Wizcrafts

Each needle stroke will weaken the leather. You should only attempt to embroider into soft garment, or thin chap leather, using a longer than usually stitch length. Otherwise, the embroidered letters may filigree the material and fall out. I would say 1/16" would be the maximum thickness for that type of machine. You will have to really clamp the leather down hard to avoid it puckering and definitely, use a titanium needle. Since you will be laying down a high concentration of stitches that will overlap, do not use a leather point needle. It may cut the previous threads. For typical embroidery thread, use a #11 or #12 needle. Do not even think about doing any seam sewing of medium temper leather over 1/16" on that plastic body embroidery machine. It is not tough enough to take the stress. Use a leather point needle if you do, at the longest stitch length it can give.

This is the best alternative for folks to exchange email addresses in plain sight. It is called email obfuscation. It's not foolproof, but at least it gives you some protection from robot scrapers. It will not fool actual eyeball scrapers though. Keep your antennas up.

I realize that this section of LWN allows non-members to post and reply. These non-members do not have profiles, or the privilege of using our private message system. This means that anybody wishing to contact non-member guests who post in this Help Wanted forum will have to give some contact info in plain sight. I want those who do this to be aware of the risk. Posting email addresses in plain text on forums that are world readable (as is LWN) leaves them open to automated "crawlers" that act as email account harvesters. They scour web pages all over the Internet searching for recognizable email addresses and copy any they find to a database that is sold to marketers, spammers and scammers. Don't be surprised if you begin to receive more spam than usual to email accounts that you list in plain text on publicly viewable forums. Our forums are indexed by all the major search engines, as is the text content posted to the various topics. If your email service provides spam or junk mail filters, use them. Add legitimate message senders to your friends or contacts list. Be wary of messages that don't make sense with regard to the post in question. Scammers are experienced in leading people on when those people are looking to buy or sell something or a service. If you post your phone number, watch out for scammers and marketers who may have obtained it via a harvested phone database dump. Members of LeatherWorker.net can keep their contact details from harvesters and scammers by keeping them only in their profiles, which only other members can access. This allows members to contact each other via our messaging system, or by viewing a member's contact info that has been listed in that profile. You can choose not to share this information if you wish. This is a service announcement from Wiz. You can learn more by reading my security blog Members are welcome to contact me about this via the forum's PM system. Non-members can contact me via my website which has a contact page.

I should mention that if b2k is using a large needle, like a #23, he should rotate the throat plate to place the large hole under the needle.

According to the needle and thread chart on the Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines website, #138 bonded thread is: .0163" (.414mm) That is the maximum size thread for your patch machine, although it is foolish to load heavy thread like this in a tiny bobbin. It requires either a #22 or #23 needle. I have the same machine in my shop and limit it to #69 bonded thread.

If it is fully functional, has a servo motor retrofitted and sews when you try it out, it may be worth whatever you are willing to pay for it. This is especially true if the seller offers a 30 day money back guarantee and technical support. Note, this is an upholstery sewing machine. It is not really meant to sew veg-tan holsters or sheathes, unless they are only about 5/16" to 3/8" thick maximum. You will be limited to #138 bonded thread using a #23 leather point needle. Anything made of veg-tan leather thicker than 1/4 inch will need to be sewn very sloooowly. This requires either a speed reducer, or an extra high power servo motor, equipped with a 2 inch pulley.

Basically, all components of Singer industrial sewing machines were discontinued by Simanco. The business was sold off years ago and all parts and equipment are scattered to the four winds. Any parts at all are either recycled from old machines, or made in Asia by aftermarket companies. Internal timing belts are now made in China and commonly available from aftermarket suppliers. However, your model is so old there may not even be knockoff belts for it.

Not even remotely close to it. Two different machines in two different worlds. The 29-4 is a century plus old design with the tiniest of bobbins (about a penny wide x 3 or 4 deep), top feed via teeth on the foot, small stitches that get smaller with age and a limit of 1/4 inch under the foot. The maximum safe thread size for the machine is #69 bonded nylon, although some may be able to clear up to #92. It is purely a repairs machine, for sewing on patches, or repairing purses or shoe uppers. In contrast, the Consew 227 features triple (compound) feed, uses a standard industrial bobbin that measures 7/8" wide, 5/16" high. It can handle up to #138 thread, top and bottom and clears up to 3/8 inches of compressed material.

I have a machine that has been retrofitted with a Juki hook, using the large LU bobbins. I also had a machine that used M bobbins, some of which I kept. The M bobbins are smaller and hold less thread.

Note, that some compensating presser feet also have a built in edge guide flange or spring that rides along the right edge of the belt.

Professional dress belt makers use a straight stitch drop feed machine, with aggressive teeth on the bottom, and a specially made tapered presser foot that covers the entire belt, pressing down on the thinner edges and riding high in the raised middle area. I have seen videos of these belt machines in action. You may be able to approximate this tapered foot by purchasing a straight stitch machine and changing the feed dog and throat plate to a heavy duty set. Then purchase what's known in the trade as a compensating foot, where the spring loaded section is on the wider left portion, with the right side remaining static. The right edge will press down hard on the edge, while the spring loaded left foot will float and ride the hump. This will require some experimentation to find the best compensating foot.

Adjust the bobbin tension to have a modest steady pull. Not too loose, not too tight. Use the top tension disks to balance the knots. Use the minimum size needle for tighter knots and vice-versa.

It is unsafe to post email addresses in plain text on web pages. You are better off posting your phone number, or get a throw-away email account and ask people to send their inquiries to that account.

I forgot about the LU-562 being the standard G bobbin. I owned a 563 with the double capacity bobbins. My Singer 139w109 long arm walking foot machine has a Juki hook and uses Juki LU bobbins.

Wrong! The Juki LU machines use a double capacity type LU bobbin, which holds about 25% more thread than an M style bobbin.

Sometimes it is better to cut your losses on a particular troublesome sewing machine and buy something that is known to be in good working condition. Otherwise, you will end up investing as much in trial and error parts as the cost of the machine head itself.

Indeed, it is very waxy. I always rough up the flesh side when gluing bridle leather. A wire brush will do the trick. Rough both sides, then apply your glue. We use Master's shoe cement in our leather shop. We thin it as needed with Master's thinner.

I have a 31-15 that gave me kanipshins for a while, jamming the bobbin case as the shuttle turned. I tamed the shrew by a combination of trying different bobbin cases (they vary), backing off the spring pressure screw on the large C shaped spring on the back of the shuttle race (gives more or less clearance for the case and thread) and bending the shuttle driver outward very slightly (more slack = less binding, but slightly iffy timing).

If the thread is going through all of the top guides, tension disks, check spring and take-up lever, and the bobbin is wound correctly, then the only explanations would be failure to hold back the starting threads, or the needle rotated out of left to right alignment - with the scarf on the right, which leads to top thread jamming the bobbin case and shuttle. When that happens, the Consew 206RB pops a safety clutch and disengages the shuttle drive to protect the hook. If that has occurred, completely clear out the tangled thread, then hold down the button on the bed of the machine, to the right of the bobbin area and rotate the hand wheel in reverse until the clutch pops back into place.

Pokeriknot; It appears your machine is in need of expert repair. Take, or ship it to an industrial sewing machine dealer. If it is under warranty, send it to the dealership who sold it to you. If you dink with it and make it worse, the cost of dealer repairs will go way up.

Needles have to be fully inserted into their mounting clamps/brackets, plus aligned to position the thread loop towards the approaching hook. If the needle is too many degrees out of alignment, the hook may not pick off the loop. On top of that, thread coming off industrial spools twists. If it coils in the opposite direction to the rotation of the hook, the loop may be hard to pick off. In this instance it may help to wind the top thread backwards to its twist around a post on top or before the top tension disks. This will counteract the twist and may give a better loop at the eye of the needle. Black bonded nylon thread is double dyed and is the most twisty of all colors.

I can't tell from your photo if the needle is inserted correctly or not. Make sure that the ridge is on the left and the cutout "scarf" is on the right. Thread from left to right. Make sure you haven't forgotten to thread through all tensioners, the check spring and the take-up lever. Make sure there is thread in the bobbin. What else? Inspect the needle to see if it is bent. Make sure you inserted it all the way into the needle bar needle mounting clamp. Check the shuttle to ensure that is is rotating and is in time.

Even the folks at Sailrite will tell you that their portables are not meant to sew anything tougher than upholstery leather. I think you will do well with the Artisan 335 portable walking foot machine. It should easily handle 3/8 inch of compressed leather, using the standard system 135x16 needles. I also believe that they have clearanced the hook to allow it to sew with #207 thread. I would send them some of the material you plan on sewing and ask for a demo on that machine.

How thick are the combined materials, what size thread do you want to use and do you need a cylinder arm or will a flat bed machine do? The answers will help us point you to an appropriate machine that can handle the job.

The old iron Singer is the most likely candidate for sewing wallet interiors. But, you will have to upgrade the motor to a brand new one drawing twice the power (e.g., 1.5 amps/150 watts) of the one supplied by this seller (0.8 amps). Expect to pay between $75 to $100 for a new motor, with the proper plug and foot controller. The 0.8 amp motor is likely to overheat if you routinely sew leather. This will cause it to smoke out and possibly catch fire. You will also need a Teflon or roller equipped presser foot to keep the leather moving. The rest of the accessories that come with the machine are useless for leather sewing. Finally, buy leather point needles in size 18 and 69 bonded nylon thread. I recommend the more expensive titanium coated needles. Stay away from the plastic body models. There is no such thing as an industrial strength sewing machine. It is a marketing term used by rip off sellers on eBay. It is either a domestic/household OR industrial/commercial sewing machine. There is no in-between unless you go to a portable Sailrite walking foot machine (dual feed only. Marks leather).