Wizcrafts

I got my first ULS in 1986 or 87. I bought it off Tandy Leather. It was sitting in the middle of their parts warehouse, unused for years. There was nothing with it except the needle and awl in the head. No accessories or thread. Once I got a manual and learned how to thread it correctly, I used the large sizes of thread I already had from a Singer 132k6, which was my previous heavy duty machine. All my thread was bonded nylon. So, I used nylon thread in various sizes. I adjusted the pull up positioner, the looper, etc, until I got perfect stitches. I did this for most of the time I owned that machine. I tried running Barbour's Irish Linen thread, but it kept hanging in the barbed needle, or on the looper. I just couldn't figure out how to run linen thread through liquid wax without it sticking to the needle or looper. Arrg! So, I kept going back to bonded nylon. If I get another ULS, I will buy bonded polyester thread just to keep it happy! ;-)

MB, when the ULS was main primary stitcher, I bought every size needle and awl available. First, I got them from New York. Later, from CR. If memory serves half right, I had needles from .5 through 6 or 7 and awls from 1 through 7 or 8. My most used combos were a #2.5 needle and a #3 or 4 awl. Some of the awls had slanted leather points. These made tighter holes for edge stitching. I was able to sew with thread sizes 69 through 554. You're right about the reason for the tool tray. I kept the round wrenches in it, as well as packs of needles and awls. Did you ever do business with Freedman (or Freidman) Harness in Toronto? That's where I learned about Campbell and Randall machines and how to operate them. They helped my with setting up my first ULS machine (from 1968). I brought that machine with me when I moved back to Michigan. I wish I had kept it. The then wife said why don't you sell that big ugly thing that's taking up space in "my" dining room. She's long gone, but so is that machine!

Having owned and sewn on ULS machines, I can confirm that they are unlike modern single needle machines. I've owned several heavy duty lockstitch machines, but none can come close to the tightness of a properly adjusted Union Lockstitch machine. Admittedly, they take some time to learn how to operate and adjust them. But, it is worth the effort. I even taught myself how to sew thinner leather projects on mine. I was able to sew single leather 10-12 ounce bridle leather belts on my ULS machines. In some cases, that included sewing fishtail stitching patterns; aka: gunfighter stitching. I still use the knowledge gained on old ULS machines when sewing fishtail patterns on belts using my current big Cowboy cb4500. For anybody reading this topic and having a ULS or Randall lockstitch machine, I will share a tip I learned from experimentation to avoid ratting a previous stitch when sewing over it in a design, or to end a row by sewing over the starting stitches. As you approach a previous stitch, if you carefully rotate the work, or reposition the angle of the barbed needle, you can sew right next to an existing stitch without ratting it with a forward facing barb in the needle. I taught myself to just angle the stitch line to one side as the needle came up and the looper threaded it. As the barb comes down, I made sure the previous stitch was at an angle to the barb. If one masters this, you can sew inline over the starting threads without ratting them on the way down. Feel free to test this free tip! It was also important to choose the smallest needle that still held the top thread in place without dividing the thread strands. A filled needle is less likely to catch a previous stitch! Last time I checked, Campbell-Randall stocked needles and awls in a wide range of sizes. I always used an awl that was one number larger than the needle. If the finished project holes look too big, tap the surface with a steel harness makers' hammer.

That machine sounds like the bobbin drops in vertically and a securing latch snaps down on top of the bobbin. If that bobbin thread slides out of the edge of the bobbin, it wil either wind around under over over the bobbin and wrap around the post or the snap down retainer. Maybe this bobbin thread is wound too loosle and is unwinding outside the edges of that particular bobbin. Try winding another bobbin and see if it has closer toerances inside the basket. Also, feed the bobbin thread against the rotation of the shuttle.

During the mid-1980s, I was trained to sew harness straps and reins on a Randall Lockstitch machine from the early 20th Century. The straps and reins tapered from about 1/4 or 3/8 inch at the folded ends to a solid 3/4 inch along the length. That machine laid down the most perfect stitches using yellow 4 cord Barbour's Irish linen thread. It chugged along at 300 rpm, which translated to a about 3 stitches per second. The thread ran through a waxpot filled with Super Ceroxylon clear thread lube/wax, which is still available from Campbell-Randall Co. When straps were much longer, or time was of essence, I switched to running a Union Lockstitch Machine, built around 1940. It ran at 15 stitches per second when I floored it! Campbell-Randall is still the rebuilder and seller of the ULS machines. They stock parts, needles and awls for it, as well as the Campbell and Randall Lockstitch macines. I've owned two Union Lockstitch machines, so far. I have a friend in Roseville Michigan who owns and uses one Union Lockstitch and three Campbell-Randall Lockstitch machines. I can honestly say that unless one never oils or maintains them, these machines will keep working as designed for over a century. This information was totally unsolicited. I am simply sharing my personal experience running their machinery. It was and continues to be targeted at the harness making and repairing industries.

I sometimes sew denim with walking foot machines. I only tweak the check spring position and balance the tensions so the knots don't show on the outside. I find that as long as there is sufficient pressure on both feet to hold the material all the way down against the feed dog, I don't get odd knots or skipped sititches. So, try adding more foot pressure. Adjust the inside foot to press down just before the needle hits the material. Match the check spring throw to stop just as the needle penetrates the material, and not before.

The black body Cowboy machines were a special custom color made for or by a Texas based dealer, who has been out of business for several years now.

Lily white oil is a special clear, thin oil meant for sewing machines. Being clear, it doesn't discolor most fabrics if it drips out as you sew. You can buy it in 4 ounce containers that have a pull out thin brass tube, and in quart bottles to refill the 4 oz containers. It is very light weight oil. I recommend buying and using it in all your sewing machines.

First of all, what in the Sam Hill is that thing sticking out the top of the head? I've never seen any pin like that. Somebody added it to the machine. Second, it appears that you haven't passed the thread through the check spring. You must pull the thread around the tension disks, then feed it through that spring, then up to the take-up lever.

There are five possible explanations for the birdsnest on the bottom. The bobbin tension is too tight, or becomes tight as you sew due to improper winding, or the alignment of the bobbin in the shuttle. The top thread is not getting pinched by the top tensioners, or is simply too weak to pull the thread up. The top thread is coming out of the tensioners as you sew. The top thread is not feeding through the take-up arm/lever on the upstroke. It must be pulled up to form a stitch. The awl is too small. The hole must be large enough to make room for the lockstitch knots to pull up inside the hole in the leather. Check your parts manual to ensure that nothing is missing in the take-up and tensioning system. And, put the cover back on the shuttle compartment! It's also remotely possible that the machine was previously set up for waxed linen thread. You may be dealing with was residue on the rollers, guides and tensioners.

We have three main industrial sewing machine dealers supporting the forum. They are: Leather Machine Company (Cobra) in California Techsew in Montreal Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines in Ohio Additionally, Weaver Leather advertises here and sells leather sewing machines. They carry Adler and a house brand. Tippmann is an advertiser here and makes the manual Boss stitchers.

You should You definitely need a walking foot machine to sew Cordura, seating and sign vinyl, webbing and upholstery leather. There are single feed, dual feed and triple feed walking foot machines, as outlined below. Patchers are single feed cylinder arm machines that are meant to sew patches onto garments and mend boots. They have teeth on a rotating foot that drag the material in any direction as you sew. The teeth will mark veg-tan leather. Bobbins are usually tiny or small in comparison to other standard sewing machines. This is due to the narrow noses on these patching machines. Dual feed machines have synchronized top and bottom feed. They almost always have teeth on the feet to grab the material on top and pull it firmly. They will mark veg-tan leather, badly. They can typically be had with medium G and big M size bobbins. A flatbed machine is best for upholstery, with a 20x48" table. Triple feed, aka, compound feed machines have synchronized top, bottom, plus needle feed. As long as the feet are smooth, they won't mark veg-tan leather too much, unless there is too much foot pressure being applied. These are made to take bobbins from G (1x) through U (2x), and even larger in some makes and models. For instance, the huge harness and holster stitchers use cylindrical bobbins that can hold magnitudes more thread in any size than a standard walking foot machine that takes a G size bobbin (e.g., Singer 111 and 211). A flatbed machine is best for upholstery, with a 20x48" table. You need to know that old Singer and other older makes may lack a reverse lever. I can tell you from experience that sewing upholstery without being able to reverse, to lock in the stitches, is an inconvenience. You'll either have to spin the work 180 degrees, lift the foot and pull it back a few stitches, Pull the top thread down and tie a knot, or sew all the way around and cover the starting and ending stitches. Note, that most upholstery machines work best sewing medium temper materials. They don't do well with thin cloth unless there are multiple layers. I have hemmed denim jeans on my walking foot machines. The compressed thickness was over 1/8 inch, so it had enough firmness for the heavy duty mechanism. But, soft/thin linings tend to get eaten in the feed dog slot. Those need to be sewn on a home style machine, or a gentle industrial garment sewing machine. Note 2: Most upholstery machines come with high speed motors, or large motor pulleys that may be geared at 1:1 with the machine pulley. Why? Because in the upholstery business, time means money. I know this first hand. I've taken on sewing jobs where the business owner timed me as I sewed three identical items, from start to finish, then used the average time to quote the client on the labor charges. Time is money if you go into business! If you plan to sew veg-tan leather that exceeds about 1/4 inch, get a different machine that's in the harness stitcher class. This includes the Cowboy, Cobra, Techsew and Adler machines many of us use to build holsters, saddles, sheathes and other extra thick leather items. My Cowboy cb4500 can sew up to 7/8 inch of shaped and dyed veg-tan holsters without any strain. However, it eats narrow, soft, or thin leather unless I dumb it down. If you have time to put into researching various sewing machines, read my lengthy article about the type of sewing machine you need to sew leather.

If you can read the serial number that was stamped into the casing on the right side, you can look up the year of production on ISMACS.

Adjust the lifted height of the feed dog so that at lease 1/3rd of the height of the teeth are above the level of the throat plate. More is better than less protrusion. Make sure that when you lower the presser foot lifter, the outside foot goes all the way down and the inside foot makes hard contact with the feed dog as they alternate. If they don't go all the way down, add more pressure via the pressure screw and oil the presser foot shaft on top, and inside the head. These parts can hang in the raised position with age, wear and misalignment.

Go with the first pic where the bobbin thread makes are sharp turn to force it under the tension spring. After pulling it under the spring, feed it through the hole above the spring, then through the hole in the bobbin mounting shaft. Skipped stitches can happen if the foot pressure it too light, or if the hook timing is too early or late, or if the needle isn't installed all the way up in the clamp, with the rib facing to the left and the scarf facing due right, or if the needle clamp is adjusted too far to the left side of the hole in the throat plate, or if the paddle shaped spring in the needlebar is worn out, gouged, bent, or broken. Skipped stitches can also occur when the needle is too small for the thread combination and leather density. Cement or leather basting tape may cause skipped stitches if the eye of the needle gets fouled and gummed up.

I sometimes have to restitch a belt for a customer. I try to match the stitch length and mostly use a diamond or tri-point needle when overstitching or backtacking. The shape on those needles is less likely to puncture the previous thread. The needle system is 794. I get them in sizes 23, 24 and 25, which are my main three needle sizes. I find that Schmetz S point needles are the worst for slicing previous stitches. Round points (7x3) are the friendliest to stitches, but tend to get stuck in the leather.

I looked at the photos you linked to. This looks like a higher speed bottom feed garment sewing machine. It specifies a needle system that's typical for garment sewing machines, but not leather sewing machines. It is not a walking foot machine of any configuration. You should keep looking until you find a walking foot machine that uses system 135x16 (leather point) and 135x17 (round point) needles. They are about a quarter inch longer than the garment machine needles used in that Rex. Some old and new makes and models to watch for include: Singer 111w155 or a 211G156 (both obsolete now, but parts can be found) Juki LU-563 (1980s), DNU-1541, or LU-1508 Consew 206RB-5 FYI: the term "walking foot" in this context indicates either a dual feed system, where the top presser foot and bottom feed dog move together, or triple/compound feed, where the presser foot, inside foot, needle and feed dog all over in sync. These two systems are used to sew upholstery materials. Note, that the feet on the dual feed system have sharp teeth on their bottoms. They will seriously mark veg-tan (carving) leather. Chrome-tan upholstery leather doesn't usually hold foot marks.

I have had a Cowboy cb4500 since 2012. I bought it from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. One of my best friends bought a Cobra Class 4 in 2011. They have the same capabilities and capacities. We both use these machines multiple times every week; sometimes on a daily basis. As long as you keep them oiled, including opening the left faceplate cover to get to the internal crank shafts, they should keep sewing for decades. Note, that there are many accessories available for both of these heavy stitchers. Most are available from the primary dealers. Others are made by custom shops, like extra narrow feed dogs and throat plates, which allow you to sew narrow straps or thinner work than the original equipment was built for. My buddy and I both have narrow feeders and throat plates and leave them in most of the time. I only restore the originals if I am going to sew something with #346 thread and a #26 needle.

You haven't told us what type and size thread you are going to use to sew the ballistic nylon. Personally, I would be using #92 or #138 bonded thread, coupled with a #20 to #23 round point needle. It will take about a 500 to 750 watt motor to punch through the material and pull up that thread and needle combination. I'd at least sew at 5 to the inch stitch length, if not longer. I totally suspect that your Mom's machine will be destroyed if you attempt this on a domestic sewing machine.

First of all, the Viking 263 is NOT an industrial sewing machine! It is a purely domestic sewing machine. I found a source for the manual, here. They are also in the UK, where you bought the machine.

The first two are portable dual feed walking foot machines that are made for sail and upholstery work. Both can do light leather sewing. The Artisan is a shoe and boot patcher. Here is its manual. https://artisansew.com/pdf/manuals/exisiting/29_273_BB_29_172SBmanual.pdf

You can buy the servo motor from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines (one of our supporting advertisers). You will also need needle, thread, thread snips, bobbins, and oiler tubes, to start.

You will definitely want a walking foot machine of some type. Your options include flat bed, post bed and cylinder arm models. The feed system that leaves the least marks on top is either bottom feed or compound feed. The worst option is single or dual feed with feet that have teeth on them. Based on your stated thicknesses, you'll need a machine capable of properly handling bonded thread sizes 69, 92 and 138. The corresponding needle sizes are 18/110, 19/120, and either 22/140 or 23/160. The first number is the US standard size. The second is the metric equivalent. Some good current machines that can handle this work include the Consew 206RB-5, and the Juki DNU 1541. Either can be ordered with a servo motor that is easy to control for beginners and experts alike. Juki machines are more expensive though. You can sometimes find old used Singer walking foot machines for a few hundred dollars that can do the work, but with limitations that often include no reverse lever, or small bobbins. Some ancient Singer walking foot machines had a spring loaded presser foot that merely followed the work on top as the feed dogs on the bottom grabbed the flesh side and pushed it to the back (the single feed I mentioned). Been there and done that. I'd go with a modern machine.

There was a discussions about a Singer 132k6 on our site a handful of years ago, which includes close up photos of the machine. They are humongous! I owned one for a couple of years in the mid-1980s. One of their intended uses was sewing buffing wheels and the dangling car wash cloths. Another was parachute harnesses. I think the head weighed about 150 pounds. The only reason I got rid of it was that the jump/kick foot occasionally slipped on slicked leather and the stitches varied in length. The only feed is on the bottom. The outside presser foot just follows along with the feed dog. I did make some pancake holsters with it. The stitch length on the 132k6 was up to 1/2 inch. The maximum thickness sewable is 1/2 inch of medium temper leather, or cloth, or webbing. It did fine with #346 thread and a #25 needle. Mine had a 1/2 horsepower clutch motor which I slowed with a 2 inch pulley that fed the larger pulley on the machine. It was a speed demon getting about 3 stitches per second, flat out! ;-)

Nope! It's a light duty home sewing machine for fabrics. It takes thin cotton thread and small domestic needles.