Project ideas

[Tophat Dan]

To start off, I'd like to say that I wasn't sure weather this should go in the "display case" because I'd like to talk about my new toy, or here, as I'm going to use said toy to make accouterments...so I suppose I'll let the moderators ultimately decide.

The toy in question is a Champion straight needle stitcher. I've no idea how old it is, but I'm assuming somewhere between the 1920's and 30's. I haven't taken pictures of mine yet, but there is a picture of one exactly like it here:

From what I can glean, these machines are fairly common and were originally used for sewing welts onto shoes and making horse tack.

For my first project, I'm going to try and reproduce a leather mail carriers bag. My uncle carried when they were still being issued leather satchels and he managed to save one in nearly new condition, marked 1965. If the prototype turns out well, I might offer a few for sale.

Beyond that I'm trying to think of some cool vintage-y things involving fairly heavy leather that I could do. I'd *really* like to get into making shoes, but I am several majorly expensive tools and a set of lasts away from being able to do that.
So fellow loungers, any ideas? Any potential interest in a leather mailbag?

Dan Peterson
Top Hat Dan

 

[Tophat Dan]

No takers?

Hmm...chirp chirp...lol
Well, I'll post pics when I get the prototype mailbag done and maybe fiddle around with making some patterns for wallets and such. Off to the Google to find interesting old wallets. And then off to the garage for more tinkering. There is nothing more fun than poking around a new typewriter or similar old/complicated machine.

Top Hat Dan
Dan Peterson

 

[zetwal]

Remember the young tailor in Fiddler on the Roof with his new sowing machine? For some reason that comes to mind.

Yours is indeed a beautiful machine! And it looks like you even have the original operator's manual. Well done -

 

[J.J. Gittes]

There is nothing more fun than poking around a new typewriter or similar old/complicated machine.
Top Hat Dan
Dan Peterson

VERY TRUE!!!
I've easily wasted hours of time I should've been doing homework with tinkering with my typewriters.
On topic, really neat machine! Id be interested in some leather goods for sure.

 

[robertcu]

any updates

any news on that run of mailbags