Wizcrafts

No, the DBx1 and DPx5 are different systems. The DPx5 is also known as a system 134 Pfaff garment machine needle. They are very close in size to the DBx1, but the top shank is wider (moving the point off-center) and the point sticks down farther from the bottom of the eye than the x1. Home style 130/705 is the wrong shank diameter (plus has a flat side) and length, although they are close in length to the x1. You can buy DBx1 (aka: 1738, 16x257 and more) online, or from most of our member dealers, in sizes 9 through 22. If you truly want to sew leather with the Brother machine, try doing so using a DBx1 size 18 (aka: 110), with #69 bonded nylon thread. If the holes are too noticeable, go down one size to a #16 needle. Stick to using the correct system needles for your needlebar and machine setup. If it calls for DBx1, use that system.

DBx1 is a needle "system" - not a size. These needles are quite short and are for use in garment sewing machines and sergers. Their short size leads to a short stroke in the needlebar, which means not too much clearance is available under the presser foot. If the other needle you tried is too long or too short, the loop will be in the wrong place and the hook will not pick it up. However, if you tried using a different "system" needle and by chance it is the same length (top of shaft to eye of needle) as the DBx1, you may have inserted it with the cutout above the eye facing the wrong direction. That cutout should face to the dead right and should be threaded from left to right. BTW: Your machine is a high speed garment sewing machine, for cloth, not leather. It is meant to sew with cotton or polyester or polyester and cotton dual core threads, typically is home sizes 40 or 50. A number 18 needle is fairly large for those threads.

You definitely need a compound feed walking foot machine, with a minimum of 3/8 inch capacity, with #207 thread. A Consew 206RB-5 will do this, but will be at its full capacity. I try to use my machines at less than full capacity, both for efficiency and longevity of the machine. There is a class of flat bed machines, called a 443, that are based on the 441 design, or the Adler 204 style. They can sew about 7/8 inch of leather or cloth, with #415 thread, which is more than you'll ever need. The machines have about 16 inches clearance between the needle and body. I owned an Adler 204 for a short time and they really can sew 3/4 inch, with what some folks would call rope, rather than thread. Then, one could buy a 441 clone, like this one and get the optional table attachment for it.

I have a 15-91 that I completely rebuilt. It will not properly feed heavy material, including Naugahyde and chap leather. It is the weight of the material that causes the problems, not the material itself. The problem is that in order to get enough tension to keep the material from lifting with the needle, a lot of foot pressure needs to be applied. This in turn holds back the top layer, dragging down the stitch length. Smaller pieces feed better than longer or wider pieces. I tried installing an even feed attachment, sold as a walking foot attachment, which is isn't. It slightly improved the feeding of vinyl and soft leather, but lost about 1/8 inch of clearance under the foot. Finally, the little machines are only equipped to tension up to #69 bonded thread. This is okay for wallet interiors, but not much else. If you are seriously considering a 15-91, bring your leather and thread with you and see if it sews properly and feeds evenly. I gave up trying to use my 15-91 and she sits quietly in her box, like a vampire resting in its native soil. Someday it may awake and sew again. Use your nose while testing a 15-91 or 201. If you smell burning insulation, run.

Wish I could just come over and buy some of your machines. Have you listed them in our For Sale > Machinery > Sewing... section yet? It's too bad about Ferdco going under. They produced some fine jump-foot leather stitchers. Ditto for Tony Luberto.

I'm glad that Darren and Ronny realized that I wasn't referring to them, or any of our other dealers who also maintain an eBay store.

I prefer a flatbed walking foot machine to sew vests and jackets. However, the arm holes and cuffs are easier to sew on a cylinder arm machine. You'll be better off if you can afford both a flat bead and a cylinder arm walking foot machine. But, if you can only afford one, go with the 2700, with the optional table attachment. Do not even attempt to sew leather jackets on a non-walking foot machine. A million little old lady zombies, with hairy legs, all wearing babushkas, will haunt you until you perish from wrong machine frustrations.

There is nothing wrong with telling other members how happy you are with your machine and the dealer you bought it from. No need to apologize. Our dealers stand behind their machines and take care of their customers. This sets us apart from some other forums, or some less concerned eBay dealers.

Please read CowboyBob's replies numbers 17 and 29, in this topic, on page 2. He is a Juki dealer and called Juki to find out if they have produced a model 441s (short arm) for sale in the USA, or anywhere else. According to Bob, in reply 29, their response was "no" - meaning that the seller, or his intermediate supplier, has installed a decal with the word "Juki" on some other brand of 9 inch 441 clone.

Kate; Keep a paper towel or rag under the presser feet over night

Sorry Dude, but Ferdco went out of business on June 5, 2012. They sold off all their machines and parts.

Are you just using the minimum pressure needed on the presser foot? If so, the stitch length can be changed by the weight of the belt as it folds over the arm, or by your hand pressure as you guide it. When I notice variances in stitch length, I tighten the pressure screw and support the strap for a few inches behind the head, with my left hand. This is where the table attachment can help you out. It keeps the belt or strap flat, removing gravity from the equation.

I find reverse to be iffy all the time. I feather the stitch length or reverse lever while lightly touching the throttle and watch the needle move back. I adjust the lever position until the needle is directly over the hole, then do a coup[le of back stitches in that position.

How do you intend to send the machine to Germany? If by ship, you cannot use solid real wood, because it might carry insect larvae to another continent. You should build a plywood or composite material box all around and under the machine, with about 4 inch high runners on the bottom to allow a fork lift to get under the box. You will pay a fee based on the cubic feet occupied by the box, not the weight. Fill the space inside with styrofoam or plywood supports and struts, to protect the cargo from shock, rolling on the sea and loading stresses. I learned that I could ship a 4 cubic foot box, containing a 500 pound Union Lockstitch machine, from a dock in Ohio to Stockholm, Sweden, for about $476. I found this on a shipping company's website, using their own cargo fee calculator. The price varies slightly depending on who fills out the paperwork. Delivery to the dock would be additional, unless you take it there on a truck.

I can stitch over the edge and back with any walking foot machine, with a reverse lever or reversing stitch lever..

A few months ago I was sewing together an ammo pouch. It consisted of 3 layers of 6-7 ounce veg-tan leather. My CB4500 sewed flawlessly until I rounded the last corner and headed into the stretch. With Cabbage in the head, bubblegum stitcking to the railing and toiletpaper wiping up the rear, Feedlebaum moved up and broke my #25 needle. Then another, then another! The 2 inches remaining had to be hand sewn using an awl and barbed needle. I concluded that there was rawhide inside the filler between the layers, on the problem run. Rawhide will do it to ya every time. If I had know it was in there I would have sewn the pouch at home, on my Union Lockstitch machine.

If that doesn't do it, move up to a #23 needle.

It needs harness feet and a smooth feed dog, plus an edge guide to become a (veg-tan) leather stitcher. This Juki has the wrong presser feet for most leather work.

The Techsew 2700 is a good machine for light and medium duty leather sewing. It has a 10.5 inch cylinder arm. It will sew from 1/32 inch (2 oz), with #46 thread, up to 3/8 inch (20 oz), with #138 thread, top and bottom. It can handle #207 thread on top and #138 on the bottom. Needles are readily available from tiny sizes, like #10 or 12, all the way up to #25, in leather points of various geometries. There are dozens of miscellaneous presser feet that fit the machine. Help is a phone call away, during business hours, from Ronny, at Techsew. I can't imagine where you were going to buy a Juki 441 for the same price as a Techsew 2700. The Juki TSC-441 typically lists for over $5000. If you bought one at half price it would be in the vicinity of $2500. I believe that in stock configuration, the TSC-441 has a 12 inch arm, but I might be mistaken. The Toro 3000 is a 9 inch cylinder arm, heavy leather stitcher. It is best used with thread sizes starting with #138 and going up. It should be able to sew into about 4 to 6 ounces of leather, or up to 7/8 inch. It uses system 7x3 regular point, or 794 leather point needles. I think they sell for $2,000, or so.

I don't know what they sold for new, but my best guess would be around $1400 tops. You can buy a brand new Cowboy CB2500, with a U shaped table and a new servo motor, for about $1000 without reverse, or $1300 with reverse, plus a couple hundred for shipping from Ohio (or gas to pick it up). The motor will have a metal plate on it stating whether it runs on 110 or 220. You can buy a new plug at a hardware store. Why doesn't the seller replace the plug and show you if the motor runs? If you aren't shown a working motor, assume it is shot and will need replacing with a new (preferably servo) motor and matching v-belt. If the motor does require 220 volts, do you have it available in your shop? If not, add the cost of running a 220 line and socket. The only thing that might make this a great deal would be if a ton of needles, bobbins, thread, etc, was thrown in. You would get really lucky if the only thing the motor needed was a new plug and it runs on 110.

Yer puttin me on the spot Pilgrim. Okay. I have been there and done that. I tried working my way up to the best sewing machine for the money and blew a small fortune doing so. Here is my advice: Buy the best machine you can afford, even if you have to lease it. You left out one of the best currently available 441 clones on the market: The cowboy brand CB3500, 4500 and 5500. The 3500 has a 9" arm, like the Artisan 3000, but is made at the best quality factory in China.I own the next model up: the CB4500. I use this machine every day to sew everything from jeans cuffs. to handles on purses, to zippers, to belts, to holsters, etc. I used it today to sew across the back of a shoe where the material had come loose on the inside. There is little this machine cannot handle. If you aren't interested in the Cowboy brand machines for some reason, the Techsew 2700 would be a good starters' machine. It is a light duty, walking foot sewing machine. While it may be technically able to handle #207 thread, it won't be pretty. The pressure required to hold down the leather may be more than the pressure spring can apply. In contrast, my CB4500 can sew from 6 ounces up, depending on what size thread and needle I use. With a #19 needle, it sews thin garment leather or jeans, with #92 thread. Plop in a #22 or #23 needle and it sews with #138 thread. Move up to a #24 and it sews #207. Ramp it up a notch to a #25 and it sews #277 thread, top and bottom. This is not the end of the line either. It can sew with #415 thread, using a #27 needle! Did I mention is can sew as long as 2 or 3 stitches per inch? This is with either the smooth feed dog, or no feed dog at all. I prefer no feed dog for my work. Some like it the other way. If you are going to only sew thin or soft leather, a 227 type machine is adequate. But, once you start playing with the big dogs, a real leather stitcher is needed. That is a 441 clone, or an Adler 205-374, Union Lockstitch, or Campbell-Randall.

I have a National walking foot machine, which is very similar to both the Chandler 406 and Consew 206. It even uses the Consew M bobbins and cases. I paid for it sewing rifle slings and guitar straps, ranging from 8 ounces to 20 ounces thick, with #138 bonded nylon thread. It easily sews 3/8 inch, at slow speeds. It will sew with #207, but the pressure on the feet must be cranked up a lot. Whichever machine you buy, get a servo motor with or for it. I recommend one with a front knob speed limiter, 3/4 HP and a 70mm pulley for your intended usage. Or, get a servo with a 50mm pulley and about 1/2 HP rating. The Toledo Sew Slow is rated at 300 watts, but has built in 3:1 gear reduction for higher torque (but slower top speed). Prices for such motors range from about $105 to $175.

Is it a Neel's Model 5, black body cylinder arm machine? If so, it is probably the forerunner of the Cowboy CB2500, which is a bottom fed, static needle machine. It should make a good tack and animal collar sewing machine, where the marks on the bottom are not so important. It can handle thick thread, with the proper needle and sew up to 7/16 inch of leather. Loops under the leather can be caused by improper threading on top, thread not fully seated inside the top tension butterflies, Too much bobbin case tension, or too small a needle for the thread. Missed stitches would be caused by insufficient pressure on the foot, allowing the leather to lift with the needle. If the motor is unusable, it can be replaced for under $200 with a servo motor. I am not sure if that machine has reverse sewing or not. Ask the seller.

If If you grind down the teeth on the feeder, what is left to move your leather: osmosis? This is a bottom feeder only and it needs those teeth to move the material. The roller foot on top is there to prevent the top layer from being dragged out of alignment with the bottom layer. A flat presser foot can cause this misalignment, especially when you crank down the pressure spring to prevent the leather from lifting with the needle.

Tostrap; You may want to look at the Cowboy CB2500 machine. It is probably within your budget and can sew with heavy thread into about 7/16 inch of veg-tan leather. Techsew also sells a similar machine. They are based on the design of the ancient Singer 45k cylinder arm machines, being bottom feeders. There is a roller foot available for the CB2500, which allows it to feed multiple layers better. You need a lot of top spring pressure to hold down 7/16 inch of hard leather. This makes it more like the Singer 45k25, which had a roller foot (I had one for a while).