Wizcrafts

Are you saying that even though you hold back both threads, the top thread is giving up at the needle? First, make sure you are using the correct needle system and size and that it is inserted with the thread channel on the left side and scarf on the right. If the machine does sew at all that translates into the top thread is breaking (possibly from a burr). If you can't get any stitches at all, the timing has gone out (likely), or a safety clutch has popped. Inspect the hook to see if there is a jagged edge at or near the pointed end. You can watch the timing as you hand wheel the machine. The needle should go down to BDC then begin to ascend. The tip of the hook should intersect the needle about 1/8 inch above the eye as it ascends. That's usually where the best loop forms on the right side of the needle. If the hook arrives after the eye of the needle has passed it, the timing is retarded. If it arrives below the hook, it is advanced. The needle timing can be thrown out by impacts against metal or very hard material. Some machines have one screw holding the needle bar in position. A solid impact, or series of impacts can cause the bar to slip up enough to de-time the machine. A thread jam in the shuttle usually cause the timing to change. Some machines have a safety clutch that disengages the shuttle drive to protect it. If the clutch pops, you need clear out thread remnants in the shuttle and bobbin race, then hold down a button on the bed while turning the hand wheel, usually backwards, until it snaps back in the drive position.

If this was April 1, this post would make sense.

I had a plastic body Janome, like the DC2012, and it blew up trying to sew a belt. As for the aluminum body 221, it may handle 4 ounces of soft leather using #69 bonded nylon thread and a #18 needle. But, if the gutless motor starts grinding or smelling bad, stop immediately! These are both meant for sewing broadcloth only. Look for a used or rebuilt walking foot, upholstery grade machine with a big motor and 20" x 48" steel legs table.

What make and model is the sewing machine that these parts go onto?

I am confident that they have representatives and sales people capable of answering your questions. For instance, Junwu Jiang is a Cowboysew/Hightex rep on Facebook. He is multi-lingual and lives in China.

Have you contacted Cowboysew/Hightex Sewing company yet (links to Chinese language version)? They are located in Zhejiang, China. Many of us in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia use their machines on a daily basis.

Reverse sewing can only be achieved by having a mechanical reverse mechanism built in, or by turning the work around 360 degrees and sewing back through the previous stitch holes.

Assuming this is an industrial leather sewing machine and not a domestic garment machine, could you please provide more details about the machine's make and model and/or the type of motor you are installing? Why can't you take a picture and upload it to our forum? If your camera takes photos that are too large to upload, reduce the resolution or use photo resizing software to make your images much smaller. One such program is FastStone Photo Resizer.

A buck three eighty nine is too much! ;-)

Please call the dealer you bought it from. They understand the internals and will figure out what needs to be done.

Singer Manufacturing Company was a World wide corporation with plants all over the place. Simanco was one of their trade names. It was not limited to any one factory, or country. During war times they tooled up for non-sewing operations for the military. They even produced 1911 semi-autos in the USA during WWII, as well as bomber optical sights.

It has been my experience that unless a dealer is used to dealing with leather workers and super heavy duty machines, like the Juki TSC-441, Adler 205 and newer, or clones of these, they won't have a clue about what type of machine you will really need. Serious leather sewing machines are a different animal entirely and most are beyond the scope of the upholstery machines that you listed. Tell any prospective dealer that you need to sew 1/2 inch of hard leather with #346 thread.

It is a Mennonite owned harness business in Wallenstein, Ontario, Canada. https://aaronmartin.com/

It depends on who you are targeting your belts to. Normally, hand carved or stamped belts are between 8 and 10 ounces before stamping. I sew those with #138 thread. This thread has 22 pounds test. Unless a customer wants a carved or stamped belt, I usually make bridle leather belts which range from 13 ounces up to 15 ounces, cut from backs. The heavier weights are great for people carrying guns in holsters on their belt. I use contrasting edge, and/or fishtail stitching as an upsell option and use either #207 or #277 thread on top and 207 in the bobbin.

In theory. The one machine will need to be capable of sewing from the thinnest to the thickest leather projects, at the stitch length you want, with the thread size you want to use. A Juki LU-1508NH is a heavier than usual upholstery machine that sews from a few ounces up to 1/2 inch of soft to medium temper leather, using thread sizes from 46 through 207. The Cowboy CB3200 is an extra heavy duty machine that doesn't do as well on floppy or thin leather or thin thread, but shines on veg-tan stacks with heavy thread. The CB3200 is guaranteed to sew 1/2 inch, but not below about 6 ounces of veg, with thread sizes 138 through 346. It can go outside those thread sizes by one size with less efficiency.

The main differences are the old Singer 29 has a 12" arm with a 1" wide snout that contains a tiny bobbin about the size of a US nickle, while the newer machine has a 17.5" arm and may contain a larger bobbin the size of a US quarter and about a 1.25" wide snout. Both have a 360 degree rotating presser foot. The white machine has a thumbscrew to lock the revolving foot in position. We can't see the head of the Singer patcher cause it's facing backwards. The bobbin winder shaft and tire is missing on the white machine. If they aren't in a parts drawer, you'll be out some money to buy replacement parts.

You should be looking into the Juki LU-1508NH, which does sew with #207 thread, on top and in the bobbin.

The feed is out of sync with the needle's motion and position. The needle must be completely out of the material for it to feed. your needle is moving down, passing the plane of the foot, as the foot is trying to feed the work! Perhaps a previous owner replaced the cam on the rear of the main shaft with the wrong part number (e.g., cam for long arm machine instead of short arm). Also, the foot looks like it is not lowering far enough to get a firm grip on the material. It should come closer to the arm with the throat plate swung away and actually drag on the throat plate when it is locked in working position..

If you use #138 thread, it has 22 pounds breaking strength and the knots are easily hidden inside 8-10 ounce leather straps. Having #207 on top may make it a little more critical when tensioning the threads to bury the knots and won't add to the strength.

I never had trouble controlling my Union Lockstitch machines that were using continuous run motors. The tapered clutch on the back of the machine is very easy to feather. I was able to stop with either the needle up and foot lifted, or the needle under the throat plate and foot down. It stopped on a dime and gave me change when I heeled down on the go pedal.

First of all, buy a pack of new needles in the correct "system:" 29x3 or 29x4, or 135x16 or 135x17. These have the correct length from stem to stern. The wrong length would impede feeding. While these are on order remove the needle and adjust for the best possible feeding of 8 ounces of leather. The foot should pull back then lift off the leather as the needle bar moves up and down down. The lift is determined by a sliding block that rides along the end of the leaf pressure spring. There must be enough pressure applied by that spring to hold the foot down as the needle ascends to for stitches. Too little and the leather will lift with the needle, causing skipped stitches. Too much and the leather will have deep marks and you'll stress out the ancient mechanism. Lower the stitch length adjuster gib with the foot lifted up all the way via the hand lift lever on the back. This is the longest stitch length setting. You can verify if your needle is the correct length by opening the throat plate sideways, rotating the hand wheel (c.c.w.) and watching the hook as it passes the needle clockwise, then reverses and intersects it about 3mm above the eye. The needle should go all the way down, make a slight upward jog, halt for the hook's arrival, then continue lifting. If the needle is too short, the hook may never intersect it above the eye as it makes its jog.

Kevin; You will probably get more answers if you start a new topic in this section of the forum, rather than adding to an old pinned topic that has nothing to do with your brand of machine. There are several Landis owners here that can assist you. Just start a new topic.

To add to my last reply, knife sheathes need stronger thread than an upholstery grade machine can handle. I use #277 on the top and bottom for sheathes and holsters up to 3/8 inch thick, then move up to #346 for anything thicker. Upholstery machines max out with #138 thread (22 pounds test). Here is a thread and needle chart that defines the sizes and how they work together.

Unless a dealer has experience with real leather sewing machines, they will try to sell you an upholstery grade machine as a "leather sewing machine." As far as this forum is concerned, this is a real leather sewing machine for knife sheathes and holsters. Compare its specs with those of the machines you have been looking at. The differences should be obvious. I consider this an entry level real leather sewing machine. To answer your question about adding a walking foot to a non-walking foot machine, NO. A sewing machine is either a walking foot machine, needle feed machine, or bottom feed machine. While walking foot machines come in several flavors, they all have three bars coming down and two alternating feet, as opposed to just two bars and one foot on a straight stitch machine.

I never said anything about the thread size a #18 needle fits. That would be #69 (T70) bonded nylon. I was in fact replying to Shoepatcher's comment.