Wizcrafts

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.

Shall I assume the posting approval for members problem has been resolved?

Anybody who is a member and viewing this. Please try to post a reply in this topic now and let me know if it appears without approval from me. You may have to exit this sub-forum then come back to the topic.

I have sent a message to the Admin about this.

Due to the fact that the Help Wanted section of Leatherworker.net is open to guest postings, all posts made by guests will require approval by a moderator before they become visible. We understand that this is an inconvenience for guests who post or reply in this section of our forum. The moderators are volunteers who do this in their spare time. Some of us have day or night jobs. Thus, a post or reply made under Help Wanted may sit there invisible to the participants for several hours before one of the mods logs in and sees the notification about a post awaiting approval. As one of these moderators who has to approve posts in this forum, I strongly recommend joining the forum so that approval is not required for every post and reply. As an official member you can post in any section without waiting for approval. Being a member will also give you permission to use our Private Message system.

As I explained, all posts made by both members and guests need approval in the Help Wanted forum. It was not my choice.

This particular forum has a lot of non-member guests posting requests for help. Because they are not members we have to approve all posts and replies made in this section of LWN. Unfortunately, this inconveniences actual members who choose to post in Help Wanted. All moderators are volunteers approving posts when we actually see a notification. Some of us have day jobs and may not see a request for approval for several hours. I strongly recommend taking all discussions out of here - to the appropriate sub-forum. This means that guests will need to join Leatherworker.net in order to post and reply in those sub-forums.

You could start with a CB3200 that sells for $1695, plus gas or shipping. It sews from just under 1/8 inch up to 1/2 inch. Also, it is possible to sew into thinner material by dumbing down the machine.

I forgot that they moved.

Try tightening the spring on the tension disks. If the adjuster nut has bottomed out, add a washer as a spacer to gain another 1/16th of an inch of tightening.

Indeed! It is unlike most other post machines I have had. It may have been transported here through the Stargate.

I have merged the entire previous discussion into this one. It will serve as background for new visitors to the topic.

You can also try to trade the sole bends, if that's what they are, for some leather that is to your liking. Somebody will have something you want in trade for the armor leather. Just post in a different section of the forum because all posts and replies in the section require a moderator's approval to appear in public view.

Yes. Contact Cobra Steve, or his assistant, at Leather Machine Company, in Highland, Cal. They sell a 14 inch wide leather splitter. They may allow you to split your leather on a demo machine. Otherwise, you will need to find somebody who owns a motorized leather splitter. Note that the leather would need to be cut into strips that fit inside the frame and cutting width of the blade. If you need a wider area cut down, it will need to be shipped to a tannery. They often have 4 foot and wider blade splitters. There is a tannery in Springfield Mo. another in Louisville, Ky, and lastly, one in Curwinsville, PA. The only one I deal with is Thoroughbread Leather in Louisville.

Read this article about burnishing edges, then look at his hand and machine mountable burnishers.

If you prefer to discuss burnishing techniques instead of machine edge binding, there is a better section of our forum where you will get better answers. The forum is titled: How Do I Do That I encourage you to start a new topic in that forum as this one is for leather sewing machines.

Okay, I'll join the foray. I currently have the following machines, some of which are used every day and others less frequently. Cowboy CB4500 (w/accessory pack). Used daily to sew everything from thick belts to holsters and other bulky items. Singer 139w109, a long body walking foot machine used daily to sew thinner goods with #92 thread. Used for patches on vests that are not over a pocket. Singer 111w103, a standard body walking foot machine that we bought out of a customer's car. It is a backup machine threaded with #69 thread. Used for thinnest leather jobs. Singer 42-5, a spring foot machine from the Roaring 20s. I use it occasionally to hem chaps, close the bottom of jackets and vests and some upholstery jobs. Singer 29k71, a small bobbin, short arm patcher on a treadle stand. Used almost daily to sew patches over pockets, repair purses and bags, go over loose threads on wallet interiors, etc. It is only used with #69 thread to minimize wear. Adler 30-7 patcher. This is a high lift, big bobbin patch machine on a motorized base. It is usually threaded with #92 thread, but occasionally I load 138 into it for heavier jobs. This is a go to repairs machine that is also used to sew cylindrical objects (e.d., dice cups). Singer 168G101, a 7" post machine with compound feed walking feet. It uses the same feet, bobbins and needles as the Singer 111w103. I use it to repair hats, to sew embroidered patches onto hats and to sew along the bottom of bags. It is usually threaded with #138 thread, but can handle #207 flawlessly (it was preset for 207). Singer 31-15, a bottom feed tailoring machine from the Roaring 20s. I thread it with #69 bonded, or standard cotton or poly-core garment thread. I use it to sew linings for vests and jackets, and to sew cloth projects. Rarely used, it shares the table with the 111w103. I have all manner of accessory feet and folders for this machine. Pfaff 4 thread, 2 needle serger. Used rarely to close and protect edges of linings, denim and other cloth that tends to run. Indispensable in a sewing room. Consew blind stitch machine. Used rarely on cloth pants and skirts for taking up and re-hemming. I should mention that my Dad was a tailor all his life and taught me to sew on his Singer 31-15, which he bought new from Singer in the 1920s or 30s.

When I got my CB4500 it included a set of feet with teeth on the bottom and a matching feed dog with teeth ("blanket set"). If your machine didn't come with these feet and feeder, contact Bob Kovar about purchasing them. They are listed in the pop-up accessories list for the Cowboy CB3200, 3500, 4500 and 5500. The serrated feed dog alone is listed at $50, plus postage. It would help eliminate slippage on Kydex.

Uwe; I have all kinds of zippers in my shop. You are welcome to come up to Burton and measure all you want. I have plastic, molded plastic, aluminum and brass tooth zippers. Most are YKK, but I have a few other brands in stock. The location is on my website: www.rw-leatherworks.com

A few years ago I bought a combination leather burnisher and sander from Leather Machine Company (Cobra). It can sand the layers until they are even. With the sides flat you can use an edge tool to remove the lip formed by the sanding from the top and bottom. The larger the number the more leather it shaves off the edge. I would use a #3 on your holsters. Then, wet the edges and rub them into the groove in the burnisher that allows the inside and edges to be slicked. In case that machine is too much money, there is a cheaper solution. Use a powered sander on the edges and an edge tool as described above. If you have a drill press you can buy a burnisher that fits into a chuck on a drill press. It is made by Richard Loy.