Decent Swing Away Edge Guide?

[Andrew Chee]

Hello all, I recently bought a Cobra Class 17 from Steve. I like the machine a lot but it only came with a magnetic edge guide which doesn't really stay put all that well and can't be swung away when needed. I've looked around on eBay and stuff and I cannot find a decent swing away roller or straight edge guide for that type of machine. Does anyone know where I can find something like that? Thanks.

Andrew

[Tree Reaper]

Andrew; They make some pretty strong switchable magnets that you can attach a wood or metal fence to.

When you don't have a need for it just switch it off and remove it.

Kevin

[Ferg]

Try Greg at Keystone Sewing Machine or Bob Kovar at Toledo sewing Machine. If with does;t have one I bet they can get one for you.

ferg

Hello all, I recently bought a Cobra Class 17 from Steve. I like the machine a lot but it only came with a magnetic edge guide which doesn't really stay put all that well and can't be swung away when needed. I've looked around on eBay and stuff and I cannot find a decent swing away roller or straight edge guide for that type of machine. Does anyone know where I can find something like that? Thanks.

Andrew

[Wizcrafts]

You mean a swing-away roller edge guide like this?

I combined a swing-away flat guide set with an individual roller edge guide. The screw post needed to be brazed on the bottom of the plate, to keep it from turning when I use pliers to tighten down the roller guide.

Bob Kovar sells them already customized like this. 866-362-7397

[Andrew Chee]

You mean a swing-away roller edge guide like this?

I combined a swing-away flat guide set with an individual roller edge guide. The screw post needed to be brazed on the bottom of the plate, to keep it from turning when I use pliers to tighten down the roller guide.

Bob Kovar sells them already customized like this. 866-362-7397

Thanks, I called both Bob and Greg. Bob has one just like the one pictured. Greg says he can make me one (of course it will be more expensive). Bob mentioned that the roller guide is only attached to the swing arm by one screw so if the screw is not tightened enough, the roller can move out of position while sewing. The one Greg can make won't do that (but of course is more expensive). I'm considering the options right now. Either way I go though will require that I drill and tap a hole for the mounting screw. The Cobra Class 17 type machines don't have a mounting hole where you mount your swing arm, only the two holes much closer to the feed dogs.

Andrew

[tnawrot2]

Thanks, I called both Bob and Greg. Bob has one just like the one pictured. Greg says he can make me one (of course it will be more expensive). Bob mentioned that the roller guide is only attached to the swing arm by one screw so if the screw is not tightened enough, the roller can move out of position while sewing. The one Greg can make won't do that (but of course is more expensive). I'm considering the options right now. Either way I go though will require that I drill and tap a hole for the mounting screw. The Cobra Class 17 type machines don't have a mounting hole where you mount your swing arm, only the two holes much closer to the feed dogs.

Andrew

What is Bob asking for his swing away edge guide?

[Andrew Chee]

What is Bob asking for his swing away edge guide?

Don't remember exactly. Something like $20-30?

Andrew

[RonDrake]

Thanks, I called both Bob and Greg. Bob has one just like the one pictured. Greg says he can make me one (of course it will be more expensive). Bob mentioned that the roller guide is only attached to the swing arm by one screw so if the screw is not tightened enough, the roller can move out of position while sewing. The one Greg can make won't do that (but of course is more expensive). I'm considering the options right now. Either way I go though will require that I drill and tap a hole for the mounting screw. The Cobra Class 17 type machines don't have a mounting hole where you mount your swing arm, only the two holes much closer to the feed dogs.

Andrew

this may help you if you look at the picture of an item i made from plexiglass.

not very fancy, but is adjustable and if you remove one of the thumbscrews it will swing away.

took about ten minutes to make and around a nickel's worth of plexiglass.

[Andrew Chee]

this may help you if you look at the picture of an item i made from plexiglass.

not very fancy, but is adjustable and if you remove one of the thumbscrews it will swing away.

took about ten minutes to make and around a nickel's worth of plexiglass.

That's a neat idea but it doesn't swing away. I need something that can swing away if I need to move away from the edge in the middle of a stitch but then can swing back when I get back onto the edge.

I've ordered one from Greg at Keystone. It'll cost me something around $50-60 and I'll have to drill and tap a hope in my machine but at least I'll get something that works. I'm having him set it up so it can take either a straight or a roller guider. Hope it turns out well.

Andrew

[dirtclod]

Take one screw out and it will spin around.

[KAYAK45]

Try your thumb. It is variable, out of the way when you don't need it, and it's renewable, at least to an extent.

Kevin

[Andrew Chee]

Just FYI to everyone. I got the swing away arm from Greg at Keystone sewing. Installed it today. I required me to drill and tap one hole in the machine as well as route out a small section of the table where head sits. Not too bad. I think the results are pretty good. Nice thing is that I can put in a straight edge guide if I want and I suppose I could, in the future, put in a binder attachment if I need that as well. Thanks Greg for the work.

Andrew

[Gregg From Keystone Sewing]

Just FYI to everyone. I got the swing away arm from Greg at Keystone sewing. Installed it today. I required me to drill and tap one hole in the machine as well as route out a small section of the table where head sits. Not too bad. I think the results are pretty good. Nice thing is that I can put in a straight edge guide if I want and I suppose I could, in the future, put in a binder attachment if I need that as well. Thanks Greg for the work.

Andrew

Andrew,

Glad that worked out. Like I tell people, I do my best, and then hope the customer likes it. No two machines, operators, or attachments are the same. So I'm glad this worked out.

Would have been a direct bolt on attachment, but for some reason the Cobra (and many others, not to pick on Cobra machines) didn't have an attachment screw in the bed. If so, we could have sent it out ready to bolt on out of the box.

[Leather Guru]

I think U guys are looking for this kind of sewing guide ! This guide swings up & is out of the way . I'm dreaming of the perfect sewing guide ! ! A sewing guide is almost more important than the machine itself ! ! !

YOURS TRULY ,

LEATHER GURU

[Andrew Chee]

I think U guys are looking for this kind of sewing guide ! This guide swings up & is out of the way . I'm dreaming of the perfect sewing guide ! ! A sewing guide is almost more important than the machine itself ! ! !

YOURS TRULY ,

LEATHER GURU

That's a nice guide. Tool bad they don't make something like that for my kind of machine... The one I have works decently though. Only thing is I have to make sure the leather doesn't slip under the roller or else it's kinda pointless.

Andrew

[Wizcrafts]

I have a drop down edge guide, similar to those used on Adler machines. It was custom fitted to my CB4500. It is fully adjustable for x, y and z axis'.

Edited February 8, 2012 by Wizcrafts

[evandailey]

I have a drop down edge guide, similar to those used on Adler machines. It was custom fitted to my CB4500. It is fully adjustable for x, y and z axis'.

That's pretty much like the one Weaver Leather sells for their 441 clone.

[Trox]

Hi ,

If you are a bit handy, buy a drop down guide for that machine brand your machine is a clone of, Adler, Singer, Juki or Seiko. Alternatively, for the one whom is the closest fit. Sometimes you will find something that bolts right on. If not, you must drill a couple of holes in the head, and thread them, to fit the guide. There are companies selling reasonable priced drop down guides. I believe http://www.kwokhing.com/guide/ has some. If you ask the Leather Guru, he knows of a Belgian company who has a lot of stuff too. I know somebody here who has bought attachments from Kwokhing in Hong Kong, and the price was very good (they use Paypal too). Forget the old style guide, this style is the real labor saving device, this is what you need for topstitching, and more. I am in the process of ordering stuff from them myself.

Just a tip,

Trox

That's a nice guide. Tool bad they don't make something like that for my kind of machine... The one I have works decently though. Only thing is I have to make sure the leather doesn't slip under the roller or else it's kinda pointless.

Andrew

[tnawrot2]

Hi ,

If you are a bit handy, buy a drop down guide for that machine brand your machine is a clone of, Adler, Singer, Juki or Seiko. Alternatively, for the one whom is the closest fit. Sometimes you will find something that bolts right on. If not, you must drill a couple of holes in the head, and thread them, to fit the guide. There are companies selling reasonable priced drop down guides. I believe http://www.kwokhing.com/guide/ has some. If you ask the Leather Guru, he knows of a Belgian company who has a lot of stuff too. I know somebody here who has bought attachments from Kwokhing in Hong Kong, and the price was very good (they use Paypal too). Forget the old style guide, this style is the real labor saving device, this is what you need for topstitching, and more. I am in the process of ordering stuff from them myself.

Just a tip,

Trox

Great site for the guides.....how do you find out the prices?

[Trox]

You must email them the for prices.

Trox

Great site for the guides.....how do you find out the prices?

[Andrew Chee]

Hi ,

If you are a bit handy, buy a drop down guide for that machine brand your machine is a clone of, Adler, Singer, Juki or Seiko. Alternatively, for the one whom is the closest fit. Sometimes you will find something that bolts right on. If not, you must drill a couple of holes in the head, and thread them, to fit the guide. There are companies selling reasonable priced drop down guides. I believe http://www.kwokhing.com/guide/ has some. If you ask the Leather Guru, he knows of a Belgian company who has a lot of stuff too. I know somebody here who has bought attachments from Kwokhing in Hong Kong, and the price was very good (they use Paypal too). Forget the old style guide, this style is the real labor saving device, this is what you need for topstitching, and more. I am in the process of ordering stuff from them myself.

Just a tip,

Trox

Are you ordering a guide? Let us know how their stuff is.

Andrew

[Leather Guru]

Hello Andrew , Actually those guides exist for those big machines & once" you got one you'll wonder how you ever lived without one !

[leatherkind]

My CB4500 came with a different guide but i wanted the "drop down" style.

I got the guide from Bob but had to install it myself. I find it very handy.

Here are the pictures:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=34113&view=findpost&p=215041

[Andrew Chee]

My CB4500 came with a different guide but i wanted the "drop down" style.

I got the guide from Bob but had to install it myself. I find it very handy.

Here are the pictures:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=34113&view=findpost&p=215041

Interesting. I have a Toro 3000 in addition to my Brother 797 clone. The swing down guide is cool. How much do they run for? In order to install it, you had to drill and tap two holes? Was that it? I'd be interested in a swing down for the 797 clone but I'm not sure which one of the Kwok Hing guides I could use and how I would install it...

Andrew

[leatherkind]

Yes, i had to drill and tap for two 6mm bolts. Luckily the head is bulky enough at that location to allow enough room.

Bob did warn me not to drill trough any moving parts. So you just need to control the drilling depth.

I also think that I positioned the holes slightly lower then recommended.

I did it on purpose however , it allowed me not to make any changes in the presser foot lever assembly.