Wizcrafts

The Cowboy CB3200 is a compound feed walking foot machine, with higher lift and much higher thread handling capacities than standard walking foot machines. It is basically a clone of a Juki TSC-441. It uses the same needles, bobbins and presser feet as the larger CB4500. But, unlike the 4500, the 3200 can only sew 1/2 inch thickness. Also, it is normally sold with a U shaped table (sit down), rather than the pedestal type that the 4500 is mounted on (stand up). If all your work will be no thicker than 1/2 inch and will require bonded thread sizes 138 and up, that would be a good machine for your purposes. Note, it can use #92 thread, which requires a #19 or 20 needle. But, there aren't any leather point needles for it under #23 (best for for #138 thread). The link in the first paragraph takes you to the official dealer's product page.

It is pure chance that the system 135x16 and 135x17 walking foot needles fit perfectly in old patchers. It is really good fortune because most manufacturers no longer produce the actual 29x3 or 29x4 needles. They did not have a scarf above the eye, like the walking foot needles have. Timing is a bit trickier on well worn machines.

I can personally vouch for both Cowboy and Cobra branded heavy leather stitchers, owning one and having spent dozens of hours on the hour, sewing. Both are built in China, but are shipped directly to the two dealers who assemble them, adjust them, go over any loose screws and sew them off. All this is done by our dealers before any machine is shipped to the customers. Additionally, our dealers, including Techsew, all provide limitless technical support to their customers. You will not be left out in the dark. They will take phone calls and answer email, or private messages sent through the forum. It may not be instant (these are often small companies with lots of machines going out), but the support will come. I know from personal experience. Price wise, all three offer similarly priced package deals. One may toss in something different than the others. Another may have cheaper shipping to your location. The big leather stitchers are well built. Stuff does eventually need to be adjusted. The machines need to be oiled manually and often. There is no excuse for letting a sewing machine seize do to lack of oil.

These multi-needle machines are used to make cloth garments in factories. They are of absolutely no use to a leathercrafter. Do not entertain any ideas to the contrary. I hope you didn't invest money in them, unless you are going into the cloth garment industry..

Great idea Eric! And low tech. Now, try to imagine one that wheel feeds the sheepskin into a bevel angle mounted reciprocating fabric trimmer blade and vacuums the cutoff on the way out.

You could have bought those feet for the Union Lockstitch machine you traded to me a few years ago. My previous ULS had these "stepper" feet in spi ranging from 9 through 5. Aside from the ULS and Campbell LS, there are no other machines in production that I know of that have these feet readily available. Ditto for the slanted French Edge throat plates. If you find a machine shop that is willing to make these stepper feet and slanted throat plates, post contact info here. I would definitely buy some.

Dikman; I believe you are trying to run the old post machine beyond its design parameters. I would keep the thread size at or under #92, which happily runs through a #19 or 20 needle. Just my .02

Try some #22 leather point needles for your #138 bonded thread. That is the recommended small size. Also, see if titanium coated needles are available for it, in sizes up to 22. They sew hard, or glued, or taped leather better.

We have at least two members in Oz who sell and service industrial sewing machines. Darren Brosowski is one. His store is or was called Ann Bonny's Locker. Then, there are members Jim Saddler and SingerMania down under.

No

Basically, sewing with 1mm diameter thread (top and bottom) requires a combination of things to be true, as shown below. The machine must accept a large enough diameter, leather point needle to pass the thread. This is about a #30 (closed eye) needle for #554 thread. The shuttle mechanism (driver, race, shuttle/bobbin case) must have enough clearance for the top thread to go around the bobbin and its case, and out, without binding. The top tensioning and take-up components must be capable of exerting enough force and stroke to pull the 2mm+ (2 x 1mm) knots up inside the leather. Because such thick thread doesn't fold sharply, the total being pulled is more likely about 2.5mm. The take-up lever and associated cranks must be rugged enough to withstand this force. The presser foot pressure spring must be strong enough to hold down a stack of leather as the huge needle and thread ascend on the upstroke. The bobbin must be fairly huge to hold enough thread to sew your project. The motor will need to be very powerful and pulley'd way down and a 3:1 speed reducer will be required to punch through stacks of heavy leather with this large thread. The entire machine, including its shafts, bearings, cranks, screws and frame must be built with this type of heavy use in mind. The only sewing machines I am familiar with that meet all these criteria are Randall Lockstitch, Campbell Lockstitch and Union Lockstitch needle and awl machines. It may be that some of the Landis needle and awl harness machines can also handle #554 or equivalent thread. Or, a heavy duty shoe sole machine would do the job.

It takes a needle and awl machine to properly tension #554 thread, or its equivalent 8 cord linen thread. A Campbell Randall, or Union Lockstitch machine can do it. Ditto for a Landis outsole stitcher (Landis F, G, etc). FYI: I have sewn with #554 on a Union Lockstitch machine. It was a long time ago and I used my largest needle and awl combination:

You will not find a machine in any bargain stores that can sew any leather thicker than chaps, if even that. Holsters are usually built of two or more layers of leather that is over 1/8 inch (8 ounces) per piece. Better holsters reach 3/16" (12 ounces) per side. Western holsters often have a filler rib along the outside to position the revolver. This adds up to another 1/4" (16 ounces) of thickness. Packages like these need very strong thread, typically #277 (1/2 mm diameter), which requires a #25 leather point needle. Here is a typical heavy leather sewing machine that is used to produce holsters such as I described.

When sewing 5/8" of leather, you will probably need to increase the pressure on the presser foot. Add enough to prevent the leather from lifting with the ascending needle. Use a diamond (Tri) point needle if you have one. Use a stitch length that doesn't perforate the stack of leather. For me, that is usually 5 to the inch in thick leather. Increase the top tension, or reduce the bottom tension, to bring the knots well up inside the leather. Finally, use lubricated thread and sew slowly.

FYI: None of the modern compound feed walking foot 441 or 205 type machines can sew with any thread larger than #415. Few dealers even stock #415 thread. If you actually want to machine sew these extra heavy threads, which are hard to find, you will need to get either a needle and awl harness stitcher (e.g. Campbell Randall), or a humongous needle and awl shoe sole stitcher (e.g. Landis G). These machines do accommodate large diameter thread sizes up to 10 cord linen)

Here is a link to the Cowboy CB243 It uses the same thread, needles and bobbins as the other larger 441 type machines, but it is a flatbed.

It is the pressure leaf spring and sliding foot lift block assembly. I don't know the technical part names.

I see a binder attachment on the right. Does this machine have a drop feed feed dog? Or, does it always stay up and just move forward and backward? Some binder machines are made that way and stitch length suffers when you do normal stitching.

If you intend to use the CB4500 routinely to sew 2.5mm of leather, this may not be the best machine for you. Ditto if 10mm is the thickest you will be sewing. Move down one step to the CB227R, or the new, unadvertised CB341, both of which are cylinder arm, triple feed, walking foot machines of medium capacity.

I am glad my suggestions have solved your sewing problem.

Turn the needle counterclockwise so that the plane of the eye faces slightly to the rear, from the right side of the needle.

Are you sewing the diagonal rows in forward or reverse? I reverse on the diagonals, then sew forward to secure each loop. I draw the stitch lines on the leather with silver ink as a guide and sew over them. I make a big dot at the end points and adjust the last stitch to hit it. I use the right toe foot when sewing bullet loops.

Turning the work clockwise, especially with black, twisty thread, can cause the loop on the right of the eye of the needle to turn away from the hook, or even dissolve. You can counter this by rotating the orientation of the needle so that the eye is slightly to the rear on the right side. This prejudices the loop towards the approaching hook. It also changes the appearance of the holes. Another workaround is to try to increase the amount of slack thread that gets fed to the needle. This slack thread is what forms the loop that is picked off by the hook. The check spring that is mounted on the lower disk axle is responsible for the thread slack. The shorter the travel, the greater the slack. But, don't overdo it to the point where the slack thread gets split by the point of the needle. If you have really twisty thread, try wrapping it around two holes in the top post. One direction may be more effective than the other for cancelling the twist. Light colors are less twisty and softer than black, which is double dyed. This can vary from batch to batch. Order another spool of 277 to see if it is less twisty.

Yes; buy a stretch belt that has enough stretch range to go around the flywheel and motor pulley.

I have a flat slotted plate that came with the full accessory package for the CB4500. Whenever I have to sew something that is difficult with the feed dog and large cutout plate, I change to the flat plate setup. I know in advance that reverse may not line up with forward, so I use extra caution when backing up (or spin the work) Most folks use this accessory to sew thin leather that would get pushed down into the cutout of feed dog hole. I use it to sew as close to the edge as possible (for a particular needle size). This includes watch straps, thin collars and soft leather goods. Of course, the edge guide helps a lot in these jobs.