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frasermade

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About frasermade

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    Member

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  • Website URL
    http://strapworks.frasermade.co.uk

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    United Kingdom

LW Info

  • Leatherwork Specialty
    Watch Straps & Buckles
  • Interested in learning about
    Edge Finishing

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  1. Hi David No problem at all I have stitched 8mm veg tan with out a problem but I've not tried 12mm. I don't see why not but I'll give it a go tonight. The servo motor I fitted can be controlled with the foot pedal to stitch 2-3 stitches a second, which is brilliantly controllable. Furthermore I have the needle position optional extra which allows you to tap the pedal with your heel and it'll move the needle up, or tap it with your toe and it'll do one stitch. It's consistent in the stitches. I've never seen a skipped one. I've not replaced the hook but I don't think it's worn. It certainly looks clean and scratch free which I assume it wouldn't be if it was being struck by the needle? I'm not enough of an authority to say I'm sorry. I've only just scratched the surface of industrial walking foots. I have 2x 20s dark grey large bobbins, 1x 20s rust and 1x red 20s and 1x 40s red (I think - i'll confirm tonight). I also have a bunch of needle sizes and a bunch of clippers and stitch remover that I'll obviously include. I bought this machine, refurbed it and then injured my back for 4 weeks, so it's seen little use since I refurbed it. Since getting my strength back I've not really used it, and decided to remain with hand-stitching thus the sale. Hope this helps - if you fancy taking this in to PM then let me know. Best Gordon
  2. Hey all, I recently invested a great deal of time and money buying myself an industrial walking foot sewing machine - namely an Adler 167-GK-373 walking foot. However I've found it's not quite what I had in mind for my needs. Hand-stitching is for me. As such I've decided to offer it up to you lovely people, for a good deal off what I've paid for the machine, replacement parts, upgraded motor and time to refurbish and calibrate it all. It's an Adler 167 walking foot, made in West Germany, and has been totally cleaned inside and out. A totally solid machine, consistent stitching, reverse stitching, variable pressure foot. Brilliant machine, just not for me I have also upgraded the motor to a new Servo Motor (JK-563A-1 220V 750W 1 HP SERVO MOTOR WITH NEEDLE POSITION) It also has a new feed dog, needle plate, new feet (which I've polished) and comes with all the needles (5-6 packs), threads, clippers and spare parts from the machine that I've accumulated. I live in Scotland and as such it kind of needs to be collected from me, but I can arrange for a courier at what I suspect is a bit of cost (£100+ I would imagine ish). Price I'm looking for is £1100 ono. Many thanks for looking Gordon
  3. Thank you all. I think I'll try a 130 needle and see if that tightens things up. I tried the sliding needle down thread thing and it was smoothly passing down the thread. My thread tensions are such that on the underside I cannot see the top thread in each stitch hole (I'm using grey on top, copper on bottom...copper bottom.....) but I'm not really sure how to gauge how centered the threads are? Also if I can see the top thread on the underside, how do I go about rectifying this - do I increase top tension or reduce it? And I'm using 1mm veg-tan (milled and smooth) with some 1 and 3mm felt. But I'm sewing without the felt too so 2-2.5mm veg-tan as well. Wallets and stuff. Thanks again Gordon
  4. Hello all So I have finally got my Adler 167 running nice, I've had to replace the feed dog, I initially ground and polished both walking feet that came with the machine but then bought new ones as I didn't like the two prong outer foot and the inner for was wide. So got a single arm outer foot and a slimmer inner foot, again ground and polished those. I've added a servo motor with needle positioning and finally got the thread tensions sorted - I'm using metric 20 thread with 140 needles, the thread slips down the needle just fine and it sews beautifully. My leather pieces still get marked and "chipped" as I sew, the leather corners get lifted and scrunched by the feet when I get to an edge, but that's probably technique more than anything. BUT What I can't for the life of me seem to do, is to get the start and ends of my stitching line to stay STITCHED!! They keep unravelling. What I do is start 12mm in to the piece (stitch length is 3mm), and I then stitch 4 stitches (going forward, but the opposite direction to the way the main line of stitches should go...my reverse on the Adler isn't set up to be exactly 3mm, so I'm doing it the manual way for now so my stitches are in the exact same holes), then lift the foot, rotate the piece 180° and sew normally. When I get to the end I do the same in reverse. Once I remove the piece from the machine I cut it off from the machine thread, pull both sides of the stitch tight and then trim the threads quite close to the stitches / leather surface. I then take a lighter and try to melt the ends and prod them down in to the stitching line. But my stitches STILL COME UP and start unravelling themselves. I do not know what to do. I don't really want to finish by hand as that's the whole point of buying my machine. I just want nice locked stitches that I know will remain locked for the life whatever I make. Not worry that someone will inadvertantly pick the lock stitches and voila, out they all come. I use felt on the inside of some of my pieces and thus I cannot burn/melt one side out the 2. Any help here would be amazing. Thanks G
  5. Hi Yeah I've got it to 05, with the 200rpm at minimum pedal. It's just practice that's required to get used to the pedal action, the machine action....all the action! What do you mean by setting the needle to stop in the leather? I got the needle positioning version but to be honest I've tried fitting it and can't find a place to fit the angled rod to stop the sensor housing from rotating with the flywheel. I think I'll need to fab a bracket up and I don't have the time to do that at mo. Tried the heel press thingy but doesn't do jot...I guess I need the needle positioner for this function!? Decided I like the technique of stitching, turning the piece and stitching back over it - saves me faffing with the synchro of the reverse switch and keeps everything neater. I am having trouble with the backstitches unravelling themselves. Thanks for all your help so far, very much appreciated.
  6. Hey Tor Many many thanks for your valuable tips. I'm really new to not just the industrial machine world, but the machine world in general, so I'm always open to tips! I've still got a way to go before the Adler 167 is running perfectly, including aligning the reverse holes with the forward holes, swapping out the feed dog for the new one I just ordered, and generally getting the machine up to speed. I plumped for the Jack JK-563A-1 motor from College-Sewing and I have to say I do very much like it. I would like it to go just that little bit slower but I think that's just my inexperience than a necessity. Silent running which is nicer than the clutch, and of course easier to handle! I'm sure once I am comfortable with using it, feeling for the reverse switch and getting all my timings together it'll be just fine for me! You also wrote: Is there a rule or a system to choosing how much smaller the thread you use in the bobbin, or is it just one down i.e. if you're using 15 in the needle, you use 20 in the bobbin? Thanks again for all your help, Best Gordon
  7. Hi there Thanks for the reply I've just got this machine so it's however it was. I'm finding a million things that need attention - the needle plate (throat plate?) for example - the screws that hold it on - 1 doesn't fit so well and the other just isn't the right size of bolt. So I'm ordering some new ones, and I guess I may as well get a new feed dog whilst I'm at it. It does look like it has been "enlarged" somewhat. Although looking at the college-sewing parts, the genuine feed dog does have quite a large hole in it as stock.
  8. Hi all How do you lower the feed dog on a 167, or indeed remove the issue I'm currently having - I'm getting a very pronounced circle impression/mark where the feed dog needle hole (for want of a better description) is landing on the back of my leather. I have sanded and polished my walking feet and the difference is phenomenal - no more marks from the feet on the leather - but this small circular mark around each stitch on the underside of the leather is a problem for making cases and the like, where leather is on both top and bottom. Many thanks in advance Gordon
  9. Thanks for the input Tor Do you have a UK supplier of the Ho Hsing? Cheers Gordon
  10. Thanks all - I'm going to get a servo (JK-563A-1 220V 750W 1 HP SERVO MOTOR WITH NEEDLE POSITION) from College-Sewing. It looks to be the best one and I've seen a few on youtube. All I'm looking for is like 1-3 stitches per second. I'm such a new-hat at this that the clutch motor is making me mad. I take it this motor will give me what I'm after?
  11. Hi all - I've just recently acquired an Adler 167 and will soon be putting a servo on it. I have been searching high and low to find info on making my own speed reduction pulley but can't, for the life of me, find a layman's instructional to do it. I know I need a certain ration 1:3, I know I need bearings and another belt, but I can't find anything on where to get pulleys, bearings and belts in the UK. Any assistance is greatly appreciated, Best Gordon
  12. Thanks Andy, and thanks for the favourites on Etsy,
  13. Ok thanks, There's a wee link under my posts to my Etsy shop for all that are interested. Cheers Gordon
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