Wizcrafts

If your thread is #69 bonded nylon, the usual needle sizes are either #16 (smaller holes), or #18 (bigger holes). If the needles are bending and getting deflected too easily, try a #19. All should have a leather point, either chisel, or diamond, or triangular shaped.

I am trying to imagine my CB4500s stirrup plate on a Pfaff 1245 flatbed walking foot machine. My stirrup plate is about 1/2 inch, or ~12.5mm higher than the standard plate. The specs say that the maximum thickness it can clear, under fully raised feet, is 14mm. That is not the thickness it can sew, but the thickness that can be inserted and withdrawn. Subtract about 2mm to allow the feet to alternate, to move the material, and you get a maximum thickness of 12 mm. A half inch is about 12.5mm. That means that even if you could have a stirrup plate fabricated by a machine shop, there would only be 1.5mm room left for inserting the material, and almost NONE for the feet to alternate. Stirrup plates are meant for high lift, super heavy duty cylinder arm machines, using type 794 needles that are 2.75" long, clearing up to 1.1" and sewing up to 7/8". Even with these impressive specs, there is no more than 3/8" of material that can be sewn and advanced by the feet, when using a stirrup or holster plate. In practical use, I find that it is more like 5/16" maximum that can move along over these raised plates.

The 4500 wasn't actually posted for sale anywhere. It is used almost every weekday in our shop. I was speaking hypothetically, if we lived closer to each other (rather than half way across the Country), I might consider selling it and moving up.

Looks like a w155 to me too.

Answers: Not too loose and not too tight. Enough to get good close windings that lie next to each other. Your movable thread guide (mounted on the front-left side of the machine) is too far toward or away from the head. Loosen the screw on the back of the guide. Push or pull on it until the bobbin loads equally, side to side. Then lock down the screw. I usually insert the bobbins so they pull counter-clockwise. This is the same as the thread feeds over the top, then through the angled slot. However, some threads just tend to get hung up going through the slot and I will reverse the bobbin so it feeds clockwise (under the bobbin windings). When doing it this way one has to rely upon the anti-backlash effect of the beehive shaped spring inside the bobbin case. Left unchecked, the bobbin tends to loosen when rotating clockwise, vs ccw.

Just remember to leave the machine to me in your will!

Make absolutely sure to cut off the starting thread that protrudes from the outside hole in the bobbin, as close as humanly possible to the metal. A short thread stub can catch in the beehive ejection spring that lives inside the bobbin case. Open the bobbin case, eject the bobbin and blow out any foreign material or thread particles. Loosen the bobbin spring screw and remove it. Feel the spring to see if it has sharp edges. If it does, use Emory cloth to buff it smooth. Blow out any thread particles that may be caught in the slot under the bobbin spring. Reassemble the spring and adjust it for a smooth pull that is not very tight, nor jumpy. Pull out a few feet of bobbin thread to adjust the spring for the smoothest pull with a modicum of tension. Re-check the top thread path. Better yet, unthread the top thread and start over. Pull the thread up off the thread cone, making sure that it doesn't loop around previous windings. Be certain to keep the thread from getting under the spool. Feed the thread through a thread guide in the overhead stand arm. Keep the top thread guide arm inline with the spools on the round platforms. Feed through a hole in the top post on the machine. If the thread is black and very coli-springish, wrap it around the post and feed it out through a lower hole. Otherwise, one hole will do fine. Feed through the lube pot, making sure the thread doesn't hang on the sometimes tiny holes. Disregard if you don't have a lube pot. I enlarged the holes on my lube pot to reduce thread drag. Feed the thread through the twisted steel loop on the lube pot. Disregard if no pot. Feed the thread through the small steel guide in front of the top tension disks. Pull the thread up, then through the disks until you hear it snap into place near the center post. Feed the thread down through the guide over the bottom disks, then pull it to the left of the disks. Wrap around the disks two turns, then feed it up through the same steel guide. Going down, then up through the steel guide over the bottom disks helps keep the thread inside disks, rather than outside them, which causes thread jams on top and otherwise properly placed bobbin thread on top of the work. Go through the check spring thread hole (make sure that spring doesn't bind again). Go up and through the take-up lever, from back to front. Go down and through a spring loaded guide on the faceplate. Continue down, going through the lower steel guide. Feed the thread through the little hole on top of the needle mounting bracket on the needle bar. Thread the eye, from left to right. Run some test strips, adjusting the top tensions as you sew. If you cannot stop the bobbin thread from showing on top, tighten the bobbin tension spring screw a little at a time, until the knots are balanced. You don't normally need a huge amount of tension on top and bottom to get well placed knots and good stitches. You only want to have as much tension as is needed to place the knots inside the material and have the stitches flat against the top and bottom. If you have to bury the stitches to prevent abrasion damage, use a groover tool to gouge a sewing channel on top and bottom. Your stitches will then be recessed. Always raise the presser feet before removing the work. With the foot lifter fully engaged, the threads should pull quite freely on top and smoothly on the bottom. Twist the thread to the left between your thumb and fore or middle finger and snip them close to the leather with a Tailor's thread snipper. I prefer a curved chrome plated thread snip (Bob Kovar sells them). Next, use a straight blade screwdriver to finger-tighten the two screws that hold the shuttle cover to the end of the body. Then back them off 1/2 turn each. This gives some added clearance for the bobbin case to move laterally when heavy top tread passes around it. If those screws are all the way in the top thread might jam against the bobbin, bobbin case, or the shuttle itself. This doesn't usually apply to thin thread, like #138. I hope this helps.

I backstitched on two Union Lockstitch machines I've owned. The needle/awl/foot-up sequence is reversed on a ULS, compared to a Randall Lockstitch. Here's how you can do it on your Randall Lockstitch. If you are beginning a stitch line and want to backtack, take the thread off the looper and sew two or three empty stitches, stopping at the third with the foot up and awl down Spin the work 180 degrees Re-thread the looper Cycle the machine to bring the needle up into the third hole Sew to the first hole Do another 180 turn Slowly bring the awl down on the outer left side of the previous stitch. Bring the needle up and let it grab the thread Turn the work slightly to the right so the barb in the needle is not dead on with the stitch Slowly bring the needle down, keeping the work facing slightly away from the barb. Do this for all stitches you are backtacking Sew inline to the end Turn the work around and repeat the backtack technique, where the awl stabs on the outside and the needle aims to the left of the existing stitches. One more tip is to use the smallest needle that holds the thread without accidentally letting go on the way down. A filled barb has less room left to rat the existing stitches on the way down. Also, running the top thread through Lax Wax lubricates the stitches and lets the needle and awl go past existing stitches with less friction.

The moderator has to close the topic. You cannot do it.

This topic is now 8 months old, since the last update. But, to answer your question, no, it is not a walking foot machine.

Your download is behind a password protected web page and can't be accessed by the public without the proper credentials.

Your shoes are beautiful Laura. But, you bought the wrong machine (and possibly a defective machine). Needle screw holes should not strip on a new machine. You should be entitled to a free replacement needle bar and installation/timing. What you really needed was a walking foot, zig zag machine; one that uses system 135x16 leather point needles. You would be better off with a #20 or 21 needle and #92 (Tex 90) bonded nylon or bonded polyester thread. This heavier needle is less likely to deflect so far it hits the hook. At least a #19 leather point needle with #69 bonded thread should be used. The width of the zig zag has an impact on the timing of the hook and on the deflection of the needle under load.

If we lived closer to each other I'd sell you my CB4500 so I can buy a CB5500 (25" arm). I had to sew a double leather 3" wide belt and avoid the Dee-rings. It required some acrobatics to fold the long end up or down to sew across where it needed to be done.

If necessary, loosen the bobbin spring slightly, lift the leading edge with a jewelers' screwdriver, then pull the bobbin thread under it. Tighten the spring for a smooth pull, with just a modicum of resistance. Be careful to not unscrew it so far that the tiny screw pops out.

I answered your question, in this topic (belonging to somebody else, from 2010), on the 10th of August. Did you not read my reply?

Is the machine sewing properly now? If so, this topic can be closed.

Consider this scientific fact: A CB4500 can sew everything that a CB3200 can sew. This includes the thickness of the leather, depth to the right and thickness of the thread. It does these things when you are only sewing 1/2 inch or under. Both machines will sew 8 ounce projects with #138 thread. Both will lay down a tight stitch of #277 into 1/2 inch of holster or sheath. That is where the comparison ends. The CB4500 will continue to sew thicker packages and wider projects. It will accept a raised holster or stirrup plate and still have enough top clearance to sew 3/8 inch of leather on the plate. The 3200 cannot do that.

I have bought stuff from all of the above. No regrets. I now get most of my machines from Toledo Industrial, which is just 114 miles south of me. You are quite a distance away from most of our member dealer, so you will be paying a shipping charge. A difference of $50 shouldn't be the most important option when buying a new sewing machine. Talk to these dealers and let them know where you are at as a sewer. If you are at the beginner's stage, they can anticipate having to answer a lot of follow-up questions. Can you wait for replies to voicemail messages you leave? Or, will you require instant answers? Will email exchanges work for you? These are important questions only you can answer. The people running these businesses are often very busy picking up, setting up, servicing, or delivering machines. They will all call you back, but it may not be instantly, or even the same day. I sometimes have to use email or private messages through the forum to get answers to minute detail questions I have about this or that machine. Sometimes you can get help faster from other members who own the same machine you are having problems with. Regarding the CB3200 vs the CB4500/Class 4, decide first how thick you will need to sew once your business is in full swing. Also, try to anticipate how long the arm should be to clear the work you may have to sew. I have a 4500 which has a 16.5 inch arm and need every bit of it on some jobs. My previous harness stitcher had 12" clearance and that was often inadequate. Bear in mind that a long arm may also come in handy for thick leather items that need to be turned around as you sew them. If the body depth is too short, the item will have to be bent up or down as you turn it. That may not always be possible. A longer arm will save the job.

You can remove one needle and use it as a single needle machine. It cannot use #277 (T270) thread It can use a #23 needle, which is right for #138 thread, top and bottom. It can also sew with #207 on top, but only #138 in the bobbin. The hooks in these machines are not made for larger thread. You'll need to move up to a 441 or Adler 205 clone to use #277 thread.

Why on earth did you move the needle bar up? Was the hook arriving while the scarf was still below it? The needlebar should be set so that the hook arrives in the center of the scarf, on the upstroke, about 1/8" above the eye. This is usually when the best loop has formed. If you have too much top thread at the needle, increase the throw of the check spring. It controls how much slack there is in the top thread. In fact, make sure you are passing the thread around the check spring disks, then the spring, on the way to the take-up lever. Failure to go through these parts will cause the trouble you describe.

I don't have photos handy right now, but I can put leather thread sizes into perspective compared to home sewing thread. Most home sewing machines are built to use the cotton or polycore threads sold at Walmart, Kmart, Target, Joann Fabrics, etc. The typical number equivalent that makes sense to us would be that those common domestic sewing threads for shirts would be about 1/2 to 2/3 the thickness of the smallest thread commonly used in leather sewing: #b69, or Tex70. The domestic thread would require a #11 or 12 needle. The smallest thread we use (69) requires a #16 or 18 needle. Strength-wise, domestic cotton thread might break with a good tug of your hands, pulling the ends of the thread in opposite directions. #69 bonded nylon requires 11 pounds pull before it thinks of breaking. Jeans are usually sewn with what's sold as Jeans thread. It can be had in three sizes, from super thin to quite thick, with #80 being the most common. This is a topstitch thread that is hard to sew on a domestic machine. It requires a #19 needle, at minimum. Domestic needles normally stop at #18. The next size to it in bonded thread is #92 (T90). It has 50% more strength than #69 and requires a #19 or 20 needle. This is a good size for wallets, purses, backpacks and lined belts not exceeding 6 - 8 ounces thickness. Serious leather sewing begins with #138 bonded thread, using a #23 leather point needle. The breaking strength is 22 pounds pull. I use it to construct rifle slings, guitar straps, pocket holsters, heavier wallets and money belts. Domestic machines cannot sew with this thread under any circumstances. This is also the largest typical thread used in upholstery and in upholstery class walking foot machines. Holsters, double leather belts, knife sheathes, handcuff pouches and the like are usually sewn with combinations of #207 and #277 bonded thread. Items that are subject to abuse, or which must not give up the thread if the item gets caught in something, or holsters that could be in life and death struggles for a gun, should be sewn with a minimum of #277 thread, top and bottom. This thread has 44 pounds strength per stitch. It requires a #25 leather point needle and a very large and super heavy duty sewing machine. These machines are sometimes called harness stitchers. Many here use what we call 441 clones, based on the original Juki TSC-441, but half the cost. Saddlers and harness makers from the old school often prefer a different stitching machine than the 441 types, which are triple feed walking foot machines, using a large, closed eye needle. They often own needle and awl stitchers, which use a barbed eye needle and stabbing awl. The machines are HUGE and heavy; sometimes being over 100 years old and still going. I've owned two of these: Union Lockstitch machines. They didn't blink when sewing with #346 and larger thread, which has a 66 pound strength per stitch. I even used #554 at times, which is almost 1 mm thick. I used #346 thread on double leather weight lifters' belts, sewn on a Union Lockstitch machine. With the pedal all the way down, they sew 15 stitches per second and sound like 50 caliber machine guns. I hope this helps put threads into the perspective you were seeking.

My partner forgot to pull the top thread all the way into the upper tension disks today. The result was a solid bobbin thread under the work with loops of top thread surrounding the bobbin thread. Pull the top thread all the way down before stitching.

Have you contacted our member-dealers who's ad banners appear on top of every page here?

The LU-562 is a decent walking foot machine. They only have a standard bobbin, whereas the 563 has a double capacity bobbin. The price is a bit high for a machine that the seller admits needs work. If you need to send it to a dealer for repairs, the cost will go up a lot. Have you checked with any dealers for good, working walking foot machines? You might pay a few hundred more, but get one that sews properly and probably has a servo motor. Or, you might get real lucky and learn that the only reason it needs timing is because the safety clutch disengaged the shuttle to protect it after a thread jam. But, don't count on it.

Dual feed usually relies upon teeth on the presser foot to claw the material forward or backward for each stitch. The feed dog on the bottom assists the feeding. The needle and inside foot are horizontally static and only move vertically. Layers can separate if not stapled, taped, or glued. The teeth will mark smooth top grain leather. These machines are okay for pebbled grain, or purse, shoe, upholstery, vest, or motorcycle leathers. Then there is the ancient Singer spring foot system that has a spring loaded outer foot that follows the material backward, with the feed dog raised and moving, then snaps forward when the feed dog drops. The outside foot slips and slides on very smooth top grain leather and this results in stitches varying in length. Given any choice, try to buy a triple (compound) feed walking foot machine. Ask about Consew, Chandler, Juki, Seiko, Adler, or a clone of these machines.