Wizcrafts

Ferdco went out of business several years ago. All of their assets have been sold. The company that bought most of them has been unresponsive to inquiries about Ferdinand machines or parts. Any common parts (bobbins and needles) you need would probably be available on the aftermarket, most likely based on the commonly cloned Juki TSC-441. Ferdinand specific parts would probably be made of unobtanium. You would be smart to fully test this machine, or watch the current owner sew on it. If it sews without skipping stitches, great! If not, tread carefully.

I'd guess 6 cords would be standard for sewing shoe soles. But, it depends on the size of the needle. Is there a number like 25, 26, 27 (or 200, 220, 250), etc? If in doubt, take the needle to where they sell waxed linen thread and get the largest thread that easily slides through the eye of the needle without binding or dragging. The needle must punch a hole big enough for both the top and bottom thread to form a lockstitch knot. That knot will be about twice the diameter of one thread, or even more. If the needle is 2mm diameter, try using waxed thread just under 1mm. 6 cord linen thread is about .72mm diameter. You'll need more clearance than if you were using bonded polyester thread, which is wound tighter.

I guess I stand corrected. Sorry about my mistake. I have never seen a machine like that before.

Do you realize that the topic you replied to tonight is almost 8 years old since the last reply? If you want to sell your used sewing machine, we have a Market Place section, with a sub-section for used sewing machines. Post your ad there. Include an asking price, a location and a few close up photos.

Oops, I deleted that post thinking it was pure duplication. Sorry. Can you re-post the photos showing the bobbin case and throat plate? That bobbin case has to have some kind of tab that sits inside a cutout in the throat plate. There would be some sideways clearance in that cutout, letting the bobbin case move slightly left and right, clearing the thread as it goes around the case. There might also be a lever that pulls the bobbin case backwards, forcing clearance as the thread just begins to go around the bobbin case. This part is nowadays called a latch opener. Recap: The bobbin case must not revolve. It should wiggle a bit to clear the top thread. The throat plate would likely have a cutout to hold the tab on the bobbin case, if one exists in the ancient machine. A lever would probably be used to pull back on the bobbin case as the thread makes its way around.

Can you get some prewaxed thread and try sewing with it?

Is the feed and foot action back in sync now?

I second the vote to keep the #6 and have a raised throat plate made. I wish I had kept my Union Lockstitch. The bottom side of the leather on a jump foot, needle or awl feed machine is much closer to hand sewing than any machine that uses alternating feet. This is mainly because an inside foot pushes hard on the leather along the stitch line and forces the bottom to take the shape of the feed dog hole or throat plate slot. A jump foot machine doesn't have an inside alternating foot, thus the marks around the holes are much less pronounced. Did I mention that I wish I hadn't sold my ULS? LOL

Constabulary; Yes, the paddle shaped spring I referred to is on the needle bar of a Singer or Adler patcher. When they wear, the thread loop suffers no matter how you set the upper take-up parts.

I just replied to the wrong poster! Doh! T Moore, in Medicine Hat, that offer to sew a sample strap was meant for you.

True. But, there is still at least 3/8 inch capacity left on top of the stirrup plate on a CB4500. If you want to, mail me a sample of the strap you need to sew, that is giving you fits, and I will attempt to sew it on my CB4500, with the raised plate. I'll mail it back and take some pix of it being sewn. PM me for my address.

My comparison was meant to point out that a flat (or paddle shaped) spring can hold the thread in its most slack position (at the bottom of the downstroke) long enough for the loop to form as the needle begins to ascend from BDC. In the absence of any check spring, the slightest upward tug on the thread will dissolve the loop or cause it to not form at all. A patch machine depends on a paddle shaped check spring to hold the thread in place as the needle jogs down, up, then down again. When that spring wears out, the loop becomes too small to get picked off reliably. A broken spring usually translates into she won't sew at all.

It just dawned on me that a Cowboy CB3500 or CB4500 with a stirrup plate would be a great combination for sewing close to center bar harness buckles. That plate is not only raised, it is also curved. Here are pix of mine. Note, that the feed dog must be removed to use this throat plate.

Something has to stop the thread in the needle down position in order for the loop to form. It may well be the flat spring you outlined. That's sorta kinda like the function of the paddle spring on a 29k needle bar.

My Union Lockstitch machines had raised throat plates that allowed me to get really close to buckles, even center bar types. You could probably have one made that is just long enough to let the needle and awl move the leather, then drop off fore and aft.

So, you have a flat throat plate on it? Is there a raised plate (stirrup) available, or can one be fabbed?

A 441 clone is not the best machine for sewing canvas, or cuffs, or even 6 ounce leather. That is the realm of the medium duty walking foot, upholstery class machines. A cylinder arm machine is great for circular and vertically curved or shaped work. But, for items that are lengthy, floppy, or have all flat seam surfaces, a flat bed machine is easier to use. I always sew large flat objects on a flat bed machine, folding the excess on the right side up into the harp area. Sewing the same items on a cylinder arm machine is a royal PITA. Finally, the machine I linked to is within the O.P's budget.

I think you may be looking for a machine like the Consew P-1206RB. It seems to be spec'd exactly as you described.

You're either going to have to switch to running linen thread through liquid bees wax (e.g.: Sellari's Stitching Wax), or find a check spring assembly and figure out how to mount it on the face plate, before the take-up lever. Perhaps it could replace that lower left roller. The thread needs to be double or triple wrapped around the top roller to get any top tension at all. That roller is meant to grab waxed linen thread. Bonded poly probably just slips on it.

What machine are you now using to sew these buckles? Can you show a pix of the buckle you have problems sewing, under the foot?

I don't recall seeing anybody mention this before, including me, but, are you inserting the needle all the way up in the clamp, with the ribbed side on the left and the cutout scarf over the eye on the right?

First, loosen the screw holding the unit in the body and pull it out slightly. See if the disks tighten as you pull it out of the housing. If so, the culprit could be the push rod in the body that causes the tension to release. Or, the metal tab it pushes against could be bent too far inwards, or even reversed. There should be free play in that thin rod before it hits the tension release plate. That should only happen when you lift the feet manually, or via the knee lever. Otherwise, the disks should close completely and be tensionable via the beehive spring. I think you should consider ordering a complete replacement top tension unit.

If those thread loops are the bobbin thread coming out the top, increase the bobbin tension. If that is the top thread coming out on the bottom, increase the top tension. Also, I recommend downsizing to #69 thread, top and bobbin, with a #18 needle.

Lowering the needle bar to accommodate short needles has the consequence of endangering the bottom of the needle bar thread guide and tops of the presser and alternating feet. Compensating by lowering the height and lift of the feet means less sewing thickness capacity under the feet.

Are you wanting to sew forward as far as possible towards the buckle and back up, or sew across the leather to close the buckle in? If you want to sew up to the buckle and back, a single left toe, or double toe "harness foot set" on a 441 clone will do that. To also sew across the plane of the buckle, the left only toe foot will place the needle within 1/8 inch of the tightly folded leather. Any throat plate you get with that machine will do. I use a Cowboy CB4500 for these kinds of jobs. I also use it to sew holsters, gun belts, knife and axe sheathes, bridles, saddle fleece relines, belts, et al. I have a good friend who uses a Cobra Class 4 to sew all of the commercial leather goods he sells, including holsters, rifle slings and guitar straps. These machines come stock with a narrow harness foot set. You can also get very close to buckles if you have a Union Lockstitch or Campbell Lockstitch machine with a short toe foot.