Wizcrafts

I researched the bobbins for the Singer 236 post machines. The Singer part number is: #233939. They are a different size and profile than the G bobbins my machine uses. Goldstar Tool sells them, on this page. Cutex sells 10 packs of bobbin #233939 even cheaper. Here's a parts and basic operations manual for the Singer model 236, if you need it.

I have a different model Singer post machine. But, looking at the parts manual, the bobbin and case look similar to mine. My machine uses G size bobbins, which are the same ones used in the Singer 111 series. The bobbins fit inside and do not protrude above the top of the case. If they did, the spring loaded latch would not be able to close to keep the bobbin in place.

@Rob2613 I used to have an Adler 204-374, which is the flatbed version of the 205. I used it for about a year until I got a Union Lockstitch machine. The Adler was very smooth and solid. It sewed 3/4 inch (20mm) of veg-tan leather with #346 thread. The bobbins were huge cylinders, like the big Cowboy 441 clones use. My only reason for letting it go was that a person with a Union Lockstitch offered to trade it, even Steven, and I'm a ULS fanboy. The ULS are super finicky, but I Grok them. Two years later I learned about the Cowboy machines and proceeded to sell the Union Lockstitch. I've had a Cowboy cb4500 since 2012. It is solid and fully capable of sewing leather and webbing, or other materials, up to 23mm thickness, with bonded thread sizes up to #415. It has never let me down in the 12 years I've had it. The machine gets regular use and I oil it frequently (with light weight sewing machine oil). One consideration to bear in mind is the cost of accessories and replacement parts. Parts for Adler machines are very costly. Cowboy parts and accessories are more affordable. Every part and accessory I've bought fits perfectly. They are very high quality machines; part of the HighTex brand.

@MarshalWill One of our members just placed an ad for a Cowboy Outlaw for sale. Here is the post.

@Patrick1makes them in the USA. Read this topic to get up to speed and order a set.

When I started accumulating industrial sewing machines, they ALL had clutch motors. There weren't any servo motors available yet. So, I asked the dealers how I could get control over the clutch and they explained the tricks and techniques to me. One thing I did (and still do) is to add slack movement to the control arm so it takes more movement before the disks engage. This is done by backing off the large screw that goes into the motor on the clutch cap end. The more you back it out, the greater the free movement. Next, I learned that applying a very thin coating of machine grease allowed the clutch to slip a bit before it fully engaged. I eventually stopped needing to do that. The final adjustment was positioning the floor pedal to take any stress off of my foot. The linkage coming down from the control arm can be adjusted to raise or lower the inside edge of the pedal to suit your foot and ankle.

Your machine needs "System" 1738/16x257/DBx1 needles. That is the correct length and top width. The "size" is the diameter of the shaft below where it mounts. You want "size" 18 needles for #69 (T70) thread. So, buy a pack or two of "System" 1738 (DBx1/16x257, etc) needles in "sizer" 18 from whomever sells them online. Here's a link: DBx1 needles size 18 (round point for cloth). Leather point size 18 (16x257LR, 1738LR).

It is a fine upholstery and medium duty leather sewing machine. It can easily handle thread sizes 69 through 138, top and bottom. The high foot lift will let you clear thick seams or hardware. This machine has been discussed several times on Leatherworker.net: here and here are just two good topics.

The thread stub should not be attached to the bobbin latch! Remove it asap. I recommend installing the bobbins backwards to the flow.This keeps the bobbin thread under constant even tension.As for the tightness in the top thread, adjust the check spring to give more slack thread. That is done by rotating the thread check disk assembly to the right on systems like your machine. Loosen the little screw inside its curved slot, then loosen the nut on the front. Turn the disks to the right and lock it back down.

Once both feet are moving freely (doing whatever that takes), loosen the big screw on the back joint, lower the needle until it is just above the level of the throat plate and feed dog, then push the inside foot down to just hit the plate, and tighten the big bolt to lock it in place. This setting usually gives the best ratio of lift between the inside and outside feet.

You are missing the little known fact that the Adler 205 uses shims/spacers to set the distance between the hook and shuttle race. I've never had one of those machines, so I can't give you a better definition. Your machine may have been setup for #138 thread to optimize it in production use. In order to use larger thread, you need to buy the correct spacer. I think Weaver has them. If not, Campbell-Randall should have some. As a last resort, there's Durkopp-Adler USA..

As I suspected. The Consew 230 must be a tailoring class machine that uses System 16x257, aka DBx1, aka 1738. The shank on these needles is thinner than the walking foot needles being mentioned earlier. Machines using this needle system are meant to sew cloth. I use this system in my ancient Singer 31-15 tailoring machine and in a Pfaff serger.

Yes, those are the correct specs for a System 135x16 needle, size 18, to sew with #69 bonded thread, top and bottom. The only unasked question is whether or not your machine uses that needle System.. I brought this up because when I searched for needles for a Consew 230, I found System 16X257 listed, not 135x16. Did your machine come with a pack of needles that have the designation on a label?

I use a #18 (Metric 110) needle when sewing with #69 (T70) thread. This diameter is perfect for punching a large enough hole to bring the lockstitch knots up in the material, or leather, with #69 bonded thread. The 16/17 you asked about looks like part of a needle "system." e.g, 135x16 leather point of some shape, or 135x17 round point for cloth and synthetics.

I don't think the Pfaff 335 is what I'd call a heavy duty binder machine. Our member, @shoepatcher would know that better than me. But, if you need to sew heavy material and edge bind it, maybe look into a carpet binder walking foot machine.

@Lgbrs9 You can buy a large blade, wide handle screwdriver from your local hardware store. I have one with a blade that's almost 1/2 inch wide, and a rubber covered handle that's almost 2 inches in diameter. That screwdriver will loosen bolts like the one you need to deal with.

@Rob2613 You might be able to hire an attachment company to make a suitable folder that will attach to the T-bar plate that the sliding edge guide attaches to. This assumes that the T-bar plate is present on the arm. If it isn't, you won't even have an edge guide on the machine, unless somebody installed a drop down guide assembly. The Adler 205 series are long in the tooth by now. Parts may need to be ordered from Adler itself. Those parts are very expensive. Make sure you are getting a completely outfitted and working machine. Note, that there are clones of the Adler 205 machines that are made in China. Those companies may offer some of the the parts you may need, at a lower price.

The throat plate covers the feed wheel on the bottom. It has a detente that holds the tab on the shuttle, with a little side wigglke room for the thread to pass by it. The area you circled in red is athe pull back lever that pulls the shuttle back a little to assist letting the top thread clear the tab on the shuttle. It comes into play after you get the tab under the throat plate.

Yes. Loosen those two screws so you can lift up the throat plate enough to slide the tab on the shuttle into the recess on the bottom of the throat plate. Once it's inside that section, screw the plate back down. It will keep the hook from rotating as it does now. I can't help you any further until much later.

@Csahirad, the hook is spinning because the tab sticking out of it is NOT under the throat plate. Also called the Needle Plate, it has a cutout area that secures that tab and allows it to move sideways a few degrees, just enough to clear #138 thread. Loosen the two screws on the throat plate, rotate the shuttle until the tab finds the cutout under the plate, then tighten down the screws.

This is exactly what I was thinking of recommending!

The Toro 3200 is a cross-clone of an Adler 205 and a Juki 441. It is in the same capacity class as a Cobra Class 4 and a Cowboy cb4500. However, it has a 4 inch shorter cylinder arm. This matches the Adler 205. I would try out the machine first, as it has been sitting unused for 15 years. Bring some sewing machine oil if you have some. The machine will likely be dry and should be oiled before you try running it at any appreciable speed. If it forms good stitches in your leather, make an offer. But, be aware of the current prices of brand new machines from Cowboy and Cobra.

@Martin74, it would be more useful if you include the model number of said machine.

Make sure that your shuttle carrier is screwed tightly into the driving pinion gear inside the nose. Any looseness in the drier will throw the shuttle timing off. After tightening the tiny set screw all the way, check for wiggle. If the hole in the shuttle driver is worn, the timing can be hard to maintain. If these parts are worn, try to obtain replacements. With the shuttle driver tightened in the driving gear, try advancing the timing so the hook picks off the thread loop sooner. This is done through a round hole in the front right lower side of the machine. There is a rod coming down that joins a rod feeding the racks inside the arm. The screw that connects them is eccentric. There is usually a locking nut on the back side of the assembly that you'll need to loosen first. Then turn the eccentric screw as you watch the hook move. The needle must move all the way down, then rise about 1/8 inch. The hook should arrive and pick off the thread loop before the needle moves down again. The needle's jog is down>up>down, then up for the take-up cycle The bottom line is to have the minimum amount of slop in the driving gears inside the arm. After you fix the top thread jamming problem, check for slop in the presser foot driving mechanism. Even 1/32 inch of slop forward and backward will shorten the maximum stitch length noticeably. If you need parts for your patcher, our member @shoepatcheris one of the best sources for parts for Adler, Claes and Singer patchers.

In fact, there are! Some manufacturers offer/offered walking foot machines with dual feed, which is really geared towards the upholstery and banner/tarp business. Other walking foot machines are designed to sew denim garments. Yet others are intended for use sewing Velcro and heavy webbing. A dual feed machine has a moving feed dog pushing on the bottom, while a moving outside foot claws it in sync on the top. I have had such machines and they can be absolutely brutal on veg-tan, or retan leather. These machines tend to leave deep tooth marks on both sides. Thus, if you intend to sew veg-tan leather projects, stay away from dual feed machines that claw the work through on the top. Please note that some companies, or aftermarket sellers offer knurled teeth feet that supposedly are less damaging to veg-tan leather on their dual top/bottom feed machines. Sailrite comes to mind with their portable dual feed machines that re designed to sew sailcloth, Bimini covers, awnings, and boat seat covers. Some reasons why a walking foot machine may not do a good job sewing leather are it may have a light duty (and light weight) hook, light duty springs, or be designed with an automatic oiling system (and internal pump) that needs to spin at 20 to 60 stitches per second. Some dual feed machines only have 1/4 inch clearance under the feet while in action. This next machine brings me full circle to the second head I bought, back in 1985, that I used to sew my leather vest. I was a Singer class 15-something that had a spring loaded follow foot. The work was clawed along by the feed dog on the bottom, while the presser foot followed it backwards on top. The inside "vibrating" foot went up and down with the needle. When that foot was down hard, the leather was help in place. As that foot lifted with the ascending needle, the feed dog and top spring loaded foot moved the leather. It turned out to be a light duty machine that couldn't handle thick thread, or two layers of 8 ounce holster leather. Over many decades, Adler, Juki, Mitsubishi, Pfaff and Singer produced some awesome walking foot designs. For instance, I used to have a Singer 42-5 flat bed follow foot machine that sewed up to a little under 3/8 inch of veg-tan leather, using #277 bonded nylon thread. The head weighed over 100 pounds! The bobbins were cylindrical and held lots of thick thread. All of the springs were super heavy duty. I sewed things like heavy work aprons and tool belts, bikers' and Farriers chaps and stirrup straps on it. Somebody saw me using it and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Now, it's theirs.