Wizcrafts

If I were you I would have a serious talk with the dealer and tell him/her that you need to sew with #138 bonded nylon thread into up to 3/8 inch (~10mm) of leather/canvas/webbing. For this the machine would have to accept either a #22 or #23 needle. If the dealer can set up the machine with #138 thread, top and bottom, and sew into a stack of leather or webbing without skipping stitches and get 5 stitches per inch at 3/8 inch thickness, then do the deal. If you are looking at an online only deal, ask for a sample to be sewn as described above.

If you want to discuss the LU-1508 series, please start a new topic of your own. People who own, or sell, or repair them will offer the best answers. To answer your specific question about the needle system, only the 1508NH is setup to use system 190 needles. It can have the needlebar lowered to use system 135x16 if the extra height isn't required. This may require retiming the hook to match the motion of the needle. You can read the descriptions and specs on the Juki.co.jp website.

You are most welcome! Glad to have been of help.

I hate to close an active topic, but this one has gotten out of hand! Rustic has asked for advice, received it and argued with those giving it. This is non-productive. He is not getting the results he wants and people are belittling him for being strong headed and ignoring their advice. There is nothing good to come out of this topic if it continues to deteriorate. So, reluctantly, I am closing it now. In the future, I would suggest that members offer advice once, then leave it be if ignored or argued with. Rustic, this is not a forum for arguments.

Negative. You should look for a machine capable of at least #92 bonded thread with a #19 needle. That's the minimum I use when sewing purses and their tabs. I found specs showing that this machine can handle Metric 30/3 thread, which is equivalent to our #92 (T90) bonded nylon. I did not see the needle size limitation mentioned by the OP. Could it be that the machine in question has been modified for smaller needles and thread? If it was, those parts need to be replaced.

That is a tailoring machine for cloth only.

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According to the specs, the DNU-1541 can handle up to #138 thread, top and bottom.

I would love to be able to heel down to lift the feet on several of my machines.

Avoid the bottom feed only machines, like the 31-15, and set your sights on an upholstery class walking foot machine. If there is an upholstery shop within driving distance, go there and see what they use. You'll want a compound feed (aka, triple feed) walking foot machine with a synchronized moving feed dog, needle and inside foot. The outside foot should only move up and down.

Are you a tailor, or alterationist? If so, that is a good machine for straight stitching on cloth with standard cotton or polycore thread. It can also sew thin leather or vinyl seams, like thin seat covers, wallet interiors, or hems on leather pants and skirts. You may need to convert it into a roller foot machine to get even stitches in leather.

The Singer 66 machines should not be used on important leather projects. Patches are okay as long as you sew inside the serged edges.

I split this into a new topic so that the O.P. can get the best answers. The original topic was about Efka motors.

Buy any upholstery grade triple feed walking foot machine. They can all handle up to #138 bonded nylon/polyester thread, with a #22 or #23 needle, and sew up to or almost up to 3/8 inch. Then, with a smaller needle and thinner thread, they can sew two seams of standard weight seat vinyl.

Maybe this Pfaff 138 manual will help.

First, find out if your Pfaff machine is using "System 134-35" (longer), or"System 134" needles (shorter), or something else. If you're unsure, remove the needle that came with it and measure it. Let us know, or post a picture of the needle next to an accurate ruler, or inside opened calipers. Then contact any industrial sewing machines dealer and order packs of 10 in each size you may need. I buy most of my needles from dealers who advertise via banners on top of our pages. If they don't have what I want, I then go to eBay.

It is okay to type in German if all involved in the conversation read German. We can translate if we want to.

You are correct about using the round point needles because of the canvas layer. However, the round point needle will tend to heat up and stick in the leather. So, buy titanium coated needles to cut through with less friction. I recommend #19 or #20 needles for #92 bonded nylon/polyester thread, or #22 or #23 needles with #138 bonded nylon/polyester thread. The larger size pokes a bigger hole that makes it easier to pull the knots up. But, this also increases the friction. Bridle leather tends to be a little easier to penetrate and sew than saddle Latigo, veg-tan, or skirting leather. I use a Cowboy CB4500 for heavy sewing jobs. I reserve the walking foot machines for lighter weight stuff. One look at the take-up lever on the big 441 clone vs a walking foot upholstery class machine should 'splain it.

Before you choose a make and model, be aware, if you buy a machine set-up from the factory with a synchronized binder, it probably won't have a forward moving feed dog (no bottom feed assist). Most just have an up/down motion in time with the needle and take-up. In those machines the conversion cost may be meaningless because they probably can't normally be retrofitted to have a normal feed motion. Too many parts are not there. In effect, these are dual feed machines, with needle and inside foot moving and outer foot jumping up and down. You might be better off buying one machine for binding and another for regular seam stitching.

These machines are a must have for repairing fur coats.

The 29 series cast iron base for the short arm models weighs about 100 pounds, plus or minus. The base for the long arm is about 25 to 30 pounds more.

Yep, there is a sweet spot on these tensioner/check spring units. Plus, they allow you to add or subtract spring tension independently of the travel. To do that you have to loosen the set screw that holds the unit in place (or a second screw in the casing), then use a flat bade screwdriver to rotate the split shaft left or right.

Until two months ago a Singer 29k172 was my primary patcher. I also have a small bobbin, short arm 29k71 to finer work. I found that the bigger bobbin machine was better able to handle #92 and #138 thread. It is still just a patcher, best used for sewing on embroidered patches, repairs to boot and shoe uppers and purses (mostly the side tabs when the begin to pull loose). I got $800 for mine in trade, with a two hour drive, just like the o.p. is facing. The entire 29 series was built for shoe and boot repairs on the uppers. It is of no use on the soles. The maximum thickness that the 29k172 can handle is just about 5/16 inch. I guess that's about 7mm. The feed is via teeth on the foot, which can be turned in any direction. The machine was designed to use System 29x3 and x4 needles which are obsolete and have been replaced with System 135x16 (leather) and 135x17 (cloth). Bobbins and shuttles are readily available. In EU, you can buy Ticket 20 or smaller thread to use in the machine. Here is a thread/needle size chart showing the best combinations. If you buy this machine, learn to adjust it for various thicknesses of leather, from a few ounces up to 16 ounces. The barrel adjuster nut inside the take-up frame on top helps with the take-up in thicker materials. Screw it inward to force the take-up to pull up more thread, or back it off in thin leather. You balance that adjuster with the spring on the very top, which should only be as tight as necessary to keep the thread taut until the needle penetrates the leather. Once you are comfortable with the patcher, advertise that you can repair shoes, boots (uppers only) and purses, or sew on patches (especially over pockets!). The machine will pay for itself in a month of sewing.

Your top tension disks have an integral check spring. The check spring is currently set for too much up/down travel. You need to locate a set screw on the head where the entire tension assembly goes in and loosen the screw, allowing you to rotate the entire assembly counterclockwise. Don't mess with the thumbscrew for this adjustment.

Thanks guys! If any members try to post in this topic, or any other under help wanted, and it says pending approval, notify me. Then, leave this section of LWN, or log out, then log back in and try posting again. Let me know if your post still requires approval. The above only applies to members, not guests.