and collars fit onto), you can make any size collar you want.  You will also want to make a mandrel (same size as the rod the cutters and collars fit onto) that will allow you to run the mandrel in a lathe with the cutters and a few collars mounted and use a simple stone to sharpen them.  In my experience, it takes literally miles (kilometers?) of leather going through an AK-20 to even start thinking about the cutters needing sharpening.  Really, you just need to monitor the cuts, you'll know when it needs sharpening.

Art

[chrstn53]

There is an Amish outfit on the east coast that makes this same style machine. I picked mine up at an auction and it works beautifully and will outlast me by hundreds of years.  I believe the maker was byler.

 

[Mike516]

I don't need straps cut exactly 1/2", 3/4", 1" etc. I just need them perfectly straight. I use one of those wood strap cutters and the cross piece with the ruler on it wanders a bit when I'm cutting straps. Wasn't a big deal but now with my embosser it has become a problem.