Leather strap folding machine

[Anubis78]

In an effort to improve efficiency in strap production, I am in search of a machine that could fold 1 - 5oz leather for strap making. I have found difficulty finding these machines and have not been able to solidify a purchase from 2 machines I came across online.   Both companies are in Europe.

 

 The first is a German company where the contact seems to have very little interest in finalizing a sale (there might be a slight language barrier and I understand that the tone of German can be perceived as harsh); I was literally told that he was too busy with other orders and projects to give me information on how to make the purchase.   The price point was highly attractive, but I can seem to get the guy to work towards closing a sale.

 

the second is an Italian company who does not do direct sales it would appear.  I was able to track down one of their distributors, but due to dealing with a middle man, the machine plus shipping was over $8k (shipping from Italy to the distributor and then the distributor shipping it to me by freight... not efficient at all).  Also the 2-3 month delivery time made the deal even less attractive. 

 

So if anyone knows of machines or companies that I can look into, I'd greatly appreciate it!  Thank you all in advance. 

[RockyAussie]

I'm curious just what sort of machine you think you need to fold this leather into straps. For the money you're talking I would like to see the machines. Here is a link to one from Campbell Randall which I wonder would do. https://www.campbell-randall.com/machines/leather-goods-machines/folding-machines/star-3000-strap-edge-folder/

At any rate there is some pretty simple machines and devices for doing this job, and they are not all that hard to make, could you perhaps show a picture of how you do it now? I assume you want them glued first to hold together when run through folded and pressed. Does this machine do all this as well?.

I can take some pics of a very simple one here if you want. I only bother to roll stuff through it by hand but it can be attached to a motor as well. Regards Brian

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

There are actually strap folding machines shown in the old harness machinery catalogs. They look a lot like a creaser. I've never seen one in person, but I'd give my eye teeth to have one!

[Anubis78]

11 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

I'm curious just what sort of machine you think you need to fold this leather into straps. For the money you're talking I would like to see the machines. Here is a link to one from Campbell Randall which I wonder would do. https://www.campbell-randall.com/machines/leather-goods-machines/folding-machines/star-3000-strap-edge-folder/

At any rate there is some pretty simple machines and devices for doing this job, and they are not all that hard to make, could you perhaps show a picture of how you do it now? I assume you want them glued first to hold together when run through folded and pressed. Does this machine do all this as well?.

I can take some pics of a very simple one here if you want. I only bother to roll stuff through it by hand but it can be attached to a motor as well. Regards Brian

Brian,

That machine is actually the one that I was looking at from Italy, but I think that the retailer is different.  That is the machine that's was $8000+, which is WAY outside of my budget.  The German company has a folding machines from 695-1200€, plus 100€ for each of the folding guides.  I actually emailed them again to get a dialog going.

I'd definitely be interested in learning a more efficient way of folding and gluing the leather.  Please show me pictures of the device that you have constructed. I've been doing it all by hand from cutting the strips, marking a line on the glued side as a guide line for one edge of the strap, gluing, and then finally folding the strap.   I'll try to attach a photo if I can reduce the size of the image of the bi and tri folded straps.  But I'm trying to find a way to simplify and become more efficient with this process.  The other night it took roughly 5-5.5 hours to create 16  22" straps from start to finish.  So anyway to improve this process, I'm open to trying! 

[Anubis78]

6 hours ago, Big Sioux Saddlery said:

There are actually strap folding machines shown in the old harness machinery catalogs. They look a lot like a creaser. I've never seen one in person, but I'd give my eye teeth to have one!

Big Sioux Saddlery,

I'm assuming that they are no longer in production or are hard to come by?  Do you recall which companies were offering the machines?

[Anubis78]

Here are two pictures of the straps.  One shows and end view of a tri folded strap that was sewn.  The other is of two unsewn straps: one with each side folded to the middle and one folded in 3rds. 

Something I will do is invest in a skiving machine to reduce the thickness of the outer edge.

[Sonydaze]

I have this machine: Omac folder 

Mine is much older and is a Star 2000 model.  It is set up to fold the edges to the middle of the strap.  We make straps from upholstery weight leathers.  Apparently these folders can be set up to work with different weight materials and do different folds.  In Canada they are sold by : Simards   

This machine folds 8' of strap in about 15 seconds.

[Big Sioux Saddlery]

2 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

I'm assuming that they are no longer in production or are hard to come by?  Do you recall which companies were offering the machines?

Yes, the ones I'm referring to were in a catalog from the early 1900's. I think it was International Harness Machinery Company or something like that. I have a collection of old harness catalogs that I can't find since I moved a year ago. I guess I haven't gotten to that box yet!  Those machines specifically are no longer made, but apparently, as Sonydaze points out, there are still machines made to fold straps, although probably for leather much lighter in weight than the old harness machinery.

[Anubis78]

58 minutes ago, Sonydaze said:

I have this machine: Omac folder 

Mine is much older and is a Star 2000 model.  It is set up to fold the edges to the middle of the strap.  We make straps from upholstery weight leathers.  Apparently these folders can be set up to work with different weight materials and do different folds.  In Canada they are sold by : Simards   

This machine folds 8' of strap in about 15 seconds.

Sonydaze,

How about the gluing of the traps once folded? Is that a manual process? 

[Anubis78]

Also, I've seen what looks like a bias tape maker  (picture attached is a bias tape maker) being used by a leather worker on what I assume was maybe a 2oz leather.  8' not for sure if it was some specialty tool or not, but it was something I noticed and the person who used it was being very secretive about it.

Edited December 13, 2016 by Anubis78