The Outlaw has finally Struck....

[Bugstruck]

2 hours ago, dikman said:

As one gets older some things that used to be considered portable seem to magically put on weight........

You just had to remind me Of that, didn't you?  Sure IS different.

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, dikman said:

As one gets older some things that used to be considered portable seem to magically put on weight........

Funny that....I said that to me missus ....I'm learnin bout cooking tonight.

[dikman]

Hmm, some people are slow learners......

 

[immiketoo]

6 hours ago, dikman said:

As one gets older some things that used to be considered portable seem to magically put on weight........

I have noticed this as well.  Things I wouldn't think twice about lifting, now require help or disassembly.  I call it wisdom, though

1 hour ago, RockyAussie said:

Funny that....I said that to me missus ....I'm learnin bout cooking tonight.

Daaaaaannng.

[bruce johnson]

Bikermutt, Thank you for the video link!! I have zero experience with this new version but quite a lot of experience with a cast iron Boss. I paid off a ton of medical debt with one. Basically it would sew whatever I could cram under the foot. I sewed corner leathers onto 1" felt saddle blankets, 4 layers of skirting for a few odd ball projects, and some other stuff that would be an issue for most other machines. Coincidentally I talked yesterday with a saddle maker who has a ton of experience with old stitchers who had a Boss with a lower serial number than mine and his experience with the Boss matched mine. The cast iron ones were good once they got the early bugs worked out. Simple to use, easy to control, and did a pretty decent stitch. A Boss then was around $1500, a hundred or so more got a few feet and accessories. At that time, a powered machine with any sort of capacity was either a used needle and awl machine that you took your chances with ($1500-5000) or you paid $5-6K for a new closed needle machine. (I did that later too).  This was before Artisan brought out the short arm clone and priced them under $2000K and started the low price machine ball rolling. It was before Servo motors too. You "kids" don't know how good you have it now. 

Addressing some of the concerns above regarding use. After a few uses I set mine up on a lower table and sat on a stool up a little higher so my hand was no higher than my shoulder. That reduced quite a bit of the user fatigue.Easy to learn to sew on and you control the speed. After about 5 minutes you have the "stroke" down and it becomes muscle memory. My first wife was making some things while she was going through Chemo treatments and she sewed at her speed. My son was sewing spur straps by the box when he was thirteen. After my wife died and Rundi I started dating, Rundi sewed belts on some of our "dates" when I had wholesale orders to get out. User friendly. 

    It sounds like from what Bob wrote, this Outlaw has addressed some of the "improvements" that have plagued the later version of the Boss. I've got a relative who does some  leather work and handsews. He needs to step it up - something portable and I've been sort of looking for a good used cast iron Boss for a gift. Pretty sure I just switched trails and will be thinking pretty hard about one of these Outlaws for that price. 

[jimi]

Man that guy looks like uncle fester....

[bikermutt07]

@bruce johnson, glad I could help.

[jimi]

No offence intended of course.

[bikermutt07]

33 minutes ago, jimi said:

No offence intended of course.

I imagine Ryan has heard that before. 

[dikman]

Bruce J, yes, it had occurred to me that sitting it lower would probably help overcome arm movement issues - but then if it's too low you'd be bending over all the time to see the stitching! My back wouldn't like that either. Having said that in thinking about it it could suit my needs quite nicely (non-production work) unfortunately even if it becomes available here in Oz I fear the cost would put it out of reach.