Member postings for OuBallie

There are days and then there are days!

I have no idea why there are links to the two photos instead of them appearing in the post, but the best brain fade with regards to the leather supplier though.

UK hide Co. supplied the samples, and the last lot received yesterday had one that is as close a match as I can hope for, e crept for the shine.

Geoff - Lets hope today is better.

WD70,

That technique is also used to get a bandsaw blade to cut straight.

All you do is lightly press a stone to that side of the running blade that's being deflected, and it's soon cutting straight.

Geoff - Did that on my first bandsaw.

This morning did the last bit of 'fine tuning' to the Singer sewing machine, so now ready to sew leather, but only scraps to start with.

Singer thread updated.

Geoff - iMovie '11 quite easy to use, with no steep learning curve.

Update at last on slowing the start-up speed of the Singer.
I am now able to get the beast to start at a crawl, but only time will tell if I've been successful once I start serious work using leather.
If not, then a servo motor it will be from College Sewing.

Singer in action

[url=http://youtu.be/E78sn_po_X4]Video/s[/url]

(Link just in case I have brain fade and need to read your lesson again Michael)

Waiting for more colour samples from Leather UK, to see if I can match the rear seat's dark blue leather, but trouble is, that leather is shiny whereas the samples I have are all dull/matt.

No, the shine is not from contact with bums, but ex-factory.
Question is, do all Austin Sevens have such shiny leather?

Now all I have to do, is to get the top thread tension back to what it was before I fiddled.

Geoff - Mad at myself for not leaving well alone.

Edited By OuBallie on 06/08/2015 14:31:19

Yep, as I expected I did have to back to school

Edited By OuBallie on 06/08/2015 14:33:24

Rod,

Something more knowledgeable have no doubt pondered since time immemorial and will continue so doing.

I asked about those striations, also as mentioned by John, as they look just like lava flows, albeit old.

That prominent crator is huge, but not all have those streaks radiating outwards, and some of the other are equal and greater in size.

Can't be water, so the next best is debris blown out by the impact.

Ah well, I won't loose any sleep hopefully, I have enough to occupy my noggin.

Neil,

I was following you quite happily up to:

"I used RAW ..... " which I use and comfortable with, but you just disappeared from then on.

I've enough brain ache without trying to get into your type of photography.

Can see myself disappearing up my own backside on both topics, and remember someone saying Windows was in the habit of doing so on a regular basis.

Geoff - Burst out laughing on hearing that about Widows, as it was so relevant around the turn of the Millennium.

Never thought of that Michael - Ta.

I needed two blank lines, however, before that bar got out of the way.

Now see why Internet teaching is being used more and more, for distance learning.

Geoff - Can now attack video production with a clear mind

Just noticed something interesting.

Both of our 'Forum Posts' totals have stuck at 4717 and 817.

Geoff - Always good to learn something new, it means the old brain is capable.

Edit:

Finger problem.

Edited By OuBallie on 01/08/2015 10:37:59

OH YES!

You by any chance a teacher as well Michael?

That 'talk' through was perfect.

Thanks you!

Geoff - Nerves can now calm down.

My attempt at slowing the Singer start up speed.

'Giggle' but it certainly looks like one.

I have a problem when selecting in that black bar that appears hides that 'Bubble Car' unless I'm very quick in selecting.

Managed it on the 3rd attempt so let's see what the outcome is

Edited By OuBallie on 01/08/2015 10:29:28

Got it, it's still there on my iPad.

I'm up

Thanks.

Geoff - ready for the off.

Edit:

It's the links on this Forum I'm having trouble with.

Edited By OuBallie on 01/08/2015 10:15:23

Good heavens Bri, Garages are meant to be used as Workshops.

Cars are never allowed to soil their interior, not unless they are Blower Bentleys of course.

You need to get your priorities right

Neil,

One of the best I've seen of the moon. Amazing doesn't do justice to it - WELL DONE!

Volcanic action of yonks ago?

Geoff - This YouTube video production malarkey isn't easy!

I love the responses, keep them coming.

MichaelG,

What the 'bleep' am I doing wrong as I used every method possible to get that YouTube link to work, including the 'Official' one on their site and the YouTube button above. It must be either an iPad thing, or brain cells.

BBcode is such a doddle to use in comparison.

Too many 'clicks', just as the BBC has added to their so called 'improved' iPlayer. Leave the 'bl@@dy' thing alone, it wasn't broken idiots! Just had to get that off of my chest, so have calmed down now promise.

I'm with you Steve,

Old codger is me, and now trying to learn how to do videos for YouTube.

Geoff - Some of us just don't know when it's time to give up on technology

http://youtu.be/DyKpAPMz0gA

Bl@@dy links using the iPad just do not work for me, no matter what I try!

Video of the Singer 660 A1 sewing machine after my first modification to get it to start slowly.

I now need to drill more holes in that extension bar so that I can fine tune where to put that bolt, and then play around with the position of a tension spring, between bar and frame, to see if that will give me more fine control of the start up speed.

Would a Moderator be so kind and fix the link please?

Geoff - Probably time to switch to laptop or desktop, BUT iPad is so convenient!

Edited By OuBallie on 31/07/2015 15:15:19

http://youtu.be/DyKpAPMz0gA

I've now given up on getting links to work using my iPad

Geoff - It was never this difficult when I was younger

Edited By OuBallie on 31/07/2015 15:06:40

John,

Thanks for excellent advise once again.

You are welcome to pop round any time to show me how it's done, beer/wine waiting

Up until the weekend, I had only been sewing two layers of of folded leather together, but when I tried a loose layer on top of those, that behaved as you warned.

Replaced the foot with one of Teflon and problem solved, but will experiment with the pressure.

Have heard that placing newspaper under leather, sewing through it, helps it slide along, but haven't tried it yet.

Will do some piping as you mentioned, as it sounds easier to do.

I haven't studied different piping, but am not hung up about originality as it's never seen, and I'm not going to make sewing anymore difficult than it need be.

Neil,

Thanks.

I have been keeping an eye on eBay but nothing within 100miles.

The consequence of being out in the sticks.

Geoff - Kitchen duty this morning, preparing mince, pasta and vegetables, and now drooling.

Thanks John.

You have given me the info I've been searching for, and best of all, from someone with experience.

The leather is for my 1935 Austin Seven Ruby, as only the rear seat is in leather, the rest in vinyl and non-standard.

Due to neglect, the leather had cracked, and felt and behaved more like cardboard it was so dry, but, applications of Gliptone cleaner first then conditioner every day for the last month is transforming it, as the potions did for my A35 front seats.

The leather I will be using will be for automotive use so not too thick, but, there will be a number of layers to sew together for pleats, edges and piping.

I obtained a selection of 'leather' needles from a specialist 40miles from me, so will now be able to try each in turn.

Piping feet I have, but only LH, but only time will tell if I need RH.

As for the adjustment you mention, I've studied the manual and it most certainly is black art and just makes the grey matter lock up solid so I will leave well alone whilst I experiment, having no idea what material the machine was used with before.

Thanks for the links.

Geoff - Fun and games ahead, with lots of Anglo-Saxon and no doubt toys out of pram moments to boot

Edit:

A walking foot machine would of course be ideal, but the Singer was at a give-away price so couldn't refuse.

Edited By OuBallie on 25/07/2015 11:54:05

Thanks Ian.

John,

I changed the 4" pulley for a 2" one some time ago, hoping it would make the machine perform a less 'violent' start, but to no avail.

The machine is equipped with both clutch motor and knee lifter, the last very useful.

The problem I had was that it would pick up speed far too quickly once the clutch bit.

Getting it to slow down was easy, but not to the speed I felt comfortable with and holding it there was very hit 'n miss, not something you want when sewing automotive leather. Lack of use.

I have no doubt your factory operatives handled the speed with aplomb, but me not.

Now that I know I'm on the right track, I will try the original pulley again, and get the top hook of the foot pedal hooked up properly.

Now that I'm able to commence sewing at crawling speed, I can build my confidence and experience, whereas beforehand the machine would just behave as if it was demented, with no hope of me controlling where or what was being stitched.

Oh I tried my utmost to get it to start slowly.

It's very easy to control at speeds that are far to high for my needs, but not at the slow ones I need, as the pedal didn't give me a sesitive enough feel, something I now have thank goodness.

Thanks for the advise on needles,

Any on thickness of thread to use please?

Manual I have thanks, and can now experiment with thread tension, now I have the machine behaving in a more civilised fashion

Need to source a supply of dark blue leather, then I'm set.

Geoff - Time to stop as I'm starting to ramble on me thinks.

I use the one below.

Easy to use and guaranteed to get the wheels square.

Geoff - Time to take the Austin Seven body off of the chassis.