So the price is about $2,500 all in. Has same name description but looks very small. I saw the related post here, also. I got a skiving machine from Cowboy's Chinese manufacturer, delivered to Bahrain, for about half that. I don't have the papers with me to be exact. I would contact Jane@automatic-sewing.com, if interested. They didn't have a distributor in my area so I was able to deal directly with them. It left all the unboxing and setup for me to do which was a great learning experience, i.e., difficult but not impossible, trying, patience straining, frustrating. Our video course it the best resource for that, by the way. I probably have it memorized. The documentation with the machine would best be described as accurate but sparse. I've been pleased with the operation of the machine and it seems identical to the one in Philip's video course on skiving machines. The setup, adjustment, operation, appearance of all the mechanism and parts is identical. The only issue I had was that I had to modify the motor mount (put some [a lot of] spacers in to get belt tension) to fit the servo motor it came with instead of the clutch motor it was apparently originally built to hold. Simple fix though.

Don't feel too badly about all that. I've been on lockdown in Saudi Arabia since early March and all my stuff is in Bahrain. Can't go there yet. Still keeping up with the activities as best I can. You know the routine, though - play the cards you're dealt, stay flexible, don't worry about what you can't do, do the best you can with what you have to work with all will be well in any event. All the best, all ways, always.

An awl works.

I should add, I don't know who is getting stepped by whom here or if no one is. I just didn't that little entanglement.

I was also looking at both. What I didn't like about the Dream Factory machine, just from researching, not from touching one, is that I noticed their logo is the "virtually" the same as the Little King Goods logo, owned by Ryan Savin. I thought well, maybe good for Ryan. "They got some little bidness thang going on." He did a piece in a YouTube video about the machine and I was wondering if they were affiliated so I wrote to him about it. He said he was "aware of the similarity and gets that question a lot" but that they were not affiliated and he has no affiliate links with them. I wrote also to Ho Myoung at Dream FactoryKR who said the logos "were similar but they don't share them together". They look more than freakin' similar to me anyway. Maybe it's just me but I don't like brand confusion, any appearance of collusion, appropriation of one business' logo by another through copy or extreme similarity, trademark infringement, etc., stuff like that. Interestingly, I also didn't like that neither Ryan nor Ho seemed to be bothered about the logo "similarity". Maybe they are just non-confrontational and really nice guys or something. But, if there would be anything I'd get confrontational about, that would be one. I mean, dang, really!?! So, Ryan spoke highly of the machine, featured it in a video, and doesn't care that they use a logo so close to his own that I can't tell the difference, but they have no affiliation. Yeah? Maybe. I get another potential factor also. They are small small businesses. Ryan's Canadian in Canada with his little leather goods business. Ho is Korean in Korea at joongangcnc.com. So, what you gonna do, anyway? Live life and be happy or drive yourself crazy over someone else you can't control? So I decided, I don't care how good and less expensive it is, I just don't don't want to buy from someone that I don't have a good feeling about. I think, for sure, if there is a problem down the road, it could be a real problem. Maybe I'm wrong but that's how I feel about it. I now own a KSF Mini, Upper Case and Lower Case Times New Roman lettering sets, 2 logo stamps and 1 other special stamp that Vincent at Metallic Elephant had made for me. Yeah, it was (much) more expensive but I'm pretty sure I'll be happier in the long run. Money, as a business investment, and money, as a hobby spend, are two entirely different things.

I’ve only used the Gold and Silver foils that came with my machine from Metallic Elephant. No issues. They seem to work great. I think you may be able to contact them through their web site for detailed compositional information. They have been very helpful.

As a modification, you may want to consider a flap cover over the knob to keep thread from tangling around it. Looks beautiful. Nice hand work.

Good to check here first. Another site I would check is Paul Sellers' site, Woodworking Masterclasses, for tool maintenance, care and refurbishing techniques. It's also one I use for guidance and reference. Now, the tools will be specifically hand tools for woodworking but I find the principles, as are the nature of principles, apply to all my hand tools. All the best. This tool looks like a fine piece of workmanship that you'll be happy to own and use.

Try AliExpress. Too many parts and pieces available there. Most all the machines seem to be cut from the same mold. Maybe buy 2 so you can cut and grind one to fit then make the second one nice after practice. You could end up with a nice prop for photo shooting out of it, anyway, even if it cant be made to fit.

1. You might check with Ryan Neel at Neel’s Saddlery for Cowboy/High-Tex machines. I bought mine direct from the factory because I’m nowhere close to a dealer. Happy with both the Bell Skiver (it’s virtually identical to the one in Mr. Jury’s instructional class except for the name and that was most helpful. I have no further questions yet.) and the CB-6900 sewing machine. I took ocean freight by the cubic meter. Air freight by the kilo or pound would wipe out any savings. Took about 5 weeks to get them though. Was ok in my case. Check with Mr. Neel, though. I found him to be quite helpful even after I bought my machines elsewhere. Great gentleman. Took time to explain some critical points regarding the sewing machine and really helped me out. 2. http://www.neelsaddlery.com

@Howard I'm getting tools and materials together and practicing small accessories like wallets and Pass Card holders right now. Just got some watchstrap buckles in and look forward to that soon. I like creating and making things. Watercolor, oil painting, woodworking. Recently got introduced to leather work and I find that it satisfies my artistic and creative desires and combines form and function beautifully. Professionally, I work as a Drilling Fluids Specialist. Fluids are referred to as "mud". So, life after mud will ideally center around functional art. Crafting artisanal pieces that I truly enjoy creating and will be distinctive and treasured by my clients. For right now, it's study, practice, study, practice. Then practice, practice and practice. Repeat. Try, fail, try again, fail better next time. Getting my 10,000 hours in for a start.

All the best to you and good luck. My little plan and progress is similar. I find these classes to be best of their type that I’ve seen. Be well. Be happy. Smile too much. - w

Beautiful work. You should be proud of that. Great care and attention went into it. Thanks for sharing.

Very nice edge and stitch work. Congratulations. Love the colors, too.

She married Mr. Gavin so you gotta figure she’s pretty smart. Tool exchange is a good idea. You could tell her you bought it for her for Christmas so you could deboss all the lovely things you’ll make for her this year because she’s so unique and special you want her things to be unique and special for her, too. You could’ve got a cheaper set from Thailand but she’s worth more than that. You want her to have the best So you went with this one. Announce it with pride and joy. “Honey! Honey, look what I got for you. I’m so sorry it won’t get here in time for Christmas but you’ll love it when it comes.“

Great idea for a participative, living thread. Thanks for starting it.

Thank you, Adil. I'll check them out. - w

If you email them from the contact page they will be right in touch. Great people to work with. Just ordered one with letter set and a stamp die. probably shipping in a couple days.

Thanks for Hex clarification. Don’t personally know anyone that used them. They get lots of press. Looking forward to receipt of an Elephant. I trust your experience with them. I just don’t think I could do a good job solely by hand and didn’t want to pay nearly half the price to find out I was right And spend as much again on leather in a practice learning curve.

I did not try that and just ordered the Metallic Elephant system after a month of looking around. I have very low tolerance for failure. Like you said, it’s a used car and a night out, etc., to risk the setup, so I bought a better used car. Have you checked Hex-N-Hit For fonts and stamps.