Wizcrafts

No, it cannot. The Class 66 is wonderful at sewing thin satin linings used in coats, vests, pockets, etc. Your walking foot machine will simply eat those materials as they get shoved into the big, long hole in the feed dog. Ditto for light cloth repairs or construction. These things need to be sewn with thin cotton or polyester thread using tiny needles, with very low thread tensions. Your walking foot machine has too much spring action all around to sew with standard garment thread. You'd have to back off all tensioners to almost zero and try to find thinner than usual #11 needles. Of course, if you have no plans to do general repairs or tailoring (hemming, lining replacement, pocket repairs), this is a moot point.

There's still the issue of the spacer shims that are used in Adler shuttles. Did Weaver mention that?

1/2 hp clutch motors can be bought for under $100 and excellent servos for under $150. If you change to a new clutch motor you can either keep your existing motor pulley and belt, or buy a smaller pulley and belt to lower the top speed and add torque. A dealer can advise you on both options. I get my motors, thread, bobbins, needles, oil and machines from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. I also get some hard to find parts from Keystone Sewing.

Any remaining unsold/unused (NOS) genuine Singer industrial sewing machines parts will be held by dealers who were in sewing machine business in the late 1980s or early 1990s, while Singer's industrial sewing division was still in operation. Both of the dealers listed by Constabulary meet that criteria.

If you are sewing into thin, soft temper leather, button or topstitch thread will hold it just fine. A lot, but not all, of the vests and jackets I repair are sewn with heavy polycore thread, not nylon. That said, 95% of my sewing is done with bonded nylon thread. I have machines set up with different sizes of thread. I switch machines to change thread sizes. All I change on most of my machines is the color of the thread. Most of my machines have thread stands holding 4 or 5 cones in different colors. FYI: Bonded nylon thread is rated by its tensile strength. B69 is 11 pounds. B92 is 15 pounds. B138 in 22 pounds and thus. Dopuble the size, double the breaking strength. You also get bigger lockstitch knots once you exceed #69 thread. At #207, the knots are well over a half millimeter in folded diameter. Black bonded nylon is usually double dyed and even tougher to fold into small knots.

If you want the top stitches to stand out in thin leather (or cloth), you must use a topstitch thread. This is similar to button thread. It is a heavy weight but soft thread that still forms nice tight knots inside the material. Wawak is your friend when it comes to all tailoring supplies, like this type of thread. You can test out button or topstitch thread by visiting your local Joann Fabrics' sewing department. Don't say anything about sewing leather or you'll lose the sales people. Just say you want a heavy topstitch or button thread that can be used in quilts, jeans, or overcoats. They understand that concept. You may want to try using the same construction of thread, but a size thinner, in the bobbin.

Judging by my own foot powered Singer patchers, I'd say about 5 stitches per second (~300/minute). I have two pulleys on the treadle base and two on the machine. I set mine up with the smaller treadle pulley and largest machine pulley. If I reversed the pulleys I could sew faster (~7 /second). But my ankles would give out after about one minute or so. I just remembered that you want to power a compound feed machine with a treadle. The force you'll need to overcome is probably double what I overcome on my patchers. So, you may be able to treadle it at 4 or 5 stitches per second, but your ankles may give out before the work is finished. That is if the belt doesn't slip and the machine comes to a halt while you treadle madly away.

You will have difficulty centering the knots of 207 bonded thread in such thin material. You are more likely to have success sticking to a maximum of #138 thread for this thickness.

I didn't say that. You can modify the N thread handling capability and tension and pressure springs to NH specs. That is only a part of the difference between those models. The NH is built to sew thicker material (almost 1/2 inch) and uses a longer needle system (class 190 Pfaff system). There are both mechanical and physical differences between the two machines. That's why there is a big price difference to match.

If you're mechanically inclined you can mount a treadle under the machine table. You'll want to use a fairly wide horse hide belt, at least 5/16" and treat it with non-slip compound. There is no way to force the machine to start in the right direction, so you'll have to turn the hand wheel to start it up. You will probably need a bigger flywheel on the machine, with a bigger pulley (or bolt a bigger pulley onto the flywheel) and the smallest pulley on the treadle you can find. The greater the ratio between the pulleys, the more punching power it will have.

Ask the dealer what they will charge to upgrade you to an NH, or to readjust your machine to NH thread handling specs.

You may have to tweak the latch opener and also widen the notch in the throat plate to give the shuttle and bobbin more clearance. But try it first. Some tweaks will be needed, but it is probably doable. The check spring will also probably need to be readjusted to keep tension on the stronger thread (to keep it taut on the beginning of the take-up lever's downstroke, but let go at the right moment). Document all changes so you can revert to the original setup if it doesn't work out, or to sew with lighter thread. FYI: The Juki 1508NH is already setup to sew with #207, on top and in the bobbin. A trade up might be worth inquiring about.

The motor is defective. Something has messed up the polarity of the pole pieces. Replace it.

This is my second time around in the leather business. Last time, before packing it in, I had a Baker's Dozen of industrial sewing machines, all of which were in use.

#80 and #100 cotton covered polyester jeans thread also does a great job. I use it for a variety of jobs, including most hemming on any type of pants. It is strong and very easy to tension. I get it from Wawak in a variety of colors, in both 750 yard spools and giant 6000 yard cones. I think that jeans topstitch thread would work well on chaps and vests.

You're going have more than two machines if you get into both making and repairing leather goods. I currently own 6 industrial and 4 domestic sewing machines. I use them all from time to time. But, the bulk of my sewing is handled between a Cowboy CB4500, A long body special build Singer walking foot machine and two patchers with different builds.

The Sphynx machine I mentioned is not a 27k. It is a straight model 27, from 1902 and is the predecessor or the model 127, which I also have for sale. Nonetheless, it is an early model of a domestic sewing machine, with capabilities in excess of the plastic machines built today. Plus, it looks awesome! There is a thorough write-up, with photos, about both the 27 and 127 on this Wikipedia page.

I don't think it will fit unless you also buy the proper shim for the needle size you plan on using. The Adler 204 and 205 required a shim inside the shuttle race to prevent the needle from hitting the hook and to set the optimum clearance to avoid skipped stitches.

Precisely my point. It is who sets up the machine, specifically the hook clearance. Perhaps the O.P. asked the wrong expert?

The member known as ShoePatcher is named Glenn.

Presser feet for 29 type machines aren't that expensive. I bought an extra foot online and cut off the left toe. I used to to sew around circular ceramic magnets embedded inside leather pouches and cases. It did a fine job, leaving the needle free to sew right next to the raised area, while not getting dragged in by gravity from the blackhole; I mean magnet... The technique works, whether you are sewing around raised hardware, magnets, or piping. Why don't you sell the man a presser foot with one toe ground off? I have one I made and it works fine on my patchers.

Try rubbing in Carnauba Creme. Let it sit for an hour or more, then buff it with wool.

It depends on the hook and who sets up the machine.

In addition to holding back the starting threads, make sure that there is enough top tension to pull the lockstitches up into the bottom layer. The top tension is not guaranteed to be consistent unless the thread has some resistance before going around the upper disks. I have literally watched twisty black thread pop out of the top tension disks because I ran it straight through the top guide post, instead of around and through a second hole. Non-twisty white thread can be run straight through if desired. Just make sure that the little steel loop thread guide under the top tension disks is as far down as it can go without getting hit by the separator link that comes up when you lift the feet manually, or via the lift pedal. The greater the angle on the thread around the disks, the less likelihood of it popping out of them.

Left twist only in standard lockstitch machines. Right twist thread is used in some curved needle sole stitchers and in most dual needle machines for the left needle and hook only. If you are thinking of running linen thread in a Singer 45k, I wish you luck. I'm not saying it can't be done; just that it will be harder and messier than you think. First of all, make sure your machine has a Singer wax pot on top and that the holes are open and any internal guides are present and clean. Buy liquid hardening stitching wax, like Sellari's, Lax Wax, or Ceroxylon. I found Lax Wax had too much water content, looked like milk and softened the linen thread so much it kept breaking on the upstrokes. Ceroxylon looks and feels like rubber cement and also has a water base that softens linen thread in modern lockstitch machines. Sellari's is a real liquid wax. It is very sticky, like pure, thick honey, or STP. The wax will harden inside the stitch holes and lock the knots together and make the thread water resistant. It will need to be cleaned out of all guides, tensioners and the hook and race right after you finish sewing. Don't let it harden in the machine. You can dilute it in the wax pot and clean the thread path and needle with Sellari's wax thinner.