Wizcrafts

Seth; You definitely will need a different machine for sewing garment leather. For very thin leather, like maybe 3 - 4 ounces, a straight stitch machine with a roller foot, or a even flat Teflon foot will be your daisy. I use an ancient Singer 31-15, equipped with a roller foot and a single row feed dog combination for garment leather projects. When I need to sew cloth, I change it back to a medium hole plate and matching multi-row feed dog. The machine now has a servo motor that allows for easy speed control. These machines work best with thin thread, not exceeding #69 bonded nylon/polyester, or #80 jeans thread. They are used in garment making, dry cleaning and tailor shops around the World. Almost every industrial sewing machine company makes several types of straight stitch machine, many of which can use standard replacement and accessory parts. They are usually limited to sewing about 3/16 inch of material under the foot, depending on the needle and presser foot in use. If your work involves slightly firmer leather, like might be used in cell phone cases, wallets, chaps, vests and jackets, a flat bed, upholstery grade walking foot machine is best. The Consew 206RB-5 is highly recommended for this type of work, especially if it is equipped with a Family Sew FS-550 motor, or newer. These machines typically use bonded thread in sizes 69, 92 and 138, and once in a while, maybe #207 on top and 138 in the bobbin. They usually are able to sew through 3/8 inches of medium temper leather, jeans, webbing, etc. Some walking foot machines can be modified, or custom ordered, to sew thin, soft garment leather without problems. Contact our member-dealers to see what they can offer you in this category.

Your work appears to be best sewn on a heavy duty leather stitcher, like the 441 clones, rather than on a light duty walking foot machine. The machine I mentioned before would probably fit the bill perfectly. They are really well suited to work ranging from about 12 ounces and up, where you can use heavy thread, like #207 and 277. Why? I have multiple industrial sewing machines in my shop. I use a long body flat bed walking foot machine for thin leather pouches, and for sewing patches onto vests and new zippers and fringes onto Biker chaps and jackets. I usually keep #92 thread in it. Occasionally, I have to sew over a thick leather seam of about 3/8 inch. The long body machine makes an unhappy noise every time I do this. Still, it does sew through these seams. My CB4500 can walk through a 3/8" seam like butter, with absolutely no hesitation or mechanical interference.

As for sewing wet leather, the Cowboy 3200, 3500, 4500 and 5500 all have stainless steel presser feet, feed dogs and throat plates, which will not darken moist veg-tan leather. I occasionally sew still-moist holsters to get as close to the shaped areas as possible with the stitches. Then I finish the shaping and let it dry with a blue gun inside, or the actual gun, wrapped in Saran Wrap. I usually back off the top pressure spring to relieve the force on the presser feet. I also sand the sharp bottom edges of the harness feet, then polish them on a buffer. All of this reduces the foot drag lines, but never completely eliminates them. A wide modeling spoon also helps smooth out presser foot tracks.

I was recently having intermittent problems where the top thread got caught between the top of the shuttle and the shuttle race. I couldn't figure out why, as I always hold back the threads when I start sewing (on all my machines). The cause and solution turned out to be rather simple and was due to an adjustment I had made months ago and forgot about. Several months ago I wanted to sew with thin thread, to sew in something really thin. I set the bobbin tension to a light pull, so as to not pucker the thin leather. Then I tried in vain to balance the knots by backing off the top tension adjuster, but they stayed at the top no matter how much I backed it off. After checking for binding thread (wasn't) I finally traced the excess top tension to the check spring, which is attached to the bottom disk shaft. By default, it is set to a high tension to control thick and stiff threads used in heavy leather sewing, for which the CB4500 is designed. Anywho, I loosened the nut on the back of the head, which locked in the bottom disk and check spring shaft and rotated it CCW, until it only exerted enough tension to return all the way down, with the top thread loose. After sewing that light job I forgot all about this adjustment. Over time I began experiencing trapped top thread, loops on the bottom, bad bottom on reverse, etc. The other day I manually handwheeled the machine and watched the top thread jam into the top of the race. Frustrated, I called Bob Kovar and told him what was happening. The first question he asked was "are you holding the threads back?" I told him I always do. His next question was, "have you loosened the check spring or shortened its travel?" Silence on my end while I pondered this question... I told him about the time months ago when I changed the setup to sew light leather with #69 thread and how I had to back off the check spring tension to balance the knots. He told me to tighten it up, increase the travel a bit and try again. The machine has worked flawlessly since I made that adjustment. Lesson: These machines are built with heavy components, including the pressure and tension mechanisms. Dumbing them down throws off all of the adjustments that allow them to sew dense or thick leather, with the heavy threads in sizes 277 and up. If one has to sew frequently on a cylinder arm machine with thin thread (e.g. #69 or #92), into 1/4 inch of material or less, buy another machine for that purpose. The 441 machines work best with thread sizes #138 and UP, sewing into 3/16 inch and MORE.

No icons over text field in Chrome for Android. I shall investigate why.

You are correct Ryan. I am typing this reply on my smartphone and there are no icons over the text field. I am using Firefox for Android. I will log in with Google Chrome and see if the icons appear in it.

The following link is normally used to open a pop-up information window, from the pages of the Cowboy 441 clones. But, here it is on its own, just because you asked! It details the various feet and cover plates and edge guides for the 441 clones, including Cobra, Cowboy and Techsew.

I use the raised rounded top stirrup plate to sew circular items and corners on saddle bags. I use the raised flat top holster plate to get past holster clips and belt loops and snaps on the back of holsters and sheaths. Other than that, I use the flat slotted throat plate for 90% of my sewing on my CB4500.

I employ a dust eating cat to lick the dust off of my sewing machines. It's a win win situation, sort a kind of.

Ryan; Here I am replying to a question on the LWN forum. There are some icons above the text area. The ninth icon looks like a figure 8 sideways, with a green ball under its right side. Clicking on that icon opens a box where you can type or paste in a hyperlink to a web page. The photo below shows the "URL" dialog box that opens after I click on the "link" icon.

Search for posts in this section of LWN about problems with the Boss machines. They are legion.

First of all, as long as you keep the old clutch motor, change the motor pulley to the smallest replacement that fits the output shaft. In most cases, that is a 3/4 inch inside diameter, type 3L pulley and belt. 3L means 3/8 inch v-belt. Note the diameter of the pulley on the motor now. When you locate the smaller replacement, subtract one inch of belt length for every inch of diameter reduction. Example: Existing pulley: 4 inches (~100 mm) Existing v-belt: Type 3L x 44 inches New Pulley: 2 inches (~50 mm) New v-belt: Type 3L x 42 inches This change results in a 2:1 speed reduction, across the board. It also inherits a 2:1 torque increase. Note, you can easily replace the clutch motor with a 550 Watt servo motor if the existing setup has 3 mounting holes in the table. You would order the servo motor with a 2 inch (50 mm) pulley, and a new 3L v-belt that is 1 inch shorter per inch difference in diameter from clutch motor pulley. The above mentioned motor can be easily controlled to sew at less that 1 stitch per second, all the way up to about 30 stitches per second, by your foot position.

It may take a custom interface bracket and drilling/tapping to mount a drop down guide on such an old machine.

Ryan; Ferdco is out of business and all assets were sold to the Hoffman Brothers, in Rosemont, Il.

There could be beerz at the other end!

Seth; Where do you live? If it is within driving distance of Flint, Michigan, I'll come to you and try to set the machine up properly.

Where's the fun in that, when you can sew it on a machine unlike any other machine? Did I mention that the machine makes a sound like "tapokita tapokita?"

There is but one 360 degree foot patcher that can sew 20 ounces, plus. Actually, it can sew 32 ounces! Still, it only uses up to #138 bonded thread. That machine is made by Claes. Do a Google search for a Claes Patcher. There is a dealer in North America. They are a very good bargain at just $6,000.

Yeah, diamond or triangle shaped needles do tend to do that when backtacking, or even forward tacking over previous stitches. Do try sewing on the side of the previous stitches, if you can. In the meantime, order S point needles as soon as possible.

It sounds like you need a flat bed walking foot machine, like this one. If that is not gentle enough, maybe a needle feed straight stitch machine will do the trick. Otherwise, any straight stitch machine equipped with a roller foot.

Your best bet is to hire a machinist to cut feet for you, out of stainless steel, using samples taken from a walking foot machine. The differences are in the outer foot mounting area, the height of the feet and to reposition of the inside foot so it clears the needlebar.

Not to my knowledge. Both would be useful accessories.

I prefer using a #19 or 20 needle with my #92 thread. It makes for less shredding and pulls the knots up more easily.

You're welcome. Did you order a flat bed attachment with it?

The opposite is true. If the bottom looks good, but the top has the knots showing and the thread hasn't even been pulled into the leather, there is way too much top tension, or way too little bottom tension. First, check the path of the top thread to see if it is binding somewhere between the spool and the needle. Then check the bobbin basket or case to see if the thread has slipped out from under the bobbin case/basket tension spring. That'll do it every time. It's pert near impossible to balance with zero bobbin tension.