Kulafarmer Report post Posted November 21, 2015 (edited) I am getting back into leather So NOVICE R I! Getting tooled up and supplied up for my plan B livlihood. Have some design ideas i want to work on and am trying to find thread for the Cobra class4 i ordered. Looking for 415 or 554 threads in reds, greens, blues as well as the usual brown, tan, natural colors. Have read where running waxed is not a good plan in these machines???? So guess that shoots the or lin cable or other heavier waxed threads that are available???? did run some lin cable 332 (.77mm) through my Sailrite Ultrafeed and it did ok on two layers of 6oz leather after some fooling with tensions. So curious what the deal is with waxed in the class4. Also needle sources, Can we find needles of #30 to fit the Cobra? Anywho, Looking for input and sources Also curious what experience anyone has running the heavier Main Threads through the Cobra, know i can do .50mm but curious about heavier weights Thank you much all and theres lots of reading here to dig through. Edited November 21, 2015 by Kulafarmer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted November 21, 2015 (edited) Linen thread comes unwaxed, big and fat and can be dyed easily. Poly and nylon thread theoretically can be dyed but the coatings and bonding agents can be a problem, depending what they are. Btw, 554 is a bit big for that machine. It will do 415 comfortably. I just checked a 27/250 size needle and it is straight, no taper. A size 30/330 has a needle diameter bigger than the hole in the needlebar. Probably don't exist. If they do, they will not be cheap or common. I don't remember seeing them. What are you sewing anyways? Phone leathermachineco and ask them what the max limits of your machine are, before you spend too much time and money on this. Btw, 415 is no slouch. Edited November 21, 2015 by TinkerTailor Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kulafarmer Report post Posted November 21, 2015 (edited) @TinkerTailor Spoke to leathermachineco and they said the #27 was biggest, that will do 415 (.72 mm) according to charts ive seen. Used the 332 lin cable through a #24 on the ultrafeed, Wheres the best place to buy the linen threads? As for projects, Trying to develop custom covers for Ipads and Iphones, and some small shoulder pouches for women for carrying basics when walking or such, am also getting into gun leather, got to take a pic of my 1911 holsters, just about finished. So just different custom stuff people might like that is unique. I like clean lines and simple and my test pieces look good but want to refine them. Using the machine to sew will speed things a bit once i get the design square. Edited November 21, 2015 by Kulafarmer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted November 21, 2015 I get linen thread locally from a shoe supply wholesale place. $50 per month min to maintain an account......Unless you show up in person and sweet talk. Mail order, or US suppliers, others will have to chime in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wizcrafts Report post Posted November 26, 2015 You can buy 1 pound spools of unwaxed linen thread from Campbell-Randall Co, in Yoakum, Texas. They sell two brands. One is European and the other is Barbour's Irish linen thread, now made by Coats-Clark, in the USA. I tried the less expensive brand and found it to be fuzzy, until/unless it was waxed. Barbour's was always smoother in my past experiences. Natural linen can be dyed before or after sewing. If you plan to run it through a wax pot (on top of the machine), dye it first. Either use Lax Wax from Campbell-Randall, or Ceroxylon, from Puritan. Buy only left or Z twist linen thread for leather sewing machines. Right twist is for certain shoe sole stitchers or hand sewing only. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kulafarmer Report post Posted November 26, 2015 (edited) You can buy 1 pound spools of unwaxed linen thread from Campbell-Randall Co, in Yoakum, Texas. They sell two brands. One is European and the other is Barbour's Irish linen thread, now made by Coats-Clark, in the USA. I tried the less expensive brand and found it to be fuzzy, until/unless it was waxed. Barbour's was always smoother in my past experiences. Natural linen can be dyed before or after sewing. If you plan to run it through a wax pot (on top of the machine), dye it first. Either use Lax Wax from Campbell-Randall, or Ceroxylon, from Puritan. Buy only left or Z twist linen thread for leather sewing machines. Right twist is for certain shoe sole stitchers or hand sewing only. Thanks for the input, trying to sort out the supplies and what tools will do what, the hand stuff i got, or can at least fool with it until i figure it out, but mechanical side is new to me so trying to figure out availability and capability. The stitching on some items is definitely a focal point and definitely a design element. This biz is way different than making bridles and halters and saddle pieces, now in order to make a living im thinking i will need to be artsy fartsy and bust a move with the creativity. Heres another question you may be able to answer Wiz,,, Back tacking, Should i start stitching a few stitches off the end of the stitch in reverse and double the first and last few stitches on a run? I dont want stitching to unravel and have seen people do this in videos. Anywho, thanks for the input. Edited November 26, 2015 by Kulafarmer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
