Sewing belts

[klutes]

Didn’t find much after doing a search. So I will ask. What size sewing machine and thread top and bottom do most of you belt makers use for 10- 16 oz belts. 

[Rhale]

I use a Cowboy 3200 with usually 277 or 207 top and bottom.  I usually line my belts which most are 10 to 14 oz total.

[klutes]

Thanks  RHale

[Dwight]

I use a Tippmann Boss, . . . 346 thread top and bottom, . . . usually make the belt from two side by side cuts of 7/8 oz.

Occasionally will lighten up and use a thinner liner, . . . but only when I got a skinny dude, . . . or a skinny gal.  Most of em are carrying handguns on them, . . . plus cell phones and magazines, . . . so I give em a belt that they should never "have to" replace.

Kinda puts me out of business in one respect, . . . but makes for happy customers.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Wizcrafts]

At a minimum, for a 10 ounce belt, you can use #138 bonded nylon thread, top and bottom, with a #23 leather point needle. This is usually the upper limit for your average upholstery grade walking foot machine. This weight thread has a 22 pound breaking strength. Some higher end walking foot machines may allow you to use #207 thread. Others may clear #207 on top as long as you have #138 in the bobbin.

Sixteen ounce belts are a quarter inch thick. This thickness can easily hide the knots from #277 thread, top and bottom. This is beyond the capacity of upholstery grade machines. You'll need a holster/harness stitcher that has an open shuttle and very heavy take-up components. The aforementioned Cowboy CB3200 meets this requirement at an affordable price point (relatively speaking). Read the specs and look at the photos of the machine. This will give you some perspective about what type of machine you need to sew thicker leather.

[MikeF]

So, Pastor Dwight and anyone who will weigh in...

Do you match up the liner to the belt blank as best possible then sew...or do you sew two blanks together then trim to get the smoothest edge possible?  I know I'm not describing this right but...I want to line the straps I make (not necessarily belts) and get the finest edge possible for finish...if I was making a case or notebook (something like that) I would likely make everything up, cemented, over size, and trim to size before I stitch up for a fine edge.  I've never figured that out for strap work...I see folks with beautifully lined belts, with decorative finger cuts on the inside liner, but I never could get there because I was ashamed of my finished edge...

I know I'm a little off topic so feel free to scold and redirect...I'm desperate for an answer to this question...bugged me for quite awhile.

And since I'm off topic...I wouldn't mind knowing how to whip stitch a belt edge with lace edges tight like I see on Peter Main's belts...but could never figure out how to get the spacing right...go ahead and yell but please point me in the right direction.  Looks like all beltmakers here so I figure someone will help.

Thanks...prayers for us all.

Mike

[Dwight]

I cut two blanks side by side out of the same hide with the same gauge knife, . . . one after the other.

I look over both pieces, . . . decide which is outside, . . . which is inside, . . . make the correct cuts for buckle etc, . . . 

I contact cement them both together, . . . run it all on a belt sander to sand the edges perfectly smooth.

Sew the whole thing, . . . edge it, . . . burnish the edges, . . . give it a light coat of neatsfoot oil, . . . dye it, . . . 1 or 2 coats of resolene.

Add buckle and keeper . . . send belt to customer.

That's my process in a nutshell.

May God bless,

Dwight