Wizcrafts

Remove the throat plate and check if the feed dog screws have come loose.

I have two patchers at this point in time Since these machines are often used to sew embroidered patches onto vests and jackets, and border colors vary, it is common practice to have multiple colors of thread ready to go on the machine's thread stand. My practice is to cut off the existing thread color about 8 inches from the thread stand, then pull the new color up, tie the ends together and pull them through the machine. I cut off above the knot, then thread the needle and sew the next patch with its matching color thread on top. Most of my stands have 4 spool holders. One has 5 and I frequently have to swap out spools to get a best color match. There are various shades of colors used on patches.

Right now (March 9, 2023), my Cowboy, 4 other sewing machines and a Fortuna skiver are 20 miles away, stored in my business partner's workshop in Montrose, Michigan. We have been out of business since December 31, when the building hosting us closed on short notice. Hopefully, we can find a new host soon! I will take photos, and maybe videos, once we get setup in a new building.

Tim, I don't double up through the top thread guide. I set it as low as it will go behind the disks and feed through it, up and inside the top disks, then down through the eyelet over the bottom roller, around ccw 2 turns, then up through the same eyelet and on to the check spring. If that makes the top tension hard to adjust, I don't go through the roller eyelet on the way to the check spring. This would be when I dumb down my machine to sew with thin thread and thin needles into thin material.

If the loose thread and loops are always on the top, assume something is randomly grabbing or hard-twisting the top thread, or the bobbin thread is jumping out of position under its tension spring.

Are you posting from a computer? If so, what is the operating system? If you're posting from a phone, what make and model? I can post links to photo reducers for various operating systems. But, if your phone or camera has resolution settings, use smaller dimensions, like 3x4 or 1:1. This greatly reduces the file size.

I recall that the term for this is "wicking." Many sewing machines have cotton wicks that distribute oil to the extremities of the machine from where the oil goes into a special housing or top mounted inlet. Bonded threads can carry lube on the outside, but they don't wick unless the bonding is crap, or scrapes off.

I sometimes put liquid silicon thread lube in oil pots on some of my machines. It helps when the leather is very dense, or I am sewing at 15 stitches per second and above.

You can buy different size pulleys for servo motors from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. Their toll free number is: 866-362-7397. The owner, Bob Kovar, will ask what make and model your servo is to get the correct pulley inside diameter. You will also need a different v-belt to offset the difference in pulley diameters.

To swap out feed dogs on your Singer 211, open the left sliding cover a bit, then use a long flat bade screw driver to unscrew the throat plate screws. Remove the throat plate and the feed dog and its screws will be exposed. Use a narrow magnetized blade screw driver to remove the screws. Install the new feed dog, centering it as you tighten the two screws. When you go to replace the throat plate, turn the bobbin case if necessary to place the tab into its locking position under the plate. There is a short metal frame under the right side of the plate that lets the bobbin case rotate a degree or two as the top thread gets picked off the needle and goes around the bobbin case. The tab must move freely inside the little frame. Once this is set, install the countersunk screws to secure the throat plate. The bobbin case tab motion is controlled by an adjustable metal arm known as the opener. It is set to pull the bobbin case back then release it to let the top thread enter and exit without binding.

Gun belts with bullet loops sewn on using a zig zag pattern need the extra space inside the body. Sewing the lower part of some bags requires more space on the right. Sewing any large and wide items the have to be turned and sewn around all side do better when there is more space on the right, Gun pouches that open like a butterfly are best sewn on a long arm machine.Western holsters need the extra length to avoid folding them in the wrong place to turn them around when sewing in a lining. These are just some of the items I have sewn on my CB4500, with its 16 inch long arm. There are times when I wish I had been able to get the 5500 with its 25 inch arm. Would I take a 3500 as an additional machine? Yes. Would I buy one as my only heavy stitcher if I could choose a longer arm? NO!

Why bother to upgrade the motor if you intend to sell this serger? Sergers are usually run fast if the operator is comfortable with the machine. Clutch motors can easily be adjusted so they can be feathered to sew slowly around turns and corners. If the serge spacing is close, you can operate at high speed with a fair degree of accuracy. Now, if there is anything wrong with the clutch motor, replace it. Clutch motors usually cost less to buy, but more to ship, due to their weight. If you decide to keep the serger, and if the cost of electricity is an issue, switching to a servo motor will save money on the electric bill. It will be easier to feather at slow speed, but should still be able to drive the machine at high speed on the straightaways. Just don't order a servo with a tiny pulley or you will lose to top speed range.

Wait, WHAT? You're going to pass on a real patcher and a deli pastrami sammich? No soup for you!

First of all, get some #23 leather point needles if you are going to use #138 thread on the top and bobbin. A #21 needle hole is simply too small of a hole to pull #138 knots up in veg tan leather. Second, after installing a #23 needle, if the knots are still at the bottom, loosen the bobbin tension spring until it only exerts a slight back tension on the bobbin thread. Try reversing the direction the bobbin feeds the spring as one direction will be a smooth pull. If the top beehive spring can't be backed off with centered knots, buy a heavy duty tension spring. @CowboyBob has them in stock, or did.

That bobbin is twice the inside capacity of my Adler patcher large bobbin. it is about 5.5mm inside depth, 6mm outside depth and 2cm wide.

I buy supplies and leather belt strips from ZachWhite. Also, they make black leather balm I like to spread onto black dyed holsters, then buff.

Spend the money on the cases. You don't want parts flying off from vibration.

Okay, thanks Folker. Still, the shuttle sure looks like the one in my Adler 30-7. I think it will help if the O.P. can take the bobbin out and place it by a ruler so we can see the diameter and depth. Also, he could remove the needle and tell us what number is printed on the shank. It looks like a really large needle.

This model is from the turn of the 20th Century. It is probably similar to a Singer class 17 in capacity. This would mean it is best used with thread sizes up to #138, using needle sizes up to #23. That combination is okay for sewing 10 to 12 ounces (~ 4mm) thickness of leather. If that machine can actually clear and sew 12mm, you would need to use #277 thread to properly hold it together if it was under any stress. I doubt that it can handle anything even close to that size thread. Looking at the shuttle and bobbin, it looks like a large 29k72 patcher set. I have an Adler patcher that uses the large Singer shuttles. They have half the capacity of a standard G size bobbin that is used in the Singer 111 series walking foot machines. The timing has to be done under the head. There are two screws securing the hook to the gear that drives it. Maybe some of those screws came loose after a thread jam and retarded it out of time. I watched the lest video and the timing is late. The hook needs to be advanced so that it intersects the needle in the scarf area, 2mm above the top of the needle's eye. Also, you need to hold onto the top thread, or both threads, when you start trying to sew, or to bring up the bobbin thread.

It's probably not threaded correctly on top. I've seen machines where the owner forgot to feed the top thread through the take-up lever. They never pick up the bobbin thread with the take-up lever pulling the top thread back up. Also, I can't tell if the thread is actually going through the needle in the video!

I got all available accessories at the same time as my Cowboy CB4500, from @CowboyBob Bob Kovar, back in 2011. I added the inline feet twice when they became available. I bought specialty feet from @Cobra Steve. Then I got the narrow throat plate/feed dog sets from @RockyAussie and @Patrick1. As new accessories are offered for my machine I will probably buy them.

I want to let you guys know that I got a new category added to our Marketplace, for "Sewing Machine Accessories" for sale, or that you might want to buy. Hopefully, our members will start posting items they have or make that will be of use to owners of various types of leather sewing machines.

His handle here is @CowboyBob The toll free landline for his business is: 866-362-7397

@Quade, there is only System 135x16 or 135x17. There is no long or short variation. The description "long" might mean longer than tailoring needles, which they are.

About 12 years ago a friend of mine bought a Class 4 machine with the accessories package for his leather business. He put me to work sewing on it most of the time. I taught him to use it correctly and moved along to my own shop (which is now closed) in 2012. One of his issues was the wide throat plate cutout was catching the narrow tips of rifle slings and guitar straps as we made the turn at the tip (~7/8 inch wide strap). The leather was getting caught and pushed down, causing some bad stitching at the ends. He knew a guy with a metal working shop and commissioned him to make a set of a narrower 1/4 inch wide throat plate and narrowed down the feed dog to just fit in it. It solved the problem and it is his standard everyday set to this very day. My buddy wasn't sewing with thin thread or needles. He used #138 thread on top and bottom. Fast forward to 2023 and we have two members of Leatherworker.net who are custom building narrow feed dog and throat plate sets that most 441 type machine owners can afford. They bolt on and can be installed or removed in a couple of minutes.