Here is my latest creation

[Nandy]

Finally got an industrial sewing machine as I wanted. It is not exactly what I wished for but it will do and the price was super right. I went off and started with a leather project. Been wanting to do leather stuff for a while but the machines I had before would have never do the job.

I got a few remnants of what seems to be 3 oz leather from Hobby Lobby, I only have the needle that came with the machine when it was sold (don’t look too great) and to my surprise the Bobbins from my Riccar 555 works fine in this machine (I ordered some Friday). I used 138 dababond bonded. I just wanted to do something to keep me awake as I had to stay up all night due to work. I had to be online and available in front of my pc from midnight until 8am.

Wife has been bugging me to make her a bag for her tablet for a while now. I had no patterns and just eyeballed the bag. Cut the parts, glue them with contact cement, let them dry for 30 min or so then take them to the machine. I had a couple of instances that he purse sorta slipped out of alignment. Also, I ran out of thread on the shoulder strap (man, that 138 really goes quick) but was able to get it all lined up and stitch over the last few stitches so it is not too bad.

At the end I was surprised it came out decent for an on the fly project, with no real planning and it being my first try. Here are some photos, the wife already emptied her other bag and took possession of this bag. I will do some more finishing on it once I can pry it off her hands..

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn215/nandy_temp/20150628_153209.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn215/nandy_temp/20150628_153035.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn215/nandy_temp/20150628_153005.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn215/nandy_temp/20150628_152949.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn215/nandy_temp/20150628_152929.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn215/nandy_temp/20150628_152851.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/nn215/nandy_temp/20150628_152841.jpg



Total investment, $10.00.

[Thumper]

Good for you Nandy. I dabbled in it when I was doing custom cars, but it was just the simple stuff. I don't know squat about what machine I was using. The guy I worked with was the real sewing guru and could do ANYTHING with a sewing machine. He and I worked out of his garage for a while doing high end restorations, like Vintage Rolls Royces, etc. When I left California, we'd just completed a Gullwing Mercedes. Ha! The company name was "IRS" ... Interior Restoration Specialists. :D

This was a nice reminder ... I need to look that dude up. I'm sure he's retired by now.

[Buckrub]

Very nice, man. You surely do have a lot of skills.

[Captain]

Nandy, that is awesome! Nothing smells better than fresh leather! Very cool hobby! Now you can start tanning deer hides and making possible bags for hunting. :-)

Kribbs is there ANYTHING you ain't done? ;)

[Thumper]

Ha! Sewing and playing on an industrial sewing machine are two different things! Custom cars and sewing kind of go hand in hand, BUT ... when you're working on high-end customs, especially show cars, it's best left to the experts and my buddy "Little John" was one of the best. Example, think of one of those Caddie station wagons I posted last week. We made the vinyl tops and each of those tops had TWO seams running the full length of the vehicle (front to rear). Now picture yourself standing at the rear of the car looking forward at those two seams. ANY TINY deviation from perfectly straight would stand out like a sore thumb. Of course, a perfectly straight seam doesn't do squat if the installer doesn't get it laid down flat and straight ... that was my job, final assembly and quality control. We'd receive the whole car in a basket ... then make a "show" car out of all the parts and pieces.

[Nandy]

At some time I was very surprised that while I was researching the industrial machines I would get directed to hot rods and automotive restorers. Apparently, these people dont like to subsidize the upholstering job. I do get it though....
Larke, tanning is not going to happen any time soon, im running out of time for the hobbies.
Now, as usual, after 2 years of looking I got this machine and a better machine came up for sale... Got in contact with the guy, let me see if I can get the one I have sold then get his.... I really dont want to buy that other one right out then got stuck with the other one for a while. they are good machines but they are not a hot sale item and this guy is moving...

[Bwana]

Pretty impressive Nandy!

[Buckrub]

Oh, and Nandy, you can stop now with the false modesty. You are smarter than a lot of folks here, and more well spoken than most, for sure me. So welcome back and I appreciate reading your stuff.

BUT...............did the first thing you made have to be a PURSE????????? I mean, geez!! :)

[BarryBobPosthole]

Nandy, is that a man purse? Its okay if it is, I was just wondering.

Hombre has a whole bunch of those.
BKB

[Buckrub]

Said the long haired hippie radical unemployed instigator.

[Nandy]

Bucky, that last comment cracked me up!

Like I was telling Larke today, I am as smart as the internet allows me to! lol!

I built the bag using my Nosler Reloading Book NO. 6 as the dimensional mock so I get to keep my man card, bite me!!:slap

That is not a man purse or "Mariconera" as we call it in the island. I had one many years ago back when I could justify one.

That bag is for the wife. She wanted something small to carry her galaxy tab and would also fit her large LG phablet. Last night I added a hook for holding her keys, did some trimming and finished up the edges. Added some extra support at the bottom so it will sit up with/without anything in it. Need to add some rivets to where the strap meets the bag sides. The bag is not too large but she has been know to load stuff no matter what.

Now, next thing I want to do is contoured gun holsters. I have an idea for my Colt Agent 38 special, I use that one when hunting and I want to make the holster so it can hold a mag light too. If it dont get too crowded then I will add space for my Gerber multitool but I thing that will be too much. We have too many "wild" dogs in our lease and coyotes are getting mighty comfortable around us. Not much I can do with a scoped long gun at night in short distances.

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

[BarryBobPosthole]

What is the thickest leather you can sew? I'm talking guitar strap thickness.

BKB

[Nandy]

Well, that is a "complex" answer. The machine is strong enough to do 1/2" worth of leather which is the max you can fit under the presser foot anyway. The problem is going to be the thread. #138 seems to be the largest tread that most recommend to be used on this machine which will probably knock me down to 3/8 of an inch or about 12 ounces weight leather total. Lots of big stuff is done on #277. I would probably do the holster with #138 and I dont think the looks will hurt. That bag was done with #138, 8 stitches per inch if I recall right.
A guitar strap should not pose a problem, I doubt it will be over 3/16 which is 6 ounces leather weight. Each panel on that bag is about 3 ounces leather weight.