Tour of my shop and the making of Mach5

[Canuck]

In the age of the internet, I thought a virtual tour of the shop was in order. It addresses what sewing machine I use as well as taking you through the process of building the mach5

I create a worksheet with all the critical data. I then cut the fabric to length and begin laying out.



The hem of the kilt is serged with a industrial serger (Brother) then using an industrial Pfaff.
Then the pleats are top stitched

I pleat and mark the fell and sew that down using the Pfaff

continued

[Canuck]

Leather is used as a reinforcement for the strap hole.

Stress points are reinforced with a Juki Industrial zigzag


The waistband is trimmed before I install the waistband
i
I use a fusible interface for the waistband and have an old boiler steam iron.



More to come next the leather work

[Canuck]

I make all my own straps and belts. Dies are employed and stamp out the leather with a use of a press.




A simple strap cutter for one off belts (I also have an antique strap cutter for cutting out a number of belts at one time.

i
The belt is tipped then off to be top stitched with Thumper (Adler 105)

Some components like the billets and ends of the belt are skived with the bell skiver

The belt is assembled and sewn together with a Pfaff walking foot and riveted with a press.



Almost done a few more steps

[Canuck]

A logo is embossed with a use of another press.



Straps and belt loops are sewn on and the kilt is complete ready to be shipped.




So there you have it sort of just to give you an idea.
In the shop I have seven foot presses for installing rivets snaps and hole punching.
1 Straight stitch Pfaff
3 Walking foots. Pfaff, Juki and an Adler
1 Serger
1 Juki Zig Zag
1 Bell Skiver
30 dies
20 punches
Industrial iron
sock machine
Plus an inventory of buckles, hardware rivets
And to think I started off with an old 1929 singer domestic...who woulda thunk
Cheers
Robert

[Standard]

Looks like you have done well for yourself. Thanks for giving us a behind the scenes look at your shop.

[turpin]

Thanks for the tour, Robert. I find process to be fascinating

[Kiltboy]

Wow. a great tour. thanks for sharing.

[pdcorlis]

Remarkable Robert - what an amazing array of tools and processes!

Thanks for posting!

[walkerk]

Thanks for the tour, Robert. Makes your workmanship even more apparent in the kilts you make. That Ranger belt looks like a lot of work!

[Sheep In Wolf's Clothing]

That was a very neat behind the scenes look at how an artist works!! Thanks!
Sara