Bennettm Report post Posted January 1, 2019 Just getting used to my new Techsew Skiver. The cut off waste leather accumulates in the bell knive, then sometimes falls to the floor. I have seen machines with chutes for directing waste away from the operator's feet, but mine didn't come with one. When it doesn't fall to the floor, I get in the bell knife with needle nose pliers to remove it. This is awkward to say the least, and I am afraid of cutting my hand on the blade. Can anyone recommend a better method? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted January 2, 2019 There are a few posts about using a vacuum setup to collect the waste, along with some photos. Try a Google search for them. site:leatherworker.net bell skiver vacuum Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt S Report post Posted January 2, 2019 My skiver doesn't have a vacuum either, but the previous owner fitted a small drawer under a big hole in the table, directly under the bell knife. Most of the time the waste very obediantly ejects itself down this hole. (I got fed up with emptying the drawer and retrofitted the retrofitted drawer into a chute with a couple SQFT of nasty PU coated split, which directs the waste into a commercial size coffee can on the floor.) I don't have many problems with hangups, with long or short slices, which is probably helped by my keeping the knife turning as fast as possible. Some non-vacuum bell skivers have a little finger of sheet metal that reaches into the hollow of the knife but doesn't quite touch the wall. I think the idea is to knock any hangups away from the knife and down the chute. Rockyaussie has provided a tutorial on how to retrofit a vacuum onto a machine that's not designed for it. I've not yet tried it but it's on my "blimey what a good idea, I must try that" list. This list gains three items for every one which gets crossed off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 2, 2019 21 hours ago, Bennettm said: Can anyone recommend a better method? First of all do you have the ejector inside the bell knife?? That is the brass domed plate that goes inside the knife??It should be aprox 15mm from the edge? Also, There is a small accessory that fits onto some skivers. I don´t know if your machine has this option but i would image so because it looks like the 801 type clones and they sell parts for them cheap from china. i got a few parts to see what they were like and looks like the hole for the small scraper is there. Have a look to see if they have this part as an option for sale, if not you could always try to make one up. I botched together the spring as the original one was missing, and the rest does not look to difficult to do, but this scraper does a great job of getting you scrap off the feed wheel.It is not 100% because sometimes with very very soft leather it might stick on the wheel and get passed but not very often. I think it is a good alternative to a noisy vacuum. You can use it on the rubber and the stone wheels but not on the steel ones. Also you can take the 2 screws out and change the small scraper blade when it wears down too much, which just looks like a normal piece of steel. here are some pictures, the spring pressure is very light on it.. This is the part from china which has the hole for the arm for the scraper i would imagine?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bennettm Report post Posted January 3, 2019 On 2019-01-01 at 7:01 PM, Northmount said: There are a few posts about using a vacuum setup to collect the waste, along with some photos. Try a Google search for them. site:leatherworker.net bell skiver vacuum Tom Thank you Tom. I should have mentioned in my post that having been a woodworker for many years, I am ready for some quieter machines, and would like to avoid dust collectors/vacuums! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RockyAussie Report post Posted January 3, 2019 Thanks for sharing that info Jimi some interesting good stuff there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 3, 2019 1 hour ago, RockyAussie said: Thanks for sharing that info Jimi some interesting good stuff there. Your welcome, Here are some more pictures in case you need them Brian. The body is made from aluminium and the scraper blade steel. On 1/1/2019 at 11:58 PM, Bennettm said: Just getting used to my new Techsew Skiver. The cut off waste leather accumulates in the bell knive, then sometimes falls to the floor. I have seen machines with chutes for directing waste away from the operator's feet, but mine didn't come with one. When it doesn't fall to the floor, I get in the bell knife with needle nose pliers to remove it. This is awkward to say the least, and I am afraid of cutting my hand on the blade. Can anyone recommend a better method? Bennettm, you can make a chute from cardboard, The one that came with my machine was to big for the small table i made so i had to make another one, and form cardboard it was... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bennettm Report post Posted January 4, 2019 On 1/2/2019 at 3:29 PM, jimi said: First of all do you have the ejector inside the bell knife?? That is the brass domed plate that goes inside the knife??It should be aprox 15mm from the edge? Also, There is a small accessory that fits onto some skivers. I don´t know if your machine has this option but i would image so because it looks like the 801 type clones and they sell parts for them cheap from china. i got a few parts to see what they were like and looks like the hole for the small scraper is there. Have a look to see if they have this part as an option for sale, if not you could always try to make one up. I botched together the spring as the original one was missing, and the rest does not look to difficult to do, but this scraper does a great job of getting you scrap off the feed wheel.It is not 100% because sometimes with very very soft leather it might stick on the wheel and get passed but not very often. I think it is a good alternative to a noisy vacuum. You can use it on the rubber and the stone wheels but not on the steel ones. Also you can take the 2 screws out and change the small scraper blade when it wears down too much, which just looks like a normal piece of steel. here are some pictures, the spring pressure is very light on it.. This is the part from china which has the hole for the arm for the scraper i would imagine?? Thanks Jimi. Looks like I have something similar although it appears to be leather. I would like to post photos but get a warning that they exceed the limit of 1.46mb. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted January 4, 2019 4 minutes ago, Bennettm said: I would like to post photos but get a warning that they exceed the limit of 1.46mb. You can resize photos. Lots of programs and web apps to do that. Reduce the size to 800 x 600 pixels and you can post maybe 100 photos. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keithski122 Report post Posted January 4, 2019 I had a look at my skiving machine today and its not a steel plate that rubs on the roller but a thick piece of leather. Would a rubber or plastic roller help to stop the waste pulling through to the top? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimi Report post Posted January 5, 2019 18 hours ago, keithski122 said: Would a rubber or plastic roller help to stop the waste pulling through to the top? Possibly? you would have to try it out. It would probably not stick to it like the stone feed but you might have less grip? I am mainly using calf and horse leather so i find it better with the stone feed wheel. I did get the 801 type Wheel feed but it sticks a lot and does not turn very well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
