Wizcrafts

I suspect that your Boss uses the same 441 type bobbins my Cowboy CB4500 uses. I have obtained bobbins from 3 or 4 sources and can tell you with certainty that there is a dimensional variation in some of them. There are a few that are taller and actually protrude beyond the lip of the bobbin case. These bobbins have more tension on the thread than the shorter (normal) bobbins. If this ever becomes a real problem I can easily loosen the bobbin case tension spring a quarter or half turn while using the oversize bobbins. I don't think your situation should be any more complicated than mine. If a bobbin rides beyond the bobbin case, back off the tension spring a bit until the pull on the thread feels the same as on the shorter, normal bobbins. You would have actual trouble if the diameter of the top or bottom bobbin flanges was the same as the inside of the case. That would be Emory Cloth time for me, to reduce the diameter for a smooth revolving fit. Also, I believe that some of my bobbins are more curved on the outside of the flange than others. These would also have a tad more tension for a given thread and bobbin case spring setting. Unless the bobbin actually binds, it shouldn't be a deal buster.

Need I point out that part of the wear on patchers happens inside the drive ring and cam? It's not just the easy stuff that needs to be rebuilt. It depends on how the machine was used and abused. I recently replaced the driving cam in my k71 and the new part is different than the original. The action is not as fluid and binds in certain conditions. When I get time I will take the head apart and try modifying the new part. I bought a new shuttle driver and its gear, as well and the following gear and racks for my k172. The parts that actually fit bound up 100% in 1/2 revolution. The following gear wouldn't even go onto the shaft. I had to reinstall the old parts and use Locktight Blue to get the machine back into sewing condition. That was after dinking with it for two days. There is so much work needed to make some new parts fit like the originals did that it may not be worth the time and expense.

I own both a 29k71 and a 29k172. The 71 has a small bobbin and short arm, while the 172 has a larger bobbin and a longer arm. If you want a different brand, look for an Adler 30-7 or 30-70. Some folks own Claes patchers. Darren Brosowski also sells a unique type of patcher. I have seen the Cowboy patcher that is sold at Toledo Industrial. It is rock solid. He has a web page describing Cowboy patchers. Our other dealers also sell their brands of patchers. Ask them all about prices and warranties. Tis better to buy something new when going into actual production.

You can send the machine to Campbell Randall, in Yoakum Texas, to be rebuilt. I spent about $1000 in parts rebuilding my last Union Lockstitch Machine, just a couple years ago. New parts and tight clearances make a huge difference in the performance of these beasts. I was able to do the work myself, as I've owned two of them. If you have to send it to the factory, expect to pay out about $1500 to $2000 for a rebuild, plus about $300 shipping each way. Your first purchase, if you don't already own one, is the user's manual. It is a combination setup and adjustment manual and a parts book. Every single part is listed, including optional presser feet and throat plates. Also, unless you got at least three of the sizes of four sided internal adjuster T-wrenches, buy a set anew. The smallest is about 3/16 inch and the largest is 1/2 inch. Old bobbins tend to have suffered falls or other calamities. Buy some brand new bobbins. Old bent steel bobbins often have sharp burrs from people trying to straighten them out with pliers. A new bobbin is just $22 and should last a lifetime, unless you drop it on a hard floor. I had 10 for my last ULS machine. If your needles or awls are bent or rusted, discard them and buy new one. They sell for about $34 for a pack of ten. Use one number larger awl than needle. A #3 needle and #4 awl is the practical minimum for black #277 bonded thread. You can get by with a half size smaller if you use light colored thread. Buy every needle size you expect to need. I used to have every needle from 0 through 6 and every awl from #1 through #7. The 0 needles are as rare as Hen's teeth now. Consider yourself lucky if you can find some #1 needles. They work with 3 cord linen or #92 bonded thread. Sometimes you can grab #138 thread in a #1 or 1.5 needle. I used such a setup to sew rifle slings on my ULS, with #138 Weaver bonded nylon thread. Small hole = tight knots. Lax Wax is great, but requires the wax pot to be removed and cleaned out every so often. I like Ceroxylon just as well. These are used with Barbour's Irish Linen thread (left twist, glazed only). Campbell Randall stocks this thread in various sizes. Do not try to save money on the European linen thread. Buy Barbour's. Who cares if it costs almost $50 a pound? The results are worth it. Your machine can use 3 cord through 10 cord linen thread, run through liquid wax. Left twist only!

BigSmile; A Singer 66 is NOT a leather sewing machine. It is meant for sewing light cloth with thin cotton thread and tiny needles. The maximum stitch length is very small. The bobbin basket is not built to clear heavy thread, the presser spring won't hold down hard leather and the solid foot will drag the top layer out of alignment. How do I know? I have one at home and one at my shop, for sale. I rarely use the one at home, and then, only for very light cloth. It is a hobby machine.

If you should decide to go into leather repairs and sewing patches onto Biker vests, a patcher is indispensable. I have two in my shop: a long arm large bobbin and a short arm small bobbin. Both have little 1.5 amp motors and foot operated speed controllers. Both need to be started by hand before the itsy bitsy motors can take over. Why a patcher? Because of the very narrow cylinder arm, a patcher can sew a patch over a pocket and get very close to the sides or bottom. No other machine in my arsenal can do that. Due to the 360 degree presser foot feed, a patcher can follow the shapes of the patches or seams as you sew. Of course, this takes away one hand. Patchers can get inside purses to repair tabs that are pulling off. They are especially good at replacing zippers on purses, or on leather jacket pockets and sleeves. The machines can get well into the vamp of a shoe to go over loose or missing stitches. In short, if you need to sew in very tight quarters, with thread not too thick, into material not exceeding 1/4 inch, and possibly in more than one direction, nothing beats a patcher!

I bought the same parts from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. 866-362-7397.

As pcox mentioned, the shuttle hook can be moved laterally, as well as forward or backward. Plus, the needlebar itself has some lateral adjustment via the long bolts that go through the moving arms on the fore and aft of the body. Some causes of missed stitches, or cut thread, are, in no particular order... A burr on the bobbin cover; A sharp leading edge on the bobbin tensioning spring that is mounted on the inside bobbin case cover; Too much tension and not enough clearance for the top thread due to that spring being set too close with no wiggle room; Twisted thread on the barb of the needle (various causes and fixes); A bent needle (believe me, it happens); Top thread being held too long on the needle down cycle. This can cause the thread to stay on the needle and get caught in the bobbin drive gears. It can be caused by a wrong too long setting for the slack takeup lever that holds the thread back as the looper feeds the needle. Bad thread can happen. I always operated my ULS machines with the bare minimum of clearances necessary to sew smoothly and consistently. A properly tuned ULS can sew flat out at 15 stitches per second, until the bobbin runs out. Wear earplugs before doing this!

Most of the thread used in modern day leather stitchers is bonded and often lubricated. It resists most of the leather dyes. Fiebing's oil dyes may penetrate white bonded thread better than other dyes. When I had my Union Lockstitch machines I used Barbour's glaced linen thread. It was available in natural, white, brown, yellow, or black. Any of those lighter colored linen threads could be dyed darker after sewing and the color held fast. If you care to experiment with glazed linen thread, start by getting a Union Lockstitch, or Campbell Randall Lockstitch machine. Or, most shoe sole stitchers use linen thread.

Unless you are doing tailoring, the serger will be of little use to you. You should contact any dry cleaners or tailors, or seamstresses in the area and see if you can off load it at cost. Sergers like yours don't sew leather, just soft cloth. Their purpose is to cast a tight layer of thread over the edge to prevent the material from fraying.

I use a serger when I hem cloth pants, skirts, etc. If you tune it up and sharpen the blade, it will lay down a nice overcast stitch on denim jeans.

Be aware that parts for these ancient Singer 45 types are few and far between. Make sure you know what you are getting into. Missing screws may have to be custom turned.

All of the missing parts are available as aftermarket items. They may or may not fit without modifications. If you can locate old used, but not abused parts they may fit better and work with less binding. I tell you this from personal experience.

Bridles can be really thick on certain areas of the straps. I repaired one yesterday that was about 5/8 inches thick. Neither the 2500 or 3200 would have sewed that thickness as easily as the CB4500 (if at all). Anybody sewing horse tack for customers is bound to encounter these really thick junctions. But, if your Son will be only making his own tack, he can limit the thickness to what the machine can handle. As for a good learning machine, the forward feed only CB2500 will force him to learn the Poor Man's Reverse. Then he can learn to smooth out the tooth marks and needle hole puckering on the bottom.

Yes, tacky cement can cause skipped stitches. Ditto for Venture leather tape. Since I use the tape a lot, I switched to titanium coated needles on both patchers and on my long body Singer 139 walking foot machine. Unfortunately, there aren't any available for the big 441 clones yet. You may be able to compensate by using lubricated thread.

Nice work! I'm not surprised that the Consew handled it this well.

Sometimes the simplest errors in reassembly can cause the biggest grief to the sewer.

You should ask Cobra Steve what size bolts they're tapped for. He may even have a pair of bolts.

You can do the Poor Man's Reverse. Start about 3 stitches forward of where your first stitch will be. Hold the threads taut. Bury the needle. Lift the feet enough to move the leather. Spin the work 180 degrees, sew three stitches. Spin the work 180 and sew through and past the first stitch, holding the threads taut. Let go of the thread. Repeat the reversal at the end, backtacking 3 stitches with the leather reversed. The above is how I sew on my industrial machines that don't have reverse. There is another way to lock the starting and ending stitches that doesn't require any reversing at all. It was told to me by elves from Narnia. This system works best on machines like big 441 type stitchers with a single lever for forward, reverse and stitch length. Set the stitch lever to the zero length position. You can learn where it actually is and mark the stitch length plate with a Magic Marker (again, from Narnia). At the zero position, sew three stitches into the same hole. Stop with the needle up. lower the lever for your desired forward stitch length and sew to the end. When you sew the final stitch, but before the needle moves forward, zero the lever and sew two more times into that hole. Voila: locked starting and ending stitches!

Compound feed walking foot sewing machines must have two feet alternating up and down. The inside foot and needle moves up/down and forward/backward. The outside foot moves up and down, opposite the action of the inside foot and needle bar. If the feet on your machine are too wide to let you sew close to a particular designated position, look into getting narrower feet. I have managed to buy very narrow zipper foot sets on eBay. One is left toe and the other right toe. Either will work on a Consew 206RB-x. As for Cobra Class 4 and Cowboy type harness stitchers, there are special left or right toe outside feet available. The inside foot is always about the same width. They are triple (compound) feed machines.

I used to have an Adler 204-370. This is the same machine as the Cowboy CB-243. If you think the CB-243 is too expensive, at $2900, try finding a new or unused Adler 204-370 for under $5,000.

I don't think that you are going to get the same feeding of thin cloth as canvas, vinyl, denim and leather, on the 1541. You may have to lower the presser feet to their minimum alternating lift. Back off the top pressure screw over the presser foot. Then, load standard garment weight cotton or polycore thread into a bobbin and readjust the bobbin tension for a minimal pull tension. Back off the top tension to center the knots. Use a #12 or 14 round or sharp point system 135x17 Schmetz needle. Your biggest enemy will be the large needle hole in the feed dog and the rectangular cutout in which it moves. Your friend is Juki's new square drive feed dog, if your machine is so-equipped. Ask Ron. I think with reduced foot pressures and thread tensions, you can sew light cloth, with testing and practice.

Glad to help, Hanna. I know you are going to love your new Juki! Tell Ron Wiz said Howdy.

Gregg; Your revelation about the different shank diameters on type 214/328 needles explains why the GA5 type machines are only offered with a range of needle sizes from 23 through 27. This includes the Cowboy CB2500 and other clones of the Singer 45k. One cannot simply find a smaller needle and pop it in, without first changing the needle bar. Or, find a needle bar with a clamp needle mount, like the old Singers used.

Patchers are meant for repairs to shoe and boot uppers and for sewing patches onto vests and over pockets. They have very narrow throats, either 12 or 18 inches in length. There are two bobbin sizes: small and tiny. The small bobbin holds about half as much thread as a standard class 15 bobbin. The tiny bobbin holds half as much as that. The mechanisms are designed for thin shoe thread, typically size 69 bonded nylon. They will handle #92 if you can get the tensions right. Even with thin #69 thread, the stitch length of a patcher with zero wear is only 5 per inch, at 1/8 inch thickness. The stitch length deteriorates as the thickness increases. The maximum thickness that can be sewn is about 1/4 inch. As patchers are used and abused, the stitch length driving mechanism wears out. A typical patcher that was used in a shoe shop will only sew 7 or 8 stitches per inch after 50 years of use. Some won't even sew that length.